Extremely delayed solitary cerebral metastasis in patient with T1N0M0 renal cell carcinoma after radical nephrectomy: Case report and literature review

RATIONALE: Although renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is one of the common origins of brain metastasis, few cases of extremely delayed brain metastasis from RCC, more than 10 years after nephrectomy, have been reported. We present a rare case of extremely delayed brain metastasis from RCC, also performed a literature review to increase knowledge of the characteristics for extremely delayed brain metastasis from RCC. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 72-year-old man presented with right-sided hemiplegia and dysarthria. The patient had a history of radical nephrectomy for RCC with stage T1N0M0 15 years earlier. DIAGNOSIS: Magnetic resonance imaging with contrast revealed a 2-cm sized non-homogenous enhanced mass in the left frontal lobe with peritumoral edema. The pathological examination after surgery reported metastatic clear cell RCC. INTERVENTIONS: A craniotomy for removal of the mass was performed at the time of diagnosis. Stereotactic radiosurgery was performed for the tumor bed 3 weeks after craniotomy, and then, chemotherapy was started 2 months after the SRS. OUTCOMES: Metastasis progressed to multiple organs 6 months after the craniotomy. The patient chose a hospice and no longer visited the hospital. LESSONS: In cases with a history of nephrectomy for RCC, long period follow-up is necessary for monitoring RCC brain metastasis and pathologic diagnosis should be confirmed.