Non-metastatic Upper Tract Transitional Cell Carcinoma:Single Center Experience

Background: Upper tract transitional cell carcinomas (UTCC) are relatively uncommon but prognosis isgenerally worse than TCC of bladder.
Methods: Between March 2004 and June 2012, patients with initial nonmetastaticUTCC were assessed in the Medical Oncology and Urology Departments of Ataturk Training andResearch Hospital.
Results: A total of 11 patients with initially non-metastatic UTCC were detected in the 8year period, all males. Median age of was 62 (range, 38-74). Six lesions were located in the renal pelvis and 5 inthe ureter. Nephroureterectomy was performed in 9 patients, and distal ureterectomy and cuff excision of thebladder in the remaining 2. The majority (n= 9) had high grade tumors. Median primary tumor diameter was3.5 cm (range, 0.7-10). Five patients (45.5%) were stage I, 2 (18.2%) were stage II, and 4 (36.4%) were stage III.While adjuvant chemotherapy was not applied for stage I and II disease (n= 7), 4 to 6 courses were applied for3 of the stage III patients. Also one stage III case received adjuvant radiotherapy. Up to 100 months follow-up,median overall survival was 13 months (range, 5-100 months). While stage I and II patients are following-upwithout muscle-invasive progression, 2 of stage III patients demonstrated progression.
Conclusion: We needmore collaborative studies to determine management of especially pT3-pT4 patients with UTCC.