Renal Cell Carcinoma Metastases to Thyroid and Pancreas: A Rare Occurrence

To report on a case of late metastases of clear cell renal carcinoma to the thyroid and pancreas.

A 51-year-old female with a history of nephrectomy 15 years prior for renal cell carcinoma presented with new metastases in the thyroid and pancreas, which were surgically excised.

Pathology noted that both lesions were clear cell carcinomas, and the immunohistochemistry was consistent with metastases from clear cell renal carcinoma.

1) Renal cell carcinoma can present late metastases to unusual organs like the thyroid and pancreas. 2) A prior history of renal cell carcinoma should raise suspicions of metastases when evaluating a thyroid or pancreatic mass. 3) An ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy of the thyroid may not be diagnostic. 4) The treatment of choice is surgical resection.