Albuminuria may increase the risks for cancer, independent of kidney function, investigators reported at the European Renal Association (ERA) 59th Congress held in Paris, France, and virtually.
Among 8490 Dutch adults in the Prevention of Renal and Vascular End-Stage Disease (PREVEND) study, de novo cancer developed in 1789 over a median follow-up of 17.7 years. At baseline, median urinary albumin excretion (UAE) was 9.4 mg/24 h and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 94.6 mL/min/1.73 m2 based on the 2012 CKD-EPI creatinine-cystatin C equation.
In an age- and sex-adjusted model, each doubling of UAE was significantly associated with a 7% increased risk for cancer overall that was unaffected by eGFR, Ronald Gansevoort, MD, PhD, of the University of Groningen in The Netherlands, and colleagues reported. In addition, each doubling of UAE was independently associated with a significant 13% increased risk for both urothelial cell carcinoma and lung cancer, and a significant 29% increased risk for head and neck cancer. The investigators found no relationship between UAE and melanoma or breast, prostate, and colorectal cancers. They noted that patients with higher UAE were more likely to be older and male and to have hypertension, diabetes, and lower eGFR.
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Although previous studies have found links between moderate to severe CKD and cancer risk, this study extends the association to patients with mild CKD defined by albuminuria only.
“Future studies are warranted to corroborate these findings and to examine mechanisms underlying these associations,” Dr Gansevoort’s team concluded in a study abstract.
Reference
Luo L, Kieneker L, van der Vegt B, et al. Urinary albumin excretion and cancer risk. Presented at: 59th ERA Congress; May 19-22, 2022. Abstract MO504.
