A persistent challenge in kidney cancer diagnosis is the ability to reliably determine whether a tumor is cancerous. Oncocytic kidney tumors are particularly challenging due to their overlapping benign and malignant features.
In a newly released report published in Modern Pathology, a team of UT Southwestern Kidney Cancer Program (KCP) researchers led by Dr. Payal Kapur lays out a systematic approach for understanding the molecular biology of a novel oncocytic tumor using morphologic, immunohistochemistry, and molecular findings. Researchers pinpoint the unique gene signatures for a new kidney tumor entity called LOT (low-grade oncocytic tumor), noting the common occurrence of mTOR mutations, association with a rare hereditary condition, and general overall benign behavior. The findings are the latest in a series of studies by the KCP outlining diagnostic advances in kidney tumor classification.
