National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Papillary renal cell carcinoma



Other Names:
RCCP; Renal adenocarcinoma; Papillary renal cell carcinoma, sporadic - (subtype); RCCP; Renal adenocarcinoma; Papillary renal cell carcinoma, sporadic - (subtype); Papillary renal cell carcinoma, bilateral - (subtype); Papillary renal cell carcinoma, multiple - (subtype); Papillary renal cell carcinoma, familial - (subtype); Papillary renal carcinoma, malignant - (subtype); Papillary renal cell adenocarcinoma See More
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Papillary renal cell carcinoma (PRCC) is a type of cancer that occurs in the kidneys. It accounts for about 10-15% of all renal cell carcinomas.[1]Renal cell carcinomas are a type of kidney cancer that develop in the lining of very small tubes (tubules) in the kidney.[2]The term "papillary" describes the finger-like projections that can be found in most of the tumors.[3] PRCC can be divided into two types: type 1, which is more common and usually grows more slowly and type 2, which are usually more aggressive .[1]Though the exact cause of papillary renal cell carcinoma is unknown, smoking, obesity, and genetic predisposition conditions (such as hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer) may contribute to the development of this type of cancer. Treatment often begins with surgery to remove as much of the cancer as possible, and may be followed by radiation therapy, chemotherapy, biological therapy, or targeted therapy.[3]
Last updated: 2/11/2016

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Autosomal dominant inheritance 0000006
Incomplete penetrance 0003829
Papillary renal cell carcinoma 0006766
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

Making a diagnosis for a genetic or rare disease can often be challenging. Healthcare professionals typically look at a person’s medical history, symptoms, physical exam, and laboratory test results in order to make a diagnosis. The following resources provide information relating to diagnosis and testing for this condition. If you have questions about getting a diagnosis, you should contact a healthcare professional.

Testing Resources

  • The Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) provides information about the genetic tests for this condition. The intended audience for the GTR is health care providers and researchers. Patients and consumers with specific questions about a genetic test should contact a health care provider or a genetics professional.

FDA-Approved Treatments

The medication(s) listed below have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as orphan products for treatment of this condition. Learn more orphan products.


If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources


Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Papillary renal cell carcinoma. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease


Living with a genetic or rare disease can impact the daily lives of patients and families. These resources can help families navigate various aspects of living with a rare disease.

Financial Resources

  • Patient Access Network Foundation (PAN Foundation) has Assistance Programs for those with health insurance who reside in the United States. The disease fund status can change over time, so you may need to check back if funds are not currently available. 
  • The Social Security Administration has included this condition in their Compassionate Allowances Initiative. This initiative speeds up the processing of disability claims for applicants with certain medical conditions that cause severe disability. More information about Compassionate Allowances and applying for Social Security disability is available online.
  • The Assistance Fund provides various services, including education and financial aid, to help patients with a chronic or serious illness cover the cost of FDA-approved medications. Patients must be U.S citizens or permanent residents.

These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

  • Cancer.Net provides oncologist-approved cancer information from the American Society of Clinical Oncology and has information about Papillary renal cell carcinoma.
  • The National Cancer Institute provides the most current information on cancer for patients, health professionals, and the general public.

In-Depth Information

  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • Orphanet is a European reference portal for information on rare diseases and orphan drugs. Access to this database is free of charge.
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Papillary renal cell carcinoma. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.


  1. Michael B Atkins, Toni K Choueiri. Epidemiology, pathology, and pathogenesis of renal cell carcinoma. UpToDate. November 24, 2015;
  2. Renal cell carcinoma. MedlinePlus. 3/23/2014; https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000516.htm.
  3. Kidney Cancer (Adult)-Renal Cell Carcinoma. American Cancer Society. 2/24/2014; http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/003107-pdf.pdf.
  4. National Cancer Institute. General Information about Renal Cell Carcinoma. Renal Cell Cancer Treatment. July 7, 2015; http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/treatment/renalcell/Patient/page1.