Go back to clinical information and images

Diagnosis: Multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma

This tumor, also called multicystic (or cystic) renal cell carcnoma, is a neoplasm composed entirely of numerous cysts with clear cells indistinguishable from clear cell carcinoma.

This neoplasm is entirely composed of cysts; the number of carcinoma cells is small. Expansive nodules of carcinoma cells are not present in the septa of this multicystic lesion; if there are solid nodules of clear cells, conventional clear cell renal carcinoma must be diagnosed. Multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma consists of a well-circumscribed mass of small and large cysts filled with serous or haemorrhagic fluid and separated from the kidney by a fibrous capsule. The cysts are usually lined by a single layer of epithelial cells. The lining cells may be flat or plump and their cytoplasm ranges from clear to pale. Occasionally, the lining consists of several layers of cells or a few small papillae are present. The nuclei almost always are small, with dense chromatin (Fuhrman grade 1). The septa consist of fibrous tissue, without renal parenchyma. Within some of the septa there may be a population of epithelial cells with clear cytoplasm; this epithelial cells resemble those lining the cysts and almost always have small dark nuclei; the clear cells form small collections but do not form expansile nodules.

Prognosis is excellent, with no reported cases presenting recurrence or metastasis. Even so, the word "carcinoma" is used in the WHO classification (Eble JN. Multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma. In: Eble JN et al (Editors): Pathology and Genetics of Tumours of the Urinary System and Male Genital Organs (WHO classification of tumours), IARC Press, Lyon, France, 2004, p. 26)

See the chapter [Renal Neoplasms] with atlas and text (only in spanish).

Go back to clinical information and images

References

• Radopoulos D, Dimitriadis G, Gologinas P, Tahmatzopoulos A, Kotakidou R. Solitary multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma in adults: diagnostic problems, pathological features and treatment. Scand J Urol Nephrol. 2009;43(1):84-7. [PubMed link]
• Gong K, Zhang N, He Z, Zhou L, Lin G, Na Y. Multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma: an experience of clinical management for 31 cases. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol. 2008 Apr;134(4):433-7. [PubMed link]
• Suzigan S, Lopez-Beltran A, Montironi R, Drut R, Romero A, Hayashi T, Gentili AL, Fonseca PS, Detorres I, Billis A, Japp LC, Bollito E, Algaba F, Requena-Tapias MJ. Multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma : a report of 45 cases of a kidney tumor of low malignant potential. Am J Clin Pathol. 2006;125:1-6. [PubMed link]
• Hora M, Hes O, Michal M, Boudová L, Chudácek Z, Kreuzberg B, Klecka J. Extensively cystic renal neoplasms in adults (Bosniak classification II or III)--possible "common" histological diagnoses: multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma, cystic nephroma, and mixed epithelial and stromal tumor of the kidney. Int Urol Nephrol. 2005;37(4):743-50. [PubMed link]
• Han KR, Janzen NK, McWhorter VC, Kim HL, Pantuck AJ, Zisman A, Figlin RA, Dorey FJ, Said JW, Belldegrun AS. Cystic renal cell carcinoma: biology and clinical behavior. Urol Oncol. 2004 Sep-Oct;22(5):410-4. [PubMed link]
• Imura J, Ichikawa K, Takeda J, Tomita S, Yamamoto H, Nakazono M, Takimoto T, Ueda Y, Fujimori T. Multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma: a clinicopathological, immuno- and lectin histochemical study of nine cases. APMIS. 2004 Mar;112(3):183-91. [PubMed link]
• Eble JN. Multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma. In: Eble JN et al (Editors): Pathology and Genetics of Tumours of the Urinary System and Male Genital Organs (WHO classification of tumours), IARC Press, Lyon, France, 2004, p. 26

[Top]

Go back to clinical information and images