Renal cell carcinoma and proteomics.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) represents 3% of adult malignancies. About 30% of RCC patients develop metastatic disease. So far, drugs cannot significantly increase the survival of these patients. We present a recent review of proteomics and RCC. Proteomic technologies have been used in the research to discover new markers of RCC that might increase survival. Furthermore, newly discovered markers cannot increase patient survival, rather their prognostic value supporting therapeutic decisions or new agents targeted at these new markers. More research is required to develop proteomic technologies and biomarkers for identification and validation. Copyright (c) 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.