Renal cell carcinoma metastasis without a primary: A case report

Abstract

In Australia, approximately 3 % of all cancers diagnosed each year are renal cancers. Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) represents 90 % of all primary renal malignancies. RCC are slow growing and often asymptomatic, thus are often found incidentally. Here we present the case of a 76-year-old male who was found to have a metastatic RCC in a para-aortic lymph node with no primary lesion. He underwent a retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy and 15 months after the surgery, has had no signs of primary tumours or metastasis. This case reports on a rare instance of metastatic RCC without an identified primary renal malignancy.