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Urinary Lipid Profiling for Biomarker Discovery in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma
Gaku Ishikawa1, Keita Tamura2, Kyohei Watanabe2
1Department of Urology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan; gaku.i@hama-med.ac.jp.
Anticancer Research
|June 29, 2026
Summary
Acylcarnitines (AcCa) show promise as a non-invasive urinary biomarker for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) detection. Elevated AcCa levels in urine may aid in early diagnosis, improving patient outcomes for this challenging cancer.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Oncology
- Urology
Background:
- Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) prognosis is poor, highlighting the need for early detection biomarkers.
- Current diagnostic methods for RCC lack reliable tumor biomarkers.
- Urinary lipid profiling offers a potential avenue for non-invasive cancer detection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare urinary lipid profiles between clear cell RCC (ccRCC) patients and healthy controls.
- To identify potential non-invasive urinary biomarkers for ccRCC detection.
- To evaluate the diagnostic performance of identified urinary lipids.
Main Methods:
- Urine samples collected from 52 ccRCC patients and 30 healthy volunteers.
- Lipid profiling performed using Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).
- Analysis focused on 23 identified lipid species out of 48.
Main Results:
- Total urinary lipid levels were significantly higher in ccRCC patients compared to controls.
- Acylcarnitines (AcCa), free fatty acids, ceramides, phosphatidylcholines, and coenzyme Q were elevated in ccRCC patients.
- AcCa demonstrated strong diagnostic performance (AUC 0.804, sensitivity 80.8%, specificity 76.7%).
Conclusions:
- Acylcarnitines (AcCa) show potential as a non-invasive urinary biomarker for ccRCC detection.
- Elevated urinary AcCa levels may aid in early diagnosis of ccRCC.
- Further validation is warranted to establish AcCa as a clinical diagnostic tool.
