Epithelial tumors of the kidney. Pathological subtyping and cytogenetic correlation

Abstract

The recent new morphological classification of epithelial renal tumors has overcome the former unspecified adenoma and carcinoma classification by introducing a specific subtyping. Today we divide in oncocytic and metanephrogenic renal cell adenomas, clear cell-, papillary-, chromophobe-, and collecting duct associated renal cell carcinomas, and transitional cell- and neuroendocrine renal carcinomas. These entities are characterized by a definite immunohistological marker spectrum and differing histogenetic pathways. New cytogenetic data have proven specific chromosomal aberrations for the different tumor types and have confirmed the morphological classification. Certain genetic changes are correlated to specific pathological phenotypes especially in oncocytic tumors. It is possible now to propose an in part hypothetical kidney tumor model which describes the development and progression of adenomas and carcinomas of the kidney in an adenoma-carcinoma sequence.