Clear cell renal carcinoma metastases to the pancreas

Abstract

Introduction: To date, clear cell renal carcinoma (Grawitz tumour) remains the most frequent malignant tumour of the kidney in adults. It metastasises in more than 25% of cases, most frequently to the bones (osteolytic metastases), lungs, brain, liver, adrenal glands and the contralateral kidney. Metastases to the pancreas are rare and represent 1–4% of all malignant tumours of the pancreas.
Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of patients who were operated at the Department of Surgery in Pilsen between 2010 and 2018 for histologically verified metastasis of clear cell carcinoma (Grawitz tumour) to the pancreas.
Results: We operated 12 patients (8 men and 4 women). The metastases appeared on average 8 years and 8 months following the primary urological surgery. The mean age of the male patients was 66.5 years and that of the female patients was 67.4 years. In our sample, the diagnostic specificity of the CT scan was 50%, the diagnostic specificity of endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) was 75% and subsequen EUS-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy performed in 100% of cases yielded a specificity of 75%. Resectability was 92%. The average length of hospitalisation was 11.5 days. Post-operative complications according to Clavien-Dindo were grade 1 in 66%, grade 2 in 1.25% and grade 5 in 8.3% of the cases. The 30-day post-operative mortality was 8.3% (one patient).
Conclusion: Clear cell renal carcinoma metastases to the pancreas are very rare. However, if radically removed, the patient has a good prognosis with regards to long-term survival.