Spontaneous rupture of pancreatic metastasis from renal cell carcinoma

We report the case of a 53-year-old female who was admitted for sudden abdominal pain. Her right kidney was resected in 1993 due to renal cell carcinoma. Abdominal computed tomography performed in September 2002, while she was placed under observation, revealed a tumor 40 mm in size that extended from the head to the body of the pancreas. Abdominal ultrasonography on admission indicated retention of ascites, and the aspirated ascites was bloody. Based on this result, spontaneous rupture of a pancreatic tumor was strongly suspected. On abdominal contrast-enhanced computed tomography, multiple tumors were clearly visualized in the pancreas. Angiography revealed high-density tumor in the early arterial phase. The results of endocrinological tests were normal. Accordingly, the patient was diagnosed with multiple pancreatic metastases of renal cell carcinoma, and total pancreatectomy was performed. Histopathologically, the tumor resected was clear cell carcinoma and corresponded to the renal cell carcinoma resected in 1993. This is a rare case of pancreatic metastasis of renal cell carcinoma that resulted in spontaneous rupture 9 years after nephrectomy.     

Spontaneous regression of a pulmonary metastasis after nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma.

Regressions of metastases following nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma are rare. Most reported cases have involved pulmonary metastases. Hormonal and immunological mechanisms have been postulated. A case is described of a pulmonary metastasis which regressed after nephrectomy and which failed to recur despite the later appearance of new sites of pulmonary metastases. The literature is reviewed.     

Osteoclast-mediated osteolysis in bone metastasis from renal cell carcinoma

Osteolytic characteristics of bone metastasis from renal cell carcinoma were morphologically and biochemically investigated. First, undecalcified ground sections of bone metastases were made from four patients with renal cell carcinoma. Second, renal cell carcinoma cell line (RCC-K1) was established from one of the four patients, and its effect on bone resorption in vitro was examined. Marked proliferation and activation of osteoclasts around the tumor cells was histologically demonstrated. Conditioned medium from the RCC-K1 cells contained potent bone-resorbing activity in vitro. The activity was reduced to basal level by calcitonin, but was not blocked by indomethacin. The activity was lost after dialysis (MW cutoff 3500), while it was retained after 2 weeks of storage. Levels of prostaglandin E2 and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D of the RCC-K1-conditioned medium were insufficient to cause bone resorption in vitro. The conditioned medium did not stimulate cAMP accumulation in rat osteoblastic cells. These results suggest that renal cell carcinoma causes bone destruction through the stimulation of osteoclasts by locally secreting an unknown humoral factor or factors.     

A case of spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma with bone metastasis

A 78-year-old Japanese man with chronic liver disease developed hypervascular liver tumors accompanied by marked elevation of alphafetoprotein value (the highest level; 26200 ng/ml) and pathologic fracture of the femur. After an operation for the fracture followed by gastrointestinal bleeding and repeated transfusions of blood, the tumors disappeared with normalization of the alpha-fetoprotein level, and the radiolucent area around the fracture site of the femur became consolidated. The necrotic tissue responsible for the fracture histologically showed an appearance of hepatocellular carcinoma. The patient survives 62 months after the initial increase in alpha-fetoprotein level. This is a case of spontaneous regression of both hypervascular liver tumors which are highly suggestive of hepatocellular carcinoma and their metastasis.     

Spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma: a case report

We report a hepatocellular carcinoma that appeared to undergo spontaneous regression twice. On June 5, 1995, two hepatocellular carcinomas were detected by ultrasonography in a 72-year-old woman. On July 1, 1995, the tumor in the lateral segment had increased in size from 2.0 cm to 3.2 cm in 27 days, and the level of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) had increased from 743 to 1300 ng/ml. On September 22, 1995, one tumor appeared as a typical hypervascular lesion on contrast-enhanced computed tomography. It was 3.9 cm in size and located in the posterior segment. The other was a 3.9-cm cystic mass located in the lateral segment. The tumor in the posterior segment was treated with an emulsion of epirubicin and lipiodol administered via the posterior branch of the right hepatic artery and percutaneous ethanol injection. The tumor in the lateral segment was kept under observation because it was avascular, had regressed to 2.0 cm in size, and the patient's AFP level had decreased to 237 ng/ml by December 5, 1995. By February 21, 1996, the AFP level had increased again to 105,340 ng/ml, and by March 22, 1996, the latter tumor had increased in size to 3.8 cm. However, it later regressed again to 1.6 cm, and the AFP level decreased spontaneously to 7 ng/ml. From the changes in the contrast-enhanced computed tomographic images, and the level of AFP, we cannot rule out the possibility that the spontaneous regression might have been caused by the tumor's rapid growth.      

Colonic metastasis of a renal carcinoma. A case report.

A 64 year-old man with a metastatic clear-cell renal carcinoma experienced low intestinal bleeding. The endoscopy revealed a polypoid mass in the left colon which proved to be a metastasis of the renal carcinoma. This is an uncommon cause of intestinal hemorrhage, and a rare localization of metastatic deposits.     

Spontaneous 19-year regression of oat cell carcinoma with scalene node metastasis

This is the first case report of a patient with oat cell carcinoma of the lung with scalene node metastasis who, without treatment, is alive 19 years after the original diagnosis was made by biopsy. Seven years before the publication of this report, and at the age of 66 years, he underwent coronary bypass surgery and there was no gross evidence of malignancy present.     

Pancreatic metastasis from renal cell carcinoma extending into the main pancreatic duct: a case report

While metastasis to the pancreas is uncommon, it may occur from renal cell carcinomas (RCCs). We here present a case of pancreatic metastasis from RCC extending into the main pancreatic duct (MPD) in a 66-year-old Japanese man. The patient had a history of RCC treated with a radical nephrectomy 17 years previously and was found to have a mass approximately 2 cm in diameter in the body of the pancreas on radiological images. The patient was suspected of having pancreatic metastasis from RCC and underwent a distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy. Histologically, the tumor consisted of cells arranged in trabecular and alveolar structures with clear or eosinophilic granular cytoplasm, compatible with a metastatic RCC. The pancreatic tumor extended into the MPD with the stream of pancreatic juice. This condition is similar to RCC extension into the renal vein and the inferior vena cava. In conclusion, although extension into the MPD may be rare, such a growth pattern may be characteristic of metastases from RCCs.     

Soft tissue metastasis from carcinoma. A case report

The authors report a case of a man who developed soft tissue metastasis to the thigh from pulmonary carcinoma. In the preoperative staging, computerized tomograms and magnetic resonance imaging allowed to identify and characterize the features of soft tissue masses; these studies, however, must be always completed with needle (tru-cut) or incisional biopsy.     

Heterotopic bone formation in renal cell carcinoma (a case report).

A case of renal cell carcinoma with heterotopic bone formation occurring in a female aged 55 years has been reported. There was no haematuria and the morphological picture showed only ossified stroma and no sarcomatoid appearance.     

Cardiac metastasis from a transitional cell carcinoma: a case report

We report the case of a patient with a metastatic tumor in the right ventricle, apparently derived from a transitional cell carcinoma. The patient presented with severe hypoxemia as a result of right-to-left shunt due to the position of the tumor and a patent foramen ovale. The clinical course of this case is presented and the pathophysiology of the physiological effects caused by the metastatic tumor is discussed. The literature concerning cardiac metastases is reviewed.     

Spontaneous hemorrhage of a liver metastasis from squamous cell cervical carcinoma: case report and review of the literature

Liver metastases are an uncommon cause of spontaneous bleeding compared with primary benign/malignant liver lesions. Since metastatic lesions tend to maintain the vascular characteristics of the primary tumor, some metastases have a greater proclivity for hemorrhage into the host organ than others. We describe the clinical and computed tomography (CT) features of a patient previously treated for nonkeratinizing small cell squamous carcinoma of the cervix uteri. As the metastatic rupture was diagnosed while still intraparenchymal and subcapsular, with minimal peritoneal reaction, the patient's outcome was favorable.     

乳腺癌垂体转移1例报告

目的通过报道1例乳腺癌垂体转移病例,结合相关文献,总结垂体转移癌的临床特点,以提高对垂体转移癌的认识和诊断水平。方法分析解放军第222医院1例确诊为乳腺癌垂体转移患者的临床资料,整理近期国内外关于垂体转移癌的相关文献。结果垂体转移癌十分罕见,多来源于乳腺癌和肺癌,缺乏特征性影像学表现,以尿崩症、视神经损害和垂体前叶功能障碍为主要临床表现,与腺瘤的主要鉴别要点是具有侵袭性。结论对于生长迅速、侵袭性强、同时影响垂体前后叶功能的鞍区肿瘤需注意和垂体转移癌相鉴别。     

Surgical treatment of bone metastasis in advanced renal cell carcinoma

Operative treatments for bone metastases were performed in 7 patients with an advanced renal cell carcinoma. Spinal instrumentation using a Harrington's rod and Luque's wire was the method employed in 4 cases as the initial treatment. In one other case, an anterior fusion by an autologus bone transplantation was used, followed by a posterior fusion. In the 2 remaining cases an endoprosthetic replacement for a metastasis in the right femur and a transplantation of a Kotz's knee joint was done for a metastasis in the left tibia, respectively. In 5 patients with vertebral column lesions, the stabilization of spinal instability was effected by the spinal instrumentation. Three patients with vertebral metastases recovered sufficiently to walk by themselves. This beneficial result was invaluable from the viewpoints of physiotherapy and nursing care.     

Synchronous bilateral parotid metastases from renal cell carcinoma. A case report.

An unusual case of bilateral synchronous parotid metastases from renal cell carcinoma presenting seven years after nephrectomy is reported. The patient underwent bilateral superficial parotidectomy and is alive free of disease three and half years after the metastatectomy.     

Active chemotherapy for bone metastasis in sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma

 Sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma (SRCC) is associated with an aggressive course, high incidence of bone metastasis, and an extremely poor prognosis. There are a few case reports concerning the effectiveness of chemotherapy on metastasis in SRCC. To our knowledge, however, there are no reports describing its effectiveness on bone metastasis. We report a 22-year-old woman with an 8-cm × 7-cm left renal mass. Left nephrectomy was done. The pathological diagnosis was SRCC, INF-β, pT3aN2. Although, she received continuous infusion of interferon α-2a (INFα-2a) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) as adjuvant therapy, liver metastasis appeared 2 months later. Resection of the liver metastasis was done. After resection of the metastasis, multiple bone metastases appeared, in both humeri, the left chest wall, the left fourth rib, and the left iliac bone. The patient was treated with gemcitabine, 1000 mg/m² (days 1, 8), docetaxel 80 mg/m² (day 1), and carboplatin 300 mg/m² (day 1). A computed tomography (CT) scan after the first cycle revealed that the multiple osteolytic bone tumors had significantly decreased in size. Her ability of daily life (ADL) improved and this continued for almost 2 months. A second course of chemotherapy, with gemcitabine and IL-2 was given, but it was ineffective, and the patient died approximately 16 months after the initial diagnosis of SRCC. Combination chemotherapy with gemcitabine, docetaxel, and carboplatin was effective for the bone metastasis of SRCC. Received: August 21, 2002 / Accepted: December 10, 2002 Correspondence to:S. Hoshi