Stauffer syndrome: a comprehensive review of the disease and diagnostic plan proposal

Non-metastatic Nephrogenic Hepatic Dysfunction (Stauffer Syndrome) and Syndrome of Inappropriate Antidiuretic Hormone Secretion (SIADH) in a Patient With Renal Cell Carcinoma Coinciding With Liposarcoma

Stauffer syndrome is a non-metastatic, nephrogenic, hepatic dysfunction syndrome that is linked to extrahepatic paraneoplastic tumors. It manifests with varying clinical signs that include jaundice, anicteric transaminitis, elevated alkaline phosphatase, thrombocytosis, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, prolonged prothrombin time, and, in some cases, hepatosplenomegaly in the absence of hepatobiliary obstruction. Stauffer syndrome is mostly associated with renal cell carcinoma, but research shows other solid malignancies are implicated with this syndrome. Stauffer syndrome is characterized by elevated liver function tests, specifically those that indicate the presence of cholestasis with or without hepatosplenomegaly. The abnormality is not due to tumor infiltration but rather indirect paraneoplastic effects that are poorly understood. Additionally, emerging literature also supports the association of syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH) secondary to malignancy in the setting of elevated interleukin-6. In this article, we present the case of a 76-year-old patient with SIADH and abnormalities in liver function tests in the context of Stauffer syndrome tied to renal cell carcinoma coinciding with liposarcoma.

Icteric Variant of Stauffer Syndrome as a Paraneoplastic Manifestation of Type 1 Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma

Intrahepatic cholestasis as a paraneoplastic manifestation was first described by Dr. Maurice H. Stauffer in 1961. This paraneoplastic manifestation was primarily associated with renal cell carcinoma characterized by abnormal liver enzymes without hepatic metastasis. Stauffer syndrome is classified into 2 types: classical and jaundice variants. Indeed, the jaundice variant is extremely rare and only described in 13 published cases. We report a case of intrahepatic cholestasis associated with a type 1 papillary renal cell carcinoma with complete resolution after surgical treatment.

Stauffer Syndrome: Another Strange Case of the Internist's Tumor

Stauffer syndrome is a paraneoplastic disorder associated with renal cell carcinoma (RCC), which often can be the first manifestation of the tumor. It is characterized by nephrogenic hepatic dysfunction that reverses after removing the primary tumor. Stauffer syndrome has been associated with a worse prognosis in patients with RCC. We are presenting a case of a patient with an uncommon cholestatic jaundice variant. The patient also had hepatic profile alterations, but no metastasis existed. These findings meet the diagnostic criteria for Stauffer syndrome in the context of RCC as the first clinical manifestation in the diagnostic approach to malignancy-associated disease. A 74-year-old patient, with a history of obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus, went for advice due to right upper abdominal pain, icterus accompanied by emetic episodes, and a cholestatic pattern in the hepatic profile. Autoimmune hepatitis was ruled out based on immunological testing. Imaging revealed evidence of a mass in the lower pole of the right kidney, suspicious of malignant neoplasia, and a distant paraneoplastic syndrome consistent with the cholestatic variant of Stauffer syndrome. This is an exciting case of Stauffer syndrome as the initial presentation of RCC associated with a cholestatic variant, providing relevant information about this uncommon condition in our setting.

Renal cell carcinoma presented with a rare case of icteric Stauffer syndrome: A case report

BACKGROUND

Paraneoplastic syndromes remain poorly understood and manifest as multifaceted clinical symptoms, making their diagnosis difficult. Cholestasis can be observed in various malignancies. In rare cases, it can be a paraneoplastic manifestation, most often associated with renal cell carcinoma and other urogenital tumors, as well as with bronchial carcinoma. The classical form of Stauffer syndrome presents with a reversible anicteric increase of cholestatic liver function tests, thrombocytosis, coagulation impairment, and hepatosplenomegaly, without any proven hepatobiliary obstruction or metastases.

CASE SUMMARY

We report a patient who presented with elevated liver enzymes, cholestatic jaundice, weight loss and pruritus, in whom renal cell carcinoma was incidentally found during hospitalization. Clinical, laboratory, and imaging tests excluded primary hepatic cause or metastatic disease. Jaundice and laboratory abnormalities reversed completely a few months after nephrectomy. This case is an example of the many sides of renal cell carcinoma, and it focuses the clinicians’ attention on the differential diagnosis of cholestasis, including Stauffer syndrome and its variant. Thus, the correct diagnosis can be straightforward and the associated malignancy can be treated promptly. All cases should be followed up with a multidisciplinary team. Interleukin (IL)-6 is proposed to contribute to the pathophysiology of the condition. The probable mechanism is proinflammatory activity by the IL-6 cytokine, causing elevation of C-reactive protein and haptoglobin and inhibition of hepatobiliary transporter gene expression, impairing biliary outflow.

CONCLUSION

Despite being rare, Stauffer syndrome is a potentially reversible paraneoplastic condition, when the primary cause is treatable. This syndrome should be considered by clinicians because of the remediable liver disturbance, after successful treatment of the underlying malignancy.