Bellini duct carcinoma

The modern era has brought an appreciation that renal cell carcinoma (RCC) includes diverse subtypes derived from the various parts of the nephron, each with its distinctive genetic basis and tumor biology. Carcinoma of the collecting ducts of Bellini (CDC) is a rare subtype of RCC, with a predictably poor prognosis. This rare subtype represents less than 1% of all kidney carcinomas. It derives from presumably numerous chromosomal losses. It is of chief importance to differentiate CDC from other types of renal cell cancer. Typically, it is characterized by a firm, centrally located tumor with infiltrative borders. Regarding the histopathologic characteristics, we can find complex, highly infiltrative cords with inflamed (desmoplastic) stroma, with high-grade nuclei and mitoses. Most reported cases of CDC had been high grade, advanced stage, and unresponsive to conventional therapies. This rare form of disease highlights the importance of multidisciplinary teams in the management of cancer patients.

Full recovery of a stage IV cancer patient facing COVID-19 pandemic

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), first recognized in Wuhan, China, was recently declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Advanced age and comorbid disease, well-known characteristics in the solid tumor population, have been reported as risk factors for severe disease and death. Cancer-related immunosuppression and its treatments also seem to play an active role in the prognosis, response, and clinical outcomes of these patients. The most effective combination therapy for COVID-19 is still under investigation, and the use of corticosteroids is controversial. Although, as a group, metastatic cancer patients are often considered not to be good candidates for ICU treatment, the individual prognosis should always come into consideration, even in a context of high pressure on medical facilities. We report the case of a stage IV prostate cancer patient infected with SARS-CoV-2 who required ICU admission and recovered from COVID-19 infection. Further studies are needed in order to identify accurate clinical prognostic criteria and provide the best treatment for these challenging patients.