Metástasis testicular de cáncer renal de células claras: reporte de un caso y revisión de literatura / Testicular Metastasis of clear cell renal cancer: report of a case and review of literature

INTRODUCCIÓN: El carcinoma renal es la tercera neoplasia dentro de los tumores genitourinarios, correspondiendo a un 3 por ciento del total de tumores malignos primarios del adulto a nivel mundial. En Chile tiene una mortalidad de 2-3/100.000 habitantes, presentando un 30 por ciento metástasis al momento del diagnóstico, siendo las metástasis testiculares infrecuentes. CASO CLÍNICO: Hombre de 73 años, con antecedente de varicocele izquierdo sintomático sometido a nefrectomía radical laparoscópica izquierda en Mayo 2011 por tumor renal. Biopsia informa carcinoma de células claras tipo clásico, que invade cápsula renal y teiido adiposo perirrenal con área de carcinoma sarcomatoide. Etapificación: Pt2B NX. En Diciembre 2011 presenta aumento de volumen nodular, pétreo e indoloro en testículo izquierdo. Ecografía y ecodoppler evidencian lesión focal hipoecogénica, sólida. Marcadores tumorales negativos. Tras orquiectomía radical izquierda, biopsia indica metástasis de carcinoma de células claras renal. Tomografía computarizada de tórax abdomen y pelvis informa múltiples nódulos pulmonares de aspecto metastásico, clasificándosele en etapa IV, actualmente con cuidados paliativos DISCUSIÓN: Los metástasis testiculares son infrecuentes encontrándose como hallazgos en autopsias u orquiectomías, presentes simultáneamente con el tumor primario renal o precediendo a su diagnóstico. La mayoría son ipsilaterales izquierdas, asociadas a varicocele, y su baja incidencia podría deberse a su temperatura y localización anatómica distal. CONCLUSIÓN: El caso expuesto ilustra la infrecuente presentación de una metástasis de cáncer renal como masa testicular la cual debiese ser considerada frente a una masa sin antecedente de otro cáncer primario o con marcadores germinales negativos, aunque no ha sido descrita previamente en nuestro medio.

INTRODUCTION: Renal cell carcinoma is the third neoplasia in genitourinary tumors, corresponding to 3 percent of adult primary malignant tumors worldwide. In Chile it has a 2-3/100.000 mortality, 30 percent showing metastasis at diagnosis, testicular metastases being rare. CASE REPORT: 73 year old man with a history of symptomatic varicocele who underwent a left radical nephrectomy for renal tumor in May 2011. Biopsy reports clear cell carcinoma classic type that invades renal capsule and perirenal adipose teiido with sarcomatoid carcinoma area. Staging: Pt2B NX. In December 2011 he presents a painless nodular tumor in the left testicle. Doppler ultrasonography evidences a hypoechoic solid focal lesion. Tumor Markers are negative. After left radical orchiectomy, biopsy shows metastasis of renal clear cell carcinoma. Computed tomography of the chest, abdomen and pelvis reported multiple pulmonary metastatic nodules. He was classified as stage IV and currently recieves palliative care DISCUSSION: testicular metastases are an uncommon finding usually in autopsies or orchiectomy samples, present simultaneously or preceding the primary renal tumor. Most are ipsilateral left and are associated with varicocele. Its low incidence may be due to its anatomical distal location or temperature. CONCLUSION: This case illustrates an uncommon presentation of a metastatic renal cancer. It ought to be considered against a testicular mass with no history of another primary cancer or negative germ cell tumor markers, This uncommon finding has not been previously described in our media.

Implications of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of obstructive uropathy.

Although the functional and clinical alterations occurring in patients with obstructive uropathy are not well understood, it has been suggested that oxidative stress could contribute in the mechanism responsible for the impairment of sodium and water balance. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that red wine administration causes an amelioration of both the renal damage and impairment of renal Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activity occurring after ureteral obstruction in the rat. Twenty-four male Wistar adult rats weighting 200-250 g were used. Half of them received a 10-week treatment with wine as the sole fluid source, while the other group received water. Both groups were subjected to 24-h unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Kidney tissue was collected following the relief of the ligature to perform the biochemical assessments. Urine and blood samples were taken at baseline and after the relief. Results show that the treatment with red wine significantly enhances the activity of antioxidant enzymes, and thus reduces renal lipid peroxidation secondary to UUO, which correlated negatively with Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activity. Based on this and other previous data, it could be suggested that red wine administration may prevent renal damage secondary to UUO by inducing enhanced antioxidant potential.

Clinical pharmacology and therapeutic use of antioxidant vitamins.

The clinical use of antioxidants has gained considerable interest during the last decade. It was suggested from epidemiological studies that diets high in fruits and vegetables might help decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, supplements of vitamins C and E were applied through protocols aimed to prevent diseases such as atherosclerosis, preeclampsia or hypertension, thought to be mediated by oxidative stress. Despite the biological properties of these vitamins could account for an effective protection, as shown by several clinical and experimental studies, their efficacy remains controversial in the light of some recent clinical trials and meta-analyses. However, the methodology of these studies, criteria for selection of patients, the uncertain extent of progression of the disease when initiating supplementation, the lack of mechanistic studies containing basic scientific aspects, such as the bioavailability, pharmacokinetic properties, and the nature of the antioxidant sources of vitamins, could account for the inconsistency of the various clinical trials and meta-analyses assessing the efficacy of these vitamins to prevent human diseases. This review presents a survey of the clinical use of antioxidant vitamins E and C, proposing study models based on the biological effects of these compounds likely to counteract the pathophysiological mechanisms able to explain the structural and functional organ damage.

Relationship between oxidative stress and essential hypertension.

This study investigated the association of blood pressure with blood oxidative stress-related parameters in normotensive and hypertensive subjects. A cross-sectional design was applied to 31 hypertensive patients and 35 healthy normotensive subjects. All subjects were men between the ages of 35 and 60 years. Exclusion criteria were obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, smoking and current use of any medication. All patients underwent 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and sampling of blood and urine. Antioxidant enzymes activity, reduced/oxidized glutathione ratio (GSH/GSSG), and lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde) were determined in erythrocytes. Parameters measured in the plasma of test subjects were plasma antioxidant status, lipid peroxidation (8-isoprostane), plasma vitamin C and E, and the blood pressure modulators renin, aldosterone, endothelin-1 and homocysteine. Daytime systolic and diastolic blood pressures of hypertensives were negatively correlated with plasma antioxidant capacity (r=-0.46, p<0.009 and r=-0.48, p<0.007), plasma vitamin C levels (r=-0.53, p<0.003 and r=-0.44, p<0.02), erythrocyte activity of antioxidant enzymes, and erythrocyte GSH/GSSG ratio, with hypertensives showing higher levels of oxidative stress. Blood pressures showed a positive correlation with both plasma and urine 8-isoprostane. Neither plasma vitamin E nor the assessed blood pressure modulator levels showed significant differences between the groups or correlation with blood pressures. These findings demonstrate a strong association between blood pressure and some oxidative stress-related parameters and suggest a possible role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of essential hypertension.

Chronic ethanol exposure does not impair urinary acidification even under stressful conditions.

BACKGROUND: Ethanol consumption is known to cause structural and functional renal damage in rat kidney. Acutely, ethanol impairs acid-base regulation, but a chronic effect on urine acidification has not been well elucidated. The aim of the present study was to assess urinary acidification in rats subjected to chronic ethanol consumption and renal function stressors, such as unilateral nephrectomy and/or metabolic acidosis. MATERIAL/METHODS: Ethanol-fed rats received aqueous ethanol 20% (v/v) as the sole drinking fluid for ten weeks. Then unilateral nephrectomy was performed and, five days later, metabolic acidosis was induced by administration of NH(4) Cl (1.5 mmol/kg body weight) twice a day for two days. The urinary acidification rate was assessed seven days after unilateral nephrectomy by determining urine pH, ammonium and titratable acid. RESULTS: Chronic ethanol consumption, with or without unilateral nephrectomy, did not change urine pH, titratable acid, or ammonium excretion. Although NH(4)Cl-induced metabolic acidosis resulted in a significant increase of the acidification rate, the changes were not significantly different between ethanol- fed and control groups. Renal (Na + K)-ATPase was enhanced by chronic ethanol consumption, as well as by unilateral nephrectomy, but not by NH(4)Cl-induced metabolic acidosis. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic ethanol consumption does not impair the urinary acidification function of the rat, even under stressful conditions, such as acid loading and/or unilateral nephrectomy. Although these data cannot be extrapolated to human settings, there is possible application when considering drinkers as potential kidney donors.