Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is well known for its frequent metastasis and particularly to the lungs, liver, bones and brain, but metastasis to the skin is rare. We report here on a case of metastatic RCC in a 73-year-old man who presented with a 1.5 cm sized, moist, beefy-red and exophytic nodule on the scalp. The lesion had grown rapidly for 2 months and it clinically mimicked granuloma pyogenicum. A skin biopsy revealed a solid mass composed of clear cells with clear cytoplasm and oval hyperchromatic nuclei, and they were arranged in an alveolar pattern. As skin metastasis from renal cell carcinoma signals widespread systemic metastasis and a poor prognosis, clinicians should conduct a careful inspection of the skin of a patient with RCC and they should also have a high index of suspicion for finding a primary internal organ malignancy in the RCC patients who present with a skin lesion.
Rationale:
Recurrent liposarcoma, previously confirmed as lipoma, has rarely been reported. However, the risk factors for recurrence and the correlation between benign lipoma and malignant liposarcoma remain unclear. In this case study, we suggest a precise diagnostic strategy to minimize recurrence and malignant transformation.
Patient concerns:
A 60-year-old male patient with a history of left chest wall swelling without any symptoms underwent excisional surgery, and the mass was confirmed as a benign lipoma in 2015. In 2019, the patient returned to the hospital with symptoms of a palpable mass on the left chest wall.
Diagnosis:
The mass was considered a recurrent lipomatous tumor with the possibility of malignant transformation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a deep-seated, septate, intramuscular, irregular margin, and large lipomatous tumor invading the ribs, pleura, and adjacent muscle, suggestive of malignancy. The MRI findings were similar to those 4 years ago, except for margin irregularity and invasion to adjacent tissue.
Interventions:
Wide en bloc excisions encompassing the 5th to 7th ribs, pleura, and adjacent muscle were followed by reconstruction with a pedicled latissimus dorsi muscle flap.
Outcomes:
The recurrent large lipomatous tumor was confirmed as well-differentiated liposarcomas through histological and MDM2-FISH immunohistochemical staining. Postoperatively, follow-up visits continued for 1.5 years without recurrence.
Lessons:
We suggest that deep-seated, septate, and giant lipomatous tumors should be considered as risk factors for recurrence with the possibility of malignancy and misdiagnosis. It is important to inform patients of all these possibilities and plan close and long-term follow-up.
Reconstruction of submental defects is a challenge that needs to be approached carefully, since many important anatomical structures are located in this small space. Both aesthetic and functional outcomes should be considered during reconstruction. In this report, we describe a case where a superficial branch of the transverse cervical artery (STCA) perforator propeller flap was applied for coverage of the submental area. An 85-year-old woman presented with a 3-cm ovoid mass on her submental area. We covered the large submental defect with a STCA rotational flap in a 180° propeller pattern. The flap survived well without any complications at 1 year of follow-up. A STCA propeller flap is a useful surgical option in reconstruction for defect coverage of the submental area.
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