Adenoid cystic carcinoma metastatic to the kidney: a case report.

BACKGROUND

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) of kidney lesions under image control is widespread and well documented. This technique is essential in preoperative differential diagnosis of solid and cystic benign or malignant lesions of the kidney. Kidney metastases are not frequent and are usually described in terminally ill patients, by which time the illness is extended, or in autopsy findings. A small percentage of kidney lesions are metastatic tumors from a known primary location and are found in oncologic controls.

CASE

We present a case of metastasis to the kidney from a palate adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) diagnosed 14 years previously. The patient presented with a kidney cystic lesion. FNA revealed the characteristic features of an ACC.

CONCLUSION

We emphasize the usefulness of FNA in the differential diagnosis of renal metastatic tumors. The characteristic cytologic morphology of ACC permits differentiation between a primary renal tumor and a metastatic process.