Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 28, 2026
Comparing Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Model Established in Mouse Kidney and on Chicken Chorioallantoic Membrane
Published on: February 8, 2020
Clinicohistological characteristics of renal cell carcinoma in children: A multicentre study
Jeong Ho Kim1, Seong Il Seo2, Cheryn Song3
1Department of Urology, Dongnam Institute of Radiological & Medical Sciences Cancer center, Busan, Korea;
Insights
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in children is rare and presents differently than in adults, often with more advanced stages. However, survival outcomes for pediatric and adult RCC patients were similar in this study.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Oncology
- Pediatric Nephrology
Background:
- Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is uncommon in children.
- Clinicopathological differences between pediatric and adult RCC are not well-defined.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare clinicopathological characteristics and survival outcomes of pediatric versus adult RCC patients.
- To identify distinct features of RCC in different age groups.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective multicenter study of RCC patients who underwent nephrectomy (1988-2014).
- Patients categorized into pediatric (≤18 years) and adult (≥40 years) groups.
- Comparison of clinical, pathological variables, and survival analysis.
Main Results:
- Pediatric patients presented more frequently with symptoms and advanced-stage tumors.
- Histologically, pediatric RCC showed more papillary and unclassified types, and fewer clear cell carcinomas.
- Five-year cancer-specific survival rates were comparable (85% pediatric vs. 87.4% adult).
Conclusions:
- Pediatric RCC exhibits distinct clinicopathological features compared to adult RCC.
- Despite differences in presentation and histology, survival outcomes are similar between pediatric and adult patients.
- Further research is needed due to the retrospective nature and limited pediatric cases.
Introduction:
In this retrospective multicentre study, we compared the clinicohistological characteristics of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) between pediatric and adult patients.
Methods:
Data for patients who underwent radical or partial nephrectomy for RCC between 1988 and 2014 at multiple institutions were collected. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to age at diagnosis: pediatric patients (age ≤18 years) and adult patients (age ≥40 years). The groups were compared for clinical and pathologic variables, and survival analysis was performed.
Results:
The median follow-up period was 64 (range: 30-91) months for pediatric patients versus 44 (range: 19-59) months for adult patients (p = 0.026). Pediatric patients were mostly female (p = 0.003), had symptoms at presentation (p < 0.001), and had a high-stage tumour (p = 0.014) than adult patients. Among the symptomatic patients, gross hematuria was the most common symptom. The median tumour size was not different between groups. Regarding histologic types, pediatric patients had more papillary tumours (p < 0.001), more unclassified tumours (p < 0.001), and fewer clear cell carcinomas (p < 0.001). Five-year cancer-specific survival rates were 85% and 87.4% in pediatric and adult patients, respectively (log rank p = 0.901). Recurrence-free survival was better in adult patients, although this did not reach statistical significance (log rank p = 0.272). This study has several limitations, including its retrospective nature and the relatively small number of pediatric RCC cases.
Conclusion:
RCC in children is rare and is characterized by features that differ from those in adult RCC. Prognosis did not differ between groups.
Related Concept Videos
01:20The Retinoblastoma Gene
The first-ever tumor suppressor gene called Rb was identified in retinoblastoma - a rare eye tumor in children. In inherited forms of the disease, a child inherits one defective copy of the Rb gene, which predisposes them to retinoblastoma. However,...
01:20The Retinoblastoma Gene
01:20Renal Corpuscle
Glomerulus: Structure and Function
The glomerulus is a tiny, intricate network of capillaries located at the beginning of the nephron. It's enveloped by the Bowman's capsule and receives its blood supply from an afferent arteriole, which divides into numerous...
01:12Internal Anatomy of the Kidney
Anatomical Position and Dimensions
The kidneys are retroperitoneal organs positioned against the posterior abdominal wall on either side of the spine, roughly between the twelfth thoracic and third lumbar vertebrae. Each kidney is typically 10-12 cm long, 5-6 cm wide, and 3-4 cm thick, weighing about 150 grams.
Renal Cortex
The outermost region of the kidney is the...
01:18Distinctive Features of Adult Stem Cells vs Cancer Stem Cells
Adult stem cells
Adult stem cells are tissue-specific; hence, they divide to develop the tissue from which they originate. One type of adult stem cell is the epithelial stem cell, which gives rise to the keratinocytes in the multiple layers of epithelial cells in the epidermis of the skin. Adult bone marrow has three distinct types of stem cells:...
01:10Nephrons