Onco-Nephrology and Chronic Disease Outcomes
Summary
Onco-nephrology addresses the bidirectional relationship between malignancy and kidney health, encompassing the effects of cancer and its treatments on renal function as well as the influence of pre-existing renal impairment on cancer risk, diagnosis and management. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) alters drug pharmacokinetics and heightens vulnerability to treatment-related nephrotoxicity, while cancer-related inflammation, oxidative stress and aberrant metabolic milieus in turn accelerate renal injury. Conversely, reduced glomerularfiltration and proteinuria are increasingly recognised as independent predictors of site-specific cancer incidence and mortality. The field integrates basic science on molecular mediators—such as pro-inflammatory cytokines and uremic toxins—with clinical investigation into optimal screening, dosing strategies and supportive care. Global demographic shifts towards ageing populations and the rising prevalence of CKD underscore the need for coordinated care pathways that mitigate cumulative morbidity, improve survival and preserve quality of life across diverse health-care settings.
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Onco-Nephrology and Chronic Disease Outcomes publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in onco-nephrology and chronic disease outcomes across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Onco-nephrology: A multidisciplinary specialty focusing on the interactions between cancer and kidney disease, including the renal effects of malignancy and the impact of renal impairment on cancer treatment and outcomes.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD): A progressive loss of renal function over months or years, typically defined by reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate or markers of kidney damage persisting for at least three months.
Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR): A calculation based on serum creatinine (or cystatin C), age, sex and ethnicity used to assess kidney filtering capacity and stage CKD severity.
Proteinuria: The presence of excess protein in the urine, indicative of glomerular or tubular injury and an independent predictor of cardiovascular and oncological risk in CKD patients.
End-stage renal disease (ESRD): The most advanced stage of CKD when renal function is insufficient to sustain life without renal replacement therapy such as dialysis or transplantation.
References
- Chronic kidney disease and the risk of cancer: an individual patient data meta-analysis of 32,057 participants from six prospective studies. BMC Cancer (2016).
- Chronic Kidney Disease and Cancer: Inter-Relationships and Mechanisms. Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology (2022).
- Cancer patterns and association with mortality and renal outcomes in non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease: a matched cohort study. BMC Nephrology (2019).
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