The Renal Cell Carcinoma Knowledge Centre
What you will find in the Knowledge Centre:
Kidney cancer is the 14th most common cancer and there were approximately 200,000 new kidney cancer cases worldwide in 2002.2,3 RCC is a global problem, but its incidence varies considerably by geographical location (Figure 1.1).3 Rates of RCC are high in North America, Europe and Australia, whereas rates are low in Africa, India and China. Until recently, the worldwide incidence of RCC has increased by approximately 2% every year. Read more...
It has been suggested that the worldwide increase in incidence can be explained by the increased proportion of RCCs, often smaller in size, detected by the increased use of enhanced imaging techniques. This increased incidence indicates that the prevalence of RCC is relatively high. A proportion of the previously undetected RCCs seem to be indolent and remain undetected during the individual’s lifetime. In a study among 16,294 autopsies, representing 63% of deaths in Malmo, Sweden in 1958– 1969, there were 350 RCCs (2.1%) detected, of which 235 had been clinically undiagnosed. Read more...
"Many renal masses are asymptomatic and non-palpable until the late stages of the disease.1 Currently, more than 50% of RCCs are detected incidentally by using imaging to investigate a variety of non-specific symptom complexes2-4 (level of evidence: 2b). The classic triad of flank pain, gross haematuria and palpable abdominal mass is now rare (6-10%)5,6 (level of evidence: 3)." Read more...
"This information has been reproduced with the permission of the EAU Guidelines Office. Most renal tumours are diagnosed by abdominal ultrasound (US) or CT performed for various reasons (level of evidence: 4). Imaging can be used to classify renal masses into solid or cystic." Read more...
"Renal tumour biopsies are increasingly being used in diagnosis, in follow-up surveillance and in ablative therapies1- 6 (level of evidence: 3). In most series, a core biopsy demonstrates high specificity and high sensitivity for the presence of malignancy1-5, though it should be noted that 10-20% of biopsies are nonconclusive." Read more...
"The histological diagnosis in RCC is established after surgical removal of renal tumours or after biopsy specimen examinations.1-3 The Fuhrman classification system for nuclear grade (grade 1, 2, 3 and 4) in RCC4,5 has been the most generally accepted classification, and is an important, independent prognostic factor for RCC (level of evidence: 3)." Read more...
"Many renal masses are asymptomatic and non-palpable until the late stages of the disease.1 Currently, more than 50% of RCCs are detected incidentally by using imaging to investigate a variety of non-specific symptom complexes2-4 (level of evidence: 2b). The classic triad of flank pain, gross haematuria and palpable abdominal mass is now rare (6-10%)5,6 (level of evidence: 3)." Read more...
"Surgery plays a major role in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and continues to be the only curative therapeutic option. The 5-year survival rate for patients with early-stage RCC for whom surgery may be curative is approximately 88–100%." Read more...
"Current evidence that adjuvant tumour vaccination might improve the duration of the progression-free survival of selected subgroups of patients undergoing nephrectomy for T3 renal carcinomas needs further confirmation regarding the impact on overall survival" Read more...
"Factors influencing prognosis can be classified into: anatomical, histological, clinical, and molecular" Read more...