Chromophobe cell renal carcinoma: a clinical and pathologic study / 中华泌尿外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the clinical and pathologic features of chromophobe cell renal carcinoma and to improve the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. Methods The clinical and pathologic data of 19 patients (10 men and 9 women;mean age,53 years) with chromophobe cell renal carcinoma (9 on the left and 10 on the right) were analyzed.Of the 19 cases,12 were incidentally diagnosed of renal tumor during physical examination.Gross hematuria,low back pain and discomfort and abdominal mass occurred in 7 cases. Results B-ultrasound was mainly characterized by low echo of mass with intact capsule.CT scan revealed that most of the tumors were homogeneous hypodense solid masses,which were well circumscribed.The tumors averaged 8.2 cm in diameter.By TNM staging,8 cases had T_1N_0M_0 stage tumors and 11 cases had T_2N_0M_0 stage tumors.Radical nephrectomy was performed in 17 cases,and partial nephrectomy,in 2 cases.Follow-up was available for 16 patients (mean,4.8 years;range,3 months to 16 years)who were alive without recurrence and metastasis.Pathological features were as follows.①The cross-sections of the tumors were grossly homogeneous, dark brown and solid. One case had fibrous bands coalescence in the center of the tumor.②Microscopically the tumors were composed of 2 types of cells, typical and eosinophilic types,with very distinct borders.③Immunohistochemical assay was positive for CK8 and negative for Vimentin, and Hale colloidal iron staining was positive for the carcinoma cells.④Electron microscopy showed large numbers of vesicles within the cytoplasm. Conclusions Chromophobe cell renal carcinoma is a morphologically distinctive neoplasm with no specific findings on B-ultrasound and CT examinations.The tumors are larger in most cases but usually at early TNM stages with a favorable prognosis.