Molecular genetics in inherited renal cell carcinoma: Identification of targets in the hereditary syndromes

An estimated 12,000 people will die of kidney cancer this year. With the increased use of axial abdominal imaging, kidney tumors are being diagnosed at earlier stages, often incidentally while the patient is still asymptomatic. While extirpative surgery is most often curative in tumors restricted to the kidney, treatment of metastatic disease has proven to be a formidable challenge. As our understanding of the genetic basis of kidney cancer increases, advances in molecular therapies offer new approaches to treatment. Understanding the cellular mechanisms of oncogenesis have the potential to change the face of renal cancer therapy.