Metastatic renal cell carcinoma of the gallbladder

Asian J Surg. 2006 Jul;29(3):145-8. doi: 10.1016/S1015-9584(09)60074-9.

Abstract

A 73-year-old man presented for further evaluation of a gallbladder polyp, 5 years after left radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Computed tomography revealed a 2-cm enhancing pedunculated tumour within the gallbladder. Open simple cholecystectomy was performed and the tumour was histologically confirmed as a metastasis of the RCC to the gallbladder. The patient is alive and disease-free, 2 years after cholecystectomy. Of the reported 23 patients with metastatic RCC of the gallbladder, nine patients were reported to be cancer-free with the longest follow-up interval of 6 years after cholecystectomy. Although metastasis of RCC is a rare differential diagnosis of gallbladder tumours, simple cholecystectomy may offer a chance of long-term survival for patients with RCC.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / diagnosis
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / secondary*
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / surgery
  • Gallbladder Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Gallbladder Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Gallbladder Neoplasms / surgery
  • Humans
  • Kidney Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Kidney Neoplasms / surgery
  • Male