Renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) are rare in the pediatric population; when they occur, a significant percentage are associated with specific cytogenetic abnormalities and germline mutations. These include mutations in the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene and translocations involving the TFE3 transcription factor gene on Xp11.2. Here we report a case of a 3-year-old child with a large renal mass. Histologic examination of the tumor showed a predominantly nested growth pattern with some papillary foci. Cytogenetic analysis revealed a karyotype of t(X;1)(p11.2; p34.3), consistent with a TFE3-associated RCC. Interestingly, sequencing of the patient's VHL gene revealed a single point mutation, previously seen in a subgroup of patients with von Hippel-Lindau disease. This is the first reported case, to our knowledge, of t(X;1)-associated RCC in a patient with concurrent VHL gene mutation.
A novel mutation in the VHL gene in a Chinese family with von Hippel-Lindau disease