Finding blood markers to detect kidney cancer early

Researchers are looking for new biological markers—molecular signals in blood and urine—that could help detect clear cell renal cell carcinoma (a common type of kidney cancer) earlier and predict which patients are at risk for the cancer returning. By comparing samples from kidney cancer patients, healthy people, and people with benign kidney diseases, the study aims to validate which markers are most reliable for early diagnosis.

Kidney cancer is often discovered late because early symptoms are rare and the disease may not show up on imaging until it's advanced. About one in four patients already has cancer that has spread when first diagnosed, and survival rates are very poor at that stage. This study seeks to find blood and urine tests that could catch the disease much earlier, when treatment is most effective.