Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is twice as common among men compared with women, and hormonal factors have been suggested to partial
Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is twice as common among men compared with women, and hormonal factors have been suggested to partially explain this difference. There is currently little evidence on the roles of reproductive and hormonal risk factors in RCC aetiology. Materials & Methods: We investigated associations of age at menarche and age at menopause, pregnancy-related factors, hysterectomy and ovariectomy and exogenous hormone use with RCC risk among 298,042 women in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. Results: During 15 years of follow-up, 438 RCC cases were identified. Parous women had higher rates of RCC compared with nulliparous women (HR = 1.71, 95% CI 1.18, 2.46), and women who were older at age of first pregnancy had lower rates of RCC (30 years + vs. <20 years HR = 0.53, 95% CI 0.34, 0.82). Additionally, we identified a positive association for hysterectomy (HR = 1.43 95% CI 1.09, 1.86) and bilateral ovariectomy (HR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.13, 2.47), but not unilateral ovariectomy (HR = 0.99, 95% CI 0.61, 1.62) with RCC risk. No clear associations were found for age at menarche, age at menopause or exogenous hormone use. Conclusion: Our results suggest that parity and reproductive organ surgeries may play a role in RCC aetiology.
Lund University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Malmö, Surgery, Lunds universitet, Medicinska fakulteten, Institutionen för kliniska vetenskaper, Malmö, Kirurgi, Originator, Lund University, Profile areas and other strong research environments, Strategic research areas (SRA), EpiHealth: Epidemiology for Health, Lunds universitet, Profilområden och andra starka forskningsmiljöer, Strategiska forskningsområden (SFO), EpiHealth: Epidemiology for Health, Originator, Lund University, Profile areas and other strong research environments, Other Strong Research Environments, LUCC: Lund University Cancer Centre, Lunds universitet, Profilområden och andra starka forskningsmiljöer, Övriga starka forskningsmiljöer, LUCC: Lunds universitets cancercentrum, Originator, Lund University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund, Section II, Clinical Sciences, Helsingborg, Lunds universitet, Medicinska fakulteten, Institutionen för kliniska vetenskaper, Lund, Sektion II, Kliniska Vetenskaper, Helsingborg, Originator