The development and progression of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are influenced by variety of factors, which pose significant health threats globally. RCC has an atypical clinical presentation and is susceptible to anticancer drug resistance; thus, understanding the mechanisms of RCC formation is necessary. There is growing evidence that RCC is regulated by epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA modifications, histone modifications, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) and RNA modifications. Considering the widespread presence of epigenetic mechanisms in RCC, their potential for clinical application has received substantial attention from the scientific community in recent years. Here, we review the articles published in recent years and summarize the properties and functions of epigenetic regulation, with a focus on the impact of the epigenetic regulation on RCC and its potential clinical applications.
Keywords: DNA methylation; Histone modifications; NcRNAs; RNA modifications; Renal cell carcinoma.
© 2026. The Author(s).