Renal cell carcinoma metastatic to the stomach: single-centre experience and literature review

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the incidence, clinical presentation and therapy of gastric metastases, an uncommon finding, in a large group of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We systematically searched the computerized RCC database of our institute, covering 2082 patients (1180 men and 902 women) who had surgery between January 1984 and September 2005, to identify those with a synchronous and/or metachronous diagnosis of cancer in gastric biopsies or resection specimens. The histopathological slides of both renal and gastric cancer probes, and the clinical presentation, treatment and outcome of affected patients, were reassessed.

RESULTS

Twelve patients with primary gastric cancer, one with local RCC recurrence affecting the antrum and five with clear cell RCC (three men and two women; mean age 73 years, range 65–83) with haematogenous cancer spread to the stomach were detected. The mean (range) time to gastric metastasis was 6.9 (1.7–13.1) years. There were metastases to other organs, most often the lung, in all patients. Three patients presented with symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding, which was successfully controlled by local endoscopic therapy. Four patients died from disease at 3–19 months after diagnosis. One patient is still alive with disease after ≈2 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Gastric metastasis in patients with RCC appears to be a late event in the course of the disease. Most patients show concomitant tumour spread to other organs, and the outcome is generally poor. The use of targeted drugs might offer a new perspective for affected patients.