Recurrent metachronous metastatic multifocal renal cell carcinoma to the pancreas

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) metastatic to the pancreas may present synchronously or years after the initial diagnosis. In the absence of more widespread disease, surgical extirpation is recommended and is often associated with long-term survival. Most patients present with isolated metastases, with the vast majority of the literature pertaining to this select group. Multifocal metastases and recurrent metastatic disease after previous surgical resection of the pancreas for RCC have been less well described. Most often, surgery has been performed in these latter populations, although data with respect to long-term survival remains incomplete. Despite the use of routine CT, multifocal disease is often discovered unexpectedly at the time of surgical exploration or on final pathologic analysis, and diagnostic strategies to improve recognition of this entity have been incompletely assessed. Management of recurrent metastatic and multifocal RCC to the pancreas within the context of the existing literature is suggested.