AA amyloidosis occurs in patients with high levels of serum amyloid A protein (SAA), which is produced by liver cells in response to signals from several pro-inflammatory cytokines.
Chronic inflammatory disease is a major cause of AA amyloidosis; however, malignant neoplasms are rarely reported to be associated with AA amyloidosis. We report herein a case of a solitary lung metastasis of renal cell carcinoma associated with systemic AA amyloidosis. Pathological specimens of the resected lung tumor demonstrated renal cell carcinoma, and the presence of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the lymphocytes and plasma cells surrounding the tumor cells, and AA amyloid in the vascular area, but not in metastatic clear cells. Four weeks after surgery, serum IL-6, SAA, and CRP levels normalized. Although this case is very rare, it is full of interesting suggestions about the pathogenesis of malignancy-related systemic amyloidosis.
Written by:
Nobata H, Suga N, Itoh A, Miura N, Kitagawa W, Morita H, Yokoi T, Banno S, Imai H. Are you the author?
Division of Nephrology and Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Japan.
Reference: Amyloid. 2012 Dec;19(4):197-200.
doi: 10.3109/13506129.2012.712926
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 22928906
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