• Shown in the photograph is a calyx of the upper pole with transitional cell carcinoma (T). The tumor appears as a markedly thickened mucosal lesion. The tumor growth appears luminal rather than parenchymal invasive.

• Adjacent areas of the mucosa appear irregularly thickened (arrows). These areas were also histologically transitional cell carcinoma.

•Similar to transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

•Patients with analgesic abuse nephropathy have increased risk for developing transtional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis.

•Same as for transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

•Similar to transtional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

•Hematuria is a common presentation.

•Depending on location in the renal pelvis, patients may present with the clinical picture of urine outflow obstruction and hydronephrosis.

•Generally there is no palpable mass on presentation.
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•The carcinoma predominantly involves the mucosal surfaces of the renal pelvis and calyces and may secondarily invade the renal parenchyma.

•The tumor is papillary to nodular on viewing from the mucosal aspect.

•Tumors involving the uretero-pelvic junction may obstruct urine outflow and cause hydronephrosis.

•The tumor histologically tends to show a papillary architecture.

•The papillae show a central fibrovascular core and are lined by transitional epithelial cells.

•The neoplastic transitional epithelial cells show varying degrees of nuclear changes which is the basis for tumor grading.

• Cotran RS, Kumar V, Robbins SL: Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease. 5th ed. Philadelphia, W.B. Saunders, 1994, pp. 987-988.

• Current literature from PubMed at National Library of Medicine