Renal cell carcinoma metastatic to the maxillary gingiva: A case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Tumor metastasis to the oral cavity is rare and is usually an indication of late-stage disease and poor prognosis. While, there are reports of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) metastatic to oral cavity, vast majority of them are to the jaw. Herein, we present a case of a 78-year-old woman with RCC metastasis limited to the oral soft tissue without any bone involvement. As the lesion solely involved maxillary gingiva, it clinically mimicked that of a pyogenic granuloma, which is a reactive, nonneoplastic condition. This case was further complicated as the patient was unaware of primary cancer and appeared to be in good physical health. Her oral metastasis marked the initial manifestation of an otherwise silent primary renal cancer.

Renal Cell Carcinoma Metastasizing to Oral Soft Tissues: Systematic Review

“…Our research strategy revealed a total of 226 relevant articles. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 The results of the current research were expressed in descriptive statistics. A total of 250 patients were included with 168 males and 67 females with a male to female ratio of 2.5:1.…”

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma presenting with both acute stroke and an oral lesion

“…Oral metastases are much less common and less familiar to physicians. Of all malignant tumours in the oral cavity, approximately 1% are metastatic lesions 1 …”

“…In men, primary cancer of the kidney is the second most common source of soft tissue oral metastasis, responsible for 14% of cases in a series reported by Hirschberg 5 . A recent review of RCC metastasising to the soft tissue of the oral cavity found 25 reported cases between 2007 – 2017 1 . In most of these cases there were other metastases either known at diagnosis or discovered shortly thereafter.…”

“…In most of these cases there were other metastases either known at diagnosis or discovered shortly thereafter. Treatment is usually with palliative intent 1 …”

“…Common sites of metastasis include lung, lymph nodes and bone. Rarer sites of spread include cerebral and cutaneous metastases; distant disease in the oral cavity and facial skin has been described 1 . Patients who present with atypical lesions can present a diagnostic dilemma; histopathological analysis with immunohistochemistry is usually needed to confirm the underlying primary malignancy.…”