Upper urinary tract cancer: location is correlated with prognosis.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluate prognostic information of anatomical location in patients with upper tract transitional cell carcinoma (UTTCC).


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of 149 upper tract transitional cell carcinoma (UTTCC) patients from a single institute treated surgically between 1988 and 2003.


RESULTS
Transmural tumor growth (pT3 or pT4) was less common in distally located tumors (33%) compared to mid (44%), proximal ureter (75%) or pyelum tumors (41%). Tumor stage was the best predictor of disease specific survival. Distally located tumors had a significantly better survival than proximally located cancers (median survival 53 months versus 16 months for tumors in the proximal ureter). Bladder cancer was found in 73 (49%) patients. Invasive UTTCC were less likely to be associated bladder cancer (RR 0.66, 95%CI 0.43-0.98). In a multivariate analysis both tumor stage and location in the upper tract were predictive of disease specific survival after UTTCC diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Tumor location in the proximal upper tract predicts stage-independent poor prognosis in patients with UTTCC.
van der Poel
H G
HG
Department Urology, Netherlands Cancer Institute/Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Amsterdam. h_vanderpoel@nki.nl
Antonini
N
N
van Tinteren
H
H
Horenblas
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D015996:Survival Rate; D014571:Urologic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery