Are gastric metastases of renal cell carcinoma really rare? A case report and systematic review of the literature

Gastric Metastasis of Renal Cell Carcinoma Initially Diagnosed by Esophagogastroduodenoscopy

Here, we report a rare case of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) initially detected as a gastric metastasis. A 58-year-old man with epigastric discomfort underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy, which revealed a reddish semi-pedunculated lesion with a whitish coating. Biopsy and imaging confirmed clear cell RCC metastasis. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed a primary renal tumor with pancreatic and lymph node metastases. Despite chemotherapy treatment, the patient died after 10 months. Gastric metastases from RCC, although rare, should be considered in highly vascular gastric lesions with white coatings. Clinicians must be vigilant for metastatic diseases with atypical gastric findings.

Gastric metastasis from renal cell carcinoma with submucosal invasion treated by surgical full-thickness resection: a case report

BACKGROUND

Metastatic gastric tumors are rare and malignant melanoma, breast cancer, lung cancer, and esophageal cancer are common as primary lesions. On the other hand, renal cell carcinoma is easy to metastasize hematogenously to the whole body. However, metastasis to the stomach is rare and the detailed treatment of gastric metastasis is not mentioned. In this study, we report an uncommon case of gastric metastasis from renal cell carcinoma that underwent surgical full-thickness resection and reviewed the literature for treatment options.

CASE PRESENTATION

The patient was a female in her 60s and in January 2007, she underwent a transabdominal left nephrectomy for clear cell carcinoma of the left kidney. The pathological diagnosis was pT2N0M0 stage II. In October 2017, a total pancreatectomy with D2 dissection was performed for multiple pancreatic masses, in which the pathological diagnosis was pancreatic metastasis of renal cell cancer. In May 2019, an esophagogastroduodenoscopy for heartburn revealed redness and erosion in the greater curvature of the residual gastric body. The pathological diagnosis was gastric metastasis from renal cell carcinoma. No metastatic findings were observed and gastric wedge resection was performed. Pathological diagnosis of the resected specimen showed a 4-mm tumor, mainly within the mucosa and partly extended to the submucosal layer in 500 µm. The resected specimen had a clear resection margin.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, we report a case in which a full-thickness resection was performed for gastric metastasis 12 years after renal cancer surgery and 2 years after pancreatic metastasis surgery. The patient survived 4 years and 8 months after gastric wedge resection. Although gastric metastasis often takes the form of submucosal tumors, it is necessary to select full-thickness resection for R0 resection, even in small and flat lesions.

Percutaneous endoscopic intragastric surgery for gastric metastases of renal cell carcinoma: A case report

To our knowledge, this is the first report of percutaneous endoscopic intragastric surgery (PEIGS) for gastric metastases from other organs. A 70-year-old male with a history of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) was referred to our department for the treatment of gastric metastasis of RCC. Partial gastrectomy was performed using single-incision PEIGS. Two years after the surgery, a follow-up esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a tumor located on the middle greater curvature of the stomach. The diagnosis was metastatic renal cell carcinoma, prompting a similar surgery. No recurrence was observed after the second surgery. PEIGS is a minimally invasive option for the treatment of metastatic gastric tumors.

Gastric metastasis of renal cell carcinoma treated with endoscopic resection: A case report

Gastric metastasis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is rarely encountered. The time interval between the primary diagnosis of RCC and the occurrence of gastric metastasis tends to occur after more than 10 years. Clinicians should be diligent in checking the general symptoms of patients for more than 10 years.

Case report: Uncommon gastric metastasis as a presentation of recurrent clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a kidney neoplasm that accounts for 85% of cases and has complex genetic pathways that affect its development and progression. RCC metastasis can occur in 20%-50% of patients and usually affects distant organs. Gastric metastases (GM) from RCC are rare and present as polyp-like growths in the submucosal layer, accounting for 0.2%-0.7% of cases. This case report describes an 84-year-old female with Furhman grade II ccRCC who presented with an atherothrombotic ischemic stroke and gastrointestinal bleeding nine years post-radical nephrectomy. Gastroscopy revealed a 12mm pseudopedicled gastric lesion with ulceration and bleeding, diagnosed as metastatic ccRCC. The discussion focuses on the rarity, diagnostic challenges, and prognostic elements of gastric metastasis from RCC. The median survival after detecting digestive metastasis varies widely, and the mechanisms include direct invasion and dissemination through lymphatic, transcelomic, or hematogenous routes. Prognostic markers encompass patient history, symptoms, time since RCC diagnosis, overall health, and genetic factors. Surgical removal of gastric lesions and targeted therapy are treatment options that can improve survival. This case report highlights the need for further research to enhance diagnostic and treatment strategies for this rare aspect of RCC pathophysiology.

Discovery of Gastric Metastases From Primary Renal Cell Carcinoma Through MRI: A Case Report

Gastric metastases from primary renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are rare and poorly documented in the existing literature. This case report presents the clinical course of a 65-year-old male with multi-metastatic clear cell RCC (ccRCC) who was incidentally found to have stomach metastases during follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Gastric metastases from ccRCC are typically associated with other metastatic sites. They often emerge at an advanced stage of the disease, indicating a poor prognosis. It is therefore important to consider gastric metastases as a potential site of involvement in RCC patients. MRI revealed three gastric mucosal lesions exhibiting hypervascularity, a characteristic feature of ccRCC. Histological analysis confirmed the presence of malignant cells compatible with RCC.

Application of 18F Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography in Monitoring Gastric Metastasis and Cancer Thrombi from Renal Cell Carcinoma

Background. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with gastric metastasis is rare, particularly accompanied by multiple cancer thrombi. Methods. We reported a 66-year-old man with a history of a right radical nephrectomy because of RCC. The patient underwent 18F prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanning after 6 months of targeted therapy because of gastric metastasis and cancer thrombi. We conducted a systematic review of the literature and identified 73 cases of RCC with gastric metastasis. We analyzed the clinicopathological characteristics, therapies, and outcomes of patients. Results. 18F-PSMA PET/CT showed a large mass in the gastric fundus and cancer thrombi in the right atrium, inferior vena cava, and splenic vein with intense tracer uptake. Other metastases with increased tracer uptake included multiple bones and abdominal lymph nodes. The majority of gastric metastasis of RCC were men (53/73, 72.6%), with a median age at presentation of 67 (from 48 to 87) years. Gastric metastasis of RCC was mainly metachronous, and presented with small polyps or mass appearance and often accompanied by multiple-site metastases and gastrointestinal symptoms. An overall median interval between nephrectomy and diagnosis of gastric metastasis was 6 (from 0.1 to 23) years, and an overall median survival time was 14 (from 0.25 to 72) months. The median interval time of solitary gastric metastasis was longer than gastric metastasis with multiple-site metastases (7 vs.5 years; $P=0.034$ ). Patients with gastric and multiple-site metastases had higher mortality than patients with solitary metastasis (17 vs.1; $P=0.028$ ). The patients with synchronous gastric metastasis had a shorter survival time than metachronous gastric metastasis (6 vs.17 months; $P=0.018$ ). Conclusions. Postoperative follow-up of multiple imaging modalities to monitor recurrence and metastasis is necessary and important. PSMA PET/CT can improve the detection sensitivity of RCC, especially in metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), and could provide a basis for disease staging, restaging, and therapeutic efficacy evaluation.

OUP accepted manuscript

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) most commonly metastasizes to the lung, adrenals, brain and pancreas, but metastasis to the stomach is uncommon. We present a 77-year-old male who underwent left nephrectomy 9 years previously for RCC with known metastatic disease to the lungs, diaphragm and stomach, and required multiple transfusions for acute blood loss anemia. A previous esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed a large, friable, ulcerated mass at the gastric cardia. Biopsies of the mass demonstrated clear-cell carcinoma compatible with metastatic RCC. After multiple attempts at endoscopic, procedures and embolization were unsuccessful at controlling bleeding, the patient was treated with palliative total gastrectomy with Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. At discharge, the patient had been hemodynamically stable and tolerating a liquid diet. This case report highlights the presenting symptomology of RCC, explores the rarity of gastric metastases, and reviews current literature on management strategies for these patients.