Renal cell carcinoma and xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis: A diagnostic challenge

The presenting symptoms of RCC (renal cell carcinoma) overlap closely with those of XGP (Xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis) and can clinically as well as pathologically be confused with XGP which is an unusual inflammatory disorder. Most of the patients present with varied symptoms from the constellation of flank pain, fever, malaise, weight loss, and hematuria. We hereby report here a case of 52 year old male who presented with right flank pain, diagnosed erroneously as XGP on preoperative CT guided biopsy from the renal mass, on two occasions which eventually turned out to be clear cell variant of renal cell carcinoma. Right radical nephrectomy was done where the final histopathological diagnosis was of clear cell variant of RCC