What risk factor is significantly associated with the development of renal cell carcinoma?

Smoking is a well-established risk factor for the development of renal cell carcinoma, which is a type of kidney cancer. Research indicates that the carcinogens found in cigarette smoke may lead to genetic mutations and contribute to the tumorigenic process in renal epithelial cells. The risk associated with smoking appears to be dose-dependent, meaning that the greater the quantity of cigarettes smoked, the higher the risk of developing renal cell carcinoma. Additionally, the cessation of smoking has been shown to reduce the risk over time, suggesting a direct correlation between smoking and kidney cancer incidence.

In contrast, while other factors such as alcohol intake and body mass index have been studied in relation to various cancers, they do not show as strong a link with renal cell carcinoma as smoking does. Female sex is not a risk factor per se; in fact, renal cell carcinoma is more common in males than females. Thus, smoking remains the most clearly defined and significant risk factor among the options provided.