Introduction: Diagnosis of retroperitoneal fibrosis is generally delayed and revealed by various non-specific signs. We report the case of an isolated lymphedema of the lower limb revealing retroperitoneal fibrosis complicating a metastatic squamous cell carcinoma.
Case report: In an 83-year-old women, a lymphedema appeared that remained isolated for several months before being associated with alteration in general health. Morphological examinations showed bilateral compression of the urinary excretory tracts and led to the diagnosis of retroperitoneal fibrosis. Histological examination of a sub-clavicular adenopathy that had evolved over 9 months, confirmed the diagnosis of a metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of pulmonary cancer.
Discussion: Retroperitoneal fibrosis is an exceptional etiology that must be recognized in isolated lymphadomas of the lower limbs. In view of the possible tumoral origin of retroperitoneal fibrosis, any evocative sign accompanying the lymphedema must be searched for.