Every person has two kidneys--one on each side of the spine--located behind the abdominal organs. Kidney cancer begins in the kidneys, and while more than one type of kidney cancer exists, the most common in adults is renal cell carcinoma, according to the Mayo Clinic. The exact cause of this disease is not clear, but certain risk factors are.
Smoking
While smoking increases a person's risk of developing kidney cancer, the risk is linked to the amount a person smokes, according to the American Cancer Association. The Department of Urology at Cornell University agrees, adding that approximately 30 percent of renal cell carcinomas in men and 25 percent in women may be due directly to smoking. The University notes that smoking doubles a person's risk of developing this disease.
Job Exposure
Certain workers may be at greater risk for kidney cancer than others, notes both Cornell University and the American Cancer Society. These include workers who face exposure to chemicals such as asbestos, herbicides and cadmium, a type of metal.
Inherited Gene Mutation
Genes are a gift, so to speak, from parent to child. They determine a person's physical appearance and control the body's metabolism. Sometimes genes mutate, becoming abnormal; in some cases, these abnormalities are inherited and cause certain diseases. As the Department of Urology at Cornell University explains, gene mutations can cause rare syndromes, such as tuberous sclerosis and Von Hippel-Lindau disease; people with these mutations have a greater risk of developing kidney tumors.
Family History
The risk factor for kidney cancer is higher for people with family members who have the disease. Once again, this involves gene mutations. While the function of these genes and how they cause renal cell carcinoma is not fully understood, it does appear that patients with one or more of these genes have a greater risk of developing this disease, suggests Cornell University.
Acquired Gene Mutations
Kidney cancer resulting from gene mutations are due to acquired mutations rather than inherited, according to the American Cancer Society. These mutations may be due to cancer-causing chemicals, but in many cases the cause of these gene changes is not known.
