Testicular Metastasis from Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Approximately one-third of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is recognized in its metastatic stage. This systematic review aimed to summarize knowledge on the occurrence and treatment of testicular RCC metastasis. The literature search was performed by two authors independently, with the use of main electronic medical databases (Science Direct, Web of Science, and PubMed) until March 2023 to identify relevant articles that could potentially contribute to this review. Neither language nor publication dates were set as limits. Although we found a total of 51 case reports, only 31 of them contained all the required information. Testicular metastasis in patients with RCC suggests a late stage of the disease. Moreover, it usually does not present typical systemic or specific symptoms except for swelling and enlargement of the affected testis. Knowledge of the possibility of such variants of RCC metastases will allow a clinician to make an appropriate diagnosis and implement adequate treatment without delay, which is crucial in the management of neoplastic disease.

The Cellular Stress and Cutaneous Manifestations in Renal Cell Carcinomas—A Narrative Review

“…The tendency for RCC metastases to occur in the testicles (ipsilateral, contralateral, bilateral) may be related to preferential spread pathways between the kidney and testicles, including retrograde venous spread through the spermatic vein, Baston's venous complex, and iatrogenic spread of cancer cells to the testicles [58]. Testicular metastases in RCC patients suggest a late stage of the disease and do not present typical systemic or specific symptoms except for swelling and enlargement of the affected testicle [69]. Metastatic RCC involving the penis has been described as a lesion resembling a pyogenic granuloma with painful, persistent penile nodules.…”