大部分肾脏恶性肿瘤 (85%) 为 RCC(发病于肾皮质实质)。RCC 占所有新发癌症的 2% 到 3%,根据地理区域和性别的不同,RCC 是第 6位到第 8位常见的成人恶性肿瘤。[19]Lipworth L, Tarone RE, McLaughlin JK. The epidemiology of renal cell carcinoma. J Urol. 2006;176:2353-2358.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17085101?tool=bestpractice.com在RCC 中,80%是肾透明细胞腺癌;另外 12% 到 15%为肾乳头状肿瘤(1 类和 2 类)。[19]Lipworth L, Tarone RE, McLaughlin JK. The epidemiology of renal cell carcinoma. J Urol. 2006;176:2353-2358.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17085101?tool=bestpractice.com
北美整体人口患RCC 的平均几率为 1/10,000。[20]Zbar B, Glenn G, Merino M, et al. Familial renal cell carcinoma: clinical evaluation, clinical subtypes and risk of renal carcinoma development. J Urol. 2007;177:461-465.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17222609?tool=bestpractice.com年龄调整后的发病率为 13.6/100,000,出现症状的中位年龄为 64 岁。[21]Horner MJ, Ries LAG, Krapcho M, et al. SEER Cancer statistics review, 1975-2006. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute; 2009.http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2006/据估计,2013 年美国有 65,150 个新病例出现。[22]American Cancer Society. Detailed guide: kidney cancer (adult) - renal cell carcinoma. What are the key statistics about kidney cancer? August 2013. http://www.cancer.org (last accessed 14 January 2015).http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/KidneyCancer/DetailedGuide/kidney-cancer-adult-key-statistics欧洲和北美的发病率有所增加,尤其是女性和那些具有非洲血统的人。[19]Lipworth L, Tarone RE, McLaughlin JK. The epidemiology of renal cell carcinoma. J Urol. 2006;176:2353-2358.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17085101?tool=bestpractice.com但是从某种程度而言,这可能是因为针对其他原因进行的医学成像检查更频繁、更敏感,故更易发现肾脏肿块。整体而言,男性发病率是女性的两倍,而且男性的预后更差,因为他们在就诊断时通常为较晚期。超过一半的病例在早期得到诊断,但是就诊时已有局部扩散或远处转移的患者各占五分之一。[21]Horner MJ, Ries LAG, Krapcho M, et al. SEER Cancer statistics review, 1975-2006. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute; 2009.http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2006/发病率在全球范围内有很大的变化,这表明外源性因素和地域差异在遗传风险中具有重要作用。[19]Lipworth L, Tarone RE, McLaughlin JK. The epidemiology of renal cell carcinoma. J Urol. 2006;176:2353-2358.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17085101?tool=bestpractice.com
预后不断得到改善,现5年总生存率平均高达 64%。[19]Lipworth L, Tarone RE, McLaughlin JK. The epidemiology of renal cell carcinoma. J Urol. 2006;176:2353-2358.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17085101?tool=bestpractice.com[21]Horner MJ, Ries LAG, Krapcho M, et al. SEER Cancer statistics review, 1975-2006. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute; 2009.http://seer.cancer.gov/csr/1975_2006/但是,转移性疾病的 5 年生存率仍然低于 10%。[23]Arsanious A, Bjarnason GA, Yousef GM. From bench to bedside: current and future applications of molecular profiling in renal cell carcinoma. Mol Canc. 2009;8:20-31.http://www.molecular-cancer.com/content/8/1/20http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19291329?tool=bestpractice.com