Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with papillary architecture encompasses a diverse group of renal epithelial tumours. The entity papillary RCC is thought to be the second most common subtype of renal cell carcinoma. Although initially categorized into type 1 and type 2 subtypes based on histology, clinicopathological observations in conjunction with molecular advancements have reshaped the above categorization, suggesting that a significant number of the former type 2 tumours can be reclassified. This review traces the historical classification of papillary RCC, discusses emerging entities and reviews the recently recognized molecularly defined RCCs, highlighting diagnostic challenges, morphologic features and key immunohistochemical and genetic features.
Histopathology. 2026 Jan [Epub]
Zainab I Alruwaii, Sean R Williamson, Liang Cheng, Khaleel I Al-Obaidy
Department of Pathology, King Fahd Specialist Hospital, Dammam, Saudi Arabia., Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Diagnostics Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA., Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Surgery (Urology), Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School, the Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University, and Brown University Health, Providence, Rhode Island, USA., McLaren Pathology Group, McLaren Health Care, Flint, Michigan, USA.