How Alcohol Affects Kidney Cancer
Drinking alcohol is a known risk factor for several types of cancer.
Studies have found a correlation between consuming alcohol and the likelihood of developing renal cell carcinoma, the most common form of kidney cancer. But one study of 429,290 individuals found that people who drink alcohol appear to have a lower risk of developing renal cell carcinoma, though it’s unclear if alcohol actually causes that lower risk, and more research is needed to confirm it.
As far as existing kidney cancer goes, there’s no definitive scientific evidence that drinking alcohol causes this type of cancer to grow faster or spread to other parts of the body, says Luke Chen, MD, a medical oncologist and an assistant clinical professor in the department of medical oncology and therapeutics research at City of Hope Orange County in Irvine, California.
“The bigger concern is how alcohol may affect your overall health, your ability to tolerate treatment, and your recovery,” Dr. Chen says. Aside from placing stress on your remaining healthy kidney tissue and your liver, alcohol can contribute to dehydration.
It can also disrupt sleep and worsen fatigue.
Those effects can make it harder for your body to recover from kidney cancer treatment or cope with its side effects, he says.
Alcohol can also trigger inflammation throughout your body and weaken your immune system’s ability to fight cancer cells, Elhaddad says. It can also raise your blood pressure, which can put extra strain on your kidneys.
High blood pressure is already a known risk factor for kidney cancer, and it’s a common side effect of many targeted kidney cancer treatments, he says.
Keeping your blood pressure under control can become more difficult if alcohol causes it to spike.
