Advances in the management of renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the 10th most common cancer in Canada, with an estimated 8100 new cases and 1950 deaths from the disease annually. Renal cell carcinoma accounts for more than 90% of kidney malignancies. Its incidence increases with age, with a global median age at diagnosis of 75 years, and males are twice as likely as females to be affected. People of Indigenous, Asian, and African heritage have been shown to have an increased risk of RCC. For localized RCC (tumor only in the kidney) cancer-specific survival is excellent at 98%, with a 5-year overall survival rate of 75%. The overall survival rate for metastatic RCC is about 4 years but depends on factors such as patient age, performance status, and comorbidities. The diagnosis and treatment of both localized and metastatic RCC have evolved in recent years. Use of abdominal computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has contributed to an increasing incidence of asymptomatic lesions being identified. This has also led to stage migration, where patients are diagnosed earlier in the course of their disease.