Histopathology and molecular genetics of renal tumors toward unification of a classification system.

Abstract

We characterize the genetic abnormalities associated with pathological subtypes of renal tumors, which may help diagnosis or prognostication. A comprehensive literature review of genetic abnormalities associated with different renal tumor subtypes was performed. Studies of sporadic and hereditary forms suggest that abnormalities in the von Hippel-Lindau and met genes are the earliest changes in conventional (clear cell) and papillary basophilic renal cancers, respectively. Renal oncocytoma and chromophobe carcinoma have common genetic abnormalities, suggesting a relationship. A similar finding has been observed between papillary adenoma and papillary basophilic renal cancer. These findings suggest that molecular diagnostic testing will help determine histopathological diagnosis, identify tumor types with similar genetic abnormalities suggesting a common origin and indicate potential prognostic markers for future study.