Renal cell carcinoma
A more exacting title for this chapter would be ''Renal Cell Carcinoma: Current problems related to diagnosis, etiology, molecular biology, and the management of localized disease.'' As a chapter on ''Renal Cell Carcinoma'' could easily comprise an entire book, this section of this PROBLEMS IN UROLOGY series focuses on a number of currently 'hot' areas. In the section on diagnosis, we will focus on the increased incidence of incidental tumors, screening for RCC, and evaluation for microhematuria related to RCC diagnosis. The etiology section is a brief overview to help guide our history-taking of RCC patients regarding occupational and/or environmental exposures. The molecular biology sections deals with chromosomal changes and oncogenes associated with RCC and represents the tip of the iceberg in this emerging area. In addition, flow cytometry of RCC is reviewed. The section on treatment of localized RCC focuses on current controversies regarding the indications for conservative renal-sparing surgery for RCC as well as whether enucleation or partial nephrectomy is acceptable.
