[Carcinoma of the kidney with production of renin. A special form of hypertension].

A correlation between the tumour and hypertension was investigated in 129 patients with renal cancer. Forty-one patients (31.8%) suffered from hypertension. Primary increased renin secretion was detected in 6 of these patients (14.6%). The renin activity quotient measured in the renal veins between the renal tumour and the contralateral kidney was between 4 and 7. Secondary hyperaldosteronism was detected in only 2 of the patients with a significantly different renin activity in the renal veins. The renin level detected in the tumour itself of these 6 patients was significantly higher than the level detected in the parenchyma of the same kidney. Renin was demonstrated immunohistochemically in the tumours of these patients. The blood pressure returned to normal after nephrectomy in 5 patients and a marked fall in blood pressure was observed in the 6th patient. Cell cultures of 3 tumours revealed autonomous renin production. Renin-secreting renal carcinomas represent a rare form of renal hypertension, which is why the possibility of renal cancer should also be considered when investigating a case of hypertension.