title: Renal cell carcinoma in the allograft: what is the role of polyomavirus?
abstract: BK virus (BKV) is known to cause subclinical infection in childhood. The virus remains latent in the human body, mainly in the urinary tract epithelium. After initiation of an immunosuppressive treatment, reactivation can occur in renal transplant recipients. BKV can cause hemorrhagic cystitis, ureteral stenosis and BKV nephropathy in immunocompromised patients. Furthermore, a number of case reports suggest an association between BKV infection and the development of urinary tract cancer. So far, an oncogenic potential of BKV has been observed in vitro and in animal models; however, its oncogenic capacity in humans remains unclear. We report the case of a 59-year-old patient who developed a poorly differentiated renal cell carcinoma in her renal allograft, with pulmonary and abdominal metastasis. Surgical removal of the allograft and cessation of the immunosuppressive therapy resulted in complete resolution of the metastatic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology and Renal Transplantation, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Neirynck
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Claes
authors.forename: Maarten
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naesens
authors.forename: Liesbeth
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Wever
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pirenne
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kuypers
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Vanrenterghem
authors.forename: Hendrik Van
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Poppel
authors.forename: Andre
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kabanda
authors.forename: Evelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lerut