The outcome of patients on dialysis with upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma

PURPOSE: Transitional cell carcinoma is the most common upper urinary tract cancer in Taiwanese patients on dialysis. It is a unique finding compared with Western countries. Unfortunately, the long-term outcomes of patients with upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma on dialysis are largely unknown. This study presents clinical outcome of patients on dialysis with upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all patients with upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma who had end stage renal disease and underwent dialysis. Traditional prognostic factors including age, sex, tumor grade, stage and tumor location were analyzed with respect to disease recurrence and survival. RESULTS: A total of 73 patients were included in this study. The major complaints were painless gross hematuria and urethral bloody discharge. Disease relapsed in 40 (54.8%) patients at average time of 15 months (2 to 92). Univariate analysis failed to identify significant prognostic factors for recurrence. The average duration between primary and contralateral metachronous upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma recurrence was 36 months (range 5 to 96). Patients on dialysis with upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma who had previous or concurrent bladder tumor, or who had a history of recurrent bladder tumor, had high contralateral upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma recurrence. (p = 0.038) The statistically significant prognostic factor for disease-free survival was pT stage (p = 0.041). CONCLUSIONS: Patients on dialysis with painless gross hematuria or bloody urethral discharge must undergo detail urinary system evaluation. Since patients with upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma on dialysis have a high recurrence rate and metachronous or even multiple, early synchronous tumor characteristics that may be missed by imaging, total urinary tract exenteration is a recommended therapeutic option.     

Prognostic significance of bladder tumor history and tumor location in upper tract transitional cell carcinoma

PURPOSE: We studied prognostic factors for 5-year disease specific and recurrence-free survival in patients treated for upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Since July 1987, 72 patients with a mean age of 58.9 years have undergone nephroureterectomy with bladder cuff excision. Median followup was 62.2 months (range 6 to 192). Patient age, sex, detection duration and mode, bladder tumor history, smoking habit, stone disease history, and tumor stage, grade and location were evaluated as prognostic factors. RESULTS: Overall 5-year disease specific and recurrence-free survival rates were 74.9% and 67.8%, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed anemia, positive bladder tumor history, T stage, grade and tumor location in the upper tract as significant prognostic factors. On multivariate analysis T stage, grade and tumor location in the urothelium were the only significant variables for the 5-year disease specific and recurrence-free survival rates. CONCLUSIONS: High tumor stage and grade, and ureteral location were significantly associated with worse disease specific and recurrence-free survival in patients with upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma. Our results may help define the patient groups that need adjuvant therapy and they may form a basis for further controlled studies.     

Adjuvant chemotherapy in the management of pT3N0M0 transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract

INTRODUCTION: We investigate the efficacy of postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for locally advanced, but lymph node negative, pathologic stage T3 transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the upper urinary tract. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective study on 27 patients who had undergone radical nephroureterectomy with regional lymphadenectomy for pT3N0M0 primary upper urinary tract TCC at our institution from 1996 to 2001 was performed. Among the 27 patients, 16 also received adjuvant chemotherapy following surgery (adjuvant group), whereas the other 11 patients did not (nonadjuvant group). RESULTS: Adjuvant and nonadjuvant therapy groups were not significantly different with respect to age, sex, performance status, tumor grade, and tumor location. Overall, 5 of the 16 patients (31%) in the adjuvant group and 4 of the 11 patients (36%) in the nonadjuvant group had recurrence of cancer at 40 months of follow-up. The two groups demonstrated no significant differences in recurrence-free survival (p = 0.794) and disease-specific survival (p = 0.783). CONCLUSIONS: Although it would be difficult to draw any definite conclusions from the results of our investigations, our data suggest that adjuvant therapy with traditional conventional chemotherapeutic regimens alone may not be effective as previously anticipated in significantly improving survival rates for locally advanced, but lymph node negative, TCC of the upper urinary tract.     

Tumor necrosis as prognostic indicator in transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract

PURPOSE: The clinicopathological features predictive of outcome in patients with upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma are not clearly established. We analyzed the prognostic impact of tumor necrosis with respect to metastasis-free survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The presence of focal (10% or less of the tumor area) and extensive (greater than 10% of the tumor area) coagulative tumor necrosis was retrospectively reevaluated in 268 cases of consecutive upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma and correlated with outcome. RESULTS: Overall tumor necrosis was noted in 113 of 268 (42.2%) cases of transitional cell carcinoma with 63 (23.5%) showing focal and 50 (18.7%) showing extensive necrosis, respectively. Tumor necrosis was associated with high tumor stage (p <0.001) and high tumor grade (p <0.001). In addition, tumor necrosis was more common in pelvic tumors compared with ureteral tumors (p <0.001). Actuarial 5-year metastasis-free survival rates for patients with transitional cell carcinoma with extensive, focal and lacking necrosis were 24%, 45% and 78%, respectively (log rank test p <0.001). Multivariate analysis proved pT stage greater than 1 (p <0.001, RR 6.04, 95% CI 2.82-12.93), high tumor grade (p <0.001, RR 3.37, 95% CI 1.65-6.89) and extensive tumor necrosis as independent predictors of poor patient outcome (p = 0.02, RR 1.82, 95% CI 1.09-3.05). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of extensive tumor necrosis proved to be an additional histological variable with an independent influence on metastasis-free survival in patients with upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma. Its assessment is readily applicable in routine sections and should thus be commented upon separately in the pathology report.     

Upper urinary tract cancer: location is correlated with prognosis

OBJECTIVES: 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. CONCLUSION: Tumor location in the proximal upper tract predicts stage-independent poor prognosis in patients with UTTCC.     

Peripelvic/periureteral fat invasion is independently associated with worse prognosis in pT3 upper tract urothelial carcinoma

Purpose

To elucidate the reasons for conflicting results regarding the prognostic significance of tumor location in upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), we analyzed the stage-specific impact of tumor location on oncological outcomes following radical nephroureterectomy (RNU).

Methods

Data from 392 patients who underwent RNU with curative intent between 1991 and 2010 were reviewed. Prognostic impact of tumor location and various clinicopathological factors for recurrence-free survival (RFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analyses at each pathological stage. Tumor location was classified as renal pelvis or ureter, and pT3 tumors were further stratified as invading the renal parenchyma or peripelvic or periureteral fat.

Results

In stage-specific analysis, tumor location did not have prognostic significance in patients with ≤pT2 tumors, whereas RFS and CSS rates were significantly lower in patients with pT3 ureteral tumors than renal pelvic tumors. Subgroup analysis showed that RFS and CSS rates were significantly higher for pT3 tumors invading the renal parenchyma than the peripelvic or periureteral fat. On multivariate analysis in pT3 tumors adjusting other clinicopathological parameters, tumor location remained significant predictors for both RFS and CSS. Compared with tumors invading renal parenchyma, tumors invading peripelvic fat or periureteral fat were associated with about 3.5 times higher risk for cancer-specific mortality (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Location-dependent survival difference exists only in patients with pT3 UTUC. Conflicting institutional results regarding tumor location in UTUC may be due to difference in the proportions of parenchymal versus peripelvic fat invasion in pT3 pelvic tumors.     

Oncological outcome of retroperitoneoscopic nephroureterectomy for upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To report the oncological outcome of retroperitoneoscopic nephroureterectomy (RNU) with bladder cuff excision for upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), and to compare the outcome with that of the traditional open nephroureterectomy (ONU). PATIENTS AND METHODS: From January 2001, 48 patients with upper urinary tract TCC were enrolled in the study; 25 had RNU and 23 had ONU. Oncological parameters (disease-free survival and disease-specific survival) were calculated from the time of surgery to the date of last follow up and were analysed by the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Mean follow up was 24.3 months in the RNU group, significantly shorter than in the ONU group. Bladder recurrence was identified in two patients with grade 3 pathological stage pT3, one patient with grade 3 stage pT2 disease and two patients with grade 2 stage pT2 disease. Multiple organ metastases in the lung, liver and lymph nodes were associated with bladder recurrence in two cases (grade 2 stage pT3, and grade 3 stage pT3). The recurrence rate was 20% (5 of 25 cases) and mean time to recurrence was 9.5 months. In the ONU group, bladder recurrence and metastases developed in four and three patients, respectively. The recurrence rate was 17% (4 of 23 cases) and mean time to recurrence was 23.4 months. No significant difference was detected in the disease-free survival rate and cancer-specific survival rate between the two groups (P=0.759 and P=0.866, respectively). CONCLUSION: The oncological outcome of RNU appears to be equivalent to that of ONU. Moreover, long-term follow up is necessary to evaluate the oncological outcome in comparison to ONU.     

Clinical studies on renal pelvic and ureteral tumors

Clinical studies were performed on 35 patients with renal pelvic and/or ureteral cancer treated at Kitano Hospital between 1988 and 1997. They consisted of 17 renal pelvic cancers, 17 ureteral cancers and 1 renal pelvic and ureteral cancer. Twenty-nine patients were males and six were females, and their age ranged from 41 to 82 years old (average: 62.2). Histologically, 34 were transitional cell carcinoma and 1 was adenocarcinoma. Pathological stage of the tumor was pTa in 34.3%, pT1 in 14.3%, pT2 in 11.4%, pT3 in 37.1%, and pT4 in 2.9%, and grade of the tumor G1 in 11.8%, G2 in 58.8% and G3 in 29.4%. Eighteen patients (51%) had or developed bladder cancer, which preceded the diagnosis of cancer of upper urinary tract in 2 cases, coexisted in 4 cases and developed subsequently in 12 cases. The overall cause-specific survival rate was 91.3% at 1 year, 83.8% at 3 years and 79.4% at 5 years. Tumor stage, grade, lymph node metastasis and vascular invasion had impact on survival.     

Superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the ureteral orifice: Higher risk of developing subsequent upper urinary tract tumors

AIM: Reports specifically addressing transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the ureteral orifice are scarce. This paper presents our experiences of such tumors, including the characteristics of the disease and the incidence of subsequent upper urinary tract recurrence. METHODS: This study included 572 new cases of TCC of the urinary bladder diagnosed in our institute during a period of 5 years. Thirty-one (5.4%) patients had superficial tumors involving ureteral orifices. All 31 patients underwent transurethral resection of the bladder tumors, including the involved ureteral orifices. After the surgery, patients received regular follow up with cystourethroscopy, urine cytology and periodic intravenous pyelography (IVP). Ureterorenoscopy was performed in cases of suspicious IVP or urine cytology findings. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients with superficial tumors involving the ureteral orifice were followed up for 5-8 years or until death. The pathological stage was Ta in 16 cases and T1 in 15 cases. Bladder tumor recurrence was noted in three (18.8%) of the pTa patients and in seven (46.7%) of the pT1 patients. Subsequent upper urinary tract tumors developed in four (12.9%) patients between 33 and 67 months (mean: 33.5) after the first transurethral resection. All four cases of upper tract recurrence had pT1 primary bladder tumor, which recurred for 1-3 times (mean 1.8) before upper tract recurrence. None of these patients had ureteral stenting after bladder tumor resection. Three of four patients with upper tract recurrence had single lower ureteral tumor, while the remaining one patient had multiple tumors. Patients with subsequent upper urinary tract tumors underwent nephroureterectomy and bladder cuff excision. One died of the disease; the other three cases were free of the disease after the therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with primary superficial bladder transitional cell carcinoma involving the ureteral orifice have a higher risk of developing subsequent upper urinary tract tumors, particularly for pT1 primary bladder tumors. Frequent and close follow up is recommended.     

Superficial (pT2a) and deep (pT2b) muscle invasion in pathological staging of bladder cancer following radical cystectomy

PURPOSE: We compared and evaluated clinical outcomes in patients with pathological superficial (pT2a) and deep (pT2b) invasion of bladder muscle with transitional cell carcinoma following radical cystectomy and urinary diversion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 1971 to 2001, 311 of 1,359 patients (23%), including 244 males (78%) and 67 females, were found to have pathological muscle invasive (pT2) bladder cancer following radical cystectomy. Of this group 147 patients (47%) had pT2a (superficial) and 164 (53%) had pT2b (deep) muscle invasive tumors. Overall 242 patients had no evidence of lymph node metastasis, including 127 with pT2a (86%) and 115 with pT2b (70%). A total of 69 patients (22%) had lymph node involvement, including 20 with pT2a (14%) and 49 with pT2b (30%). At a median followup of 14.3 years (range 0 to 30.1) clinical outcomes were determined, including recurrence-free and overall survival, and local vs distant recurrence. RESULTS: In the 311 patients with pT2 tumors 10-year recurrence-free and overall survival rates were 72% and 47%, respectively. There was a significantly higher risk of node positive disease with pT2b vs pT2a tumors (30% vs 14%, p <0.001). No significant difference was observed in 10-year recurrence-free survival in patients with pT2a node negative vs pT2b node negative tumors (84% vs 72%, p = 0.091). When comparing pT2a node positive vs pT2b node positive tumors, no significant difference was observed in 10-year recurrence-free survival (50% vs 48%, p = 0.84). Recurrence-free survival was significantly higher in patients with pT2 lymph node negative tumors than in those with pT2 lymph node positive tumors (79% vs 49%, p <0.001). Furthermore, these differences remained significant when stratified by pT2a and pT2b node negative vs positive disease. Local pelvic recurrence developed in 10 of 311 patients (3%) with pT2 disease, while 69 (22%) had distant metastatic disease. In patients with recurrence the local or distant recurrence site was not associated with tumor stage (pT2a vs pT2b p = 0.24) or lymph node status (node negative vs positive p = 0.37). CONCLUSIONS: In muscle invasive (pT2) bladder cancer treated with radical cystectomy there is a higher risk of lymph node positive disease in deep muscle (pT2b) vs superficial (pT2a) invasion. However, no apparent difference was observed in recurrence-free survival between pT2a (superficial) vs pT2b (deep) muscle invasive tumors when controlling for lymph node status. Recurrence-free survival is significantly improved in patients with pT2 lymph node negative tumors compared to survival in those with pT2 lymph node positive tumors. Patients with muscle invasive (pT2), lymph node negative tumors have excellent clinical outcomes following cystectomy, while those with muscle invasive (pT2), lymph node positive tumors have higher recurrence rates and should be considered for adjuvant treatment protocols.     

Prognostic factors for survival and bladder recurrence in transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract

BACKGROUND: Prognostic factors for survival in transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract have been extensively evaluated, but detailed analyses of patterns of bladder recurrence after surgery have been rare. METHODS: The outcome and tumor recurrence of 93 patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract surgically treated between 1975 and 1999 were reviewed, retrospectively. Disease-specific survival by pathologic stage and grade were analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier METHOD: Prognostic factors for survival and bladder recurrence were examined by univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The 5-year disease-specific survival rates of the patients with pTa, T1 and T2 were 92.9%, 100% and 88.9%, respectively. However, that of the pT3 patients was 61.9% and the median survival of the pT4 cases was only 7 months. Bladder recurrence was seen in 40 cases and recurrences occurred within 1 year in 32 of these patients. The stage and grade of metachronous bladder tumors usually resembled those of primary tumors, but invasive recurrences were seen in 19% of recurrent cases with primary pTa, pT1 tumors. The significant prognostic factor for survival was pathologic stage (pT3, pT4), but no significant variables were detected for bladder recurrence by multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis of pT3, pT4 patients is poor and effective systemic adjuvant therapy is necessary. Invasive bladder recurrence occurred in 19% of patients with superficial primary tumors. As no significant prognostic variables for bladder recurrence were identified, careful follow up for bladder recurrence is important even if the primary tumors are non-invasive.     

The prognostic value of p53, Ki-67 and matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 in transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis and ureter

AIM: To investigate the prognostic and predictive relevance of p53 protein, Ki-67 antigen, MMP-2 and MMP-9 in patients with transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the upper urinary tract. METHODS: The expression of p53 protein, Ki-67 antigen, MMP-2 and MMP-9 was examined by immunohistochemistry in 69 patients with TCC of the upper urinary tract. Correlation of p53, Ki-67, MMP-2 and MMP-9 over-expression with conventional pathological parameters and patient survival was examined. RESULTS: p53 over-expression was significantly correlated with histological grade (P < 0.05), but not with pathological stage, vascular invasion, lymphatic invasion or lymph node metastasis. Ki-67 over-expression was significantly correlated with stage, grade, lymphatic invasion and vascular invasion (P < 0.05). In survival analyses, Ki-67 over-expression was a significant prognostic factor in the univariate analysis (P < 0.05), but it did not have a significant impact on survival in the multivariate analysis. Ki-67 labeling index was a significant prognostic factor in patients with a low p53 labeling index, but not in patients with a high p53 labeling index. CONCLUSION: Ki-67 over-expression is of prognostic value in TCC of the upper urinary tract, while p53, MMP-2 and MMP-9 are of limited value.     

Impact of diagnostic ureteroscopy on long-term survival in patients with upper tract transitional cell carcinoma

PURPOSE: We determine whether diagnostic retrograde ureteroscopy for evaluation of upper tract transitional cell carcinoma adversely affects survival outcomes in terms of urothelial and metastatic tumor recurrence, and tumor-free and overall survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 96 patients underwent total nephroureterectomy or resection of the distal ureter with a bladder cuff for upper tract transitional cell carcinoma. Of the patients 48 (study group) had undergone preoperative diagnostic ureteroscopy while 48 (control group) had not. Grade and stage of disease were compared, and time to recurrence, and disease-free and overall survival were analyzed. RESULTS: Grade and stage of disease were equivalent in both groups. There were no significant differences in recurrence rates, time to recurrence or mortality between the groups. Metastases developed in 9 patients (18.8%) in the control group and 6 (12.5%) in the study group (p = 0.58), while 5 (10.4%) in each group died of metastases of upper tract carcinoma (p = 1.00). Kaplan-Meier estimates were 0.67 and 0.71 for metastasis-free survival at 5 years (p = 0.25, not significant) and 0.87 and 0.76 for overall 5-year survival (p = 0.75, not significant) for the study and control groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnostic ureteroscopy has no clinically apparent adverse effect on long-term or disease specific survival of patients with upper tract transitional cell carcinoma who subsequently undergo standard definitive surgical management.     

Prognostic factors in patients with primary transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract

A total of 50 patients with primary transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract underwent deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy characterization by flow cytometric analysis of paraffin embedded specimens. The primary tumor was diploid in 29 patients (58%) and aneuploid in 21 (42%). Aneuploidy was identified more frequently in grade 3 than in grades 1 and 2 neoplasms (p = 0.001). Additionally, grade 3 neoplasms occurred more often with invasive (stages T2 to T3) compared to superficial (stages TA, TIS and T1) tumors (p = 0.002). However, deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy was not significantly associated with tumor stage. Among the 49 patients treated by a definitive operation the median survival free of disease and median over-all survival were 33.7 and more than 120 months, respectively. Variables examined included deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy, tumor grade, tumor stage, primary tumor site and type of operation. In the univariate analysis deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy was the only significant predictor of survival free of disease (p = 0.04). Aneuploid tumors had a median survival free of disease of 19 versus 59 months for diploid tumors. However, in the multivariate analysis of factors affecting survival free of disease, the type of operation performed was the only significant variable. Patients undergoing nephroureterectomy with en bloc bladder cuff excision had a favorable survival free of disease (p = 0.04). Tumor stage was the only significant factor associated with over-all survival in univariate and multivariate analyses (p = 0.02 and 0.005, respectively). Patients with superficial tumors had a median survival of more than 120 versus 72 months for patients with invasive tumors. The data suggest that deoxyribonucleic acid ploidy may be a useful parameter to identify risk groups and plan the management of patients with primary transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract.     

Prognostic significance of vascular invasion in patients with bladder cancer who underwent radical cystectomy

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine whether vascular invasion (i.e. lymphatic and blood vessel invasion) could be a useful prognostic predictor in patients with locally invasive transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder who underwent radical cystectomy. METHODS: This series included 114 consecutive patients undergoing radical cystectomy for primary TCC of the bladder between November 1989 and July 2003. Several clinicopathological characteristics of these patients were analyzed, focusing on the association between vascular invasion and disease recurrence after radical cystectomy. RESULTS: Lymphatic and blood vessel invasions were detected in 55 (48.2%) and 33 (29.8%) specimens, respectively. Lymphatic invasion was significantly associated with pathological stage, tumor grade, lymph node metastasis, blood vessel invasion and disease recurrence, whereas blood vessel invasion was significantly related to pathological stage, lymph node metastasis, lymphatic invasion and disease recurrence. Recurrence-free survival in patients with lymphatic invasion was significantly lower than that in those without lymphatic invasion, and a similar significant difference in recurrence-free survival was observed between patients with and without blood vessel invasion. However, multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model showed that only pathological stage and lymph node metastasis could be used as independent predictors for disease recurrence after radical cystectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a significant association between several prognostic parameters, vascular invasion was not an independent predictor of disease recurrence; therefore, if there are other conventional parameters available, there might not be any additional advantage to considering the presence of vascular invasion when predicting the prognosis of patients undergoing radical cystectomy for TCC of the bladder.     

SHOULD DIRECT IPSILATERAL ADRENAL INVASION FROM RENAL CELL CARCINOMA BE CLASSIFIED AS pT3a?

PURPOSE: The 2002 American Joint Committee on Cancer primary tumor classification for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) defines a tumor as pT3a if it invades the perinephric or renal sinus fat or directly invades the ipsilateral adrenal gland. In the current study we evaluated the association of direct ipsilateral adrenal invasion with outcome to determine if reclassification of these tumors as pT4 would improve the accuracy of the current tumor classification. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 424 patients who underwent nephrectomy and adrenalectomy for unilateral, sporadic, pT3 or pT4 RCC between 1970 and 2000 at the Mayo Clinic. Cancer specific survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Cancer specific survival for the 22 patients with pT3a or pT3b tumors that directly invaded the ipsilateral adrenal gland was significantly worse compared with that of patients with pT3a (p <0.001) or pT3b (p = 0.011) disease that did not invade the adrenal gland. There was no significant difference in the 5-year cancer specific survival between the patients with pT3a or pT3b tumors that directly invaded the ipsilateral adrenal gland and patients with pT4 tumors (cancer specific survival rates of 20% and 14%, respectively, p = 0.490). CONCLUSIONS: Although rare, RCC with direct ipsilateral adrenal invasion behaves more aggressively than tumors involving perinephric or renal sinus fat. We believe that RCC tumors with direct adrenal invasion should be classified as pT4.     

Microscopic venous invasion in renal cell carcinoma as a predictor of recurrence after radical surgery

BACKGROUND: The objective of the present study was to investigate the significance of microscopic venous invasion (MVI) as a prognostic factor for patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who underwent radical surgery. METHODS: The study included a total of 157 consecutive patients with non-metastatic RCC who underwent radical surgery between January 1986 and December 2002. The median follow-up period was 45 months (range 6-162 months). Microscopic venous invasion was defined by the presence of a cancer cell in blood vessels based on the examination of hematoxylin-eosin stained specimens. Other prognostic variables were assessed by multivariate analysis to determine whether there was a significant impact on cancer-specific and recurrence-free survivals. RESULTS: Microscopic venous invasion was found in 70 patients, and of this number, 17 (24.7%) developed a tumor recurrence and 12 (17.1%) died of cancer progression, while only six (6.9%) of the remaining 87 patients without MVI presented with disease-recurrence and three (3.5%) died of cancer. Among the factors examined, the presence of MVI was significantly associated with age, mode of detection, tumor size, pathological stage and tumor grade; however, only pathological stage was an independent predictor for disease-recurrence, and none of these factors were available to predict cancer-specific survival in multivariate analyses. In 120 patients with pT1 or pT2 disease, MVI was noted in 36 patients. In this subgroup, recurrence-free survival rates in patients with MVI were significantly lower than those in patients without MVI, and MVI was the only independent prognostic predictor for disease-recurrence in a multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Microscopic venous invasion is not an independent prognostic factor in patients with non-metastatic RCC who underwent radical surgery; however, it could be the only independent predictor of disease-recurrence after radical surgery for patients with pT1 or pT2 disease.     

Role of ureteroscopic biopsy in the management of upper urinary tract malignancy

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study presented here was to examine the accuracy of ureteroscopic biopsy in the diagnosis of upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) and whether nephron-sparing management (holmium YAG laser, transurethral resection or partial ureterectomy) is possible or not based on pathological diagnosis. METHODS: Forty consecutive patients underwent ureteroscopic biopsy with the use of 3-Fr cold cup forceps. Pathological diagnosis of the biopsy sample and grade or stage of surgically resected tumors were compared. In patients with grade 1 or 2 TCC diagnosed by ureteroscopic biopsy, the disease-free and survival rates determined whether nephron-sparing management was performed or not. RESULTS: There were no major complications associated with ureteroscopic biopsy. The pathological grading of the biopsy specimen was almost the same as that of the surgically resected specimen. Eighty five percent of grade 2 or 3 TCC showed muscle invasive disease. There were no significant differences in the disease-free and survival rates between the nephroureterectomy and the nephron-sparing management groups, except for grade 3 or pT3 tumors. CONCLUSION: Ureteroscopic biopsy is safe and accurate if sufficient tissue sample is obtained. Ureteroscopic biopsy should be performed in patients who require nephron-sparing management. Nephroureterectomy can be avoided if the tumor is confirmed as low-grade.     

Cystectomy for transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder: results of a surgery only series in the neobladder era

PURPOSE: We studied the effect of radical cystectomy for transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder on survival and failure patterns when the 2 surgical standards cystectomy and neobladder were combined, when possible. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A consecutive series of patients undergoing radical cystectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection for transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder with curative intent was analyzed. Patients with neoadjuvant radiotherapy/chemotherapy were excluded. Pathological characteristics based on the 2002 TNM system, recurrence-free/overall survival and metastatic patterns were determined. RESULTS: A total of 788 patients with a mean age +/- SD of 65 +/- 10 years and a mean followup of 53.5 months who underwent surgery between 1986 and 2003 were analyzed. A neobladder was constructed in 75.4% of patients. Ten-year recurrence-free and overall survival rates were 59.1% and 44.9%, respectively. Positive lymph nodes were present in 143 patients (18%). The rate of recurrence-free survival at 5 years was 82.5% for pT2a pN0, 61.9% for pT2b and pT3a pN0, and 53.1% for pT3b pN0 disease. Local and distant failure rates were 4% and 9.5% for organ confined tumors, 15.9% and 19.2% for nonorgan confined tumors, and 20.4% and 45.1% in patients with positive lymph nodes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with organ confined, lymph node negative transitional cell carcinoma excellent survival data can be achieved as long as the tumor is limited to the inner half of the detrusor. These data on a large group of patients support early aggressive surgical management for invasive bladder cancer. The results of this surgery only series may serve as a reference for other treatment modalities for bladder cancer.