Researchers at Vall d’Hebron identify early marker for kidney cancer
The HAVCR-1/KIM1 protein predicts and prognosticates different types of kidney cancer, including clear cell (ccRCC), in the early stages.
By Biocat
Researchers from the Kidney Physiopathology group (CIBBIM-Nanomedicine) at the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) have identified a protein in the membrane of renal cells, called HAVCR-1/KIM1, that is associated with the evolution of different types of kidney cancer. The study, which followed a significant sample of patients with an average age of 64, confirms the correlation between the presence of this marker in urine and an elevated risk of developing ccRCC tumors. For the first time, they have also drawn a connection between protein levels and the degree and malignancy of the cancer.
Although the protein is detected in papillary and clear cell renal cancer (ccRCC), this work, published in the European Journal of Cancer, has shown that only patients that develop ccRCC, and not other types of tumors, also show the HAVCR-1/KIM1 protein in the normal part of the kidney, where there is no evidence of tumors. Dr. Anna Meseguer, head of the VHIR Kidney Physiopathology group and of the study, explains that this marker “allows us to differentiate ccRCC from other types of tumors, which gives it a great therapeutic value in terms of developing early-detection systems.”
Dr. Anna Meseguer: "It is an excellent biomarker that could change the outlook for this tumor, which currently has such a bad prognosis"
Renal carcinoma (RCC) is the most common of all urological cancers, causing more than 100,000 deaths per year around the world. It accounts for 3% of all new cases of cancer and these numbers have been increasing over the past three decades. There are various types of kidney cancer, but the most frequent by far is that called clear cell (ccRCC), which makes up 75-80% of all kidney tumors and is also one of the most aggressive types.
With the results obtained, researchers affirm that this protein must now be used to do a population screening in urine to identify patients with this type of cancer. Dr. Meseguer believes that this is an "excellent biomarker" that could "change the outlook for this tumor, which currently has such a bad prognosis."
More information is available on the VHIR website.