An unusual outcome of papillary renal cell carcinoma with lung metastases: a case report and review of literature

Abstract Background Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a heterogeneous group of malignant epithelial tumors of the kidney. It accounts for more than 90% of all kidney cancers. However, papillary RCC is the second most common histologic subtype representing 10–15% of all RCCs. The mean age of presentation...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Emmanuel Owusu Ofori, Baba Alhaji Bin Alhassan, Edwina Ayaaba Ayabilah, Patrick Opoku Manu Maison, Alvin Asante-Asamani, Henry Atawura, Ganiyu Adebisi Rahman, Patrick Kafui Akakpo, Emmanuel Gustav Imbeah, Prince Wilson Ofori
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2021-01-01
Series:African Journal of Urology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12301-020-00103-z
Description
Summary:Abstract Background Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a heterogeneous group of malignant epithelial tumors of the kidney. It accounts for more than 90% of all kidney cancers. However, papillary RCC is the second most common histologic subtype representing 10–15% of all RCCs. The mean age of presentation for papillary RCC ranges between 59 and 63 years but more importantly when RCC is diagnosed at a younger age, the possibility of an underlying hereditary kidney cancer syndrome should be considered. RCC potentially metastasizes to many different organs with lung being the commonest site accounting for 45.2%. The treatment for metastatic RCC is mostly multimodal for most patients. However, patients with untreated pulmonary metastases have been observed to have very poor prognosis with a 5-year overall survival rate of only 5% or even less and thus the need to report on the unusual outcome of our patient who had a metastatic disease. Case presentation The present study reports a papillary renal cell carcinoma with multiple lung metastases in a 31-year-old woman who presented with progressive right flank mass and pain with no chest symptoms. She underwent cytoreductive radical nephrectomy via a right subcostal incision. Patient, however, did not undergo metastasectomy nor palliative systemic therapy and was seen 5 years post-nephrectomy. Conclusion Our patient with metastatic RCC, without undergoing metastasectomy nor palliative systemic therapy, remained stable with 5-year progression-free survival post-cytoreductive nephrectomy.
ISSN:1110-5704
1961-9987