Epigenetic sampling effects: nephrectomy modifies the clear cell renal cell cancer methylome.

Tissue ischaemia during normal surgical removal of tumour can cause epigenetic changes. Based on these results, we conclude that the impact of sampling procedures in clinical epigenetic studies should be considered and discussed, particularly after inducing hypoxia/ischaemia, which occurs in most oncological surgery procedures through which tissues are collected for translational research.