Gallbladder metastasis of renal clear cell carcinoma 15 years after primary cancer excision: a case report

Isolated intracholecystic metastasis of renal cell carcinoma: A report of a rare case

Renal cell carcinomas are known for their unforeseeable metastatic pattern. They are known to have high metastatic potential, thus commonly associated with synchronous or metachronous metastatic presentation. At the time of diagnosis, approximately one-third of patients present with metastatic disease. We present a case of synchronous metastasis of clear cell carcinoma to the gallbladder in a 54-year-old male within two months after radical nephrectomy.

Gallbladder Metastasis From Renal Cell Carcinoma Revealed With 18 F-FDG PET/CT

ABSTRACT

Gallbladder metastasis from renal cell carcinoma is a rare condition. To our knowledge, only 1 case has been reported with 18 F-FDG PET/CT findings. Herein, we report the case of a 53-year-old man with renal cell carcinoma, having gallbladder metastasis revealed with restaging 18 F-FDG PET/CT.

The Unusual Presentation of a Single Case of Synchronous Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma to the Gallbladder: A Case Report and Literature Review

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma, accounts for approximately 70% of all adult renal tumors. This disease is well known for its high metastatic potential, with estimates of 25-50% of patients reporting metastasis to distant structures. However, there have only been several reported cases in medical literature describing hematogenous spread to the gallbladder, with the majority occurring metachronously, in males, and with multiple metastases. This case report follows an extremely unique presentation in a 60-year-old female. Although the patient did not exhibit the usual signs and symptoms or meet the typical demographics seen with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, it should find a place on the differential diagnosis list when a gallbladder lesion is detected on imaging during the initial staging and/or restaging in patients with renal-cell carcinoma.

Gallbladder metastasis of renal cell carcinoma presenting as a hypervascular polypoid lesion: case report of two cases with immunohistochemical analysis

Background

Metastasis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) to the gallbladder is rare, and its clinicopathological feature remains poorly understood. We here present two cases of gallbladder metastasis from RCC presenting as a hypervascular polypoid lesion.

Case presentation

The first case was a 73-year-old man who had undergone right nephrectomy for clear cell RCC. Imaging studies detected a hypervascular polypoid lesion in the gallbladder 6 years after nephrectomy. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was done. The pathological findings of the polypoid lesion showed proliferation of clear cells in the submucosal layer. Immunohistochemically, the tumor was positive for carbonic anhydrase 9 (CA9) but negative for cytokeratin 7 (CK7), suggestive of metastatic RCC. The second case was a 43-year-old man who had undergone right nephrectomy for clear cell RCC. Imaging studies revealed a hypervascular polypoid lesion of 20 mm in diameter in the gallbladder 1 year after nephrectomy. The patient underwent expanded cholecystectomy and extra-hepatic bile duct resection with lymphadenectomy. Microscopically, the polypoid lesion of the gallbladder was composed of clear cells in the submucosal layer. Immunohistochemical analysis showed positive staining for epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) but negative staining for CK7, leading to the diagnosis of metastatic RCC.

Conclusions

Gallbladder metastasis from RCC is rare but should be considered when a hypervascular polypoid lesion in the gallbladder is detected during the follow-up period after RCC treatment.

Metastatic renal clear cell carcinoma mimicking a gallbladder polyp: Case report and literature review

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Metastases to gallbladder from renal cell carcinoma are very rare.

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Most of the cases are diagnosed incidentally, and both clinical presentation and physical examination are unspecific.

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Imaging although its specificity can’t make the difference between primary gallbladder carcinoma and metastasis from RCC.

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Only pathological examination of the specimen after cholecytectomy with immunochemistery can assess the diagnosis.

Introduction

Metastatic tumors to the gallbladder are uncommon. Metastases from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) to the gallbladder are exceptional. Frequencies of less than 0.6% reported in large autopsy reviews and few cases have been reported in the literature.

Presentation of case

Herein we present a case of a 50-year-old man that developed four years after radical nephrectomy for RCC, a gallbladder metastasis, discovered incidentally on Computed Tomography (CT) scan. It was described as an intraluminal gallbladder polyp. Radiological features were very suggestive of primary gallbladder carcinoma, thus the patient had a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The pathological examination of the surgical specimen concluded to a RCC metastasis. Immunochemistry with vimentin and pancytokeratin were supportive of this diagnosis. The clinical course was uneventful after 18 months period of follow up.

Discussion

At the time of presentation, almost one-third of the patients with RCC are metastatic. Metastases to the gallbladder are extremely rare. Clinical presentation and physical examination are unspecific. Radiological findings can raise information and orient the diagnosis although the difference between both diagnoses remains difficult. Usually, it is a pedunculated and not associated with gallstones with enhancement on CT scan. The treatment remains surgical with R0 cholecystectomy, and prognosis is mainly related to disease free interval and single site metastasis.

Conclusion

We highlight here the challenge to make the difference between a primary gallbladder carcinoma and metastasis from RCC. Diagnosis is made on pathological examination and immunochemistry.

[Differential diagnosis of gallbladder abnormalities : Ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging]

CLINICAL ISSUE

Due to the high prevalence of clinically suspected cholecystitis or cholecystolithiasis the gallbladder is one of the organs examined the most by imaging.

STANDARD RADIOLOGICAL METHODS

In most clinical settings ultrasound is the primary imaging method because of its wide availability, speed and superior spatial resolution. In cases of ambiguous findings or potential complications computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used.

METHODICAL INNOVATIONS

When specific problems arise these imaging modalities may be enhanced by special techniques, e. g. contrast-enhanced ultrasound or dual-energy CT, and specific MRI sequences.

PERFORMANCE

Special variants of cholecystitis, such as xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis and adenomyomatosis, may pose a particularly difficult diagnostic problem as they may resemble other diseases. Sequelae of cholecystolithiasis, such as the Mirizzi syndrome and acute bowel obstruction, may complicate the imaging algorithm as the location and the symptoms shift. Cases of neoplastic diseases of gallbladder cancer and other malignancies require a broad spectrum of imaging modalities.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Although the gallbladder can easily be examined with ultrasound, some cases require a more thorough ultrasound examination. In some cases only a combination of multiple imaging modalities yield the diagnosis. Further developments regarding technical issues and the diagnostic algorithm can be expected.

PRACTICAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Ultrasound is the best first imaging modality. In cases of ambiguous findings or clinical complications CT or MRI are recommended.