[Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the ureter: a case report]

A case of squamous cell carcinoma of ureter is presented. A 64-year-old male suffering from right lower abdominal pain and gross hematuria visited our hospital. Right hydronephrosis was found by ultrasound examination. Intravenous pyelography revealed a right non-functioning kidney. Abdominal computed tomographic scanning showed right hydroureteronephrosis and a soft-tissue density mass in the right lower ureter. Retrograde pyelography demonstrated a filling defect in the right lower ureter. Squamous cell carcinoma was suspected by cytological examination. On the basis of the above findings, right nephroureterectomy with partial cystectomy was performed. Pathohistological diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma of the ureter, G3, INF gamma, pT3, pR0, pL1, pV1, pN1. No evidence of either tumor recurrence or metastasis was found for 6 months after the operation. Sixty-one cases of primary ureteral squamous cell carcinoma, including our case, were collected from the Japanese literature and characteristic clinical features of the tumor are discussed.