Cutaneous metastasis of renal cell carcinoma: a case report

Cutaneous metastasis develops in 5 to 10 percent of high-stage cancer patients. About 6 percent of cutaneous metastases are caused by renal cell carcinomas (RCC). A 64-year-old man presented with a 4-month history of a rapidly enlarging lesion on the mental region. There was a 2 cm x 3 cm multilobular and polypoid angiomatous tumor in the center of the swelling. Histopathologic examination revealed clear cell proliferation with gland formation and red blood cell (RBC) extravasation, compatible with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. The rich vascular structure of RCCs facilitates hematogenous extension and the development of distant metastasis. Arteriovenous and systemic shunts are thought to facilitate the tumor cells' path to the head and neck region. RCC cutaneous metastasis is known to have a vascular appearance. It is important to consider RCC metastasis in the differential diagnosis of new onset tumors with a vascular appearance in the head and neck region.