Pathophysiology[edit]
The tumour arises from the cells of the proximal renal tubular epithelium.[1] It is considered an adenocarcinoma.[6] There are two subtypes: sporadic (that is, non-hereditary) and hereditary.[1] Both such subtypes are associated with mutations in the short-arm of chromosome 3, with the implicated genes being either tumour suppressor genes (VHL and TSC) or oncogenes (like c-Met).[1]