Spindle cell renal cell carcinoma diagnosed after sunitinib treatment for chromophobe renal cell carcinoma

Introduction Chromophobe renal cell carcinoma presents in early pathological stages with a lower risk of metastasis. However, aggressive features and metastasis can occur. A rare case of rapidly progressive disease with histological changes is presented. Case presentation A 56-year-old woman had a right renal tumor with multiple lymph node metastases, and the pathological diagnosis of the biopsy specimens from the primary tumor was chromophobe renal cell carcinoma. After sunitinib treatment, the metastatic lymph node had decreased in size and the numbers of circulating tumor cells were decreased, consequently, cytoreductive nephrectomy was performed. However, rapid progression of lymph node metastases was observed. Histopathological examination showed that the renal tumor was diagnosed as spindle cell renal carcinoma. Conclusion It appears that the primary tumor underwent epithelial-mesenchymal transition; further tissue specimen collection and analysis might be needed.