Case report: renal cell carcinoma metastasis to the tongue

Tongue metastasis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are rare, with 90% of malignant lesions in the oral cavity consisting of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). There are a number of subtypes of SCC which need to be considered as well as rarer pathology and even benign conditions. The case involves a 63-year-old gentleman with an incidental finding of pulmonary metastasis from a RCC of the left kidney, and he concurrently had a RCC deposit on the dorsum of the tongue, which was diagnosed after biopsy. Treatment modalities of surgical excision, radiotherapy and systemic therapy are considered, but with such a poor prognosis with disseminated disease, options are limited. Treatment should include multidisciplinary team input, with a focus on reducing disease morbidity.