Netti Giuseppe Stefano, De Luca Federica, Camporeale Valentina, Khalid Javeria, Leccese Giorgia, Troise Dario, Sanguedolce Francesca, Stallone Giovanni, Ranieri Elena
Unit of Clinical Pathology, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia-University Hospital "Policlinico Riuniti", Viale Luigi Pinto, 71122 Foggia, Italy.
Center for Research and Innovation in Medicine (CREATE), Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Foggia-University Hospital "Policlinico Riuniti", Viale Luigi Pinto, 71122 Foggia, Italy.
Cancers (Basel). 2025 Apr 25;17(9):1442. doi: 10.3390/cancers17091442.
Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) presents a significant diagnostic challenge, particularly in small renal masses. The search for non-invasive screening methods and biomarkers has directed research toward liquid biopsy, which focuses on microRNAs (miRNAs), exosomes, and circulating tumor cells (CTCs). miRNAs are small non-coding RNA molecules that show considerable dysregulation in RCC, and they have potential for both diagnostic and prognostic applications. Research has highlighted their utility on biofluids, such as plasma, serum, and urine, in detecting RCC and characterizing its subtypes. Promising miRNA signatures have been associated with overall survival, suggesting their potential importance in the management of RCC. Exosomes, which carry a variety of molecular components, including miRNAs, are emerging as valuable biomarkers, whereas CTCs, released from primary tumors into the bloodstream, provide critical information on cancer progression. However, translation of these findings into clinical practice requires additional validation and standardization through large-scale studies and robust evidence. Although there are currently no approved diagnostic tests for RCC, the future potential of liquid biopsy in monitoring, treatment decision-making, and outcome prediction in patients with this disease is significant. This review examined and discussed recent developments in liquid biopsy for RCC, assessing both the strengths and limitations of these approaches for managing this disease.
肾细胞癌（RCC）带来了重大的诊断挑战，尤其是在小肾肿块方面。对非侵入性筛查方法和生物标志物的探索已将研究导向液体活检，其重点是微小RNA（miRNA）、外泌体和循环肿瘤细胞（CTC）。miRNA是小的非编码RNA分子，在RCC中表现出显著的失调，并且它们在诊断和预后应用方面都具有潜力。研究突出了它们在生物流体（如血浆、血清和尿液）中检测RCC及其亚型的效用。有前景的miRNA特征已与总生存期相关联，表明它们在RCC管理中的潜在重要性。携带包括miRNA在内的多种分子成分的外泌体正成为有价值的生物标志物，而从原发性肿瘤释放到血液中的CTC则提供了有关癌症进展的关键信息。然而，要将这些发现转化为临床实践，需要通过大规模研究和有力证据进行额外的验证和标准化。尽管目前尚无批准用于RCC的诊断测试，但液体活检在监测、治疗决策和预测该疾病患者的预后方面的未来潜力巨大。本综述审视并讨论了RCC液体活检的最新进展，评估了这些方法在管理该疾病方面的优势和局限性。
