Beyond Boundaries: Metastasis of Cervical Squamous Cell Carcinoma to the Kidney

TL;DR

This paper reports a rare case of cervical cancer metastasizing to the kidney, highlighting the importance of thorough clinical evaluation.

Contribution

The study documents an exceptionally rare metastatic pattern of cervical squamous cell carcinoma to the kidney.

Findings

Cervical squamous cell carcinoma metastasized to the kidney in a patient with prior treatment.

Histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses confirmed the metastasis.

The case emphasizes the need for multidisciplinary evaluation in unusual clinical presentations.

Abstract

Cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is an aggressive gynecological malignancy that commonly metastasizes to the lungs, liver, and bones; renal involvement is extremely rare. We report the case of a 68-year-old woman with a history of high-grade cervical SCC, treated a decade earlier with hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, who recently presented with right flank pain and hematuria. Imaging revealed a mass involving the bladder and right distal ureter causing hydronephrosis. She underwent a cystoscopy with right ureteral stenting and transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURBT). Intraoperative examination revealed a mass in the right lateral vaginal wall.

Histopathological examination of the TURBT specimen revealed invasive high-grade non-papillary SCC infiltrating the bladder wall, with sparing of the urothelial mucosa. Immunohistochemistry confirmed human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated, Grade 3 (poorly differentiated) recurrent cervical SCC.

A dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) scan demonstrated a non-functioning right kidney, and due to recurrent infections, she underwent a robotic-assisted right nephrectomy. Pathological examination of the renal specimen confirmed metastatic cervical SCC. This case illustrates a rare metastatic pathway of cervical cancer and underscores the importance of multidisciplinary evaluation in complex clinical presentations.

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