Cadmium and Lead Levels and 8-Year Survival of Patients After Kidney Cancer Diagnosis

Background/Objectives: The objective of the present study was to determine the association between blood cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) levels and survival of the patients with kidney cancer. In this prospective study, we analyzed 272 consecutive, unselected kidney cancer patients and assessed their 8-year survival in relation to Cd and Pb levels. Methods: Cd and Pb concentrations were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Patients were categorized into four groups according to the quartile distribution of Cd and Pb levels, ranked in ascending order. Multivariable models were adjusted for covariates including age at diagnosis, sex, smoking status, type of surgery, histopathological classification and blood levels of selenium, zinc, copper, iodine, cadmium and lead. Results: We observed no association between blood Cd and Pb levels and all-cause mortality in patients with kidney cancer. Conclusions: To our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the relationship between blood levels of cadmium and lead and kidney cancer survival.