FH-Deficient Renal Cell Carcinoma: a Case Report

FH-deficient renal cell carcinoma(FH-dRCC) is a rare and highly aggressive subtype of renal cell carcinoma. This tumor is often associated with hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell carcinoma(HLRCC) syndrome. Its pathogenesis involves biallelic inactivation of the FH gene, leading to the accumulation of fumarate, which disrupts cellular metabolic balance and DNA repair processes, thereby driving tumorigenesis. This paper reports a patient with FH-dRCC. The patient underwent radical nephrectomy but experienced early postoperative recurrence and liver metastasis. Despite multiple lines of systemic therapy, including targeted and combination immunotherapy, which initially achieved radiographic response, the patient eventually died as the disease progressed with extensive metastases. This case highlights the highly aggressive nature of FH-dRCC, its propensity for early recurrence and metastasis, and the limited duration of response to current systemic therapies. There is a clinical need for enhanced early detection and active exploration of more effective combination treatment strategies.