Extremely Delayed Brain Metastasis from Renal Cell Carcinoma

Brain metastasis occurs in 3.9-24% of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC), with an average interval from nephrectomy to brain metastasis of 1 to 3 years. A few cases have been reported where brain metastasis occurred after a delay of more than 10 years from the initial onset of renal cell carcinoma. This long interval for central nervous system metastasis from the primary cancer has been recognized as an indicator of better prognosis. Histopathological confirmation and aggressive treatment must be considered in these delayed brain metastases cases, since the patients usually show long survival and good prognosis. We present a case of a 76-year-old woman who developed extremely late multiple brain metastases 18 years after a nephrectomy for RCC.