Urological Pathology Flashcards
What are the 2 major types of renal cancers?
- Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC)
2. Wilms’ Tumour
What is a renal cell carcinoma? Where does it arise from?
Cancer of the kidney that arises from the renal tubular epithelium
What are the 2 most common types of RCC?
- Clear cell (75%)
2. Papillary (10%)
Which aspect of family history can predispose people to RCC?
VHL gene:
Von Hippel-Lindau syndrome - a hereditary condition associated with tumours arising in multiple organs.
Aetiology and pathogenesis for RCC?
- Environmental factors causing genetic mutations e.g. smoking
- Inherited genetic mutations e.g. VHL gene
These mutations accumulate –> ‘hallmarks of cancer’ accumulate –> malignant cell
The effects of cancers can be:
1) Local primary effects of tumour
2) Effects of distant metastases
3) Paraneoplastic syndromes: signs and symptoms that are NOT related to local effects of the primary of metastatic tumours.
How can paraneoplastic syndromes develop?
These develop as a result of either:
a. Proteins/hormones secreted by the tumour cells
b. Immune cross reactivity between tumour cells and normal tissues
What are the primary effects of RCCs?
Haematuria
Abdominal pain
What are the 2 most common locations of distant metastases in RCCs? What are their effects here?
Lung mets (‘cannonball metastases) –> SOB etc
Bone mets –> Bone pain etc
What paraneoplastic syndromes can RCCs lead to?
- Weight loss (‘cancer cachexia)
- Hypertension
- Polycythaemia
How can RCCs cause hypertension?
o Kidneys produce renin which regulates blood pressure
o Increased renin production from tumour causes hypertension
How can RCCs lead to polycythaemia?
Tumour produces erythropoietin (stimulates production of RBCs)
Define polycythaemia?
a high concentration of RBCs in your blood
What is a Wilms’ tumour? What is it also known as?
Nephroblastoma
Cancer of the kidney that arises from nephroblasts (cells that develop into the kidney in embryological development)
Epidemiology of Wilm’s tumour?
• Children under 5 • 5-10% associated with genetic syndromes: o Beckwith-Weidemann Syndrome o WAGR Syndrome o Denys-Drash Syndrome
What are common features of Beckwith-Weidemann Syndrome?
The most common features include macrosomia (large body size) and macroglossia (large tongue)
Mutations in which gene can lead to Wilm’s tumour and Denys-Drash Syndrome etc?
WT1
For Wilms’ tumours, what are the:
1) Local primary tumour effects
2) Effects of distant metastases
3) Paraneoplastic syndromes?
1) a. Abdominal distention (especially if bilateral – 10% of Wilms’ Tumours are bilateral)
b. Haematuria
2) Mets are rare
3) PNS are rare
What is urolithiasis?
Stones forming in the lumen of the urinary tract, anywhere from renal calyx to the bladder.
Aka urinary tract calculi/stones.
What are the different types of urinary stones?
- Calcium stones (70%)
- Urate stones (5%)
- Cystine stones (1%)
- Struvite stones (15%) (magnesium ammonium phosphate)
What is the aetiology of:
1) calcium stones
2) urate stones
3) cystine stones
4) struvite stones
1) hypercalcaemia
2) gout, malignancy (high cell turnover)
3) congenital cystinuria (kidneys unable to reabsorb amino acids)
4) UTI with a bacteria that can produce urease e.g. proteus
What is congenital cystinuria ? What types of urinary stones can it lead to?
Cystinuria is a rare hereditary kidney disorder that results in excretion of the amino acid cystine into the urine due to kidneys being unable to reabsorb them, often causing cystine stones to form in the urinary tract.
For a UTI to cause struvite stones, what bacteria must it be?
a bacteria that can produce urease e.g. proteus
Pathogenesis of calcium, urate and cystine stones:
- Too high a concentration of soluble material
- Urine becomes saturated
- Soluble material precipitates out
- Stones form
Pathogeneis of struvite stones:
- UTI with urease producing bacteria e.g. proteus
- Urease converts urea to ammonia
- Ammonia causes pH to rise
- Precipitation of magnesium ammonium phosphate salts
- Stones form
How does a bacteria that can produce urease lead to struvite stones?
Urease converts urea to ammonia
Ammonia causes pH to rise
Precipitation of magnesium ammonium phosphate salts
Stones form
The pain from urolithiasis depends on the location of the stone. Where does the pain present with:
1) Ureter stones
2) Bladder stones
3) Urethra stones
o Ureter: ‘loin to groin’ pain (aka renal colic)
o Bladder: lower abdominal pain
o Urethra: dysuria
Why does urolithiasis present with haematuria?
Due to stone scratching off epithelium
How do calcium urinary stones appear on xrays?
radio opaque therefore can see on x-ray and shows up as white dense area.
How do cystine and urate stones appear on xrays?
Tend not to be visible
How can urolithiasis lead to hydronephrosis and hydroureter?
What is the end result of this?
Stone can get stuck in urinary tract and cause obstruction:
- Ureter gets more distended and so does kidney due to blockage
- Leads to hydronephrosis (swelling of kidney(s) due to build-up of urine) +/- hydroureter (dilation of ureter(s) due to obstruction of urine outflow)
Eventually leads to renal impairment due to pressure on kidney
How can urolithiasis lead to infection?
Due to urinary stasis if there is a blockage
How can urolithiasis lead to SCC risk?
Local trauma caused by stone causes squamous metaplasia (transitional turns into squamous epithelium in order to deal with trauma) –> SCC risk
What is Vesicoureteral Reflux (VUR)?
When the bladder contracts, the urine flows backwards from the bladder to the ureter rather than from the bladder to the urethra.
Who does Vesicoureteral Reflux (VUR) tend to affect??
Young people, especially those under 2
Aetiology of Vesicoureteral Reflux (VUR)?
Congenital abnormality of vesicoureteric junction
What is the vesicoureteric junction?
the most distal portion of the ureter where it connects to the bladder