Sarcomatoid chromophobe renal cell carcinoma with heterologous sarcomatoid elements. A case report and review of the literature

Sarcomatoid and Rhabdoid Renal Cell Carcinoma: Clinical, Pathologic, and Molecular Genetic Features

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with sarcomatoid and rhabdoid morphologies has an aggressive biological behavior and a typically poor prognosis. The current 2022 WHO classification of renal tumors does not include them as distinct histologic entities but rather as transformational changes that may arise in a background of various distinct histologic types of RCC. The sarcomatoid component shows malignant spindle cells that may grow as intersecting fascicles, which is reminiscent of pleomorphic undifferentiated sarcoma. The rhabdoid cells are epithelioid cells with eccentrically located vesicular nuclei with prominent nucleoli and large intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusions. Studies have shown that RCCs with sarcomatoid and rhabdoid differentiation have distinctive molecular features. Sarcomatoid RCC harbors shared genomic alterations in carcinomatous and rhabdoid components, but also enrichment of specific genomic alterations in the sarcomatoid element, suggesting molecular pathways for development of sarcomatoid growth from a common clonal ancestor. Rhabdoid differentiation also arises through clonal evolution although less is known of specific genomic alterations in rhabdoid cells. Historically, treatment has lacked efficacy, although recently immunotherapy with PD-1/PD-L1/CTLA-4 inhibitors has produced significant clinical responses. Reporting of sarcomatoid and rhabdoid features in renal cell carcinoma is required by the College of American Pathologists and the International Collaboration on Cancer Reporting. This manuscript reviews the clinical, pathologic, and molecular features of sarcomatoid RCC and rhabdoid RCC with emphasis on the morphologic features of these tumors, significance of diagnostic recognition, the molecular mechanisms of tumorigenesis and differentiation along sarcomatoid and rhabdoid lines, and advances in treatment, particularly immunotherapy.

Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid and heterologous osteosarcoma-like differentiation: a case report and literature review

Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (CRCC) is a subtype of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with a favorable prognosis. Sarcomatoid differentiation in RCC is assumed to be the outcome of the parent tumor's dedifferentiation and associated with poorer prognosis. Sarcomatoid differentiation can be detected in CRCC as well as other subtypes, but the occurrence of divergent osteosarcoma-like components in sarcomatoid CRCC is extremely unusual. Only six cases have been previously reported in the literature, we reviewed them and presented the seventh case in a 71-year-old male who had a left kidney heterogeneous mass. The resected tumor showed a sarcoma-like spindle cell area with an adjacent osteosarcoma area producing lacy bone material and bony trabeculae in a hard area mixed with a typical CRCC. In conclusion, sarcomatoid CRCC with osteosarcomatous differentiation is a very rare tumor and should be kept in mind especially when dealing with small or frozen sections biopsies.

Clinicopathologic and Immunohistochemical Characterization of Sarcomatoid Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma: An Analysis of 22 Cases

Sarcomatoid differentiation in chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (ChRCC) is a rare finding and a significant predictor of worse outcomes. When the sarcomatoid component overgrows the conventional component or is the only component on a biopsy, the differential diagnoses encompass a variety of entities. Therefore, we reviewed 22 sarcomatoid ChRCCs and characterized the immunophenotype. Given that renal carcinomas with sarcomatoid features may benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitor-based therapy we also assessed the programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) (28-8) expression. DOG1, CD117, cytokeratin 7, and PAX8 were negative in 100%, 88%, 63%, and 44% of the sarcomatoid components, respectively. GATA3 was expressed in 31% of the conventional components and in 50% of the sarcomatoid components. One conventional and 3 sarcomatoid components expressed PD-L1. Sarcomatoid ChRCCs have a high propensity for metastases and cancer progression. Distant metastatic disease was seen in 73% of the cases and median survival in this cohort was <1 year. The sarcomatoid portion had increased expression of PD-L1 and frequent loss of expression of multiple immunohistochemical markers associated with ChRCC. Half of the sarcomatoid ChRCC exhibited GATA3 expression, 3 of which did not express PAX8.

Recurrent metastatic clear cell renal carcinoma with sarcomatoid dedifferentiation treated with surgery and Cabozantinib

Renal cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid dedifferentiation is an entity of RCC that has undergone an anaplastic transformation with both a carcinomatous and a sarcomatous component. The standard treatment in metastatic patients is immunotherapy.

The aim of this article is to describe our case of metastatic recurrent RCC with sarcomatoid dedifferentiation in a 59 year old male patient treated with nephrectomy and multiple metastasectomies followed by Cabozantinib.

Consecutive PET-CT scans showed no evidence of recurrence, three years after the last metastasectomy, and the patient is having currently a normal life.

Sarcomatoid dedifferentiation remains a poor prognosis factor in RCC. Surgery for metastases followed by Cabozantinib may be a therapeutic option in metastatic young patients. However, a prospective randomized trial would be the best option to validate this approach.

Sarcomatoid Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma with Heterologous Component

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common malignant renal tumor in adults, while chromophobe RCC (CRCC) is the third most common. Any subtypes of RCC can undergo sarcomatoid differentiation, but heterologous differentiation in sarcomatoid area is very rare in RCC. Here a 61-year male is presented with hematuria and palpable mass. Clinicoradiologically, RCC was considered and left radical nephrectomy was performed. A well-circumscribed renal mass located in the upper pole of the left kidney with variegation and extensive areas of bony hard calcification noted, was reported as CRCC with sarcomatoid differentiation containing heterologous component. CRCC subtype has good prognosis but show dismal prognosis when associated with sarcomatous differentiation. We found 11 cases of sarcomatoid CRCC containing heterologous elements reported in indexed English literature. CRCC must be differentiated from Conventional RCC and Oncocytoma. The extensive sampling of the tumor is needed. We report a very rare case of CRCC with sarcomatoid differentiation containing heterologous elements.

Sarcomatoid Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Patient: Female, 63

Final Diagnosis: Sarcomatoid chromophobe renal cell carcinoma

Symptoms: Painless gross hematuria

Medication: —

Clinical Procedure: —

Specialty: Renal Surgery

Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma With Osteosarcomatous Heterologous Differentiation: A Case Report With Molecular Genetic Analysis and Review of the Literature

Sarcomatoid differentiation can occur in all subtypes of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). In rare cases, heterologous differentiation has been described. We present a case of heterologous osteosarcomatous differentiation in association with sarcomatoid papillary RCC including an analysis of chromosomal copy number alteration. This is the first case to identify heterologous differentiation in association with papillary RCC. The patient was a 70-year-old man who had a mass in the right kidney. Speckled calcification was seen on computed tomography scan. Histological assessment demonstrated papillary RCC merging with areas of sarcomatoid change and malignant bone formation simulating osteosarcoma. Cytogenetic evaluation demonstrated additional copies of chromosome 7 in both epithelial and osteosarcomatous components. A literature review identified 33 previous cases of heterologous differentiation in association with RCC. Of the 14 cases that reported an epithelial subtype, 13 cases were reported to be chromophobe RCC and 1 case was reported to be clear cell RCC.

Morphological, immunohistochemical, and chromosomal analysis of multicystic chromophobe renal cell carcinoma, an architecturally unusual challenging variant

Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (ChRCC) is typically composed of large leaf-like cells and smaller eosinophilic cells arranged in a solid-alveolar pattern. Eosinophilic, adenomatoid/pigmented, or neuroendocrine variants have also been described. We collected 10 cases of ChRCC with a distinct multicystic pattern out of 733 ChRCCs from our registry, and subsequently analyzed these by morphology, immunohistochemistry, and array comparative genomic hybridization. Of the 10 patients, 6 were males with an age range of 50-89 years (mean 68, median 69). Tumor size ranged between 1.2 and 20 cm (mean 5.32, median 3). Clinical follow-up was available for seven patients, ranging 1-19 years (mean 7.2, median 2.5). No aggressive behavior was documented. We observed two growth patterns, which were similar in all tumors: (1) variable-sized cysts, resembling multilocular cystic neoplasm of low malignant potential and (2) compressed cystic and tubular pattern with slit-like spaces. Raisinoid nuclei were consistently present while necrosis was absent in all cases. Half of the cases showed eosinophilic/oncocytic cytology, deposits of pigment (lipochrome) and microcalcifications. The other half was composed of pale or mixed cell populations. Immunostains for epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), CK7, OSCAR, CD117, parvalbumin, MIA, and Pax 8 were positive in all tumors while negative for vimentin, TFE3, CANH 9, HMB45, cathepsin K, and AMACR. Ki67 immunostain was positive in up to 1 % of neoplastic cells. Molecular genetic examination revealed multiple chromosomal losses in two fifths analyzable tumors, while three cases showed no chromosomal numerical aberrations. ChRCC are rarely arranged in a prominent multicystic pattern, which is probably an extreme form of the microcystic adenomatoid pigmented variant of ChRCC. The spectrum of tumors entering the differential diagnosis of ChRCC is quite different from that of conventional ChRCC. The immunophenotype of ChRCC is identical with that of conventional ChRCC. Chromosomal numerical aberration pattern was variable; no chromosomal numerical aberrations were found in three cases. All the cases in this series have shown an indolent and non-aggressive behavior.

Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma with neuroendocrine and neuroendocrine-like features. Morphologic, immunohistochemical, ultrastructural, and array comparative genomic hybridization analysis of 18 cases and review of the literature

Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (CRCC) with neuroendocrine differentiation (CRCCND) has only recently been described. Eighteen cases of CRCC with morphologic features suggestive of neuroendocrine differentiation were selected from among 624 CRCCs in our registry. The tissues were fixed in neutral formalin, embedded in paraffin, cut into 4- to 5-μm-thick sections, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. As CRCC with neuroendocrine features, tumors with following morphology were suggested: (1) trabecular/palisading/ribbon-like, gyriform, insular, glandular, and solid pattern; (2) uniform polygonal cells formed in small islets; and (3) cribriform pattern in combination with palisading. Selected cases were further analyzed using immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, array comparative genomic hybridization, and fluorescence in situ hybridization. Cases were classified as CRCCND or CRCC with neuroendocrine-like features (CRCCND-L) based on the immunohistochemical expression of neuroendocrine markers: CRCCND, 4 cases, age range 49 to 79 years, size ranged from 2.2 to 22 cm, and CRCCND-L, 14 cases, age range 34 to 74 years, size range 3.8 to 16.5 cm. Follow-up information was available for 11 of 18 patients aged 0.5 to 12 years. Two of 4 CRCCNDs showed aggressive clinical course with metastatic spreading. Chromophobe renal cell carcinomas with neuroendocrine differentiation were focally positive for CD56 (4/4), synaptophysin (4/4), chromogranin A (1/4), and neuron-specific enolase (3/4). All 14 CRCCND-Ls were mostly negative or very weakly focally positive for some of the aforementioned markers. All 18 tumors were positive for cytokeratin 7 and CD117. Ultrastructural analysis showed poorly preserved neuroendocrine granules only in 2 of 4 analyzed CRCCNDs. Losses of chromosomes 1, 2, 6, and 10 were found in all analyzable CRCCNDs, whereas multiple losses (chromosomes 1, 2, 6, 10, 13, 17, and 21) and gains (chromosomes 4, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 19, and 20) were found in CRCCND-L.

Sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma: case report and review of literature

Sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma is a tumour with aggressive behaviour. It is a form of dedifferentiated carcinoma with high incidence of metastases to the lungs. We report a case of 55-year-old male who presented with complaints of loin pain and hematuria. The biopsy confirmed sarcomatoid variant of renal cell carcinoma.

Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma with sarcomatoid changes: case report and review of literature

Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (RCC), a subtype of RCC, accounts for 4–6% of all RCC and has better prognosis then conventional RCC. Sarcomatoid dedifferentiation is thought to represent the high–grade end of all subtypes. This makes chromophobe RCC with sarcomatoid changes a rare entity associated with poor prognosis in most studies. We present a case of a 40–year old female with this rare histology, with the tumour localised to the renal capsule, managed with nephrectomy and with close follow–up thereafter. The patient is free of disease after one year of treatment.

Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma with concomitant sarcomatoid transformation and osseous metaplasia: a case report

Background

Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma is the third most common form of adult renal epithelial neoplasm. A sarcomatoid component occurs in approximately 8% of all chromophobe renal cell carcinoma cases, while metaplastic bone formation is extremely rare.

Case presentation

An abdominal computed tomography scan revealed a hypovascular tumor with focal calcification, measuring 2.5 × 2.3 cm, in the upper pole of the right kidney. The tumor was clinically diagnosed as a right renal cell carcinoma that showed signs of calcification, and a laparoscopic right radical nephrectomy was performed. The cut surface of the tumor was beige in color and indicated that the tumor was an extensively ossified mass. Histological analysis revealed three distinct morphological components of the tumor. The chromophobe renal cell carcinoma consisted of compact epithelial cells arranged in a nested pattern, and these were mixed with extensive areas of sarcomatoid spindle cells with marked nuclear pleomorphism and brisk mitotic activity. The tumor also contained multiple foci of metaplastic ossification.

Conclusion

Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma with concomitant osseous metaplasia and sarcomatoid transformation is a very rare occurrence.

Chromophobe Renal Cell Carcinoma With Heterologous (Liposarcomatous) Differentiation

A 44-year-old woman presented with right flank mass of 6 months duration. A right side renal tumor was diagnosed, and a radical nephrectomy was performed. Histopathological examination showed chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (CRCC) with sarcomatoid transformation. The sarcomatous component contained large pleomorphic lipoblasts. The CRCC was positive for Hale’s colloidal iron stain, whereas the sarcomatous component was negative. Based on histopathological and immunohistochemical findings, a diagnosis of sarcomatoid CRCC with heterologous liposarcomatous differentiation was made. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the second reported case of a sarcomatoid CRCC where the sarcomatous component displayed features of liposarcoma. The case has been reported for its rarity.