Hereditary cancer syndromes with increased risk of renal cancer

Abstract

Renal cancer (RC) is one of the three most common diseases in oncologic urology. Its accurate diagnosis and prognosis remain difficult and important problems. Some cases of RC are associated with hereditary cancer syndromes and are caused by germline mutations. This review describes monogenic forms of hereditary RC (von Hippel–Lindau syndrome, Birt–Hogg– Dubé syndrome, hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer, hereditary papillary renal carcinoma, BAP1 tumor predisposition syndrome) and diseases with several candidate genes (SDH-mutated tumors, tuberous sclerosis complex). Additionally, the review discusses the increased risk of RC in patients with frequent hereditary cancer syndromes predisposing to the development of a wide range of tumor types: Lynch and Li-Fraumeni syndromes. RC in combination with other carcinomas can develop in patients carrying pathogenic mutations in the candidate genes of different hereditary cancer syndromes –  multi-locus inherited  neoplasia  allele syndrome (MINAS)  –  which is especially important  due to the growing role of high-throughput sequencing in practical oncologic genetics. Additionally, guidelines on modern laboratory genetic diagnostics and active surveillance are presented for each syndrome.