Lymphoepithelioma-Like Carcinoma (LELC) of the Kidney Presenting as Non Functioning Kidney - A Case Report

Lymphoepithelioma Like Carcinoma (LELC) is a rare poorly differentiated epithelial tumor with a dense inflammatory cell infiltrate. Lymphoepithelioma mainly occurs in the nasopharynx, but can also arise in a variety of other sites including salivary gland, thymus, lung, stomach, skin and urothelium. Primary LELC of the urinary tract is very rare. Cases involving the urinary bladder, ureter and renal pelvis are reported but an isolated LELC of the kidney is published only once before in the literature. We present a 70-year-old man who had right loin pain and increased frequency. He initially had right percutaneous nephrostomy and subsequently underwent right simple nephrectomy for nonfunctioning kidney. The histopathology report was pT1bN0M0 LELC of the Kidney. We present the case because of its rarity and also to highlight the need for recognizing this unusual renal tumor. To our knowledge, this is the second reported case of LELC of the kidney.