Metastatic renal cell carcinoma in the nasopharynx

• Main Authors: Yavuz Atar (Author), Ilhan Topaloglu (Author), Deniz Ozcan (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications, 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 0377-4929; 10.4103/0377-4929.116147
• Keywords: Metastasis; nasopharynx; renal cell carcinoma; Pathology; RB1-214; Microbiology; QR1-502
• Source: Indian Journal of Pathology and Microbiology, Vol 56, Iss 1, Pp 40-42 (2013)

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma of the nasopharynx, nasal cavity, and paranasal sinuses can be misdiagnosed as primary malignant or benign diseases. A 33-year-old male attended our outpatient clinic complaining of difficulty breathing through the nose, bloody nasal discharge, postnasal drop, snoring, and discharge of phlegm. Endoscopic nasopharyngeal examination showed a vascularized nasopharyngeal mass. Under general anesthesia, multiple punch biopsies were taken from the nasopharynx. Pathologically, the tumor cells had clear cytoplasm and were arranged in a trabecular pattern lined by a layer of endothelial cells. After the initial pathological examination, the pathologist requested more information about the patient's clinical status. A careful history revealed that the patient had undergone left a nephrectomy for a kidney mass diagnosed as renal cell carcinoma 3 years earlier. Subsequently, nasopharyngeal metastatic renal cell carcinoma was diagnosed by immunohistochemical staining with CD10 and vimentin. Radiotherapy was recommended for treatment.