Doctors who treat colorectal cancer and urological cancer have observed that patients who have had one of these cancers appear to be more likely than the average person to be diagnosed with the other.
To see if this observation reflected a true association, investigators reviewed information from more than 500,000 people with colorectal cancer or a urological cancer using data collected by the U.S. Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program.
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They found that people with colorectal cancer had a 59% increased risk of developing cancer of the renal pelvis (a type of kidney cancer) compared with the general population and a 100% increased risk of developing cancer of the ureters (the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder). Similarly, people with renal pelvis or ureteral cancers were at increased risk for developing colorectal cancer.
While both of these cancers are rare, the findings from this study suggest that if you have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer, especially before age 60, you should be considered at increased risk.
If you notice symptoms of renal pelvis or ureteral cancer -- blood in your urine, pain when urinating, or frequent urination -- report it to your doctor right away. When these cancers are identified and treated early, the likelihood of cure is greater than 90%.
Reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine (Volume 168, page 1003).
