• Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is cancer that originates from the renal epithelium¹
• RCC accounts for approximately 80% of all kidney tumours²
• RCC occurs most frequently in the tubular structures of the renal cortex, mostly from the proximal tubules²

The kidneys are bean-shaped organs measuring 10–12 cm in length and 5–7.5 cm in width. The kidneys are situated on either side of the spine at the level of the lower ribs. The main task of the kidneys is to filter the blood and cleanse it of waste products and excess fluid.

Above is a cross-section of the kidney, showing that the kidney consists of a lighter outer part called the renal cortex and a darker central part called the renal medulla.

Each kidney contains approximately 1,000,000 very small filter units called nephrons. Each nephron consists of a small filter (glomerulus), which is a cluster of small capillaries that filters substances over to the Bowman’s capsule and a tube system (tubulus) where the filtered liquid concentrates (consisting of a proximal tubule, loop of Henle and distal tubule). Each tubule is collected into larger tubes called collecting tubes.

In addition to the filter function, the kidneys have other important functions:

• Regulating the body’s fluid and salt balance
• Regulating blood pressure
• Regulating the body’s acidity
• Production of the hormone EPO, which stimulates the production of erythrocytes in the bone marrow
• Regulation of calcium and phosphate balance

Kidney cancer accounts for 5% and 3% of all malignant diseases in men and women, respectively, and is thus the 7th most common cancer in men and the 10th most common cancer in women.²

RCC:

• Prevalence 6620 (2016)³
• Incidence 901 (2016)³

Source: ³

mRCC:

• Incidence 350 (2014)⁴

Source: ¹

1. Incidence of RCC has increased by 2% in the last 20 years⁷
2. Multiple cases of kidney cancer are discovered by chance
3. European mortality rates increased until the early 1990s and stabilised or then decreased⁷
4. Most cases of kidney cancer occur in adults aged 60 to 70 years⁷
5. Median age at time of diagnosis: 65 years⁸

1. Azeem K, Kollarova H, Horakova D, Magnuskova S, Janout V. Genetic syndromes associated with renal cell carcinoma: a review. Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub. 2011;155(3):231-238
2. Escudier B, Porta C, Schmidinger M, et al. Renal cell carcinoma: ESMO Clinical Practise Guidelines for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up. Ann Oncol. 0: 1–15, 2019
3. Nordcan database accessed May 2019
4. RADS, “Baggrundsnotat for medicinsk behandling af metastaserende nyrekræft,” 2016
5. WCRJ 2018, 5 (8)
6. Ferlay et al, EJCA 103(2018) 356–387
7. Ljungberg B, Bensalah K, Bex A, et al. EAU guidelines on renal cell carcinoma: 2016 update. European Association of Urology. https://uroweb.org/guideline/renal-cell-carcinoma/. Accessed 25 June, 2016
8. Epidemiology and Risk Factors for Kidney Cancer, JClinOncol 36 1018