Metastatic renal cell carcinoma of the tongue - Case report

Tongue metastasis is rare, occurring mostly in patients with generalized dissemination of malignant tumors. The prognosis is always poor. Among metastatic tumors of the head and neck regions, renal cell carcinoma ranks third after breast and lung carcinomas. Most metastases are discovered in the basal area of the tongue. We present a 74 year-old woman who suffered from renal cell carcinoma with brain and lung metastasis. She complained of four tiny exophytic masses on her dorsal tongue surface. The masses were excised with a CO₂ laser. The pathological report showed metastatic renal cell carcinoma. The patient died two months later. The clinician should keep the possibility of lingual metastasis in mind in patients with primary cancer elsewhere who develop a tumor of the tongue. The need for early and accurate diagnosis is important in order to give proper therapy.