Atypical metastasis of renal cell carcinoma to the uvula: case report and review of literature

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a common malignancy with high metastatic potential, primarily due to its extensive vascularity. Common sites of metastasis include lungs, bone, lymph nodes, liver, and brain. However, rare cases of metastasis to other sites including inguinal lymph nodes, peritoneum/mesentery, and orbit have been published in the literature. Herein, a unique case involving metastasis of RCC to the uvula is presented. The patient is a 55-year-old White female with a past medical history of stage 3 (T3aN0M0) RCC s/p nephrectomy 3 years prior to presentation. She had symptoms of a foreign body sensation at the back of her throat, and oropharyngeal examination revealed uvular erythematous mass with vascularity. Uvular biopsy and complete excision were performed, which revealed metastatic RCC. Palate biopsy was negative and revealed only squamous mucosa with mild chronic inflammation. To our knowledge, there is only one other documented case of RCC metastasis to the uvula in the literature.