Does Hysterectomy Increase The Risk Of Getting Kidney Cancer?

Posted on Mon, 24 Mar 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 24 Mar 2014 Answered on

Mon, 14 Apr 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : Good morning I recently had a total hysterectomy due to early stage endometrial cancer. They removed everything but my lymph nodes. I had read in several places on line that a total hysterectomy increases my risk of getting kidney cancer by quite a lot. I had a cancerous kidney removed last year and they got all the cancer. I do not want to have to worry about my remaining kidney or about getting any new cancers for that matter. Have you heard this theory about hysterectomies causing kidney cancers?

Answered by Dr. Manmeet Kaur (36 minutes later)

Brief Answer: metastasis causes cancer eleswhere Detailed Answer: Hi there after reading your medical history and question I would like to inform you that there is no such theory. Dear as per my deduction as you had undergone partial kidney removal earlier , it could have been that the cancer in the kidney could have metastasized to the uterus through blood . Metastasis means that some cancers cells in one organ get transferred to the other organ and that organ also develops cancer And both the cancerous sites in this case have been removed. So you please get this notion out of your head and stop worrying . take the medication properly and visit your doctor regularly. Take care. Any queries , I am there to answer.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Manmeet Kaur (33 minutes later)

Thank you for debunking the theory. Endometrial cancer runs in our family...I had a sister with it and two sisters precancerous, 2 aunts, etc. I have had multiple biopsies over the years showing dysplasia and have had repeated biopsies. These were all before I had the kidney cancer. My oncologist and surgeon tell me they are two separate cancers. I am having genetic testing done for Lynch syndrome due to the prevalence of cancer in my mother's side of the family. My grandfather had colon cancer. I was hoping if that came back negative then It would just mean that I had an oddity of having two different cancers. I get it out of my head and then I read something like I did yesterday and it starts all over again. I have spent this whole past year dealing with cancer and it effects but then I should consider myself lucky that they got it all and I did not need any further treatment. I go for check ups every 3 months and ct scans twice a year. Thank yu for listening and again, if you can give any information on all this I would appreciate it more than you know...XXXX

Answered by Dr. Manmeet Kaur (27 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Lynch sydrome is autosomal dominant Detailed Answer: Hi After reading the history that you had just mentioned I would like to tell you that Lynch syndrome is autosomal dominant. Even if you inherit the one gene you are likely to develop cancer .There are possibility you can develop cancer of the endometrium along with a upper urinary tract cancer , which in your case was that of the kidney . Now we have to wait till the result of your genetic testing comes for confirmation. Since you are getting your investigations done every three months , it is a very good initiative on your side regarding your health,so you need not worry too much take care

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj