Gallstones (cholelithiasis) constitute a major health burden with high costs related to surgical removal of the gallbladder (cholecystectomy), generally indicated for symptomatic gallstones. The association between gallstones, cholecystectomy and kidney cancer is controversial. We comprehensively investigated this association, considering age at cholecystectomy and time from cholecystectomy to kidney cancer diagnosis, and assessing the causal effect of gallstones on kidney cancer risk by Mendelian randomisation (MR).