Kidney tumors
- Common and uncommon phenotypes -

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Recent data have shown that each pathomorphological kidney tumor entity expresses specific chromosomal aberrations. These genotypes totally match the mentioned pathomorphological phenotypes. Besides structural and numerical chromosomal aberrations, some basically involved oncogenes and suppressor genes (VHL-gene, metgene) have been described. Putting things together there for the first time, a combined morphological and genetical kidney tumor model is presented, which starts with the cell or precursors in the renal tubular system and progresses via an adenoma stage to a fully developed renal cell carcinoma stage. Although some steps in this model are still hypothetical, it offers a better understanding of the puzzling kidney cancer complex. This view enables future research that can lead to more specific kidney cancer therapies.

S. Störkel
Leica Microsystems Wetzlar GmbH, Germany
Scientific and Technical Information
Edition CDR 6, pp. 83–101
September 2002