What type of renal tumor is most often associated with clear cells on biopsy?

Renal cell carcinoma is the type of renal tumor most often associated with clear cells on biopsy. This tumor arises from the renal tubular epithelium and is characterized histologically by the presence of clear cells, which represent cells that contain a high amount of glycogen and lipids. The clear cell variant is the most common subtype, making up the majority of renal cell carcinomas.

This clear cell histology occurs because the tumor cells are rich in lipids and carbohydrates, which, when processed and stained, lead to an appearance of clear cytoplasm. This is an important diagnostic feature that helps pathologists differentiate renal cell carcinoma from other types of renal tumors. In contrast, nephroblastoma typically shows a triphasic histology and does not present with clear cells, while angiomyolipoma is characterized by a mixture of blood vessels, smooth muscle, and fat, and oncocytoma contains eosinophilic cells due to high mitochondrial content, lacking the clear cell appearance.