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Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the deadliest of all urogenital tumors, whereas it is the third for incidence after prostate and bladder cancer. An early diagnosis of RCC allows patients affected to be promptly treated with effective therapies, significantly increasing their survival rate. In addition, an early and accurate diagnosis avoids inadequate treatment, helps predict disease progression and establish the most appropriate treatments. Unfortunately, small renal tumors are usually asymptomatic, which results in a late diagnosis and, therefore, a low efficacy of treatment. Sensitive biomarkers are thus essential for early detection of RCC and for monitoring its progression. This review summarizes recent discoveries relating to renal tumor biomarkers, their diagnostic and prognostic values, and clinical feasibility., (Copyright by Società Italiana di Nefrologia SIN, Rome, Italy.)