[A Case of Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma 40 Years after Radiation Therapy]

Here, we report a case of papillary renal cell carcinoma in a 47-year-old woman. In 1970 (at 5 years old), she was diagnosed with Wilms tumor in her right kidney, and underwent surgery. However, nephrectomy was not possible. Consequently, she received radiation therapy (61. 5 Gy) at the former hospital. Thereafter, the patient regularly visited her physician and had no further problems. In 1998 (at 33 years old), blood was detected in her urine, and renal cell carcinoma was suspected. A computed tomography (CT)-guided biopsy was performed, but tissue collection was difficult due to calcification of the renal parenchyma after radiation treatment. The patient was followed closely without treatment. Since 2003, the patient on her own volition stopped visiting the hospital. Her symptoms gradually worsened and in October 2012 (at 47 years old), she was admitted to our hospital. Based on the imaging findings, a right renal pelvic tumor was suspected. Despite various examinations, including retrograde pyelography, a definitive diagnosis could not be made. Following detailed examinations, we observed that the tumor had developed bone metastases. We started chemotherapy consisting of gemcitabine and cisplatin, but the tumor was resistant to the treatment. Renal cell carcinoma was suspected based on the biopsy results for bone metastasis, and consequently, targeted therapy (pazopanib) was started. However, the patient died in August 2014 (at 49 years old) because of progression of the disease. An autopsy revealed the definitive diagnosis to be papillary renal cell carcinoma type 2.