A case of incidental renal pelvic basaloid squamous cell carcinoma.

RATIONALE: Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) is a rare subtype of SCC, commonly occurring in the head and neck region, but primary cases in the renal pelvis are extremely rare. This article reports a case of primary BSCC in the renal pelvis.

PATIENT CONCERNS: A 49-year-old female patient was admitted with nonfunctioning kidneys and a urinary tract infection, and underwent an elective right laparoscopic nephrectomy for the nonfunctioning kidney.

DIAGNOSES: Renal scan and computed tomography imaging indicated reduced kidney function and hydronephrosis. After clinical evaluation, the diagnosis of nonfunctioning kidney and urinary tract infection was considered.

INTERVENTIONS: An elective right laparoscopic nephrectomy for the nonfunctioning kidney was performed.

OUTCOMES: The postoperative pathological diagnosis was renal pelvic BSCC, and the patient received postoperative chemotherapy and is currently followed up for 11 months, with no evidence of tumor recurrence or progression.

LESSONS: This patient was admitted with a nonfunctioning kidney, and neither imaging nor clinical assessment considered the possibility of a tumor. However, BSCC is highly malignant and aggressive, warranting attention.