Incidental squamous cell carcinoma of renal pelvis presenting as skin invasion: a case report

Introduction

Squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis is a rare neoplasm, accounting for less than 0.8% of malignant renal tumors. Chronic irritation is believed to be the primary pathogenic cause for squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis. The most frequently reported cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis generally present with hydronephrosis, pyelonephritis, or nephrolithiasis. The skin of the flank is a very uncommon site of clinical presentation. Here, we report an exceedingly rare case of squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis presenting as skin invasion of the flank.

Case presentation

A 66-year-old Han Chinese man consulted our hospital because of a right lumbar skin lesion lasting more than 3 months. His physical examination revealed that he had a palpable mass about 6.0 cm × 5.0 cm in size at the posterior axillary line in the right low back with skin ulceration 3 mm in diameter and exudation on it. Magnetic resonance imaging showed hydronephrosis of the right kidney and plaque-like abnormal signal in the middle portion of the kidney. The patient underwent a right nephrectomy. The sinus tract formation between the ulcerative skin in the right low back and the middle portion of the right kidney could be found. The distended kidney could not be excised entirely for tight adhesion. Pathological examination showed moderately differentiated renal squamous cell carcinoma with invasion of the renal parenchyma and perirenal adipose tissue.

Conclusion

It is extremely rare for renal squamous cell carcinoma to present as skin invasion. Recurrent percutaneous nephrolithotomy may be a risk factor for squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis. The possibility of renal squamous cell carcinoma should be kept in mind in patients who have hydronephrosis, nephrolithiasis, or chronic pyelonephritis for a long time or with renal anomalies. More radiological examinations are suggested for such patients.

Renal pyelocalyceal squamous cell carcinoma in a patient with an ectopic kidney presenting with chronic pyelonephritis: a case report

Background

Until now, few cases of pelvis squamous cell carcinoma in various renal anomalies have been reported. To our knowledge, primary squamous cell carcinoma arising from a pelvic ectopic kidney has never been described. In this report, we describe a case of renal pyelocalyceal squamous cell carcinoma in a patient with an ectopic kidney presenting with chronic pyelonephritis.

Case summary

A 73-year-old Caucasian woman presented to our hospital with pyelonephritis symptoms. Abdominopelvic computed tomography revealed heterogeneous and irregular minimal contrast enhancement in the pelvic ectopic kidney parenchyma. Radiologists reported that the images were consistent with chronic pyelonephritis. A Tc-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scan demonstrated a nonfunctioning right pelvic ectopic kidney. The patient underwent open simple nephrectomy via modified Gibson incision. The whole mass was a distended, saclike structure without any grossly visible renal tissue. Pathological examination showed renal pelvis squamous cell carcinoma 8 cm in diameter infiltrating into the renal capsule and perinephritic fatty tissue. The patient was staged as T4N0M1 renal pelvis squamous cell carcinoma. The patient was being treated in the intensive care unit for respiratory distress on the seventh day after the operation. By the first-month follow-up visit, the patient had died of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Conclusions

Although rare, renal pelvis squamous cell carcinoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a renal mass in patients who have renal anomalies and chronic pyelonephritis.

Transitional cell carcinoma with extension of the renal vein and IVC tumor thrombus: report of three cases and literature review

Background

Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) originating from the renal pelvis with a venous tumor thrombus is a rare entity. However, clinicians should be aware of it because of its high malignancy and poor prognosis.

Case presentation

Here, we report three cases of pathologically confirmed TCC originating from the renal pelvis with extension into the renal vein or inferior vena cava (IVC). Of these patients, two are males and one is female (58~73 years old). Their main symptom is flank pain; besides, gross hematuria and weight loss is observed in one of the patients. Computed tomography (CT) scan of the first patient revealed multiple space-occupying lesions in the left renal pelvis and left medium and lower ureter with a tumor thrombus in the left renal vein. CT scan of the second patient revealed a right renal mass and extension into the IVC. Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the third patient showed a soft tissue mass in the region of the left renal sinus, and the signal of the soft tissue was observed in the left renal vein. The preoperative diagnoses of the first and third patient were TCC, while the second patient was renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Two patients with the preoperative diagnosis of TCC underwent laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy with thrombectomy, and the other patient underwent radical nephrectomy with thrombectomy. The surgeries were successful. Although two of our patients underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy, they died 2 and 19 months after the surgery, respectively. The other patient refused any adjuvant therapy and died 3 months after the operation.

Conclusions

Compared to the extension of RCC to the renal vein or IVC, extension of TCC to the renal vein or IVC is rare. TCC with a venous tumor thrombus is often misdiagnosed as RCC. However, a correct preoperative or intraoperative diagnosis is of great importance to decide surgical strategy. Laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy with thrombectomy may be a safe and feasible operative method in treatment of TCC with a renal vein thrombus. The prognosis of such cases is poor even if chemotherapy and radiotherapy are scheduled.