Blood Pressure and Risk of Renal Cell Carcinoma in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition

• Published in: American journal of epidemiology Vol. 167; no. 4; pp. 438 - 446
• Main Authors: Weikert, Steffen, Boeing, Heiner, Pischon, Tobias, Weikert, Cornelia, Olsen, Anja, Tjonneland, Anne, Overvad, Kim, Becker, Nikolaus, Linseisen, Jakob, Trichopoulou, Antonia, Mountokalakis, Theodore, Trichopoulos, Dimitrios, Sieri, Sabina, Palli, Domenico, Vineis, Paolo, Panico, Salvatore, Peeters, Petra H. M., Bueno-de-Mesquita, H. Bas, Verschuren, W. M. Monique, Ljungberg, Borje, Hallmans, Goran, Berglund, Goran, González, Carlos A., Dorronsoro, Miren, Barricarte, Aurelio, Tormo, M. J., Allen, Naomi, Roddam, Andrew, Bingham, Sheila, Khaw, Kay-Tee, Rinaldi, Sabina, Ferrari, Pietro, Norat, Teresa, Riboli, Elio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cary, NC Oxford University Press 15-02-2008; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Analysis. Health state; antihypertensive agents; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Pressure; Cancer; Carcinoma, Renal Cell - epidemiology; Carcinoma, Renal Cell - etiology; Carcinoma, Renal Cell - physiopathology; Cohort Studies; Diet; Drug therapy; Epidemiology; Europe - epidemiology; European Union - statistics & numerical data; Female; Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi; General aspects; Health Sciences; Humans; Hypertension; Hälsovetenskap; Incidence; Kidney diseases; kidney neoplasms; Kidney Neoplasms - epidemiology; Kidney Neoplasms - etiology; Kidney Neoplasms - physiopathology; Kidneys; Life Style; Male; Medical and Health Sciences; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; Proportional Hazards Models; Prospective Studies; Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Risk factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Tumors of the urinary system; Europe; risk factors; antihypertensive agents; kidney neoplasms; hypertension; Carcinoma; Cardiovascular disease; Risk; Epidemiology; Kidney; Prospective; Grawitz tumor; Arterial pressure; Blood pressure; Public health; Kidney disease; Human; Hypertension; Urinary system disease; Nutrition; Malignant tumor; Feeding; Urinary system; Risk factor; Antihypertensive agent; Hemodynamics; Cancer
• ISSN: 0002-9262; 1476-6256; 1476-6256
• DOI: 10.1093/aje/kwm321

Elevated blood pressure has been implicated as a risk factor for renal cell carcinoma (RCC), but prospective studies were confined to men and did not consider the effect of antihypertensive medication. The authors examined the relation among blood pressure, antihypertensive medication, and RCC in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Blood pressure was measured in 296,638 women and men, recruited in eight European countries during 1992–1998, 254,935 of whom provided information on antihypertensive medication. During a mean follow-up of 6.2 years, 250 cases of RCC were identified. Blood pressure was independently associated with risk of RCC. The relative risks for the highest versus the lowest category of systolic (≥160 mmHg vs. <120 mmHg) and diastolic (≥100 mmHg vs. <80 mmHg) blood pressures were 2.48 (95% confidence interval: 1.53, 4.02) and 2.34 (95% confidence interval: 1.54, 3.55). Risk estimates did not significantly differ according to sex or use of antihypertensive medication. Individuals taking antihypertensive drugs were not at a significantly increased risk unless blood pressure was poorly controlled. These results support the hypothesis that hypertension, rather than its medications, increases the risk of RCC in both sexes, while effective blood pressure control may lower the risk.