VHL and clear cell renal carcinoma: Patients with a germline mutation in the VHL gene develop clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), retinal and central nervous system hemangioblastomas, pheochromocytomas, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, cystadenomas of the pancreas and middle ear, and erythrocytosis (Maher and Kaelin, 1997).