The Apparent Disappearance of Pulmonary Metastasis in a Case of Hypernephroma Following Nephrectomy

Abstract

Hypernephromatous tissue is known to invade the renal veins in a large percentage of cases and metastasis would therefore be expected to occur, yet following nephrectomy permanent cure is not uncommon. Four cases living over 10 yrs. after nephrectomy in which malignant tissue was found in the renal vein are cited, and 1 case in which metastasis, demonstrated by the roentgen ray, disappeared after nephrectomy, and the patient is still living 5 yrs. later. The author believes there must exist some cytolytic substance specific for hypernephromatous cells to explain this apparent absorption of neoplastic cells.