Responsible for 2% of global cancer diagnoses, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) can metastasize to almost every organ system; however, metastasis to the contralateral adrenal gland is extremely rare. We report the case of a 59-year-old male who presented with atypical chest pain and altered mental status. The patient developed hypotension, with hyponatremia raising concern for adrenal insufficiency (AI). We confirmed a diagnosis of AI secondary to adrenal metastasis in the setting of radical nephrectomy with ipsilateral adrenalectomy, and the patient's symptoms resolved with adequate treatment. This report emphasizes the importance of complications caused by metastatic disease to the remaining adrenal gland in patients with RCC who have undergone ipsilateral radical nephrectomy.
Keywords: adrenal glands; adrenal insufficiency; metastasis; radical nephrectomy; renal cell carcinoma (rcc).
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