Metastatic renal cell carcinoma in the nasopharynx

Indian J Pathol Microbiol. 2013 Jan-Mar;56(1):40-2. doi: 10.4103/0377-4929.116147.

Abstract

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx, nasal cavity, and paranasal sinuses can be misdiagnosed as primary malignant or benign diseases. A 33-year-old male attended our outpatient clinic complaining of difficulty breathing through the nose, bloody nasal discharge, postnasal drop, snoring, and discharge of phlegm. Endoscopic nasopharyngeal examination showed a vascularized nasopharyngeal mass. Under general anesthesia, multiple punch biopsies were taken from the nasopharynx. Pathologically, the tumor cells had clear cytoplasm and were arranged in a trabecular pattern lined by a layer of endothelial cells. After the initial pathological examination, the pathologist requested more information about the patient's clinical status. A careful history revealed that the patient had undergone left a nephrectomy for a kidney mass diagnosed as renal cell carcinoma 3 years earlier. Subsequently, nasopharyngeal metastatic renal cell carcinoma was diagnosed by immunohistochemical staining with CD10 and vimentin. Radiotherapy was recommended for treatment.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Biopsy
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / pathology*
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / radiotherapy
  • Histocytochemistry
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / radiotherapy
  • Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Nasopharynx / pathology
  • Neck / diagnostic imaging
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Neprilysin / analysis
  • Radiography
  • Vimentin / analysis

Substances

  • Vimentin
  • Neprilysin