Galbladder metastasis from renal cell carcinoma presenting as intraluminal polypoid mass and hemobilia: A case report

Renal cell carcinoma is known for its ability to spread to other organs of the body. The most common metastatic sites are the lung and mediastinum (50%), bones (49%), skin (11%), liver (8%) and brain (3%). We report a rare case of a metachronous gallbladder metastasis in a 56-year old woman, diagnosed 10 years after the discovery of a left renal cell carcinoma. The lesion presented as an intraluminal polypoid mass with clinical features of hemobilia and anemia. In August 2006, the patient underwent typical cholecystectomy, which revealed a polypoid malignant lesion of 55 x 40 x 35 mm confined to the gallbladder mucosa with adherent blood clots. Histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of a polypoid submucosal metastasis from renal cell carcinoma. Cholecystectomy with intraoperative cholangiography was performed. The patient was followed every six months, and remained disease-free at two-year follow-up.