Large series of 114 cases with long-term follow-up of upper urinary tract urothelial tumors

Purpose: Upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UUTUC) represents 5% of all urothelial tumors and has uncertain prognostic. Exist few series which describes clinical-pathological parameters of tumor progression. The aim of this study is to evaluate clinical and pathological parameters and determine their value as prognostic factors of tumor progression and cancer-specific survival. Material and methods: Retrospective analysis of 114 cases of radical nephroureterectomy or partial ureterectomy collected between 1991-2004. Variables analyzed were age, sex, pathological tumor stage, histological tumor grade, CIS, tumor localization, multiplicity, bladder cancer history, pathological nodes and adjuvant chemotherapy. Spearman test was used for correlations. The probabilities of progression free survival and cancer-specific survival were calculated using Kaplan-Meier curves. In the multivariate analysis forward stepwise Cox regression was performed. Results: Pathological stage was: 15 pTa, 25 pT1, 26 pT2, 32 pT3 and 16 pT4. There were 10 G1 (9%), 52 G2 (45.5%) and 52 G3 (45.5%). Fifteen patients presented pathological nodes at the moment of diagnosis. Fourteen percent of 114 patients received adjuvant treatment (Platin-based regimen). Mean follow-up: 74.8 months; 30.7% of the patients developed tumor progression. Death from the disease: 24.6%. Five-years overall and cancer-specific survival: 59.3% and 72.9%, respectively. Five-year progression-free survival: 68%. Mean time of tumor progression: 12.2 months and 23.3 months for cancer-specific death. In the multivariate analysis the independent predictive variables of death and tumor progression were histological grade and pathological stage. Conclusions: We demonstrated that histological grade and pathological stage constitute independent prognostic factors of tumor progression and cancer-specific survival in UUTUC. (C) 2009 AEU. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.