Massive study identifies new biomarkers for renal cancer subtypes, improving diagnosis and—eventually—treatment

Focusing on proteins provided critical new information and built on existing genomic data, giving researchers unprecedented insight into the disease’s underpinnings

A new study led by University of Michigan Health Rogel Cancer Center researchers identifies novel biomarkers in renal cell carcinomas. The researchers’ integrative analysis of comprehensive proteogenomic datasets from both non-clear cell and clear cell renal carcinomas builds on previous work, which primarily focused on geonomics, and improves understanding of the mechanisms of renal cell carcinomas. The findings lay the groundwork to identify therapeutic targets in non-clear-cell renal cell carcinomas. The study is out now in Cell Reports Medicine.

Renal cell carcinomas are diverse, with more than 20 known subtypes, and can be largely classified as either clear cell or non-clear cell type; about 20% of all RCCs are non-clear cell RCCs, most subtypes in this category are very rare and relatively understudied.

Despite having different molecular make-ups, non-ccRCCs are treated with the standard of care devised for the common form, affecting treatment outcomes. Differential diagnosis of non-ccRCC tumors can be challenging due to overlapping morphological features and a lack of specificity in current biomarkers.