A novel biomarker for kidney cancer with a COVID-19 link

What is it about?

Kidney cancer accounts for 4.7% of all newly diagnosed cancers. The most common subtype of kidney cancer is kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), which affects over 70% of all kidney cancer cases. Predicting the course of KIRC is difficult, in particular for patients in advanced stages. This leads to low survival rates in these patients. The primary mode of therapy for KIRC is the removal of cancerous cells by surgery. This is because of the growing concerns about the use of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Of late, immunotherapy is showing potential in stopping the progression of KIRC. In this direction, researchers have explored the role of Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in immune infiltration in KIRC. This enzyme is a biomarker of several cancers. Besides, it is the functional host receptor of the COVID-19 causing virus, SARS-CoV-2. The researchers studied the levels of ACE2 and its significance in predicting the spread and growth of KIRC.

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Photo by julien Tromeur on Unsplash

Photo by julien Tromeur on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Immunotherapy offers opportunities for identifying markers that can help doctors track the course of KIRC. ACE2 is a promising biomarker for many cancers. The researchers used different bioinformatics techniques and found that ACE2 is involved in KIRC. They also found that high ACE2 levels are associated with an abundance of immune cells. This highlights the role of ACE2 in immune infiltration. In addition, they found that a high ACE2 level in KIRC patients is linked with a favorable prognosis. This shows that ACE2 can be a novel prognostic biomarker for KIRC. KEY TAKEAWAY: KIRC is the most common type of kidney cancer. But it is difficult to predict its course. Therapeutic alternatives are lacking, and surgery is the most popular choice. These difficulties call for new therapeutic methods and biomarkers to track the disease and offer solutions. This study establishes the importance of ACE2 as a biomarker for KIRC and highlights its role in immune infiltration in KIRC.