Cutaneous metastasis of transitional cell carcinoma

Abstract

Lymph nodes, bones, lung, liver, and peritoneum are the most common sites of metastasis from transitional cell bladder carcinoma. Cutaneous metastases from primary genitourinary malignancies are rare and very few cases of skin metastasis from urothelial carcinoma have been reported in the past. The authors present the case of an 82 year old man with history of stage IV urothelial carcinoma (lung metastasis) diagnosed three years prior, undergoing second-line chemotherapy, observed in the emergency room due to a right retroauricular nodular mass. Fine needle aspiration cytology was performed, confirming the diagnosis of a cutaneous metastasis. The patient died four months after the diagnosis was made. Although cutaneous metastases of transitional cell bladder carcinoma are extremely infrequent, they should always be considered when observing a skin nodule in a patient with a history of this type of carcinoma, tending to have an aggressive course and very poor prognosis.