[New etiopathogenic findings in renal cell carcinoma: carcinogenesis and tumor development pathways].

Renal cancer is the third leading urological tumor after prostate and bladder cancers. Annual incidence of renal cancer in all stages has markedly increased in recent years. This represents a true increase in the number of actual cases that is not fully accounted for by widespread use of diagnostic imaging tests. This article is intended to provide an update on the carcinogenesis and tumor development pathways involved in the genesis of this tumor. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) arises in renal epithelium and accounts for more than 90% of all malignant kidney tumors. Approximately 2% of RCCs are associated to hereditary syndromes, specific oncogenes, or changes in tumor suppressor genes. Changes in the VHL gene exist in all hereditary cases. This gene (located in the short arm of chromosome 3:3p25-26) is also involved in more than 60% of sporadic cases. This paper systematically addresses the latest findings on implications of the VHL gene in angiogenesis and its potential relationship to new molecules involved in management of RCC.