Symptomatic pituitary metastases from renal cell carcinoma

Symptomatic metastases to the pituitary (MP) from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are rare. In this largest case series reported, we describe the clinical features, treatment and outcome of 5 patients. Over a 6-year period (2000–2006), we treated 5 patients (3 males; mean age 61 years) with large sellar masses and RCC. Four patients had a history of RCC, while in one, RCC was diagnosed after surgery. RCC was diagnosed a median of 11 years prior to diagnosis of MP (range 0–27 years). Four patients had previously developed distant metastases. Clinical presentation included bitemporal hemianopia (3 patients), lethargy (3), headaches (2) and diabetes insipidus (DI) (2). Panhypopituitarism was present in 3 patients and the other two had deficiency of at least ACTH and gonadotropin axes. Elevated prolactin was seen in 3 patients. MRI showed an enhancing sellar mass with suprasellar extension and chiasmal compression in all; prominent vascular flow voids were seen in 2. Three patients underwent transsphenoidal surgery and radiation, while 2 underwent radiotherapy alone. Four patients are alive (follow up 6–46 months); 1 patient died due to systemic metastases at 12 months. Metastases to the pituitary from RCC cause more severe hypopituitarism and visual dysfunction compared to those from other primaries, whereas DI is less common. MRI shows contrast enhancement, stalk involvement, sclerosis and/or erosion of sella and presence of vascular flow voids. Combined treatment using decompressive surgery and stereotactic radiotherapy may result in better outcomes.     

Surgery for renal carcinoma metastases

During the last few years, the increasing use of diagnostic imaging (especially ultrasound) has allowed a remarkable rise in the detection of asymptomatic, early-stage renal neoplasms, possibly treatable by radical surgery. Renal cell carcinoma, however, is still the renal neoplastic condition with the highest mortality rate, due in most cases to the presence of distal metastases. Because of a lack of agreement on an efficient systemic therapeutic approach, surgery is generally considered to be the most suitable option to remove metastases: it is technically easy to perform, it can increase survival and the patient's psychological compliance, though metastasectomy is unlikely to cure the metastatic patient. In our experience, we studied 1475 patients who underwent surgery for renal cell carcinoma from 1983 on. 304 (20%) developed a metastasis; 4 subjects only (5.4%) out of the 74 having multiple metastatic anatomical sites were long-surviving. 39 subjects (16.9%) out of the 230 having single-site metastases are currently disease-free (mean follow-up: 80 months from diagnosis): 33 out of the 111 patients who underwent metastasectomy, 4 out of the 57 who received a medical therapy, 1 out of the 14 being administered radiotherapy, and 1 out of the 48 who were cared under palliative purposes only. Therefore we concluded that, in case of single-site (lung or adrenal) metastases, surgery is the most suitable and advisable therapeutic approach, being the only option able to achieve survival even for a small amount of patients. New biologic drugs are currently under investigation, which can interfere with tumor proliferation and angiogenesis: the study results are still preliminary, nevertheless these drugs open the way to a multimodal medical option of treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma.     

Symptomatic hypothalamo-hypophyseal metastasis revealing a small-cell bronchial carcinoma. Study of two cases

Metastases are an uncommon cause of tumor in the sellar region. We report two cases of small cell lung cancer presenting with visual loss and hypopituitarism resulting from metastasis to the pituitary area.     

Symptomatic ocular metastases in lung cancer

Background and objective:   A survey was carried out of ocular manifestations of lung cancer.
Methods:   A retrospective analysis was performed of all lung cancer patients diagnosed between 1991 and 2005 at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Results:   Sixteen lung cancer patients with symptomatic ocular metastases were identified. The incidence was less than 1%. The low incidence among these patients contrasts with previous reports of an incidence of about 6–7%, and suggests that most patients with ocular metastasis may be asymptomatic and remain undiagnosed. The most frequent ocular symptoms were changes in visual acuity. Metastases most frequently originated from adenocarcinomas and the choroids were the most common sites of metastases. Ten of the 16 ocular metastases were early events, identified prior to or at the initial diagnosis of the lung cancer. Only three of the 16 ocular metastatic events presented as solitary distant metastases.
Conclusion:   Although symptomatic ocular metastases are rare, they should be considered in lung cancer patients presenting with alterations in visual acuity.     

Symptomatic choroidal metastases in breast cancer

A series of 21 consecutive patients with carcinoma of the breast and symptomatic choroidal metastases was reviewed. All patients were symptomatic of choroidal metastases at presentation. Most patients had disease progression at other sites at the time of diagnosis. The incidence of cerebral metastases was not increased in this group compared to that in patients with metastatic breast cancer at other sites. Radiotherapy using a direct anterior field proved effective palliation for this disease site. Of the 32 eyes treated, serial visual acuity was documented in 23. Seventeen showed objective improvement and six showed stabilisation. The median duration of improvement was 11.5 months.     

Multiple metastases from renal carcinoma 15 years after nephrectomy

A 72-year-old man was admitted to our hospital complaining of an axillary mass. He underwent left total nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) 15 years previously (in 1990). Since further evaluation yielded no evidence of extra renal metastases, he was followed up in the outpatient clinic. On admission, there was a hard tumor in the right axilla. Ultrasonography demonstrated a vascular tumor with a smooth surface, 26 by 24mm. Laboratory findings were generally close to normal, including tumor markers. Chest contrast-enhanced dynamic CT showed that the tumor was enhanced. Furthermore, abdominal contrast-enhanced dynamic CT revealed some enhancing lesions within the right side of the rectus muscle of abdomen and pancreas head as well. Open simple axillary mass biopsy was performed on August 2 and the tumor was histologically confirmed as a metastasis of the RCC to the axillary. His overall status was normal, and he underwent an operation for the pancreas tumor and the tumor in the rectus muscle of the abdomen. On histological examination, both excised specimens were found to be metastases of RCC. During 2 years follow-up period in the outpatient clinic, additional metastasis has not been observed in any organ. Since this case confirms the potential of RCC for late and multiple distant metastases, careful long-term follow-up after radical nephrectomy is needed.     

Reversible migratory osteoporosis in renal oncocytoma mimicking renal cell carcinoma with bone metastases

We report a case in which initially the wrong diagnosis of renal cell carcinoma with bone metastases was made. Nephrectomy and bone biopsy led to the right diagnosis of oncocytoma with transient osteoporosis. This report stresses the importance of pathological investigation and points to oncocytoma in the differential diagnosis of solid renal masses. In addition, the possible relationship between this tumour and migratory osteoporosis, which disappeared after surgery, is described.     

Intussusception due to ileal metastases from renal cell carcinoma.

Small bowel secondaries from renal cell carcinoma are rare. Patients usually present with features of intestinal obstruction or GI bleeding. Management should be aggressive since metastasectomy can improve the quality of life and survival.     

Pancreatic metastases of renal cell carcinoma: report of two cases

Two cases of renal cell carcinoma, metastatic to the pancreas, are presented. The lesions were hypoechoic with ultrasound examination, and were mixed iso- and hypodense with computed tomography. Angiography was performed in one case, and showed a typical hypervascular pattern of the metastatic tumor.     

Treatment of gastric metastases from renal cell carcinoma with endoscopic therapy

Introduction

Gastric metastases from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are rare with few cases described in the literature.

Case report

We report the history of a 77-year-old male patient who underwent a right radical nephrectomy because of RCC. Two years after the diagnosis, he presented with abdominal pain and evidence of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a 3 cm, ulcerated, pedunculated polypoid mass in the stomach that was removed with a diathermic snare. Histology with immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis of metastatic RCC. Three months of follow-up revealed no further episode of rebleeding.

Discussion

We identified (using the PubMed database) 44 cases of gastric metastasis of RCC in the literature; the majority were male patients, with mean age at presentation of 67.2 years and average time from nephrectomy to presentation of gastric metastases of 6.9 years. Our results suggest that endoscopy may have an important role in the treatment of these patients for controlling the complications and/or improving mean survival time.

Conclusion

Gastric metastases of RCC are rare but should be considered even many years after diagnosis and treatment of RCC, particularly in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms.     

胰腺多发转移性肾透明细胞癌1例报告

正1病例资料患者男性,57岁,因"发现胰腺占位性病变1个月"入院。既往20年前因肾癌行左肾切除术,术后病理提示透明细胞癌。入院查体:右侧腹部可见长约15 cm手术瘢痕,余无阳性体征。增强多排螺旋CT检查提示:右肾确如,胰腺形态正常,胰管未见明显扩张;胰头及胰体尾部见结节状稍低密度灶,大小约