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Eble JN, Sauter G., Epstein JI, Sesterhenn IA - iarc

Eble JN, Sauter G., Epstein JI, Sesterhenn IA - iarc

Eble JN, Sauter G., Epstein JI, Sesterhenn IA - iarc

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acinar pattern. The alveolar and acinar<br />

structures may dilate, producing microcystic<br />

and macrocystic patterns.<br />

Infrequently, clear cell renal cell carcinoma<br />

has a distinct tubular pattern and<br />

rarely a pseudopapillary architecture is<br />

focally present.<br />

The cytoplasm is commonly filled with<br />

lipids and glycogen, which are dissolved<br />

in routine histologic processing, creating<br />

a clear cytoplasm surrounded by a distinct<br />

cell membrane. Many tumours contain<br />

minority populations of cells with<br />

eosinophilic cytoplasm; this is particularly<br />

common in high grade tumours and<br />

adjacent to areas with necrosis or haemorrhage.<br />

In well preserved preparations, the nuclei<br />

tend to be round and uniform with finely<br />

granular, evenly distributed chromatin.<br />

Depending upon the grade, nucleoli may<br />

be inconspicuous, small, or large and<br />

prominent. Very large nuclei lacking<br />

nucleoli or bizarre nuclei may occasionally<br />

occur. A host of unusual histologic<br />

findings are described in clear cell renal<br />

cell carcinoma. Sarcomatoid change<br />

occurs in 5% of tumours and is associated<br />

with worse prognosis. Some tumours<br />

have central areas of fibromyxoid stroma,<br />

areas of calcification or ossification<br />

{991}. Most clear cell RCCs have little<br />

associated inflammatory response; infrequently,<br />

an intense lymphocytic or neutrophilic<br />

infiltrate is present.<br />

Immunoprofile<br />

Clear cell RCCs frequently react with<br />

antibodies to brush border antigens, low<br />

molecular weight cytokeratins, CK8,<br />

CK18, CK19, AE1, Cam 5.2 and vimentin<br />

{1675,2086,2818,2880}. High molecular<br />

weight cytokeratins, including CK14<br />

{464}, and 34βE12 are rarely detected.<br />

The majority of clear cell RCCs react<br />

positively for renal cell carcinoma marker<br />

{1675}, CD10 {140} and epithelial membrane<br />

antigen {776}. MUCΙ and MUC3<br />

are consistently expressed {1479}.<br />

Grading<br />

Nuclear grade, after stage, is the most<br />

important prognostic feature of clear<br />

cell renal cell carcinoma {441,764,<br />

815,949,2433,2473,2940}. The prognostic<br />

value of nuclear grade has been<br />

validated in numerous studies over the<br />

past 8 decades. Both 4-tiered and 3-<br />

tiered grading systems are in widespread<br />

use. The 4-tiered nuclear grading<br />

system {815} is as follows: Using the 10x<br />

objective, grade 1 cells have small<br />

hyperchromatic nuclei (resembling<br />

mature lymphocytes) with no visible<br />

nucleoli and little detail in the chromatin.<br />

Grade 2 cells have finely granular "open"<br />

chromatin but inconspicuous nucleoli at<br />

this magnification. For nuclear grade 3,<br />

the nucleoli must be easily unequivocally<br />

recognizable with the 10x objective.<br />

Nuclear grade 4 is characterized<br />

by nuclear pleomorphism, hyperchromasia<br />

and single to multiple macronucleoli.<br />

Grade is assigned based on<br />

the highest grade present. Scattered<br />

cells may be discounted but if several<br />

cells within a single high power focus<br />

have high grade characteristics, then<br />

the tumour should be graded accordingly.<br />

Genetic susceptibility<br />

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma constitutes<br />

a typical manifestation of von<br />

Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL) but may<br />

also occur in other familial renal cell cancer<br />

syndromes.<br />

Somatic genetics<br />

Although most clear cell RCCs are not<br />

related to von Hippel Lindau disease, 3p<br />

deletions have been described in the<br />

vast majority of sporadic clear cell renal<br />

cell carcinoma by conventional cytogenetic,<br />

FISH, LOH and CGH analyses<br />

{1372,1754,1760,1786,2109,2614,2690,<br />

2691,2723,2925}. At least 3 separate<br />

regions on chromosome 3p have been<br />

implicated by LOH studies as relevant for<br />

sporadic renal cell carcinoma: one coincident<br />

with the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)<br />

disease gene locus at 3p25-26<br />

{1445,2400}, one at 3p21-22 {2689} and<br />

one at 3p13-14 {2721}, which includes<br />

the chromosomal translocation point in<br />

familial human renal cell carcinoma.<br />

These data suggest involvement of multiple<br />

loci on chromosome 3 in renal cancer<br />

development {474,2686}.<br />

Mutations of the VHL gene have been<br />

described in 34-56% of sporadic clear<br />

cell RCC {307,792,897,2342,2400,2810}.<br />

DNA methylation was observed in 19% of<br />

clear cell renal cell carcinomas {1082}.<br />

Therefore, somatic inactivation of the<br />

VHL gene may occur by allelic deletion,<br />

mutation, or epigenetic silencing in 70%<br />

or more {897,1082,1445,2342}. These<br />

data suggest that the VHL gene is the<br />

most likely candidate for a tumour suppressor<br />

gene in sporadic clear cell RCC.<br />

A<br />

B<br />

Fig. 1.18 A VHL, renal carcinoma. Note clear cells and cysts. B Clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Typical alveolar arrangement of cells.<br />

24 Tumours of the kidney

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