What is Renal Cell Carcinoma of the kidney?
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a very rare cancer in children with only about 2 to 5 cases diagnosed in the United States per year. Up until now no large studies have been performed in children because it is so rare. Therefore, there is limited information available on the biology, treatment, and outcome for renal cell carcinoma in children. There are 4 subtypes of renal cell carcinoma. Most of the subtypes are seen in adults, but rarely in children. Just remember that adult renal cell carcinoma is very different from renal cell carcinoma in children, so information obtained on adult tumors can not be applied to children. In children the tumors act differently, have different genetic changes, and appear to need different treatments.
