[Renal cell carcinoma metastases to the head and neck].

INTRODUCTION The kidney is the third primary infraclavicular localization of malignant neoplasms metastasizing to the head and neck. The objective of this paper is to analyze the clinical presentation, diagnostic difficulties, management and outcome of metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the head and neck. MATERIAL AND METHODS Retrospective review of four patients with renal cell carcinoma who have developed head and neck metastases and have been hospitalized in the ENT Department of the Medical University of Gdansk over the past 35 years. RESULTS There were three women and one man in the examined material. The localizations of metastasizing renal cell carcinoma were: the larynx, the parotid gland, the cervical lymphnodes and the nasopharynx. In two patients metastatic tumor was the first clinical presentation of the disease and in the next two, time between treatment of the primary localization and occurring head and neck metastases was one and ten years. All patients, except one, were treated surgically. Two patients died, two are alive and the survival periods are one and three years. CONCLUSIONS Renal cell carcinoma metastases to the head and neck region are infrequent but can cause difficulties in diagnosis and proper management. Despite of possibility of local excision, prognosis in metastasizing renal cell carcinoma is still unfavourable.