Case Report: Spontaneous Hemorrhage of a Rare Renal Tumor in the Native Kidney of a Renal Transplant Recipient

Renal cancers are some of the most common solid organ malignancies found during follow-up of patients who have undergone renal transplantation (RT). In this case report, we describe a life-threatening spontaneous hemorrhage of a rare subtype of renal cell carcinoma in the native kidney of a 27-year-old man, 4 years after RT. After fluid resuscitation and stabilization, the patient underwent emergent open radical nephrectomy with the final histopathology reporting T1bN0Mx mucinous tubular and spindle cell (MTSC) carcinoma. This case report highlights the need to consider an underlying malignancy in patients who presents with spontaneous hemorrhage of native kidneys after RT.     

The Role of Microscopic Hematuria in the Evaluation of Urologic Malignancy in Renal Transplant Recipients

Urologic malignancy is a relatively uncommon but serious complication following kidney transplantation. The reported prevalence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) of the native kidneys is 4.4% and of bladder malignancy is 2.6%. However, presently there are no universal guidelines for prospective screening of urologic malignancies after kidney transplantation. We routinely monitored all renal transplant recipients for microscopic hematuria and persistent hematuria (>3 separate occasions) results in imaging studies (ultrasound or computed tomography scan) of both native kidneys and the allograft. Cystoscopy is performed if imaging studies are negative. This retrospective study identified a total of 18 urologic malignancies among the study cohort, which consisted of 539 patients with an incidence of 3.3% (12 cases of RCC of native kidneys [10/12 had hematuria], and six cases of bladder and ureteral malignancies [6/6 had hematuria]). There were no significant differences between cyclosporine- and tacrolimus-based immunosuppression (IS). Among RCC recipients, two lost the allograft from chronic allograft nephropathy and one patient died unrelated to malignancy. Among patients with bladder and ureteral malignancies, two lost the graft possibly from IS reduction and one had BK virus nephropathy prior to diagnosis of bladder carcinoma. In conclusion, screening transplant recipients routinely for persistent microscopic hematuria may identify urologic malignancies in renal transplant recipients.     

Experience with extracorporeal surgery and autotransplantation for renal cell and transitional cell cancer of the kidney

Of 21 patients who underwent bench surgery for renal malignancies (renal cell carcinoma in 16 and transitional cell carcinoma in 5) 15 also had autotransplantation and 6 did not. In 5 patients the contralateral kidney was removed simultaneously for synchronous bilateral renal malignancy, and 16 had cancer in a solitary kidney. In the 3 patients who underwent nephrectomy for complications after autotransplantation no evidence of residual tumor was noted on histopathological examination. Of 9 patients 1 (11 per cent) had local recurrence after successful autotransplantation (renal cell carcinoma). Two patients with transitional cell carcinoma died of metastatic disease. Treatment failed in 31 per cent of the 16 patients with renal cell carcinoma (metastatic disease in 4 and metastatic disease with local recurrence in 1). Removal of solitary or synchronous bilateral renal cell cancer by bench surgery with subsequent autotransplantation is effective. For high grade transitional cell carcinoma of a solitary kidney its value is doubtful without adjuvant systemic treatment.     

Partial nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma: indications, results and implications

Of 52 patients who underwent partial nephrectomy for tumor 44 were found to have renal cell carcinoma. The indications for this parenchyma-sparing procedure were categorized according to the initial status of the contralateral kidney and included bilateral tumors or tumor in a solitary kidney in 16 patients (mandatory indications), unilateral carcinoma with compromise of the contralateral kidney by a benign disease process in 9 (relative indications) and small peripheral tumor with a normal contralateral kidney in 19 (elective indications). There were 4 recurrences that accounted for 3 deaths, all in patients with mandatory indications. All patients who underwent partial nephrectomy for relative or elective indications were without definite evidence of recurrent disease at last followup (over-all mean 36 months). Our results suggest that conservative surgery can often provide effective and advantageous therapy for renal cancer and we encourage further consideration of the role of partial nephrectomy as an alternative to radical nephrectomy in selected patients with small peripheral tumors and normal contralateral kidneys.     

肾移植术后原肾恶性肿瘤2例报告并文献复习

目的 探讨肾移植术后原肾恶性肿瘤的临床特点,提高该疾病的临床诊治水平.方法 回顾分析经治的2例肾移植术后原肾恶性肿瘤患者的发病情况、肿瘤特点、治疗方案、随访结果和预后,复习国内外文献,针对该2病例特点进行分析总结.结果 2例患者均在规律随访时经B超发现原肾恶性肿瘤,分别为肾移植后39个月和112个月.病例1行根治性肾切除术,术后病理为透明细胞癌,术后免疫抑制剂改为包含雷帕霉素的治疗方案,至今随访8年,肿瘤无复发,移植肾功能正常.病例2发现原肾恶性肿瘤后拒绝手术治疗,6个月后肿瘤转移,失去切除肿瘤机会,采用舒尼替尼治疗4个月,因难以耐受不良反应而停药,目前门诊随访,发现肿瘤后存活18个月,移植肾功能正常.结论 肾移植术后原肾恶性肿瘤例数不多,但发生率明显高于正常人群,肾移植术后随访中应加强针对性筛查,及早发现原肾恶性肿瘤.原肾恶性肿瘤发生后如果能及时行根治性切除术,预后较好,如有转移可以采用靶向药物进行治疗.原肾恶性肿瘤术后采用包含雷帕霉素及其类似物的免疫抑制治疗方案是比较合理的选择.     

Therapy and prognosis of tumors of the genitourinary tract after kidney transplantation

There is an increased incidence of tumors of the genitourinary tract among kidney graft recipients. From 1979 to 2001, all patients who received kidney transplants had records of both their underlying diseases and their initial immunosuppression. Patients who developed a genitourinary tract malignancy were evaluated for tumor type, location, stage, tumor therapy and clinical course. During this period, 1804 patients underwent 2068 kidney transplantations. Thirty-four patients had 39 tumors of genitourinary origin. One patient was lost to follow-up. There were 15 patients with 18 renal cell carcinomas (one of them multifocal): six had seven transitional cell carcinomas; six, prostatic carcinoma; six, tumor of the female genital tract (one also had a renal cell carcinoma); and two, a seminoma. Most tumors were diagnosed in their early stages (< or = pT3, N0, M0; n = 31 tumors) and thus accessible to curative therapy, achieving good long-term results: 1- and 5-year survival rates of 100% and 91%, which were better than those obtained in advanced stages (N+, M+; n = 7 tumors), namely both 1- and 5-year survival rates of 38% (P < .05). Death was caused by tumor growth in nine patients (27%) and by other causes in three patients (9%). With appropriate treatment genitourinary tumors at early stage show a good prognosis. New immunosuppressants with supposed antiproliferative effects may help to decrease the incidence of malignancies. The most important factor is risk-adapted screening to identify malignancies early and to initiate appropriate therapy.     

长期血透患者获得性囊性肾病合并肾癌8例报告并文献复习

目的:学习长期血透患者获得性囊性肾病合并肾癌的筛查和诊治方法。方法:回顾性分析我院维持性血透获得性囊性肾病合并肾癌患者8例,均为B超和CT诊断为双肾多发性囊肿合并肾实质性占位,并行后腹腔镜下根治性肾切除术,术后维持规律性血透,并严密随访。结果:长期血透患者226例,获得性囊性肾病105例(46.5%),获得性囊性肾病合并肾癌8例(3.5%),在获得性囊性肾病中发生率为7.6%(8/105),其中男5例,女3例,年龄(58.6±16.4)岁,血透(12.2±6.9)年。8例患者(9次)行后腹腔镜下根治性肾切除术,手术均成功,出血(45.2±20.3)ml,手术时间(72.5±20.3)min,无严重手术并发症,术后病理3例为透明细胞癌和6例为乳头状癌。住院天数为(7.5±2.4)d。随访12～63个月,无瘤存活5例。结论:肾癌在获得性囊性肾病患者中发病率高,随着血透患者寿命的延长,血透3年后需重视和建立肾癌筛查机制,腹腔镜下根治性肾切除术安全有效、恢复快,并注重患者心脑血管疾病及糖尿病等并发症的积极治疗,有助于进一步延长血透患者寿命。     

后腹腔镜肾肿瘤根治术治疗肾移植术后原肾恶性肿瘤2例报告并文献复习

目的：探讨后腹腔镜下肾肿瘤根治术在肾移植术后原肾恶性肿瘤患者中的临床应用价值,评估此术式在此罕见疾病中的有效性与安全性。方法：回顾分析2011年5月至2013年3月2例行肾移植术后原肾恶性肿瘤患者的临床资料,并结合文献进行分析。结果：2例手术均顺利完成,手术时间分别为44min与52min,术中出血量均小于30ml,患侧肾上腺完整保留,术后分别随访24个月与3个月,影像学检查提示2例患者均未发生局部及远处转移。与术前相比,术后3个月患者肌酐及肾移植相关指标差异均无统计学意义;术后病理均为透明细胞癌,核分裂Ⅱ级。结论：后腹腔镜肾肿瘤根治术治疗肾移植术后原肾恶性肿瘤安全、有效,术中注意萎缩原肾的形态及肾蒂血管的解剖学改变是手术的关键。     

Histological response to injected gluteraldehyde cross-linked bovine collagen based implant in a rat model

Background-

Neglected renal stones remain a major cause of morbidity in developing countries. They not only result in functional impairment of affected kidney, but also act as an important predisposing factor for development of urothelial neoplasms. It is not uncommon to miss an associated urothelial tumor in a patient of nephrolithiasis preoperatively.

Case presentation-

In last 3 years, we came across two patients with giant staghorn calculus and poorly functioning kidneys who underwent laparoscopic nephrectomy. In view of significant perirenal adhesions & loss of normal tissue planes both these patients were electively converted to open surgery. The pathological examination of specimen revealed an unsuspected urothelial carcinoma in both these patients. The summary of our cases and review of literature is presented.

Conclusion-

It is important to keep a differential diagnosis of associated urothelial malignancy in mind in patient presenting with long standing renal calculi. The exact role of a computerized tomography and cytology in preoperative workup for detection of possible associated malignancy in such condition is yet to be defined. Similarly if laparoscopic dissection appears difficult during nephrectomy for a renal calculus with non-functional kidney, keeping a possibility of associated urothelial malignancy in mind it is advisable to dissect in a plane outside gerotas fascia as for radical nephrectomy.     

Second primary malignancies associated with renal cell carcinoma histological subtypes

PURPOSE: Renal cell carcinoma has been linked to numerous secondary malignancies. We evaluated the risk of secondary malignancies by renal cell carcinoma histological subtype in patients with clear cell, papillary and chromophobe renal cell carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 2,722 patients who underwent nephrectomy for sporadic renal cell carcinoma at our institution between 1970 and 2000. All specimens were reviewed by a single urological pathologist for histological subtype. Associations of second primary malignancies by histological subtype were evaluated using the chi-square and Fisher exact tests. RESULTS: Of the patients studied 2,188 (80.4%) had clear cell, 378 (13.9%) had papillary and 128 (4.7%) had chromophobe renal cell carcinoma. Patients with papillary renal cell carcinoma were significantly more likely to have colon cancer (p = 0.041), prostate cancer (p = 0.003), any second malignancy (p <0.001) and multiple malignancies (p <0.001) compared with patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma. In addition, patients with chromophobe renal cell carcinoma were significantly more likely to have colon cancer than patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (p = 0.020). Although patients with papillary renal cell carcinoma were more likely to have bladder cancer, the incidence did not differ significantly compared with that in patients harboring clear cell and chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (p = 0.193). We did not find a significant difference in the incidence of breast cancer, lung cancer, rectal cancer or lymphoma among histological subtypes. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that patients with papillary renal cell carcinoma are more likely to harbor secondary malignancies, including colon and prostate cancer, than patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma. These results may have important implications for patient education and followup evaluation, and they should prompt mechanistic investigations.     

Organ-sparing operative therapy of kidney tumors

In 24 (4.8%) of 503 patients with renal tumors, the growth was located in solitary or residual kidneys, and the overall renal function was diminished. This was the indication used for tumor enucleation or partial nephrectomy. Of the patients with renal cell carcinoma, 75% were free of tumor after a mean follow-up of 27 months (8-65). There were 18 patients with stage 1 (T1, T2, N0, M0) and 2 with stage 2 tumors. Three patients had a angiomyolipoma and one underwent nephrectomy because of a late postoperative complication. This outcome compares favorably with the results of radical nephrectomy in cases with normal kidney function. In conclusion, enucleation or partial nephrectomy is justified in patients with impaired renal function and may be considered in patients with T1, G1 tumors in normal functioning kidneys.     

Clinical evaluation of renal angiomyolipoma]

Between April 1980 and December 1999, 23 kidneys in 20 patients were diagnosed as having renal angiomyolipoma at our institution. The patients were 6 males and 14 females aged 24 to 79 years, with a mean age of 55.4 years. Two patients had associated tuberous sclerosis and 3 had bilateral disease. Of all patients the main clinical symptoms were pain (45%) and palpable mass (40%); 5 patients (25%) had asymptomatic lesions. The size of the tumor ranged from 1.3 to 24 cm (mean 7.7 cm). Treatment consisted of nephrectomy in 9 patients, partial nephrectomy in 6 and selective embolization in one. Pre-operative diagnosis was renal cell carcinoma in 5 of the 9 patients who underwent nephrectomy. Six patients with 7 diseased kidneys were followed radiologically. One patient underwent percutaneous biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. We suggest that nephron-sparing surgery for patients with renal angiomyolipoma should be the first step if tumor size is 4 cm < or = or increasing rapidly. Selective embolization is also a useful method. However, we need long-term follow-up to evaluate the effectiveness of embolization.     

Multicentricity in Renal Cell Carcinoma

Objective: To find the incidence of multicentric renal cell carcinoma and its possible relationship to the other clinical and pathologic findings. Methods: A total of 40 patients with renal cell carcinoma underwent radical nephrectomy between March 1994 and January 1996 at Hacettepe University, School of Medicine, Department of Urology. All of the materials were examined grossly and histologically by the same pathologist. Results: Among 40 kidneys 4 had satellite carcinoma (10%), 3 of them had been shown by preoperative imaging techniques, 1 was found histopathologically. Conclusion: If preoperative imaging techniques do not show additional lesion in the kidney besides the small early stage primary in incidentally discovered patients, the incidence of satellite renal cell carcinoma is low enough to justify nephron sparing surgery.     

Transplantation in patients with primary renal malignancies.

Seventy-three patients with primary renal neoplasms underwent kidney transplantation. Three distinct groups were identified. Thirty-four patients (group 1), who underwent antineoplastic therapy 1 year or less before transplantation, developed metastases or recurrences in 53% of the cases. In contrast, none of 15 patients in group 2 had this problem. All of these patients had a waiting period of at least 15 months between nephrectomy and transplantation. These findings emphasize the value of a lengthy waiting period between treatment of the neoplasm and performance of transplantation with its associated immunosuppressive therapy. Group 3 also had a favorable outcome. All had incidentally discovered renal malignancies, in 18 patients during the work-up of chronic renal failure or after bilateral nephrectomy in preparation for renal transplantation, and in 6 several months after transplantation when the recipient's own kidneys were removed or autopsy examination was performed. None of these 24 patients developed recurrences or metastases.     

Partial nephrectomy safely preserves renal function in patients with a solitary kidney

PURPOSE: We examined the success of partial nephrectomy in a group of patients in whom its role is paramount, namely those with a solitary kidney requiring surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the records of 84 consecutive patients who underwent partial nephrectomy from January 1995 to August 2000. Of these 84 patients 30 (36%) met our study criteria for an absolute indication for partial nephrectomy, which included namely a solitary kidney or bilateral renal masses for which radical nephrectomy was indicated for at least 1 renal unit. The variables examined included preoperative and postoperative renal function, pathological evaluation, surgical margins, major and minor complication rates, and the need for dialysis. RESULTS: At a median followup of 24 months (range 1 to 74) median creatinine had increased from 1.5 mg./dl. preoperatively to 1.8 postoperatively. None of the 30 patients required dialysis in the perioperative period. Of the tumors 22 (73%) were renal cell carcinoma and 4 (13%) were oncocytoma. All surgical margins were negative for malignancy and no patient has had local recurrence to date. Eventually but not immediately 2 patients with renal insufficiency preoperatively had progression to end stage renal disease, necessitating dialysis at long-term followup. CONCLUSIONS: In patients who require partial nephrectomy this procedure can safely preserve renal function and effectively treat malignancy.     

Associations with contralateral recurrence following nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma using a cohort of 2,352 patients

PURPOSE: We determined the incidence of and factors associated with the development of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in the contralateral kidney after nephrectomy for localized RCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 1970 and 2000, 2,352 patients with sporadic, localized unilateral RCC and a normal contralateral kidney underwent nephrectomy for RCC. Cancer specific survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine associations with outcome. RESULTS: Of the 2,352 patients studied 28 (1.2%) had RCC in the contralateral kidney, including 20 with clear cell and 8 with papillary RCC. Mean time from primary surgery to contralateral recurrence was 5.2 years (median 4.8, range 0 to 18) for clear cell RCC compared with 5.6 years (median 1.3, range 0 to 21) for papillary cell RCC. Positive surgical margins (risk ratio 14.23, p = 0.010) and multifocality (risk ratio 5.74, p = 0.019) were significantly associated with contralateral recurrence following nephrectomy for clear cell RCC, while nuclear grade (risk ratio for grades 3/4 vs 1/2, 4.78, p = 0.040) was significantly associated with contralateral recurrence following nephrectomy for papillary RCC. In patients with clear cell RCC estimated cancer specific survival rates 1, 3, and 5 years following contralateral recurrence were 93.8%, 80.2% and 72.9%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with localized RCC and a normal contralateral kidney who underwent nephrectomy for RCC positive surgical margins and multifocality were significant predictors of contralateral recurrence for clear cell RCC, while nuclear grade was a significant predictor of contralateral recurrence for papillary RCC.     

Pelvic kidney: associated diseases and treatment

The incidence of pelvic kidney has been approximated at between 1 in 2200 and 1 in 3000. The ectopic kidney is thought to be no more susceptible to disease than the normally positioned kidney, except for the development of calculi and hydronephrosis. Because of the greater risk of injuring aberrant vessels or overlying abdominal viscera and nerves, the pelvic kidney presents special treatment challenges. Alternative approaches to treating nephrolithiasis may yield better outcomes. The tortuous ureter often associated with a pelvic kidney hinders deflection of the flexible ureteroscope, potentially limiting access. Laparoscopy-guided intervention permits visual exposure of the kidney, enhancing safe puncture and tract placement integral to percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Laparoscopy-assisted anterior retrograde percutaneous nephroscopy involves percutaneous access using a Hunter-Hawkins retrograde nephrostomy needle with adjunctive laparoscopy to permit viewing and manipulation of overlying bowel. Ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) obstruction has been reported to occur in 22% to 37% of ectopic kidneys. Endoscopic incision presents difficulties beyond those of anatomically normal kidneys. The laparoscopic approach provides good surgical exposure, and operative times are comparable to those of laparoscopic pyeloplasty in anatomically normal kidneys. To date, only a handful of cases of malignancy in a pelvic kidney have been described. Like a nonfunctioning anatomically normal kidney, a nonfunctional pelvic kidney may require primary removal. There are a few reports of laparoscopic pelvic nephrectomy. Additional studies are needed to compare the various treatments for disease of the pelvic kidney in order to decide which options have the most beneficial outcomes.     

Are large nonfunctional kidneys risk factors for posttransplantation urinary tract infection in patients with end-stage renal disease due to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease?

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of bilateral nephrectomy on posttransplantation urinary tract infection (UTI) among patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) due to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). METHODS: In a retrospective case-control design, 62 patients with ESRD with ADPKD were divided into 2 groups: (A) 24 patients who underwent bilateral nephrectomies, and (B) 38 patients in whom bilateral nephrectomies had not been done. Pretransplantation and posttransplantation urine cultures were evaluated for UTI. RESULTS: Sixty-two patients with ESRD with ADPKD were enrolled in this study. The average age was 42 years (range, 6-60 years). Forty patients (64.5%) were male and 22 (35.5%) were female. The mean duration of hemodialysis was 24 months (range, 2-120 months), which was the same for both groups. Bilateral nephrectomies were done for 24 participants (38.7%). There were 38 patients (61.3%) in group B who did not have the operation. UTI occurred in 23 patients (37.1%): 6 patients (25%) in group A and 17 patients (44.7%) in group B. The incidence of UTI was not statistically different between the 2 groups (P>.05). Furthermore, no relationship was found between age, gender, blood group, and UTI in patients with ADPKD (P>.05). CONCLUSION: According to our study, the presence of large nonfunctional kidneys is not a risk factor for posttransplantation UTI in patients with ADPKD and ESRD.     

Occult renal cell carcinoma in a patient with polymyositis

Polymyositis (PM) is associated with an increased risk of malignancy. We report a case in which a 45-year-old patient with PM underwent computed tomography to search for an occult malignant process. The evaluation revealed a left renal mass that was treated successfully by laparoscopic radical nephrectomy. Pathologic evaluation revealed a clear cell renal cell carcinoma. The patient remained free of disease at 2 years postoperatively and required decreasing amounts of medication to manage his PM. This suggests that renal malignancies may contribute to the PM disease process in a paraneoplastic fashion and that screening for occult malignancy in the presence of PM is warranted.     

Similar functional outcomes after partial nephrectomy for clinical T1b and T1a renal cell carcinoma

Objectives: To examine the medium‐term functional outcomes of partial nephrectomy for clinical T1b renal cell carcinoma, and to compare them with those of radical nephrectomy for clinical T1b and with those of partial nephrectomy for clinical T1a tumors. Methods: The participants of this study were patients operated for clinical T1a and clinical T1b tumors operated at Tokyo Women's Medical University, Tokyo, Japan, between January 1979 and June 2011. A total of 67 patients underwent partial nephrectomy for clinical T1b tumor, 195 patients underwent radical nephrectomy for clinical T1b tumors and 324 underwent partial nephrectomy for clinical T1a tumors. The outcomes of these three groups were compared. Results: Partial nephrectomy provided better preservation of residual renal function compared with radical nephrectomy for clinical T1b, and the postoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate was similar in the patients who underwent partial nephrectomy for clinical T1b and those who underwent partial nephrectomy for clinical T1a. Postoperative renal function was steadily maintained after partial nephrectomy during the medium‐term follow up. The probability of freedom from new onset of chronic kidney disease after partial nephrectomy for clinical T1b tumors was significantly higher from that after radical nephrectomy for clinical T1b tumors, and similar to that after partial nephrectomy for clinical T1a tumors. Conclusions: The higher anatomical complexity of clinical T1b tumors is unlikely to provide a significant influence on postoperative renal function after partial nephrectomy, when compared with the clinical T1a tumors. These findings support the beneficial role of partial nephrectomy in the preservation of renal function of clinical T1b renal cell carcinoma patients undergoing surgery.