Renal Cell Carcinoma Presenting with Skull Metastasis: A Case Report and Literature Review

Abstract

The occurrence of metastasis to the head and neck region in renal cell carcinoma is extremely rare. An 80-year-old man presented with a soft nodule in the left parietal calvarium and was admitted to our hospital. Biopsy of the nodule showed nests of clear tumor cells, suggesting metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed a well-defined hypervascular tumor, measuring around 7 x 7 x 8 cm, exophytic from the lower pole of the right kidney. Since there were no other systemic metastases, right nephrectomy and complete resection of the skull lesion were performed. No adjunctive therapy was given postoperatively. After 22 months of follow-up, the patient was well and without evidence of disease.

Calvarial Metastasis of a Renal Cell Carcinoma, Mimicking a Primary Alveolar Soft Part Sarcoma, in a Young Girl—a Rare Case Report

“…Forbes et al [10] reviewed 1,668 patients with RCC and only five patients developed skull metastasis. Out of all the cases documented with skull metastasis, in only seven cases, along with the current case, calvarial metastasis was the first presentation [4][5][6][7][8][9]. Occipital and frontal bones have been found to be commonly involved.…”

“…In some cases, metastasis precedes the clinical manifestations of the primary tumor as noted in our case. However, calvarium is an extremely rare site for a metastatic RCC [4][5][6][7][8][9]. Forbes et al [10] reviewed 1,668 patients with RCC and only five patients developed skull metastasis.…”

“…Calvarium is an extremely unusual site for a metastatic RCC. There are only a handful of reports in the literature describing calvarial mass as the primary presentation of a disseminated RCC [4][5][6][7][8][9].…”

Diagnosis of Bony Metastasis of Renal Cell Carcioma at a Rare Site on Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology: A Rare Case Report

“…This may provide a chance of cure of the head and neck metastasis and avoid associated morbidity that may occur if the lesion is left untreated. [17] …”

Maxillofacial metastasis of genitourinary origin. A report of 3 cases and review of the literature

“…Head and neck metastasis of CCRC has been described in the brain, hypophysis, orbit, nasal fossa, ethmoids, oral cavity (gingival), larynx, thyroids and scalp (2,3,5,6). As in our patients, these other cases all appeared synchronically or metachronically with the primary tumour and, depending on the case, with great clinical variation (2,3,7).…”