Isolated rib metastases from renal cell carcinoma

Osseous metastases of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are the second most frequent location after lung metastases. They rarely present as isolated location. When isolated, resection may offer five-year survival rates of 30-60%. The purpose of the current study is to focus on a particular subset, the isolated rib metastases (IRM). The files of six patients who underwent radical resection for IRM were reviewed. All had previous radical nephrectomy for clear-cell renal cancer. The mean age of these six men was 55.3 years. Preoperative evaluation included in all patients a conventional chest radiograph and thoracic computed tomography (CT) scanning. Chest wall resections were wide and curative. The mean disease-free interval (DFI) after renal cancer treatment was 25 months. There was no postoperative death. Two patients had synchronous disease. One of them developed two recurrences operated on by large resections. They survived for 77 and 81 months. The overall five and ten-year survival rates were respectively, 83 and 66.7%. IRM of RCC are rare and remain not well-known. Surgical wide resection is a safe and effective treatment.