The Current State of the Diagnoses and Treatments for Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma is the most common form of kidney cancer, accounting for 75% of malignant kidney tumors, and is generally associated with poor patient outcomes. With risk factors including smoking, obesity, and hypertension, all of which have a high prevalence in the United States and Europe, as well as genetic factors including tuberous sclerosis complex and Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome, there is an increasing need to expand our present understanding. The current clear cell renal cell carcinoma knowledge is outdated, with obsolete diagnostic criteria and moderately invasive surgical treatments still prevailing, partially ascribed to its resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The standard of treatment relies on surgical intervention, including radical nephrectomy and partial nephrectomy, while more recent treatments target neoplastic growth pathways and immune regulation checkpoints.