Relationship of renal cell carcinoma and hypertension

Edita Mašanauskienė, Albinas Naudžiūnas, Laima Jankauskienė, Alvydas Unikauskas

Department of Internal Diseases, Kaunas University of Medicine, Lithuania

Key words: renal cell carcinoma; arterial hypertension; risk factors.

Summary. The morbidity and mortality due to renal cell carcinoma has increased worldwide over the last 30 years. Renal cell carcinoma accounts for about 90–95% of all renal tumors. The mean age of patients with this type of tumor ranges between 50 and 70 years. It is important to note that primary arterial hypertension as well as obesity and smoking are considered as independent risk factors for renal cell carcinoma. The increase in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as the severity of arterial hypertension may have an impact on development of renal cell carcinoma. We describe the case of a 45-year-old male patient with hypertensive crisis. Computed tomography scan revealed renal cell carcinoma, which was confirmed histologically after surgical treatment.

Correspondence to E. Mašanauskienė, Department of Internal Diseases, Kaunas University of Medicine, Eivenių 2, 50009 Kaunas, Lithuania. E-mail: edita.masanauskiene@gmail.com

Received 18 May 2009, accepted 8 December 2009