Renal Cell Carcinoma Showing Glomerulus-Like Structures

In 1938, Owen described a malignant renal neoplasm with a peculiar histological pattern. The peculiarity consisted in the tumour cells forming glomerular structures made up of cuboidal cells with clear cytoplasm, indistinct borders and round hyperchromatic nuclei. The glomerular structures had no vascular tufts but showed, at the periphery, a limiting membrane lined by cuboidal cells in one or more layers. On the basis of the structural resemblance to glomeruli of the normal kidney, and under the belief that the neoplasm had originated in an embryonal rest of metanephric vesicle prior to the penetration of the glomerular portion by capillary tufts, Owen proposed the name ' glomeruloma' for the neoplasm. He also collected from the literature 8 additional cases of renal tumours with a similar histology, as instances of ' glomerulomasBosse (1940) reported a case of ' carcinoma of the kidney with glomerulus-like neoplastic structures ' and critically analysed the 9 cases of ' glomeruloma ' cited by Owen (loc. cit.). He concluded that the