Late solitary cerebral metastases from renal cell carcinoma: report of two cases.

We report two cases of solitary cerebral metastases from renal cell carcinoma 15 and 18 years after nephrectomy. In a review of the literature, only two cases of solitary brain metastasis from renal cell carcinoma with latency periods greater than 10 years have been documented. Our two cases represent the longest latency periods reported between nephrectomy and detection of a solitary cerebral metastasis. Histologic examination and immunohistochemical profile of the primary renal tumors and metastatic cranial tumors showed identical morphology and immunophenotype.