RENAL COLLECTING DUCT CARCINOMA IN AN 8-YEAR-OLD CHILD

A fatal collecting duct carcinoma, presenting with pleural metastases, arose from the right kidney in an 8-year-old child. A distal nephron origin of the tumor is supported by positive tumor staining with Ulex europaeus and Arachis hypogaea, and a lack of staining with Tetragonol obus lotus. The ultrastructural features of short stubby microvilli, s mooth basal cell membranes, and lateral membrane infoldings also suppo rt a distal nephron origin (inner most inner medullary collecting duct ). This rare childhood renal neoplasm behaved similarly to that report ed in adults with metastatic disease at presentation and a short fatal clinical course.