Renal cell carcinoma: ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up†.

Abstract

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for 2%–3% of all adultmalignancies, representing the seventh most common cancer inmen and the ninth most common cancer in women [1].Worldwide, there are ∼209000 new cases and 102000 deathsper year. The incidence of all stages of RCC has increased overthe past several years, contributing to a steadily increasing mor-tality rate per unit population. Active and passive cigarettesmoking is an established risk factor for RCC as well as hyper-tension. However, anti-hypertensive medications such as diure-tics are not independently associated with RCC development.RCC also appears to be more common in patients with obesity,end-stage renal failure, acquired renal cystic disease and tuber-ous sclerosis.Approximately 2%–3% of RCC are hereditary and severalautosomal dominant syndromes are described, each with a dis-tinct genetic basis and phenotype, the most common one beingVon Hippel Lindau disease.In recent years, many new genes associated with RCC havebeen reported (such as PBRM1, SETD2, BAP1). Their roles inpathogenesis and as prognostic biomarkers are currently underinvestigation.