Abstract
The authors report the case of a 20 year old patient in whom the clinical findings combined with the radiological signs, suggested the diagnosis of renal cancer. The histological findings after nephrectomy established the diagnosis of xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis. This disease may rarely give the appearance of a renal tumor. This points out the importance of identifying this lesion in preoperative staging to avoid carcinologic surgery and all of its difficulties.