Renal cell cancer Flashcards
1
Q
Renal cell cancer?
A
Renal cell cancer
- Renal cell cancer is also known as hypernephroma and accounts for 85% of primary renal neoplasms.
- It arises from proximal renal tubular epithelium
2
Q
Associations?
A
- more common in middle-aged men
- smoking
- von Hippel-Lindau syndrome
- tuberous sclerosis
3
Q
Features?
A
- classical triad: haematuria, loin pain, abdominal mass
- pyrexia of unknown origin
- left varicocele (due to occlusion of left testicular vein)
- endocrine effects: may secrete erythropoietin (polycythaemia), parathyroid hormone (hypercalcaemia), renin, ACTH
- 25% have metastases at presentation
4
Q
Management?
A
- For confined disease a partial or total nephrectomy depending on the tumour size
- alpha-interferon and interleukin-2 have been used to reduce tumour size and also treat patients with metatases
- receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (e.g. sorafenib, sunitinib) have been shown to have superior efficacy compared to interferon-alpha
5
Q
Coronal CT scan of a middle-aged woman with renal cell cancer. Note the heterogeneously enhancing mass at the upper pole of the right kidney
A
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/brainscape-prod/system/cm/218/668/438/a_image_thumb.jpg?1502974996)