A clinical analysis of multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma and its correlation with mutation of the von Hippel-Lindau gene / 中华泌尿外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To discuss the diagnosis and surgical management of multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma (MCRCC) and to evaluate the gene function of the mutation of von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene in MCRCC. Methods Seventeen MCRCC cases (11 men and 6 women) out of 512 cases of renal cell carcinoma from 2000 to 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. The mean age of the 17 patients was 46 years (37-61 years). Ultrasonography and CT were available in all 17 cases, and 1 case was misdiagnosed as parapelvic renal cyst. The mutation of VHL gene was detected by PCR in the specimens of can-cerous tissue and adjacent normal tissue from 11 cases of MCRCC. Results Three of 17 cases underwent nephron sparing surgery, the others underwent radical nephrectomy. One case underwent unroofing of parapelvic renal cyst, but the rapid frozen pathology of the cyst wall showed renal cell carcinoma of clear type. As a result, radical nephrectomy was eventually performed. All 17 cases were confirmed as MCRCC by eva-luating pathological characteristics, such as the cyst wall lined by single or several layers of clear tumor cells and the nuclei which were small and anachromasis. Clinical stages of all cases were T1N0M0, in which there were 14 cases with pathological T1G1 and 3 cases with pathological T1G2. All patients underwent a follow-up of 9 to 36 months (mean, 12 months) without recurrence or metastasis. Mutation of VHL gene was detected in 7 of 11 cases (64%), but all adjacent normal tissues were negative. Conclusions As a rare subtype of renal cell carcinoma, MCRCC is difficult to diagnose. CT is an essential measure in diagnosis of MCRCC preoperatively. Because of the good prognosis of reported cases, nephron sparing surgery for the treatment of MCRCC is recommended. VHL gene mutations may play an important role in the carcinogenesis of MCRCC.