Gallbladder metastasis of renal cell carcinoma. A case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Although renal cell carcinoma is known to metastasize mainly to lungs, lymph nodes, bone, liver, brain or adrenal glands, unusual metastatic spread has been published in many case reports and autoptical studies. The gallbladder is rarely the site of distant metastases, and in most cases of gallbladder metastasis malignant melanoma is the primary tumor. A review of the literature revealed only 7 cases of renal cell carcinoma metastasizing to the gallbladder, and these were mainly found at necropsy. The case of a clinically detected gallbladder metastasis is presented.