There is a link between regularly taking high doses of painkillers over a number of years and cancer of the kidney. But, people taking normal amounts of painkillers don't have an increased risk of developing kidney cancer.

Painkillers that have been linked to kidney cancer when taken in high doses include aspirin, paracetamol and ibuprofen. The risk is only for people who take excessive amounts of these drugs and doesn't affect people who regularly take lower doses. For example people who take low dose aspirin to prevent heart problems are not at any increased risk.

Kidney cancer isn't common. So although the risk of kidney cancer may be up to two times higher than average for people who take high doses of painkillers over many years, most will never develop kidney cancer.

The strongest link between painkillers and kidney cancer was found for a drug called phenacetin. This drug has been withdrawn from sale in most countries in Europe including the UK and is also no longer available in many other countries including the United States.

So for most people there is no reason to be concerned that their risk of kidney cancer is increased by taking painkillers.

Reference

• Gago-Dominguez 1999. Regular use of analgesics is a risk factor for renal cell carcinoma. British Journal of Cancer 81(3) 542-8