Urine Test Detects Early Kidney Cancer


Scientists from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have devised a urine test to diagnose kidney cancer early, before it spreads and becomes very difficult to treat. If developed into a standard screening tool for kidney cancer, the test could end up saving many lives. The test measures two protein biomarkers, aquaporin-1 (AQP1) … Continue reading Urine Test Detects Early Kidney Cancer

Mutations in Gene Essential for Cell Regulation Cause Kidney Cancer in Kids


Scientists from The Institute of Cancer Research in London have discovered that mutations in the CTR9 gene are responsible for Wilms tumor in some children with an inherited form of the kidney cancer. CTR9 is a component of the PAF1 protein complex, which plays a part in telling genes to shut on or off.  The … Continue reading Mutations in Gene Essential for Cell Regulation Cause Kidney Cancer in Kids

Gene Linked to Pediatric Kidney Cancer May Be Key to Kidney Regeneration


Researchers from Boston Children’s Hospital have made several important discoveries about the gene Lin28 and its link to Wilms tumor, a pediatric renal cancer marked by growths that appear similar to immature kidneys. Experts believe the tumors are caused by unchecked kidney development, which would normally be complete before birth. Lin28 is important to the development … Continue reading Gene Linked to Pediatric Kidney Cancer May Be Key to Kidney Regeneration

Scientists Develop Personalized 3D Printed Kidney to Simulate Cancer Surgery


Using 3D imaging and printing technology, surgeons from Kobe University in Japan have created scale replicas of patients’ kidneys to help prepare them for difficult kidney cancer surgeries. The transparent models allow doctors to see the location of tumors as well as blood vessels within the kidney. When the actual robotic surgeries are performed later, surgeons … Continue reading Scientists Develop Personalized 3D Printed Kidney to Simulate Cancer Surgery

Researchers Discover How Hypoxia Drives Kidney Cancer Progression


A team of international researchers from University of Chicago Medical Center and Beijing has uncovered how hypoxia, or the shortage of oxygen, causes a vicious cycle that promotes kidney cancer progression. Hypoxia occurs when kidney cancer cells proliferate so quickly that they outgrow their blood supply. The scientists discovered that this causes over expression of … Continue reading Researchers Discover How Hypoxia Drives Kidney Cancer Progression

Researchers Uncover Proteins Likely Linked to Kidney Cancer Spread


Researchers from St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Canada have discovered 29 proteins that are likely linked to the spread of kidney cancer. When kidney cancer spreads to other organs, it is very hard to treat and the survival rate five years after cancer metastasis is less than 10%. The findings should enable doctors to better … Continue reading Researchers Uncover Proteins Likely Linked to Kidney Cancer Spread