Lipids extracted from three human renal neoplasms have been characterized by means of 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The presence of free cholesterol, high levels of unsatured fatty acids, and phosphatidylcholine, and a very high fatty acids/cholesterol ratio makes the lipid profile of a rare chromophobe cell carcinoma very similar to that of an oncocytoma. On the contrary, clear cell carcinomas are mainly characterized by the presence of almost fully esterified cholesterol and by a markedly lower level of unsatured fatty acids. Since chromophobic cell carcinomas have a more favourable prognosis than clear cell carcinomas, their analogy in the lipid composition with a benign renal neoplasm could have a clinical significance. In particular, our report suggests that cholesteryl esters and high levels of unsatured fatty acids could be a marker of a poor (clear cell carcinomas) or a good (chromophobic cell carcinomas) prognosis, respectively. More in depth studies are required of the molecular composition of the neoplastic pathologies that add new knowledge, with potential clinical implications.

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