Metastatic renal cell carcinoma with metabolic syndrome--a case report

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) affects patients by proliferating in the renal tubules, resulting in renal failure and concomitant urinalysis findings of blood, protein, casts, and abnormal cells in the urine. If untreated, it can spread to the lymph nodes, liver, and lungs. There is currently no proven tumor marker for RCC. The clinical case reported here describes the clinical laboratory findings in a patient with 2 common co-morbidities (metabolic syndrome and alcoholism), who was found to have metastatic renal cell carcinoma at autopsy. Understanding the clinical chemistry of metastatic carcinoma in the presence of common co-morbidities is important for earlier diagnosis and treatment of patients who are most likely to develop these conditions.