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Renal Cell Carcinoma: Definition and Epidemiology

• Renal cell carcinoma (1/8): Definition and Epidemiology
• Renal cell carcinoma (2/8): Etiology
• Renal cell carcinoma (3/8): Pathology
• Renal cell carcinoma (4/8): Signs and symptoms
• Renal cell carcinoma (5/8): Diagnostic work-up
• Renal cell carcinoma (6/8): Treatment with radical nephrectomy
• Renal cell carcinoma (7/8): Treatment with partial nephrectomy
• Renal cell carcinoma (8/8): Targeted therapy of advanced disease

Definition of Renal Cell Carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma is the most common malignant tumor of the kidney arising from different epithelial parts from the nephron. Review literature: (Ljungberg et al, 2010).

Surgical specimen of a clear cell renal cell carcinoma: typical yellow-brown cut surface and distinct separation from the normal kidney tissue. Public domain image of Dr. Edwin P. Ewing, Public Health Image Library, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, USA, www.cdc.gov.

Epidemiology of Renal Cell Carcinoma

Cancer statistics:

• 3% of all tumors
• Third most common malignant urological malignancy, position 10 in the cancer statistics of the EU 2008.
• The incidence of renal cell carcinoma increased in the last decades, but has now stabilized.

Mortality of renal cell carcinoma:

Mortality is declining, 2018 figures for Germany are 5/100.000 for men and 2/100.000 for women.

Incidence of renal cell carcinoma:

Incidence of RCC in Germany (2018): 15/100.000 for men and 8/100.000 for women. Rising incidence with age, peak incidence at 70–75 years, but RCC can also occur in children.

Tumor stage:

The majority of kidney tumors are diagnosed in stage T1 and T2. Advanced T4 tumors are rare at first presentation (2%).

References

  Deutsche Version: Nierenzellkarzinom