Squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis

From 1970 to 1985 we treated 144 cases of malignant tumors of the kidney. Of these patients only 11 (8 per cent) had squamous cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis compared to transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis in 53 per cent, renal cell carcinoma in 37 per cent and other types in 2 per cent. In all patients the squamous cell carcinoma was associated with chronically infected staghorn renal calculi of long duration. The patients usually presented late with extensive local infiltration, making surgical resection difficult. In addition, poor response to surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy resulted in a poor prognosis and short survival. A summary of our cases and a review of the literature are presented.