Biomarker testing in renal cell (kidney) cancer is transforming how doctors diagnose and treat the disease. By identifying the specific genetic and molecular changes driving a person’s cancer, biomarker testing helps create a more personalized treatment plan. Whether it’s guiding targeted therapy, immunotherapy, or eligibility for clinical trials, understanding your tumor’s biomarkers can play a key role in your care. Here’s an overview of how it works for renal cell (kidney)cancer.
What is a biomarker?
Not all kidney cancers are the same, and treatments that work for one person may not work for another. That’s where biomarker testing comes in.
A biomarker is something measurable in the body — such as a gene mutation, protein, or molecule — that provides information about your disease. The test looks for specific genetic changes, proteins, or molecular patterns that can influence how your tumor grows and responds to treatment. For renal cell (kidney) cancer, biomarker testing can uncover important information about how your cancer behaves.
Why biomarker testing is important
One of the biggest reasons to get biomarker testing is that it can influence your treatment options. Certain therapies work best in tumors that have specific genetic or protein changes.
In addition, biomarker testing can provide prognostic information — meaning it can help doctors understand how aggressive your cancer may be or how likely it is to respond to certain treatments. Some tests are even being explored as less invasive blood-based options, using circulating tumor DNA or proteins to learn about your cancer when tissue samples are limited. While these are still in development, they represent an exciting direction in cancer care.
Germline testing vs. somatic testing: What’s the difference?
It’s important to understand the difference between tumor mutations and inherited gene mutations. Tumor mutations, also called somatic mutations, occur only in the cancer cells and are not passed down from your parents. These changes can help the tumor grow and may influence which treatments are most effective. In contrast, inherited gene mutations (germline mutations) are present in every cell of your body from birth and can be passed on to your children.
Somatic testing for renal (kidney) cell cancer
While there are some biomarkers, such as DNA methylation markers, miRNAs, lncRNAs, and protein biomarkers, identified for assessing early-stage disease and prognosis in renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer), none have yet achieved clinical approval for routine diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment monitoring.
Although there are no standardized biomarkers, the NCCN Guidelines suggest that targeted therapies can be identified through tumor mutation testing. Researchers are still uncovering which biomarkers should be routinely tested to optimize treatment outcomes.
Germline testing for renal cell (kidney) cancer
Up to 8% of renal (kidney) cell cancers are due to inherited genetic mutations, called hereditary renal cell carcinoma (HRCC). People with HRCC are born with a genetic change passed down from family that increases their risk of developing kidney tumors and researchers have uncovered some of the main mutations linked to HRCC.
- Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer (HLRCC)
- Von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL)
- Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome (BHD)
- Hereditary papillary renal cancer (HPRC)
If you have a family history of kidney cancer or are diagnosed at a young age, your doctor may recommend genetic counseling or testing to look for these inherited mutations. Identifying a hereditary cause doesn’t just help guide your own care, it can also provide valuable information for family members who may share the same risk.
If you haven’t already discussed biomarker testing with your care team, consider asking whether your tumor has been tested. As science continues to advance, biomarker testing will play an even bigger role in ensuring that every patient receives the treatment that’s right for them.
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