Small cell carcinoma of the kidney: a case report and review of the literature

• Published in: Archives of pathology & laboratory medicine (1976) Vol. 125; no. 6; pp. 796 - 798
• Main Authors: González-Lois, C, Madero, S, Redondo, P, Alonso, I, Salas, A, Angeles Montalbán, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States College of American Pathologists 01.06.2001
• Subjects: Aged; Aneuploidy; Carcinoma, Small Cell - diagnosis; Carcinoma, Small Cell - genetics; Carcinoma, Small Cell - metabolism; Carcinoma, Small Cell - pathology; Case studies; Diagnosis, Differential; DNA, Neoplasm - analysis; DNA, Neoplasm - genetics; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Kidney cancer; Kidney Neoplasms - diagnosis; Kidney Neoplasms - genetics; Kidney Neoplasms - metabolism; Kidney Neoplasms - pathology; Literature reviews; Microscopy, Electron
• ISSN: 0003-9985; 1543-2165; 1543-2165

Small cell carcinoma is a malignant tumor composed of small cells with a diffuse growth pattern. It has immunohistochemical and ultrastructural features of both neuroendocrine and epithelial neoplasms. These tumors constitute 10% to 20% of malignant tumors in the lung, which is their most frequent site. They have been described in other extrapulmonary sites, where they are defined using the same criteria as used in the lung. These tumors are rarely found in the genitourinary tract. Fewer than 30 cases have been reported in the kidney. The differential diagnosis mainly includes other small round cell tumors and metastatic small cell lung carcinoma. We present and discuss a primary small cell carcinoma of the kidney (to our knowledge the 9th to be reported in the literature), which we studied with light microscopy, immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, and, for the first time, flow cytometry.