Metastatic renal cell carcinoma in the neck: an unusual presentation.

UNLABELLED: Metastasis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) to the head and neck region is infrequent. A rare case of metastatic RCC, presenting as an enlarging neck mass and radiologically mimicking a carotid body tumour clinically and radiographically, presented in a 68-year-old male patient, 18 months after radical nephrectomy for RCC. It is estimated that 14-16% of all patients with renal cell carcinomas have metastases above the clavicle. However, there are no reported cases of metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the neck mimicking a carotid body tumour.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Renal cell carcinoma is the third most common neoplasm to metastasize to the head and neck region following breast and lung carcinomas.