Secondary amyloidosis of the conjunctiva and mucosa of upper respiratory tract associated with renal cell carcinoma: case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Secondary amyloidosis of the conjunctiva and respiratory mucosal antedating cancer is very rare. We present a case illustrating this rare association in order to draw the attention of clinician to the association between secondary amyloidosis and cancers.
METHOD: We present a 72-yrs-old woman with secondary amyloidosis of conjunctiva and the mucosa of the nasal and para-nasal sinuses secondary to renal cell carcinoma a common medical masquerader. She presented with bleeding fleshy growth on the conjunctivae and in the nostrils and the para nasal sinuses. She also had a left renal mass. The histology of the conjunctivae and mucosa lesions revealed secondary amyloid deposit in the tissues. While the renal biopsy tissue showed papillary renal cell carcinoma.
CONCLUSION: We suggest therefore, that secondary amyloidosis including those of rare sites should be suspected in patients with chronic inflammations and malignancies. And it is also pertinent to look for malignancy in cases of unexplained reactive amyloid.