Sarcomatoid carcinoma of the renal pelvis: a case report

A case of sarcomatoid carcinoma of the renal pelvis is reported. A 72-year-old male was admitted with a chief complaint of right flank pain. Clinical imaging studies revealed marked dilation of the right renal pelvis caused by a tumor at the pyeloureteric region. Right nephrectomy was performed in June 1999. The 8.4 x 6.5 cm tumor was grossly polypoid in appearance and protruded into the renal pelvis. Histologically, sarcomatoid spindle cells predominated over the carcinomatous component (mainly transitional cell carcinoma, partly associated with squamous cell and adenocarcinoma components). Osteoclast-like CD68-positive multinucleated giant cells were scattered. The sarcomatoid component was immunoreactive for both cytokeratin and vimentin. Sarcomatoid cells negative for cytokeratin were also noted. In both the sarcomatoid and carcinomatous components, nuclear overexpression of p53 oncoprotein was confirmed. The histogenesis of sarcomatoid carcinoma of the renal pelvis is discussed.