Molecular aspects of renal cell carcinoma: a review

Abstract

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a disease in which cancer cells form in the tubules of the kidney. RCC, the incidence of which is increasing annually, represents five percent of adult epithelial cancers. Clear cell carcinoma represents the most frequent histological subtype. RCC is characterized by a lack of early warning signs, diverse clinical manifestations. Incidentally detected tumors in asymptomatic individuals have been steadily increasing owing to the increased usage of various imaging technologies. Currently there are no recommendations for screening to detect and make an early diagnosis of renal cancer. But in recent years, the discovery of new molecular and cytogenetic markers has led to the recognition and classification of several novel subtypes of RCC, and the introduction of molecular-targeted therapy for advanced-stage RCC. We performed a literature review using PubMed and discuss current knowledge of epidemiology, pathophysiology, evaluation, treatment, and future research directions of RCC.