Dr. Shuch on Biology of Non-Clear Cell RCC

Brian M. Shuch, MD, assistant professor of Urology and of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale Cancer Center, discusses the biology of non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Seventy-five percent of kidney cancers are made up of clear cell histologies, Shuch explains. However, 25% of patients who have variant histologies are lumped into a basket term of non-clear cell RCC. There have been developments in the biology of RCC, but there are about 15 subtypes. Therefore, it is a disservice to patients with these non-clear cell subtypes to be lumped into 1 group, he adds.

Additionally, Shuch is interested in further categorizing these subtypes with more meaningful terminology, because these different kidney cancers have little in common with one another, aside from originating from the same organ.