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An inherited MET fault: which cancers, and how much risk | CION Cancer Clinics
An inherited MET fault raises the risk of one cancer above all: papillary kidney cancer, often several small tumours and sometimes in both kidneys, appearing in adult life. No other cancer has been firmly tied to it. This page explains what that risk looks like, how firm the evidence is, why a MET change in a lung tumour is a different matter, and what it means for your family. At CION Cancer Clinics, our oncologists explain what a gene result means for you and your family, and plan the checks that follow.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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On this page
- Which cancers does an inherited MET fault raise the risk of?
- Which parts of the body are involved, and how firm is the evidence?
- How does an inherited MET fault lead to kidney tumours?
- What do the words on a MET report mean?
- How is an inherited MET fault different from a MET change in a tumour?
- Four things families tell us, and what is actually true
- What this page cannot tell you
- Common questions about MET and cancer risk
The short answer
Which cancers does an inherited MET fault raise the risk of?
An inherited MET fault is linked firmly to one cancer: papillary kidney cancer. The tumours tend to be small, slow-growing and several at a time, and they can appear in both kidneys over the years. No other cancer has been clearly tied to an inherited MET fault.
The condition has its own name
Doctors call it hereditary papillary renal carcinoma. Renal simply means kidney. It is a rare condition, and most families who carry it were found because several relatives developed kidney tumours in adult life. One faulty copy of the gene is enough to raise the risk, so it can pass from a parent to any child, son or daughter.
Why the word MET causes confusion
Most people who hear the word MET heard it in a lung cancer clinic. That is a change found only inside a tumour, and it is not inherited. This page is about a fault found in a blood or saliva test, present in every cell from birth. If you are not sure which one you have, check what sample your report says was tested.
A raised risk is not a diagnosis. Many carriers are found to have no tumour at all when they are first scanned.Organ by organ
Which parts of the body are involved, and how firm is the evidence?
The evidence is strong for the kidneys and thin for everything else. Here is where it stands.
The kidneys
This is the main risk, and the evidence behind it is solid. The tumours are a particular type called papillary, named after their finger-like pattern under the microscope. They usually appear in adult life rather than in childhood.
Often looks like
- Several small tumours at once
- Tumours in both kidneys over time
- Kidney cancer in a parent and a child
New tumours over a lifetime
Every kidney cell carries the fault, so removing one tumour does not stop another from forming later. That is why care is built around keeping as much working kidney as possible, for as long as possible.
The lungs, a separate story
MET changes in lung cancer are found in the tumour only. They guide treatment choices and are not passed to children. That testing is covered on our targeted therapy pages.
Other cancers
A few reports have described other cancers in MET families, but the numbers are very small and no pattern has been confirmed. There is no agreed screening outside the kidneys. Report new symptoms early, as anyone would.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistHow the risk builds
How does an inherited MET fault lead to kidney tumours?
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MET is a growth switch
The MET gene makes a switch on the surface of cells. Normally it turns on only when a signal arrives, telling the cell to grow or repair itself, and then it turns off again.
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The inherited fault jams the switch
Most inherited cancer genes act like brakes that stop working. MET is different. The inherited fault leaves the switch partly stuck on, so one faulty copy is enough to push cells towards growth.
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Kidney cells respond most
The fault is in every cell of the body, yet the cells lining the small tubes of the kidney are the ones that react. Why the kidney is affected and other organs are not is still not fully understood.
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Tumour cells copy the faulty version
Inside a tumour, cells often make extra copies of the faulty gene. The switch then sends a stronger signal, and a small cluster of cells slowly becomes a tumour.
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Growth is usually slow
These tumours tend to grow slowly over years. That is why regular scans work well here. A tumour can be watched while small and removed before it is likely to spread.
On your report
What do the words on a MET report mean?
- Germline
- Present in every cell from birth, and so able to be passed to a child. The opposite is somatic, meaning found only inside a tumour.
- Hereditary papillary renal carcinoma
- The inherited condition caused by a MET fault. Reports sometimes shorten it to HPRC.
- Papillary renal cell carcinoma
- The type of kidney cancer linked to inherited MET faults, named after its finger-like pattern under the microscope.
- Activating variant
- A change that switches a gene on too much, rather than breaking it. Inherited MET faults are of this kind.
- Penetrance
- How often a fault actually leads to cancer across everyone who carries it. For MET it is high, but it is never everyone.
- Multifocal and bilateral
- Multifocal means more than one tumour in a kidney. Bilateral means tumours in both kidneys.
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Side by side
How is an inherited MET fault different from a MET change in a tumour?
Inherited MET fault
MET change in a tumour
Found in blood or saliva
Found in tumour tissue or a blood test for tumour DNA
Linked to papillary kidney tumours
Most often seen in lung cancer
Each child has a one in two chance of inheriting it
Cannot be passed to children
Leads to kidney scans and family testing
Guides the choice of cancer medicine
Commonly believed
Four things families tell us, and what is actually true
"Kidney cancer in the family means it must be MET."
Most kidney cancer is not inherited at all. Where it is, several other genes are more common causes than MET. The type of kidney tumour and the family pattern tell the counsellor which genes to test.
"My father never had kidney cancer, so my children are safe."
A parent can carry the fault and never develop a tumour, or develop one late and never be scanned. The only way to know whether a relative carries it is to test for the family fault.
"A MET fault means cancer can appear anywhere in the body."
The firm link is to the kidneys. Carriers do not need extra scans of other organs because of the gene. Ordinary health checks for your age still apply.
"If it is inherited, our children will be ill young."
These tumours usually appear in adult life. Children do not normally need scans, and testing is often left until they are old enough to decide for themselves.
Being straight with you
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot tell you your own risk, or when a tumour might appear. Inherited MET faults are rare. Much of what is known comes from a small number of families studied worldwide, very few of them in India. The link to the kidneys is well established. The exact size of the risk, and whether it differs between variants, is less certain.
It cannot interpret your variant
What your specific variant means is a question for the counsellor who ordered the test. Some MET variants are well known in affected families. Others have been seen only once or twice and are harder to judge. The classification on your report matters more than the gene name.
Who this does not apply to
If your MET result came from a lung tumour, this page is not about you, and your family does not need testing because of it. Most people with kidney cancer, especially one tumour found later in life with no family history, do not carry an inherited MET fault either.
If you are unsure which kind of MET result you have, bring the report and ask. It is a quick question to answer.Questions we are asked
Common questions about MET and cancer risk
Is an inherited MET fault the same as MET in lung cancer?
No. A MET change in lung cancer is found only in the tumour and is not passed on. An inherited MET fault is present from birth in every cell and is linked to kidney tumours. Your report says which sample was tested, and that tells you which one you have.
Will I definitely get kidney cancer?
Not definitely. In the families studied, many carriers developed kidney tumours at some point in adult life, but not all of them did. The tumours are often slow-growing, and regular scans mean they can usually be found while they are still small.
At what age do the tumours usually appear?
Usually in adult life, often in middle age or later, although some families see them earlier. Your team uses the ages at which your relatives were diagnosed to decide when your own scans should start. Childhood tumours are not a typical feature.
Can my children inherit it?
Each child of a carrier has a one in two chance of inheriting the fault, whether son or daughter. A child who does not inherit it cannot pass it on. Testing is usually offered once your children are adults and can choose for themselves.
Are these kidney tumours aggressive?
They are usually slow-growing, which is why many specialists watch small tumours rather than remove them straight away. Left to grow large, they can spread. That is the reason for regular scans and for surgery once a tumour reaches the size your urologist sets.
Does it raise the risk of any other cancer?
No other cancer has been firmly linked to an inherited MET fault. A handful of reports describe other cancers in these families, but the numbers are too small to draw conclusions. If your family has a different pattern, tell your counsellor, because another gene may be involved.
Can lifestyle lower my risk?
Lifestyle cannot switch off the fault. Not smoking, keeping blood pressure under control and staying a healthy weight all protect the kidneys in general, and they matter more when you may need kidney surgery later. They do not replace scans.
Who else in my family should be tested?
Usually your parents, brothers, sisters and adult children, starting with the closest relatives. They are tested for the exact fault already found, which is a simpler test. Your counsellor can give you a letter to share, and can explain the result to relatives in Telugu.
Your Specialists
Meet CION's oncologists. Bring your family history or genetic report to them.
Our medical oncologists see people with a strong family history of cancer, arrange genetic counselling and testing where it fits, and plan the checks that follow.
Medical Oncologist
Dr. C. Raghavendra Reddy
MBBS(Gold Medal), DNB(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Gold Medal)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Bharati Devi Gorantla
MBBS, MD(General Medicine), DM(Medical Oncology)(Adyar,Chennai), ECMO, MRCP SCE(UK)
Medical Oncologist
Dr. Owais Mohammed
MBBS, MD (General Medicine), DrNB (Medical Oncology), ECMO, MRCP SCE (Medical Oncology) (UK)
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Sources
- MedlinePlus Genetics — Hereditary papillary renal carcinoma
- MedlinePlus Genetics — MET gene
- National Cancer Institute — Genetics of Kidney Cancer (Renal Cell Cancer) (PDQ) - Health Professional Version
- National Cancer Institute — Genetic Testing for Inherited Cancer Susceptibility Syndromes
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
Related pages
The MET gene: what it does and why it mattersWhy a switched-on gene leads to kidney tumoursMET positive: what happens nextThe first weeks after an inherited MET resultSurveillance for MET carriersThe kidney scan plan, set out plainlyTesting the family for METWho in the family is tested next, and how
Talk to us
Not sure which kind of MET result you have?
Bring your report and we will arrange a counsellor to explain what it means for you and your family, in Telugu if you prefer. If a kidney scan is needed, we can help arrange that too. One helpline serves every CION centre.