Countries With The Highest Incidences Of Kidney Cancer In The World

High magnification micrograph of a clear cell renal cell carcinoma.
High magnification micrograph of a clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Cancer of the kidney is the twelfth most prevalent cancer in the world today with an estimated 338,000 new cases diagnosed annually. The renal parenchymal cancer accounts for 80-90% followed by renal pelvis cancer. The Czech Republic, Lithuania, and Slovakia have the highest incidence of kidney cancer in the world. A report by the Kidney Cancer Statistics indicates that 24% of kidney cancer cases are preventable if people in the USA had a healthier weight, and 19% similar cases in the UK, 13% in Brazil and approximately 8% in China. It is surprisingly sad that about 68% of all kidney cancer cases occur in developed countries and few cases in Africa and Asia. The cancer is predominant in Northern America and European countries.

The Countries Most Affected By Kidney Cancer

Kidney Cancer In The European Nations

Cancer of the kidney is the seventh most common cancer in Europe. More than 115,000 new cases diagnosed each year. The incidence rates are higher in several countries like;

The Czech Republic has an incidence of 16.7 as the age-standardized rate per 100,000 people of kidney cancer, Lithuania 13.2, Slovakia 12.5, Estonia 11.7, Belarus.1, and Slovenia 11.1, Latvia 10.9, Germany 10.6, and Croatia 10 as the age-standardized rates/100000. The incidence rate in women is half the incidence of males. From the statistics, it is notable that Croatia has fewer chances for disease occurring despite the fact of the country location in regions where Balkan nephropathy is endemic.

Falling Incidence Rates In Europe

Between 2003 and 2007 there was a decline in the incidence rate of kidney cancer in some countries in Europe. In that period, Czech Republic had a 31.4%, Germany and Slovakia 13%, Lithuania, Estonia, and Belarus 15-17%.In Germany the mortality rate levels fell by about 8-10% while in countries like Czech and Baltic countries high mortality rates were still experienced. In a 2013 study by Chris Protzel et al. indicated the Czech Republic recorded high mortality rates of approximately 14.56%, Slovakia 9.0%, and Germany 5.6%.

The cause of the fall is unknown, but it is though that the prevalence of risk factors awareness might be a contributing factor. However, it is thought that obesity accounts for almost 30% of kidney cancer cases in highly developed European countries like Germany.

The US

In the United States which records an incidence with 12 as the Age-standardized rate per 100,000 people and according to American cancer Society, there will about 62,700 new cases of kidney cancer in 2016 where 39,650 would be men and 23,050 would be women. Approximately 14,240 people will die from the disease, where 9240 would be men and 5000 would be women. These figures are for all type of kidney cancers and renal pelvis cancer.

Research by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in the US indicated that smokers had a 50% in males and 20% in female higher chances of contracting cancer. Obesity has been associated with approximately 40% renal cancer incidences. Another research by the kidney Cancer Statistics reveals that about 65% of patients diagnosed with renal cancer confined to the kidney had the mortality reduced by 92% in a 5-year survival rate. When the disease spreads the survival rate is at 65% and full metastatic has a death rate of 92%.

What Are The Options For Treatment?

Treatment choices vary depending on the type and stage of cancer upon diagnosis, possible side effects, and preference of the patient and general health of the infected. Stage 1 renal cell cancer treatment option is mostly surgery either radical, partial, or simple nephrectomy, or radiation therapy for patients who cannot have surgery. Metastatic kidney cancer treatment options include Alpha-interferon a type of immunotherapy, radiation therapy is done to ease bone pain or reduce swelling in the brain. Chemotherapy reduces the malignant cells ability to divide and multiply, Targeted therapy uses drugs to target cancer-specific genes, proteins to reduce sustainability of the tumor by the body hence reducing tumor development and immunotherapy to boost the body defense mechanisms against cancer.

Countries With The Highest Incidence Of Kidney Cancer In The World

RankCountryAge-Standardised Rate per 100,000 (World)
1Czech Republic16.7
2Lithuania13.2
3Slovakia12.5
4United States of America12.0
5Estonia11.7
6Belarus11.1
7Slovenia11.1
8Latvia10.9
9Germany10.6
10Croatia10.0
11Israel10.0
Share

More in World Facts