Abstract
Background: Generally, retroperitoneal fibrosis is an idiopathic process that envelopes and displaces ureters, causing hydronefrosis and renal failure. CT scan is the best choice for diagnosis. Other aetiologies described are malignancies, drugs, aorta aneurisms and immunological or rheumatological diseases. Case presentation: A 53-year-old male with hypertension and diabetes was operated on radical nephrectomy for renal mass. Pathological examination showed sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma, Fürhman 3 grade, pT2 N0. Within 6 months of surgery, control CT scan demonstrated a left retroperitoneal mass, without separation with pancreas queue and spleen hilium, suggesting local relapse. Resection of the mass with splenectomy and partial pancreatectomy en bloc was performed. Microscopic evaluation revealed a dense collagenic tissue with a prominent inflammatory infiltrate, and the immunohistochemical study was negative for cytokeratin AE1-AE3. There was no evidence of malignancy in the histological examination. All these findings aided to diagnose a retroperitoneal fibrosis. Conclusions: Sometimes retroperitoneal fibrosis can simulate or is associated to malignancies. Presentation of a retroperitoneal fibrosis simulating local relapse of sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma has not been previously reported in the English literature.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Tripodi SA, Mattei FM, Giovannelli V and Forzini L (1998). Idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis simulating renal malignancy. J Urol 160(6 Pt 1): 2145
Kell HH and Schumann HJ (1973). Retroperitoneal xanthofibrogranuloma simulating kidney tumor. Zentralbl Chir 98(26): 968–971
Szentgyorgyi E, Kondas J and Dioszeghy G (1991). A case of retroperitoneal fibrosis associated with renal angiomyolipoma. Orv Hetil 132(25): 1365–1367
Forsythe JL, Robinson MC and Neal DE (1989). Renal carcinoma with adjacent retroperitoneal fibrosis. Br J Urol 64(6): 651–652
Reiner I, Yachia D, Nissim F and Fishelowitz Y (1984). Retroperitoneal fibrosis in association with urothelial tumor. J Urol 132(1): 115–116
Erton ML, Ilker YN, Ceyhan N and Akdas A (1995). Retroperitoneal fibrosis due to malignancy: a case report. Int Urol Nephrol 27(2): 147–150
Dohmen K, Mizukami Y, Tanaka K and Nakamura H (1993). Retroperitoneal fibrosis associated with scirrhous gastric cancer. Gastroenterol Jpn 28(5): 699–705
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Esquena, S., Abascal, J.M., Trilla, E. et al. Case report: Retroperitoneal fibrosis simulating local relapse of sarcomatoid renal cell carcinoma. Int Urol Nephrol 38, 463–465 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-006-6653-8
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-006-6653-8