title: Clinical and urographic presentation of transitional cell carcinoma of the ureter in a blackfoot disease endemic area in southern Taiwan.
abstract: We reviewed the clinical, radiographic, and pathologic findings of ureteral transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) in a blackfoot disease (BFD) endemic area in southern Taiwan to increase understanding of tumor behavior in this area, which has a high incidence of urothelium carcinoma. From August 1995 to February 2002, 28 histologically proven ureteral TCCs from this area were eligible for study. There was an unusual female predominance (male:female ratio, 1:1.333). The urographic filling defects in the 28 ureteral TCCs were classified into four categories. An ovoid filling defect was significantly associated with non-invasive tumors (p = 0.003) and a trend toward low tumor grades (p = 0.073). The risk of ureteral TCC in this BFD endemic area of southern Taiwan remained high between August 1995 and February 2002. Urographic surveillance provides a simple, clear, inexpensive method to study the extent, location, and morphology of the ureteral mass. Detailed assessment of the image could be useful for preoperative planning and predicting prognosis. Large-scale, randomized, prospective clinical trials are needed to validate our results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. ylunlee@ms53.url.com.tw
authors.forename: Yi-Lun
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ming-Chen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: Wen-Jeng
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yii-Her
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Chun-Hsiung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020261:Arsenic Poisoning / Q000150:complications*; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D013624:Taiwan; D014516:Ureteral Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D014567:Urography