Pear- and spindle-type tubular epithelial cells seen after radiation therapy

Abstract

The patient was a 30-year-old man. In July 2015, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer and treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy (bleomycin etoposide, and platinol (BEP)). During the chemotherapy courses, typical renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs) were found by urine sediment microscopy. The increased shed RTECs in urine was an evidence of nephropathy, which could be caused by the BEP chemotoxin to kidney. Because the BEP chemotherapy failed in the initial treatment, the patient was treated with radiation therapy further. After the radiation therapy, some pear- and spindle-type RTECs were found by urine sediment microscopy. These atypical shapes of RTECs could be caused by a side effect of radiation. In such a finding, pear- and spindle-type RTECs could be an evidence of radiation nephropathy. For an early diagnosis of radiation nephropathy, the pear- and spindle-type RTECs in urine sediment microscopy report could offer a valuable information to physicians for a differential diagnosis.