Port site metastasis of primary adenocarcinoma of the renal pelvis after a laparoscopic nephrectomy: a case report

We report a case of port site metastasis of primary adenocarcinoma of the renal pelvis after a laparoscopic nephrectomy. A 76-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a complaint of anorexia, general malaise and left abdominal distension. Computed tomography revealed severe hydronephrosis in the left kidney. Laboratory examination revealed a high serum level of CA19-9 (155 U/ml). However, antegrade and retrograde pyelography revealed no filling defects and urine cytopathology for renal pelvis showed no malignancy. Thus, on the suspicion of a ureteropelvic junction stenosis, a laparoscopic nephrectomy was performed. There were some papillary tumors in the renal pelvis and a histopathological examination of the tumor revealed a papillary adenocarcinoma. Twelve months after nephrectomy, left iliopsoas muscle metastasis was found. Thus irradiation therapy with a total of 30 Gy was performed. However, 3 months later, the patient developed metastasis at the trocar site and the serum level of CA19-9 elevated to 6,720 U/ml. She died of multiple metastases from adenocarcinoma of the renal pelvis 4 months after port site metastasis.