Pulmonary manifestations of renal cell carcinoma

Publication Date

2015

Journal Title

Respir Med

Abstract

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for majority of all primary renal neoplasms. Classic manifestations of RCC include the triad of flank pain, hematuria and a palpable renal mass. Patients with RCC can develop various extra renal manifestations including involvements of the lungs, inferior vena cava, liver and the bones. The pulmonary manifestations of renal cell carcinoma include metastatic disease including endobronchial, pleural, parenchymal or lymph node metastasis, pleural effusion or hemothorax. Pulmonary embolism and tumor embolism is another common manifestation of renal cell carcinoma. RCC is a highly vascular tumor and can cause pulmonary arterio-venous fistulas leading to high output failure. Rarely, RCC can also present with paraneoplastic presentations including cough or bilateral diaphragm paralysis. Drugs used to treat RCC have been associated with drug related pneumonitis and form an important differential diagnosis in patients with RCC on therapy presenting with shortness of breath. In this review we discuss the various pulmonary manifestations of RCC. A high index of suspicion with these presentations can lead to an early diagnosis and assist in instituting an appropriate intervention.

Volume Number

109

Issue Number

12

Pages

1505-8

Document Type

Article

EPub Date

2015/11/04

Status

Faculty, Northwell Researcher

Facility

School of Medicine; Northwell Health

Primary Department

Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine

PMID

26525375

DOI

10.1016/j.rmed.2015.10.002

For the public and Northwell Health campuses

Share

COinS