Common kidney cancer can be divided into 3 types

There are three common types of kidney cancer: common, papillary, and chromophobe cell.

1. Common (clear cell) renal cell carcinoma

It is the most common type, accounting for 70% to 80% of renal cell carcinoma. Under the microscope, the tumor cells are large, round or polygonal, with abundant cytoplasm, transparent or granular, and the stroma is rich in capillaries and blood sinusoids. Most cases of this type are sporadic, and a few are familial and accompanied by VHL syndrome. The occurrence of common renal cancer is related to changes in the VHL gene.

2. Papillary carcinoma

It accounts for 10%~15% of renal cell carcinoma. It includes two types: basophils and eosinophils. The tumor cells are cuboidal or short columnar and arranged in papillary shapes. Sand bodies and foam cells are common in the axial stroma of the papilla, and edema may occur. This type also includes familial and sporadic types. The occurrence of papillary renal carcinoma has no obvious relationship with VHL. The cytogenetic changes of sporadic papillary renal carcinoma are mainly trisomy of chromosomes 7, 16 and 17 and loss of chromosome Y in male patients, while the changes of familial papillary renal carcinoma are mainly trisomy of chromosome 7. The occurrence of familial clear cell carcinoma is related to the mutation of the proto-oncogene MET located on chromosome 7.

3. Chromophobe cell carcinoma

It accounts for about 5% of renal cell carcinoma. Under the microscope, the cells are of different sizes, with light-stained or slightly eosinophilic cytoplasm, relatively concentrated cytoplasm near the cell membrane, and often with a halo around the nucleus. Chromophobe cell carcinoma may originate from collecting tubule epithelial cells, and patients have a good prognosis. Cytogenetic examination often shows multiple chromosome deletions and severe hypodiploidy. The deleted chromosomes include chromosomes 1, 2, 6, 10, 13, 17 or 21.