[Primary intestinal-type adenocarcinoma of the renal pelvis associated with lithiasis: a case report]. / Adénocarcinome de type intestinal primitif du bassinet: à propos d'un cas développé au contact d'une lithiase coralliforme.

A case of primary adenocarcinoma of the renal pelvis occurring in a 57-year-old woman who had no previous history is reported. The lesions were thought to be a renal destruction by pyelolithiasis upon symptomatology and imaging study data. A nephrectomy was thus performed. Macroscopic examination revealed voluminous and exophytic lesions surrounding lithiasis. Diagnosis of intestinal-type adenocarcinoma of the renal pelvis was established on histological examination. No evidence of other tumor localization was revealed by complete exploration. Primary adenocarcinoma of renal pelvis is a rare and often mucinous intestinal-type tumour. Chronic inflammation and renal lithiasis seem to be associated with this tumour. Few cases are reported and prognosis is doubtful. The main differential diagnosis to eliminate is secondary lesions to the kidney of adenocarcinoma from another origin. A careful pathological examination in case of pyelonephritic kidney is necessary to look for an associated tumour.

Environmental factors involved in carcinogenesis of urothelial cell carcinomas of the upper urinary tract.

Primary cancers of the ureter and renal pelvis are rare tumours, > 90% of which are transitional cell carcinomas. Only approximately 5% of urothelial tumours arise in the upper urinary tract (UUT). Many environmental factors contribute to the development of these cancers. Some are similar to bladder cancer-associated factors (tobacco, occupational exposure), while others are more specific to carcinogenesis of the UUT (phenacetine, Balkan endemic nephropathy [BEN], Chinese herb nephropathy or association with Blackfoot disease [BFD]). This review discusses the environmental factors involved in UUT carcinoma. Tobacco and occupational exposure remain the principal exogenous risk factors for developing these tumours. Conversely, carcinogenesis of UUT tumours resulting from phenacetine consumption has almost disappeared. Although the incidence of BEN is also on the decline, roles for aristolochic acid and the consumption of Chinese herbs in the physiopathology and induction of this nephropathy, respectively, have proposed. In Taiwan, the association of this tumour type with BFD and arsenic exposure remains unclear to date. As some genetic polymorphisms are associated with an increased risk of cancer or faster disease progression, there is variability in interindividual susceptibility to the development of UUT carcinoma when exposed to the aforementioned risk factors Cytosolic sulfotransferases (SULTs) catalyse the detoxification of many environmental chemicals but also in the bioactivation of dietary and other mutagens. Polymorphism of the SULT gene, is thought to confer susceptibility to upper tract tumours.