Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) belongs to a heterogenous cancer group arising from renal tubular epithelial cells. Among RCC subtypes, clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common variant, characterized by high aggressiveness, invasiveness and metastatic potential, features that lead to poor prognosis and high mortality rate. In addition, diagnosis of kidney cancer is incidental in the majority of cases, and this results in a late diagnosis, when the stage of the disease is advanced and the tumor has already metastasized. Furthermore, ccRCC treatment is complicated by its strong resistance to chemo- and radiotherapy. Therefore, there is active ongoing research focused on identifying novel biomarkers which could be useful for assessing a better prognosis, as well as new molecules which could be used for targeted therapy. In this light, several novel targeted therapies have been shown to be effective in prolonging the overall survival of ccRCC patients. Thus, the aim of this review is to analyze the actual state-of-the-art on ccRCC diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic options, while also reporting the recent advances in novel biomarker discoveries, which could be exploited for a better prognosis or for targeted therapy.

The rising incidence rate of the cancer in the prostate gland has increased the demand for improved diagnostic, imaging, and therapeutic approaches. Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), with folate hydrolase and carboxypeptidase and, internalization activities, is highly expressed in the epithelial cells of the prostate gland and is strongly upregulated in prostatic adenocarcinoma, with elevated expression correlating with, metastasis, progression, and androgen independence. Recently, PSMA has been an active target of investigation by several approaches, including the successful utilization of small molecule inhibitors, RNA aptamer conjugates, PSMA-based immunotherapy, and PSMA-targeted prodrug therapy. Future investigations of PSMA in prostate cancer (PCa) should focus in particular on its intracellular activities and functions. The objective of this contribution is to review the current role of PSMA as a marker for PCa diagnosis, imaging, and therapy.

Purpose: Conventional renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is characterized by rich neovascularization and shows a fine vascular network around tumor cells. Nephron sparing surgery has been establish...

Cysts of prostate tissue are common. Most cases are diagnosed accidently during ultrasound but they sometimes have clinical relevance when related to lower urinary tract symptoms, infertility or the expression of neoplastic disorders. Clinical relevance is linked to the differential diagnosis of the different types of cysts. We provide an updated classification of prostate cyst disorders and indicate how these disorders appear on transrectal ultrasound based on our experience and a literature review. We retrospectively analyzed the ultrasound database and surgical specimen archives. We performed a MEDLINE(R) search of the peer reviewed literature on the diagnosis and classification of prostate cysts. Cysts of the prostate gland can be classified into 6 categories, including 1) isolated medial cysts, 2) cysts of the ejaculatory duct, 3) simple or multiple cysts of the parenchyma, 4) complicated infectious or hemorrhagic cysts, 5) cystic tumors and 6) cysts secondary to parasitic disease. Cysts of the prostate are related to atrophy of the prostate gland as well as to other well-known factors, such as inflammatory disease, benign prostatic hyperplasia, ejaculatory duct obstruction and cancer. The differential diagnosis and diagnostic criteria are shown for each category. A possible limitation of this classification is that the quantitative aspect of the cyst was not evaluated. This is the initial step toward a more detailed classification and the basis for further pathological studies. This comprehensive classification could be a useful tool in urological and andrological clinical practice, and for research purposes.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common type of kidney cancer arising from renal tubular epithelial cells and is characterized by a high aggressive behavior and invasiveness that lead to poor prognosis and high mortality rate. Diagnosis of RCC is generally incidental and occurs when the stage is advanced and the disease is already metastatic. The management of RCC is further complicated by an intrinsic resistance of this malignancy to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, which aggravates the prognosis. For these reasons, there is intense research focused on identifying novel biomarkers which may be useful for a better prognostic assessment, as well as molecular markers which could be utilized for targeted therapy. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a transcriptional factor that has been identified as a key modulator of oxidative stress response, and its overexpression is considered a negative prognostic feature in several types of cancers including RCC, since it is involved in various key cancer-promoting functions such as proliferation, anabolic metabolism and resistance to chemotherapy. Given the key role of Nrf2 in promoting tumor progression, this enzyme could be a promising biomarker for a more accurate prediction of RCC course and it can also represent a valuable therapeutic target. In this review, we provide a comprehensive literature analysis of studies that have explored the role of Nrf2 in RCC, underlining the possible implications for targeted therapy.