RENAL-CELL CARCINOMA PRESENTING AS A SOLITARY ANTERIOR SUPERIOR MEDIASTINAL MASS

Lesions of the anterior mediastinum typically include neoplasms of the thymus or thyroid, hemangioma, germ cell neoplasms, lymphoma and othe rs. Renal cell carcinoma often presents with flank pain, hematuria, ab dominal pain and/or fever. Chest cavity involvement by renal cell carc inoma typically manifests as pulmonary parenchymal disease with or wit hout hilar lymph node involvement. We report an unusual presentation o f renal cell carcinoma in a patient who presented with symptoms second ary to a large anterior mediastinal mass. A 64-year-old woman came to the hospital complaining of malaise, cough, dyspnea, weight loss and n ight sweats. Chest roentgenogram and computed tomography revealed a la rge anterior superior mediastinal mass without significant pulmonary p arenchymal disease. She was also noted to have microscopic hematuria a nd a renal mass was found. Histology of both masses revealed renal cel l carcinoma. This case suggests that renal cell carcinoma may merit co nsideration in the differential diagnosis of an anterior mediastinal m ass and illustrates an unusual manner by which this lesion may present .