Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Renal Pelvis, A Rare Site for a Commonly Known Malignancy

Chronic nephrolithiasis predisposes to squamous metaplasia and subsequently SCC which is a rare malignancy of the upper urinary tract. A 60-year-old woman with a long standing history of renal calculi presented with flank pain and fever. Investigations revealed a mass in the superior pole of a non functioning left kidney while the right kidney was sub optimally functioning, hydronephrotic and there was presence of bilateral staghorn calculi. Patient underwent decompression of right kidney by double j stenting and left radical nephrectomy that revealed well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of renal pelvis. Most SCC of the renal pelvis present with advanced disease and dismal prognosis while our patient presented with localized disease without lymphatic and distant metastasis. Thus radical nephrectomy can be curative if the disease can be diagnosed at an earlier stage. This emphasizes the need of early treatment of nephrolithiasis to prevent the development of SCC and screening of patients with long standing staghorn calculi.