Advancing research at the intersection of kidney disease and cancer
The relationship between kidneys and cancer is complex, spanning many diseases, biological pathways and clinical settings. Despite this, it has historically been both under-recognised and underfunded as a research area.
Kidney Research UK is prioritising this space to accelerate progress in understanding the links between kidney disease and cancer, and to improve outcomes for patients.
Advances in cancer treatments have transformed survival, but many therapies carry a significant risk of kidney damage. Up to one in five people receiving certain cancer treatments can experience acute kidney injury, and some go on to develop long term kidney disease or kidney failure. There is also limited evidence to guide treatment decisions for patients with kidney disease that experience cancer.
People living with kidney disease face an increased risk of developing certain cancers and often experience poorer outcomes. This includes individuals receiving dialysis or living with a transplant. The mechanisms driving this risk are not completely understood, meaning patients with kidney disease are missing out on novel therapies and personalised treatments.
Kidney cancer is now the sixth most common cancer in the UK, with numbers increasing. It is often diagnosed at a late stage due to a lack of early symptoms and the absence of simple screening tools, highlighting a clear need for improved early detection and risk stratification approaches.
Research priorities for applicants
We particularly welcome applications across the following areas:
Kidney cancer
Research to improve prevention, early detection and long-term outcomes, including:
- Development of biomarkers and approaches to support early detection, screening and risk stratification, including in high-risk populations
- Decision-support tools to inform treatment pathways
- Improving survival and long-term outcomes, including in children with Wilm’s tumour
- Understanding links between chronic kidney disease and kidney cancer
Nephrotoxicity of cancer treatments
Research to better understand, predict and reduce kidney damage associated with cancer therapies, including:
- Mechanistic understanding of nephrotoxicity across cancer treatment types
- Predicting short and long-term kidney outcomes in adults and children receiving cancer therapies
- Strategies to protect the kidney function during treatment
- Supportive care approaches, including psychosocial impacts and management of treatment-related kidney disease
Cancer following kidney disease or its treatment (including dialysis and transplantation)
Research to understand and reduce cancer risk and improve outcomes in people with kidney disease, including:
- Development of prediction tools to inform cancer risk and treatment personalisation
- Mechanistic understanding of the elevated cancer risk in people receiving kidney replacement therapy
- Preventive and therapeutic strategies to reduce cancer risk
- Personalised approaches to treatment and long-term surveillance
Types of grants available:
- Clinical training fellowships
- Intermediate non-clinical fellowships
- PhD studentships
- Research project grants
- Senior non-clinical fellowships
- Start-up grants
For more information, eligibility criteria, grant regulations, and conditions, please see our website: Research funding – Kidney Research UK
