Unusual Spread of Renal Cell Carcinoma to the Clivus with Cranial Nerve Deficit. Case Rep Neurol Med. 2016;2016:9184501. [PMID: 27110412 PMCID: PMC4811068 DOI: 10.1155/2016/9184501]

A case of hypoglossal nerve palsy with evolving cranial nerve involvement in renal cell carcinoma: a case report

BACKGROUND

Renal cell carcinoma is a rare pediatric solid tumor that typically presents with hematuria, abdominal mass, or flank pain. It is uncommon for renal cell carcinoma to manifest with headache and isolated extra-urogenital symptoms. We present, to our knowledge, the first case of renal cell carcinoma with bony metastases, presenting initially as isolated cranial nerve twelve palsy. Although bony metastases can occur in renal cell carcinoma, skull-based metastases and cranial neuropathies are exceedingly rare, especially in the pediatric population.

CASE PRESENTATION

We describe the unusual presentation of renal cell carcinoma with bony skull-based metastases presenting initially as isolated hypoglossal nerve palsy, that progressed to multiple cranial neuropathies in a previously healthy 14-year-old female of Indian descent.

CONCLUSION

The differential for hypoglossal nerve with evolving cranial nerves 9 and 10 involvement can be broad owing to the course of the nerve, the structures surrounding it, and its pathway. It is important for providers to include bony metastatic disease in the differential diagnosis for headaches with multiple cranial neuropathies.

Neoplastic nerve lesions

Though metastasis and malignant infiltration of the peripheral nervous system is relatively rare, physicians should have a familiarity with their presentations to allow for prompt diagnosis and initiation of treatment. This article will review the clinical presentations, diagnostic evaluation, and treatment of neoplastic involvement of the cranial nerves, nerve roots, peripheral nerves, and muscle. Due to the proximity of the neural structure traversing the skull base, metastasis to this region results in distinctive syndromes, most often associated with breast, lung, and prostate cancer. Metastatic involvement of the nerve roots is uncommon, apart from leptomeningeal carcinomatosis and bony metastasis with resultant nerve root damage, and is characterized by significant pain, weakness, and numbness of an extremity. Neoplasms may metastasize or infiltrate the brachial and lumbosacral plexuses resulting in progressive and painful sensory and motor deficits. Differentiating neoplastic involvement from radiation-induced injury is of paramount importance as it dictates treatment and prognosis. Neurolymphomatosis, due to malignant lymphocytic infiltration of the cranial nerves, nerve roots, plexuses, and peripheral nerves, deserves special attention given its myriad presentations, often mimicking acquired demyelinating neuropathies.

Clival metastasis of renal clear cell carcinoma: Case report and literature review

The clivus is an atypical metastatic site for renal clear cell carcinoma (RCCC). Here we report a 54 year old man with acute cavernous sinus syndrome. Brain magnetic resonance imaging identified a clival-based lesion with associated bony erosion. The patient underwent endoscopic endonasal biopsy and partial resection of the clival mass. Because histologic examination of the resected specimen resulted in a diagnosis of RCCC, contrast-enhanced computed tomography scan of the abdomen was performed and showed an enhanced left renal mass. The patient subsequently underwent laparoscopic left radical nephrectomy and gamma knife was planned for the residual clival lesion. We also retrospectively reviewed available published reports on clival metastases, specifically those from RCCC, since 1990.

Isolated clival metastasis: a rare presentation of renal cell carcinoma

Renal cell carcinoma accounts for 3% of all adult malignancies. Usual sites of metastasis are lymph nodes, lungs, bone, liver and brain. We describe a patient who presented with complaints of holocranial headache and diplopia. MRI of the head showed a clival-based lesion with associated bony erosion. With suspicion of a metastatic lesion, an ultrasonogram of the abdomen was done which showed a left renal mass that enhanced on contrast-enhanced CT. There were no other metastatic foci. Patient underwent radiotherapy for the clival lesion. This case report emphasises on the evaluation of clival lesion with cranial neuropathies for a possibility of a renal primary tumour.