The kidney cancer pathology report is an important basis for oncologists to formulate follow-up treatment plans. However, many kidney cancer patients and their families fail to read due to the strong professionalism of pathological reports. In order to help patients to have better understanding of the medical terminology in the report, we have collated the common terms in the report for preliminary interpretation.

If you want to know more about the report on kidney cancer, you can make an appointment online or contact our Manila office at 02-8-822122 or Cebu Office at 0917-599-2277, professional oncologists will help you out.

1. What is renal clear cell carcinoma and papillary renal cell carcinoma?

Renal cell carcinoma is a malignant tumor originating from the renal urinary tubular epithelial system, also known as renal adenocarcinoma, referred to as renal cancer, accounting for 80% to 90% of renal malignancies.

In 2004, the World Health Organization (WHO) divided kidney cancer into three categories based on the characteristics of tumor cells and genetic changes:

Renal clear cell carcinoma (60%～85%)

Renal papillary cell carcinoma (7%～14%)

Renal chromophobe cell carcinoma (4%～10%)

Renal clear cell carcinoma

Renal clear cell carcinoma is the first common malignant tumor in the clinic, accounting for 60% to 85% of renal cancer. Tumors with clear tumor boundaries and large volumes may exhibit invasive growth, and patients with renal clear cell carcinoma have a worse prognosis than patients with papillary renal cell carcinoma and renal chromophobe cell carcinoma. The 5-year tumor-bearing survival rates of patients with stage I, II, III, and IV were 91%, 74%, 67%, and 32%, respectively according to TNM staging.

Papillary renal cell carcinoma

Papillary renal cell carcinoma, which accounts for 7% to 14% of malignant renal epithelial tumors, is currently the second most common renal malignancy in the clinic. It is a low-grade malignant tumor with slow progress and good prognosis. The average age of onset is 52 to 66 years old, with more men than women.

2. Fuhrman Grading System

Compared with other cancers, kidney cancer has a relatively good prognosis, but 20% to 40% of kidney cancer patients still have metastasis after surgery. An indicator to predict a renal cancer patient has a good prognosis or not - a prognostic indicator. At present, the Fuhrman grading system is the most widely used independent prognostic indicator for renal cancer, especially for renal clear cell carcinoma and papillary renal cell carcinoma. It is mainly classified into 4 grades according to the size, shape and nucleoli of the nucleus.

The higher the Fuhrman grade is, the higher the risk of recurrence will be, and the three-year survival rate and the tumor-bearing survival rate will be significantly lowered. The Fuhrman grading system makes the prognosis of renal cancer more intuitive, and helps doctors understand the progress of the disease, predict the individualized prognosis, and make the treatment more targeted.

For patients with higher Fuhrman grade, close follow-up should be carried out in order to detect metastasis early. And renal patients should strictly follow the doctor's advice and choose reasonable treatments to obtain a better therapeutic effect under the guidance of an oncologist.

If you have any doubts about the kidney cancer pathology report, you can make an online appointment or contact us directly at 02-8-822122 (Manila Office) or 0917-599-2277 (Cebu Office). Professional oncologists will help you out.

Tips from oncologist at St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou: The above is only a partial interpretation of the pathology report of kidney cancer. Patients must find a professional oncologist for a comprehensive interpretation on a detailed pathology report, so that they can receive guidance and treatments timely to avoid irreversible consequences.