Kidney stones and kidney cancer risk
A systematic review and meta-analysis found that:
- there was an increased risk of RCC (renal cell carcinoma) and TCC (transitional cell carcinoma) in patients with prior kidney stones
- pooled RR of RCC in patients with kidney stones was 1.76 (95% CI, 1.24-2.49)
- pooled RR of TCC in patients with kidney stones was 2.14 (95% CI, 1.35-3.40)
A more recent meta-analysis demonstrates a significant association between kidney stones and increased risk of kidney cancer, with affected individuals having approximately twice the risk of developing kidney cancer (2):
- subgroup analysis showed a consistently elevated risk of kidney cancer in stone formers across all subgroups
References:
- Cheungpasitporn W, et al. The risk of kidney cancer in patients with kidney stones: a systematic review and meta-analysis. QJM. 2015;108:205–212.
- Bhojani N et al. Association between kidney stones and future risk of kidney cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Can Urol Assoc J. 2025 Dec 15.
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