Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
4001462 | Urologic Oncology: Seminars and Original Investigations | 2009 | 8 Pages |
Management of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has made considerable strides in the past decade, due in large part to identification of the von Hippel Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor as a negative regulator of hypoxia inducible factor α (HIF-α) protein expression. Stabilization of HIF-α appears to be critical for renal tumorigenesis, and is observed even in VHL-independent RCC. Thus, an understanding of the pathways that regulate expression and activation of the different HIF-α isoforms is key to delineating the mechanism of renal transformation and for the development of novel therapeutics. A number of agents targeting HIF-α or its transcriptionally-regulated genes have shown promise in treatment of RCC. However, more effective treatment strategies are still needed. This report provides a directed review of recent discoveries defining the role of HIF in renal tumorigenesis and their relevance to the clinical advances in targeted therapy for advanced RCC.