Total cellular RNA derived from ccRCC tumors was analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and the result revealed a dramatic difference in levels of TERT mRNA between tumors with and without TERT promoter mutations, with significantly higher TERT expression seen in mutation-positive ccRCCs (4.55 ± 3.53 vs 0.115 ± 0.08 for mutant vs wt groups, P = 0.0036) (Fig. 1D). Here, TERT is linked to nonpapillary renal cell carcinoma.