Is kidney cancer hereditary?

Is kidney cancer hereditary? Kidney cancer is a common tumor in urology, accounting for 2% to 3% of all adult malignant tumors. The incidence rate increases by 2% every year worldwide, and nearly 10,000 patients die from kidney cancer every year. Kidney cancer has two forms of onset: hereditary and sporadic. Hereditary kidney cancer accounts for about 4% of all kidney cancers. Common hereditary kidney cancers include the following:

1. VHL disease: VHL disease (is an autosomal dominant genetic disease, a familial tumor syndrome involving multiple systemic lesions, with clinical features: hemangioblastomas of the cerebellum, retina, and spinal cord, renal cell carcinoma, pheochromocytoma, renal cysts, etc. The incidence of renal cancer in VHL disease is as high as 28% to 45%, and all pathological types are clear cell carcinoma. Clinically, VHL renal cancer is mostly bilateral multiple renal cancer, which progresses slowly and metastasizes late. It is generally believed that when the tumor is small, it can be observed clinically. When the tumor diameter is greater than 3cm, tumor resection can be performed and the residual kidney should be preserved as much as possible.

2. Hereditary papillary renal carcinoma is an autosomal dominant genetic disease, and the pathological type of the tumor is all type I papillary renal carcinoma. The clinical characteristics of HPRC are similar to those of VHL disease renal carcinoma, mostly bilateral multiple renal cancers, with a later age of onset and slower progression. It is generally recommended to perform tumor resection when the tumor is large.

3. Hereditary Leiomyomatosis Renal Cancer HLRCC is an autosomal dominant genetic disease, manifested as renal cancer with multiple skin leiomyoma, multifocal uterine leiomyoma or uterine leiomyosarcoma, among which the pathological type of renal cancer is mostly type II papillary renal carcinoma. The clinical characteristics of HLRCC are significantly different from other types of hereditary renal cancer. HLRCC is mostly a single tumor occurring on one side, with an early onset age, strong invasiveness, and easy early metastasis. Therefore, early diagnosis and surgical treatment are very important.

4. BHD syndrome is an autosomal dominant genetic syndrome involving multiple systems of the body. Typical manifestations are multiple fibrofollicular tumors in the head, neck and upper limbs, and may be accompanied by lung cysts and colon polyps. Most patients have benign skin lesions such as fibrofollicular proliferation. Multiple small round papules on the face, neck and upper trunk are characteristic lesions of this syndrome. Fifteen to twenty-five percent of patients have renal tumors, including oncocytoma, chromophobe cell carcinoma, clear cell carcinoma and papillary carcinoma, and may also have renal cysts. Chromophobe cell carcinoma is the most common renal malignant tumor, followed by clear cell carcinoma. In addition, lesions such as lung cysts and spontaneous pneumothorax may also occur.