Skip to main content
Log in

Morphological classification of renal cancer

  • Published:
World Journal of Urology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

The current classification of renal-cell adenomas (RCAs) and carcinomas (RCCs) is based on eight basic cell and tumor types (entities) with characteristic morphologic features: (1) RCCs of clear-cell type, (2) RCAs/RCCs of chromophilic-cell type, (3) RCAs/RCCs of chromophobic-cell type, (4) RCCs of duct Bellini type, (5) RCCs of transitional-cell type, (6) RCCs of neuroendocrine type, (7) RCAs of oncocytic type, and (8) RCAs of metanephroid type. Tumors with a proposed histogenesis from the proximal tubule (clear-cell and chromophilic tumors) amount to 85% of renal cancers, whereas tumors with a proposed histogenesis from the connecting tubule/collecting duct (chromophobic-, oncocytic-, and duct Bellini-type tumors) amount to only 11%. The remaining tumor types represent rare entities (less than 1% each). Tumor cytogenetics data confirm the proposed eight morphologic subtypes and give further indications for type-specific tumor development and progression.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Baer SC, Ro JY, Ordonez NG, Maiese RL, Loose JH, Grignon DG, Ayala AG (1993) Sarcomatoid collecting duct carcinoma: a clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical study of five cases. Hum Pathol 24:1017–1022

    Google Scholar 

  2. Berg E van den, Hout AH van der, Oosterhuis JW, Störkel S, Dijkhuizen T, Dam A, Zweers HMM, Mensink HJA, Buys CHCM, Jong B de (1993) Cytogenetic analysis of epithelial renal cell tumors: relationship with a new histopathological classification. Int J Cancer 55:223–227

    Google Scholar 

  3. Eble JN (1990) Tumors and tumor-like conditions of the kidneys and ureters. Contemporary issues in surgical pathology. Churchill Livingstone, New York Edinburgh London Melbourne

    Google Scholar 

  4. Füzesi L, Cober M, Mittermayer C (1992) Collecting duct carcinoma: cytogenetic characterization. Histopathology 21:155–160

    Google Scholar 

  5. Hartwick RW, Naggar AK el, Ro JY, Srigley JR, McLemore DD, Jones EC, Grignon DJ, Thomas MJ, Ayala AG (1992) Renal oncocytoma and granular cell carcinoma. A comparative clinicopathologic and DNA flow cytometric study. Am J Clin Pathol 98:587–593

    Google Scholar 

  6. Hout AH van der, Berg E van den, Vlies P van der, Dijkhuizen T, Störkel S, Oosterhuis JW, Jong B de, Buys CHCM (1993) Loss of heterozygosity at the short arm of chromosome 3 in renal cell cancer correlates with the cytological tumour type. Int J Cancer 53:353–357

    Google Scholar 

  7. Huettner PC, Bird DJ, Chang YC, Seiler WM (1991) Carcinoid tumor of the kidney with morphologic and immunohistochemical profile of a hindgut endocrine tumor: report of a case. Ultrastruct Pathol 15:655–661

    Google Scholar 

  8. Kovacs G (1989) Papillary renal cell carcinoma: a morphologic and cytogenetic study of 11 cases. Am J Pathol 134:27–34

    Google Scholar 

  9. Kovacs G, Szücs S, Eichner W, Maschek HJ, Wahnschaffe U, deRiese W (1987) Renal oncocytoma. A cytogenetic and morphologic study. Cancer 59:2071–2077

    Google Scholar 

  10. Latif F, Tory K, Gnarra J, Yao M, Duh FM, Orcutt ML, Stackhouse T, Kuzmin I, Modi W, Geil L, Schmidt L, Zhou F, Li H, Wie MH, Chen F, Glenn G, Choyke P, Walther MM, Weng Y, Duan DR, Dean M, Glavac D, Richards RM, Crossey PA, Ferguson-Smith MA, Paslier DL, Chumakov I, Cohen D, Chinault C, Maher ER, Linehan WM, Zbar B, Lerman MI (1993) Identification of the von Hippel-Lindau disease tumor suppressor gene. Science 260:1317–1320

    Google Scholar 

  11. Nagashima Y, Arai N, Tanaka Y, Yoshida S, Sumino K, Ohaki Y, Matsushita K, Morita T, Misugi K (1991) Two cases of renal epithelial tumour resembling immature nephron. Virchows Arch [A] 418:77–81

    Google Scholar 

  12. Pathak S, Strong LC, Ferrell RE; Trindade A (1982) Familial renal cell carcinoma with a 3;11 chromosome translocation limited to tumor cells. Science 217:939–941

    Google Scholar 

  13. Rumpelt HJ, Störkel S, Moll R, Schärfe T, Thoenes W (1991) Bellini duct carcinoma — further evidence for this rare variant of renal cell carcinoma. Histopathology 18:115–122

    Google Scholar 

  14. Speicher MR, Manoir S du, Schoell B, Schröck E, Ried T, Störkel S, Kovacs A, Cremer T, Kovacs G (1994) Specific loss of chromosomes 1, 2, 6, 10, 13, 17 and 21 in chromophobe renal cell carcinomas revealed by comparative genomic hybridization. Am J Pathol 145:356–364

    Google Scholar 

  15. Steinberg P, Störkel S, Oesch F, Thoenes W (1992) Carbohydrate metabolism in human renal clear cell carcinomas. Lab Invest 67:506–511

    Google Scholar 

  16. Störkel S (1993) Karzinome und Onkozytome der Niere. Gustav Fischer, Stuttgart Jena New York

    Google Scholar 

  17. Störkel S, Steart PV, Drenckhahn D, Thoenes W (1989) The human chromophobe cell renal carcinoma: its probable relation to intercalated cells of the collecting duct. Virchows Arch [B] 56:237–245

    Google Scholar 

  18. Störkel S, Husmann G, Thoenes W (1992) Zur Diagnose und Differentialdiagnose des metanephroiden Nierentumors des Erwachsenen — ein unbekannter Nierentumor. Verh Dtsch Ges Pathol 76:306

    Google Scholar 

  19. Thoenes W, Störkel S, Rumpelt HJ (1985) Human chromophobe cell renal carcinoma. Virchows Arch [B] 48:207–217

    Google Scholar 

  20. Thoenes W, Störkel S, Rumpelt HJ (1986) Histopathology and classification of renal cell tumors (adenomas, oncocytomas and carcinomas). The basic cytological and histomorphological elements and their use for diagnostics. Pathol Res Pract 181:125–143

    Google Scholar 

  21. Thoenes W, Störkel S, Rumpelt HJ, Moll R (1990) Cytomorphological typing of renal cell carcinoma — a new approach. III. Warner Symposium: the operable renal cell carcinoma. Eur Urol 18:6–9

    Google Scholar 

  22. Zbar B, Brah H, Talmage C, Linehan M (1987) Loss of alleles of loci on the short arm of chromosome 3 in renal cell carcinoma. Nature 327:721–724

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Störkel, S., van den Berg, E. Morphological classification of renal cancer. World J Urol 13, 153–158 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00184870

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00184870

Keywords

Navigation