[The pathologist's role in the neoadjuvant strategy of renal-cell carcinoma]

Xavier Leroy1, Julien Edeline, Nathalie Rioux-Leclercq

  • 1Pôle de pathologie, CHRU, Lille cedex, France.

Annales De Pathologie
|December 17, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Targeted therapies have revolutionized clear cell renal-cell carcinoma treatment by targeting key molecular pathways. Pathologists play a crucial role in diagnosis and evaluating treatment response in advanced disease.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pathology

Context:

  • Clear cell renal-cell carcinoma (ccRCC) treatment has evolved with targeted therapies.
  • Understanding molecular pathways like VHL/HIF/VEGF, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and MAPKinases is key to drug development.
  • Antiangiogenic therapies are approved for advanced and metastatic ccRCC.

Purpose:

  • To highlight the impact of targeted therapies on ccRCC treatment.
  • To emphasize the role of molecular pathways in ccRCC carcinogenesis.
  • To underscore the critical implications for pathologists in diagnosing ccRCC and assessing therapeutic effects.

Summary:

  • Targeted therapies, informed by molecular insights into ccRCC carcinogenesis (VHL/HIF/VEGF, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, MAPKinases pathways), have transformed treatment.
  • These antiangiogenic drugs are indicated for advanced and metastatic ccRCC.
  • Pathologists are vital for initial ccRCC diagnosis, guiding therapy selection, and evaluating post-treatment tumor response.

Impact:

  • The emergence of targeted therapies has significantly altered the medical management of renal-cell carcinoma, particularly the clear cell subtype.
  • Precise knowledge of molecular carcinogenesis pathways has enabled the development of effective antiangiogenic drugs.
  • Pathologists face critical implications in diagnosing ccRCC and assessing treatment efficacy, necessitating consensus in reporting.