Enhancement of T cell proliferative response against autologous cancer cells of a metasatic renal cell carcinoma patient after unexplained regression

The unexplained regression of a metastasis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is rare phenomenon. While an immune mechanism has been proposed for spontaneous or unexplained regression of RCC, only limited data are available regarding immunological response. We report a case of a 62-year-old man with RCC whose paravertebral pleural tumor regressed after the withdrawal of interferon-alpha. In the present case, we demonstrate the enhancement of T cell proliferative response against autologous RCC cells secondary to the unexplained regression using the mixed-lymphocyte tumor culture. To our knowledge, the enhancement of an antitumor immunity secondary to an unexplained regression of RCC has not previously been reported.     

Organ donors with small renal cancer: report of 3 cases

Transmission of donor malignancies has been reported since the early days of clinical transplantation. Up to 1995, the Transplant Tumor Registry created by Penn included 155 cadaver and 29 living donor affected by tumors. The most common, excluding brain tumor, was renal cell carcinoma (RCC). RCC represents 2% of adult cancers, an incidence that increases with advancing age. The expansion of the criteria that define a suitable organ donor has as a consequence included donors that are older than in the past. Small RCCs are found during renal recovery from a cadaveric donor in ∼1% of cases. The use of such donors is a matter of debate; it has been suggested that donor kidneys with small RCC Fuhrman grade I/II may be transplanted after appropriate surgical excision. We report our experience with 3 donors with clear cell RCC: 2 contralateral kidneys were transplanted in 2 recipient and a third recipient received an affected kidney after a wide tumor excision. All of the patients we alive and free from recurrence at 14-48 months (mean 35 mo). In the third case, immunosuppression was achieved with a mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor, which is currently used not only as an immunosuppressant to prevent rejection, but also as treatment for renal cancer. Our data confirmed that donors with small renal tumors may be used, because the risk of tumor recurrence is small and the benefits of a kidney transplantation are great.     

Renal cancer

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is an adenocarcinoma of the renal cortex. It is the commonest type of kidney cancer and accounts for over 85% of renal cancer diagnoses. The remaining malignancies are transitional cell carcinomas, sarcomas, Wilms’ tumour, and rarely lymphomas and metastatic deposits. 10%–15% of renal masses are benign, such as oncocytomas and angiomyolipomas. Simple renal cysts are benign, however more complex renal cysts have a risk of being malignant. Renal cell carcinoma is commonly diagnosed at an earlier stage due to the widespread availability of imaging, and as a result the described classic triad of symptoms of haematuria, renal angle pain and a palpable mass is increasingly uncommon. The management of renal cancer includes active surveillance for older, comorbid patients, nephron-sparing surgery or ablative therapies for smaller renal masses, radical nephrectomy for larger tumours, and systemic treatment with a combination of immunotherapies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors and for metastatic disease.     

Synchronous ipsilateral conventional renal cell and transitional cell carcinoma

Simultaneous occurrence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) in the same kidney is unusual. We report a 61-year-old man with ipsilateral synchronous renal adenocarcinoma and renal pelvic TCC. He was referred to our department for gross hematuria and right flank pain. CT and MRI studies revealed a 57 × 50 mm irregular and infiltrative upper right kidney mass with necrotic components. A right radical nephrectomy was done. Pathological diagnosis was a high grade tumor originating from just beneath the intact urothelium of renal pelvis and infiltrating through the parenchyma showing solid and occasional tubular growth patterns. A second tumor in close proximity to the first was reported as well differentiated RCC. This is a rare case of combined renal malignancies.     

Two cases of renal cell carcinoma that underwent radical nephrectomy subsequent to complete tumor enucleation]

We have reported the favorable therapeutic results of non-ischemic complete enucleation using a microwave tissue coagulator as a method of nephron-sparing surgery for small renal cell carcinoma (RCC). We experienced two elective cases that underwent translumbar nephrectomy subsequent to the tumor enucleation. The first case showed another RCC in a cyst, concomitant with the enucleated RCC. The second case was a pT3a spindle cell carcinoma with high-grade malignancy. We decided to nephrectomize these enucleated kidney after obtaining well-informed consent. Here we report these controversial cases and discuss about the indication and outcomes of complete tumor enucleation for small RCC.     

Current Treatment Options for Disseminated Renal Cell Carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a common urologic tumor and accounts for about 3% of all human malignancies; its incidence has increased steadily in recent decades. Because 40–50% of all RCC patients present with or will develop metastasis, the annual mortality-to-incidence ratio with RCC is significantly higher compared with other urologic malignancies. Only recently, the discovery of specific genetic alterations as well as distinct dysfunctional signal transduction pathways in the different renal cell carcinoma subtypes has enabled the development of innovative targeted drugs. Particularly those agents targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor and mammalian target of rapamycin pathways have revolutionized the treatment of advanced renal cancer. The median tumor-specific overall survival could be at least doubled in only a few years. This review discusses current data on clinical trials evaluating these innovative drugs with a focus on their efficacy in the first-line setting as well as their sequential and combined application.     

Collecting duct carcinoma: a rare renal tumor

The most common primary malignant renal tumor is renal cell carcinoma (RCC), which accounts for 3% of all adult malignancies. Bellini duct carcinoma or collecting duct carcinoma is an unusual rare variant of RCC. This histologically distinct tumor is very rare, with less than 100 cases reported in the literature, and accounts for approximately 1% of all malignant renal epithelial tumors. We report two cases of collecting duct carcinoma and highlight the rarity of these tumors and their similarity to RCC.     

Urologic malignancies in kidney transplantation

With advances in immunosuppression, graft and patient outcomes after kidney transplantation have improved considerably. As a result, long‐term complications of transplantation, such as urologic malignancies, have become increasingly important. Kidney transplant recipients, for example, have a 7‐fold risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and 3‐fold risk of urothelial carcinoma (UC) compared with the general population. While extrapolation of data from the general population suggest that routine cancer screening in transplant recipients would allow for earlier diagnosis and management of these potentially lethal malignancies, currently there is no consensus for posttransplantation RCC or UC screening as supporting data are limited. Further understanding of risk factors, presentation, optimal management of, and screening for urologic malignancies in kidney transplant patients is warranted, and as such, this review will focus on the incidence, surveillance, and treatment of urologic malignancies in kidney transplant recipients.     

A case of ipsilateral pelvic transitional cell carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma

A case of ipsilateral pelvic transitional cell carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma (RCC), in an 82-year-old male is presented. We diagnosed this case as pelvic tumor preoperatively with retrograde pyelography and computed tomography. Operatively renal tumor was found and diagnosed as RCC. We thought it difficult to diagnose as RCC preoperatively. To date, this case is the 13th reported case diagnosed clinically.     

Renal cell carcinoma metastatic to the base of tongue: a case report

A 66-year-old male patient underwent left radical nephrectomy for stage III renal cell carcinoma (RCC) two years and eight months previously. He complained of discomfort at his pharynx. An otolaryngeal examination revealed a tumor about 1.3 cm in size at the base of tongue, and the tumor was resected. It was pathologically diagnosed as clear cell carcinoma and as tongue metastasis of RCC. The subsequent appearance of a minute pulmonary metastasis caused the administration of interferon-alpha and interleukin-II. At present, two years after the treatment, neither growth of lung metastasis nor recurrence of tongue tumor are noticed. Tongue metastasis of RCC is rare and its prognosis is poor. This is the 17th case reported in Japan.     

Renal cell carcinoma presenting as a perineal mass: case report and review of the literature

Perineal involvement in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has not been reported. Vaginal metastases of RCC are also rare. We present a case of metastatic RCC, initially presenting as a perineal cyst. A 53-year-old woman presented with a perineal cyst, which was excised and diagnosed as clear cell carcinoma. A workup further revealed a vaginal mass and a renal tumor. A nephrectomy and local vaginal excision were performed, leading to the diagnosis of metastatic RCC. This case illustrates the variability in RCC presentation. Also, because vaginal clear cell carcinoma is rare, all such lesions should be considered potentially renal in origin.     

Noninvasive therapy of incidental de novo renal cell carcinoma in a kidney allograft 12 years after transplantation: report of a case and review of literature

BACKGROUND: Immunosuppressive therapy increases the incidence of posttransplantation cancer. Primary renal cell carcinoma (RCC) represents 4.6% of all cancers in transplant recipients. The treatment options for RCC in a renal allograft include radical nephrectomy or nephron-sparing surgery. We report the case of a patient who underwent percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of a RCC in the grafted kidney. PATIENT AND METHODS: Twelve years after undergoing heterotopic, allogenic kidney transplantation, a de novo lesion was diagnosed in the upper pole of the kidney graft in a 77-year-old patient during routine duplex ultrasonography. The magnetic resonance image showed a spherical lesion of 17 mm in diameter, which undoubtedly showed radiological signs of a RCC. After adequately informing the patient about alternative treatment strategies and the associated risks, we made an interdisciplinary decision for a percutaneous RFA of the lesion. RESULTS: After the intervention, graft function remained unchanged and is still good at 6 months with no signs of local recurrence on follow-up MRI. A small coagulation defect at the site of the former lesion was the only morphological change. There was also no evidence of distant tumor spread. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous RFA seems an acceptable, allograft-preserving treatment option associated with low morbidity and mortality for RCC in a renal allograft considering the significant risks associated with open partial nephrectomy in a kidney graft.     

Current Status of Minimally Invasive Surgery for Renal Cell Carcinoma

Over the last three decades, the incidence of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has continuously risen, generally attributed to the increased use of cross-sectional imaging across all medical disciplines. Fortunately, despite this rising incidence, the estimated 5-year relative survival rate has improved. This survival improvement likely parallels the stage migration of the last two decades toward an increased incidence of small renal masses (SRMs). However, this survival improvement may be secondary to improved surgical techniques and medical therapies for these malignancies. The increased incidence of SRMs has led to an expected evolution in the treatment of RCC. Minimally invasive surgical applications for the treatment of RCC have gained widespread popularity, and now these approaches to renal malignancies have surpassed open techniques in frequency of utilization. Laparoscopic and robotic-assisted techniques have now been applied to both radical and partial nephrectomy procedures of varying complexity. Additionally, percutaneous ablative procedures have been applied to the treatment of some SRMs, increasing the urologist’s armamentarium further. Below, we provide a review of these minimally invasive surgical (MIS) procedures for the treatment of RCC.     

A case of recurrent intracaval renal cell carcinoma effectively treated with sunitinib

A 67-year-old man received left radical nephrectomy for left renal cell carcinoma (RCC) (clear cell carcinoma, G2, pT3bN0M0). After 9 months, he presented with an acute onset of left extremity edema. A computed tomographic (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging reveal recurrent renal cell carcinoma in the inferior vena cava (IVC) and the left renal fossa, thrombus in the left external vein and acute pulmonary embolism. We performed treatment with sunitinib for 5 months after anticoagulant therapy for 3 weeks. A new CT scan showed disappearance of RCC in the IVC and reduction in the size of RCC in the renal fossa. Only 11 cases are reported as recurrent RCC in the IVC. We report the first case of recurrent intracaval RCC in which sunitinib treatment was effective.     

Malignancies associated with renal transplant: first case report of a nephroblastoma occurring in an adult host kidney

The increased incidence of malignancies after renal transplantation has been well documented. We describe the first reported case of a nephroblastoma (Wilms tumor) occurring in the host kidney of an adult after renal transplantation.     

A case of xp11.2 translocation renal cell carcinoma

Xp11.2/TFE3 translocation renal cell carcinoma (RCC), a recently classified distinct subtype, is a rare tumor that usually affects children and adolescents. The morphology and biological behavior are not widely recognized, Xp11.2 translocation RCC is suggestive of early metastases despite the small tumor size. The definitive diagnosis requires the evidence of several different reciprocal translocations involving the TFE3 gene located on chromosome Xp11.2. Here, we present a case of Xp11.2 translocation RCC in an 18-yearold male. He was referred to our hospital because of a right renal tumor with macroscopic hematuria and right flank colic. The radiographic evaluation including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suggested it to be a typical papillary renal cell carcinoma or benign renal tumor. He underwent laparoscopic nephrectomy against the repeat symptom in spite of small tumor (3.5 cm in diameter). The immunohistochemical study revealed nuclear staining for TFE3 protein in the cancer cells. The urologic and radiologic outcomes were satisfactory after more than 1 year of follow-up.     

Pancreatic metastasis from renal cell carcinoma 25 years after radical nephrectomy

We report a case of pancreatic metastasis from renal cell carcinoma detected 25 years after radical nephrectomy. A 74-year-old man, who had undergone radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma at age 49, was found by computed tomography to have a strongly enhanced mass on the pancreatic head. The patient underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy and the pathological diagnosis was metastatic renal cell carcinoma. This was evidently a slow growing tumor because the metastatic pancreas tumor was well demarcated and the metastasis was found 25 years after the primary operation. Aggressive surgical treatment of isolated metastatic lesions offers a chance of long-term survival. Patients with a history of RCC should undergo a long-term follow-up to detect and evaluate metastasis to pancreas as well as other organs.     

Tumor seeding incidentally found two years after robotic—Assisted radical nephrectomy for papillary renal cell carcinoma. A case report and review of the literature

INTRODUCTIONPort-site metastasis or peritoneal spread after laparoscopic surgery for urological malignancies is a rare phenomenon accounting for 0.09% and 0.03% of the cases respectively.PRESENTATION OF CASEWe present a case of tumor seeding in the omentum found in a female patient after previous transperitoneal robotic-assisted radical nephrectomy (RARN) for papillary renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Two years after the robotic operation, the patient was diagnosed with cervical clear cell carcinoma and underwent radical hysterectomy with lymphadenectomy and omentectomy. A neoplastic omental nodule was incidentally identified intraoperatively. Pathological characteristics and immunohistochemistry revealed features of papillary RCC. Two years after the hysterectomy, the patient is clinically cancer free, without any adjuvant therapy for her cervical cancer.DISCUSSIONTo the best of our knowledge, we report the first case of tumor seeding in the omentum following RARN for organ confined low grade papillary (T2aN0M0) RCC. No risk factors that could explain the tumor seeding were identified. The neoplastic cells had a low proliferative index (Ki-67 < 5%) and a decreased capability to metastasize.CONCLUSIONTumor seeding as a result of robotic assisted laparoscopic nephrectomy, although rare, might represent a novel way of tumor inoculation deprived of or with low malignant potential.     

The identification of renal cell carcinoma as a target for allogeneic based cancer immunotherapy

Renal cell carcinoma tumor cells are intrinsically resistant to chemotherapy, but unlike most solid tumors, may be susceptible to immune-based therapy. Because powerful immune effects can be generated against hematological malignancies following allogeneic stem cell transplantation, we investigated for similar anti-tumor responses in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma following the transplantation of an allogeneic immune system from a healthy HLA-matched family donor. Early laboratory and clinical results have demonstrated that following a reduced-intensity allogeneic stem cell transplant, donor T-cell mediated anti-tumor effects, resulting in sustained and sometimes complete tumor regression, can be generated against renal cell carcinoma (RCC) refractory to conventional cytokine-based therapy. Early data indicate that cytotoxic T cells of donor origin are the mediators of these anti-tumor effects. These preliminary studies provide additional evidence supporting the susceptibility of RCC to immune attack and lay the foundation for future targeted allo-immune-based cancer strategies.     

A case of bilateral renal cell carcinoma showing a rapid course of death in a long-term hemodialysis patient due to polycystic kidney

A case of bilateral renal cell carcinoma in a 42-year-old polycystic kidney male is reported. He had been treated with hemodialysis for 22 years. An abnormal small mass was found in one of the left renal cystic lesions by screening ultrasonography and CT scan at the 19th year of the hemodialysis. Left radical nephrectomy was performed and the histological diagnosis was a renal cell carcinoma (RCC). There was no evidence of recurrence and metastasis, however, he presented with asymptomatic macrohematuria two years after the operation. CT scan demonstrated the rapidly progressing right renal tumor and multiple para-aortic lymph node swelling. Right nephrectomy and lymphadenectomy were performed and pathological examination showed the advanced RCC with multiple lymph node metastasis. Eleven months after the second operation followed by interferon therapy. he died of multiorgan metastasis of the RCC. This is the first bilateral RCC case in polycystic kidney patient treated with hemodialysis in Japan.