Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland metastatic to the kidney: case report and review of the literature.

Introduction: Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a malignant neoplasm that arises within secretory glands. It rarely occurs in the lacrimal gland. Kidney metastases are very rare.

Case Presentation: We report a case of a 76-year-old female patient treated with right radical nephrectomy because of the tumour mass of the right kidney. Well-circumscribed, firm, grey mass was found on the lower pole of the kidney. Histologically, tumour was considered to be ACC. Retrospective history data showed ACC of the lacrimal gland surgically treated 14 years before with metastasis to the lung operated seven years before. Our diagnosis was metastatic ACC to the kidney.

Conclusion: ACC has a remarkable capacity for recurrence. To our knowledge, in the English-speaking area (PubMed), 10 cases of ACC metastatic to the kidney have been described to date, and this is the second reported case of kidney metastasis from primary lacrimal ACC.