Abstract
IntroductionDespite being reported rarely, renal cell carcinoma is the third most frequent neoplasm to metastasize to the head and neck region preceded only by breast and lung cancer. Little information exists regarding the presentation and work-up of metastatic renal cell carcinoma in the oral cavity.Case presentationWe report the case of a 63-year-old Caucasian man presenting with an oral cavity lesion that was painful and that had grown substantially over several months. Biopsy resulted in persistent bleeding requiring cautery and manual pressure. Immunoperoxidase testing was necessary to make the diagnosis of metastatic renal cell carcinoma and rule out other clear cell carcinomas of salivary gland origin.ConclusionMetastatic renal cell carcinoma is part of the differential diagnosis for patients presenting with a new head or neck lesion in the setting of a history of kidney cancer. The physician needs to be prepared for the increased risk of bleeding and understand the importance of immunohistochemical staining to differentiate between metastatic renal cell carcinoma and malignancies of salivary origin. Unfortunately, the prognosis is invariably poor in these patients.
Highlights
Despite being reported rarely, renal cell carcinoma is the third most frequent neoplasm to metastasize to the head and neck region preceded only by breast and lung cancer
Metastatic renal cell carcinoma is part of the differential diagnosis for patients presenting with a new head or neck lesion in the setting of a history of kidney cancer
The physician needs to be prepared for the increased risk of bleeding and understand the importance of immunohistochemical staining to differentiate between metastatic renal cell carcinoma and malignancies of salivary origin
Summary
RCC has been shown to metastasize to the head and neck region in rare instances. The work-up of a new oral or neck lesion in light of a history of RCC should include metastatic RCC as part of the differential diagnosis. The physician needs to be prepared for the increased risk of bleeding involved in the biopsy of RCC metastasis. Should the biopsy specimen reveal clear cell carcinoma of http://www.jmedicalcasereports.com/content/2/1/313 the mouth, it is vital to perform immunohistochemical staining to differentiate between metastatic RCC and malignancies of salivary origin. If a diagnosis of metastatic RCC is established, additional therapeutic options, including immunotherapy, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and participation in a clinical trial, should be discussed with the patient despite the poor overall prognosis. CT: computed tomography; RCC: renal cell carcinoma; VEGF: vascular endothelial growth factor
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