Renal-ovarian axis: a case report and review.

The renal-ovarian axis is a unique and rare phenomenon manifested by an interesting interrelationship between the ovary and kidney. The similar embryologic development, the histologic similarities of these malignancies, and asymmetric venous outflow represent the foundation of this theoretical axis. A poor understanding of this metastatic spread has led to missed, or delayed, diagnosis of the primary malignancy. We describe the only case of a late recurrent metastatic ovarian carcinoma masquerading as a solitary renal cell carcinoma. An exhaustive review of published English reports evaluating the renal-ovarian axis was undertaken to characterize and understand the nuances of this entity.