Successful treatment for a large renal cell carcinoma with tumour thrombus

Acta Chir Belg. 2011 Nov-Dec;111(6):404-6. doi: 10.1080/00015458.2011.11680783.

Abstract

We report the case of a 41-year-old man with symptoms of exertional dyspnoea and easy fatigue. Physical examination revealed a palpable mass with knocking pain over the right flank region and a cardiac murmur with jugular vein engorgement. Transoesophageal echocardiography revealed a right atrial mass that caused tricuspid inflow obstruction. Computed tomography revealed a giant mass (approximately 15 x 15 cm2) in the right kidney; this finding was consistent with renal cell carcinoma. Despite the metastatic status, right nephrectomy was performed and the intra-atrial tumour thrombus (TT) was resected under a cardiopulmonary bypass in order to relieve the tricuspid obstruction. Histological examination confirmed renal cell carcinoma with TT. The patient is healthy with satisfactory systolic function at 1-year follow-up.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / diagnosis
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / secondary
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / surgery*
  • Cardiopulmonary Bypass
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Heart Atria / pathology
  • Heart Atria / surgery*
  • Heart Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Heart Neoplasms / secondary
  • Heart Neoplasms / surgery*
  • Humans
  • Kidney Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Kidney Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Kidney Neoplasms / surgery
  • Male
  • Neoplastic Cells, Circulating*
  • Nephrectomy
  • Thrombectomy
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Vena Cava, Inferior*
  • Venous Thrombosis / etiology*
  • Venous Thrombosis / surgery