Gene expression characterization of high and low grade clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Patients undergoing either partial or radical nephrectomy at William Beaumont Hospital (Royal Oak, MI) were consented prior to surgery with local IRB oversight. Samples were collected at time of surgery and stored at -80°C according to CAP (College of American Pathologist)-accredited standard operating procedures. Disease pathology of frozen samples was validated with hematoxylin and eosin stained tissue sections from adjacently collected formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue. The objective of this study was to examine the gene expression patterns of clear cell carcinoma in relation to adjacent normal kidney as well as other benign kidney conditions. In particular, the goal was to identify gene expression that could differentiate high grade ccRCC from low grade ccRCC. Samples from patients with high grade ccRCC (Fuhrman grades 3 & 4, n=16) were compared to normal kidney samples (n=14) and also to samples from patients with benign kidney conditions (n=6). Samples from patients with low grade ccRCC (Fuhrman grades 1 & 2, n=13) were then also compared to normal kidney samples (n=14) and also to samples from patients with benign kidney conditions (n=6).