Journal List > Korean J Urol > v.49(6) > 1005123

Lee, Kim, Sohn, Kim, and Cho: Pathologic Features of Recurrent Bladder Tumors after Upper Urinary Tract Transitional Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

Purpose

Recurrence of upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma is common, and especially for bladder cancer. We evaluated the pathologic features, grade and recurrence rate of bladder tumors for patients who suffered with upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma and who were surgically treated at our hospital.

Materials and Methods

Between 2001 and 2006, a total of 68 patients without a history of bladder cancer underwent nephroureterectomy for upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma. We reviewed the pathologic features, the stage and the grade of the recurrent bladder cancer at a median follow up of 17.1 months.

Results

A total of 22 of 68 patients experienced recurred bladder tumors after nephroureterectomy for upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma at a mean interval of 17.1 months. Of the 22 patients with recurred bladder tumors, 21 of the patients (95%) had superficial tumor (Stage Ta, Tis, T1), 4 (19%) of the patients had superficial tumors of a low grade (grades 1 and 2) and 17 patients (81%) had high grade tumor (grade 3). One patient had muscle invasive bladder tumor, so this was treated with radical cystectomy during the follow-up period. Regardless of the grade of the upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma, the pathologic grade of the bladder tumor was mostly high grade (82%). Regardless of the stage of upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma, the stage of the recurrent bladder tumors was almost superficial (95%).

Conclusions

Bladder tumors recurred in 33% (22/68) of the patients after surgery for upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma. Of these bladder tumors, 95% were superficial and 81% were high grade. Therefore, conducting follow-up studies for bladder cancer is important after nephroureterectomy for upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma.

REFERENCES

1. Kim WJ, Chung JI, Hong JH, Kim CS, Jung SI, Yoon DK. Epidemiological study for urologic cancer in Korea (1998-2002). Korean J Urol. 2004; 45:1081–8.
2. Flanigan RC. Urothelial tumors of the upper urinary tract. In:. Wein AJ, Kavoussi LR, Novick AC, Partin AW, Peters CA, editors. editors.Campbell-walsh urology. 9th ed.Philadelphia: Saunders;2007. p. 1638–52.
3. Tawfiek ER, Bagley DH. Upper-tract transitional cell carcinoma. Urology. 1997; 50:321–9.
crossref
4. Jeong IG, Kwak C, Jeong H, Lee ES, Lee CW, Lee SE. Carcinoma of the upper urinary tract: clinical analysis on patients during recent 10 years. Korean J Urol. 2003; 44:22–7.
5. Cho DH, Kim JS, Kim HT, Yoo ES, Kwon TG, Kim BW. Risk factors for subsequent bladder cancer recurrence following radical surgery for upper urinary tract urothelial cancer. Korean J Urol. 2006; 47:1035–40.
crossref
6. Hisataki T, Miyao N, Masumori N, Takahashi A, Sasai M, Yanase M, et al. Risk factors for the development of bladder cancer after upper tract urothelial cancer. Urology. 2000; 55:663–7.
crossref
7. Choi HC, Park CH, Kim CI, Lee SC. Risk factors and survival in patients with recurrence of bladder tumors following surgery for transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract. Korean J Urol. 1993; 32:613–8.
8. Raman JD, Sosa RE, Vaughan ED Jr, Scherr DS. Pathologic features of bladder tumors after nephroureterectomy or segmental ureterectomy for upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma. Urology. 2007; 69:251–4.
crossref
9. Mullerad M, Russo P, Golijanin D, Chen HN, Tsai HH, Donat SM, et al. Bladder cancer as a prognostic factor for upper tract transitional cell carcinoma. J Urol. 2004; 172:2177–81.
crossref
10. Cozad SC, Smalley SR, Austenfeld M, Noble M, Jennings S, Raymond R. Transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis or ureter: patterns of failure. Urology. 1995; 46:796–800.
crossref
11. Kim KH, Park JS, Kim CI, Lee KS. Risk factors for the development of bladder transitional cell carcinoma following surgery for transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract. Korean J Urol. 2005; 46:229–33.
12. Krough J, Kvist E, Rye B. Transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract: prognostic variables and post-operative recurrence. Br J Urol. 1991; 67:32–6.
13. Stewart GD, Bariol SV, Grigor KM, Tolley DA, McNeill SA. A comparison of the pathology of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and upper urinary tract. BJU Int. 2005; 95:791–3.
crossref
14. Soloway MS. Managing superficial bladder cancer: an overview. Urology. 1992; 40:5–10.
15. Liu BC, Weiss RE, Gordon JN, Droller MJ. Biology of metastasis: clinical implication. Semin Surg Oncol. 1992; 8:267–73.
16. Borhan A, Reeder JE, O'Connell MJ, Wright KO, Wheeless LL, di Sant'Agnese PA, et al. Grade progression and regression in recurrent urothelial cancer. Urology. 2003; 169:2106–9.
crossref

Table 1.
Clinical characteristics
Characteristics
Age
 Range 51-87
 Mean±SD 69.9±10.46
Sex
 Male 57 (84)
 Female 11 (16)
Side
 Left 33 (48)
 Right 35 (42)
Location
 Renal pelvis 41 (60)
 Ureter 24 (35)
 Ureteropelvic 3 (5)
Size
 <2cm 7 (10)
 2-5cm 31 (46)
 >5cm 30 (44)
Table 2.
Pathologic features of the upper urinary tract tumors
  Pathologic feature of upper urinary tract tumors
Superficial Muscle invasive Total
LG HG LG HG
Bladder recurrence 13 (19) 3 (4) 1 (2) 5 (7) 22 (32)
No bladder recurrence 18 (27) 5 (7) 2 (3) 21 (31) 46 (68)
All patients 31 (46) 8 (11) 3 (5) 26 (38) 68 (100)

()=%, LG: low grade (grade 1-2), HG: high grade (grade 3). pathologic stage Ta, Tis, T1

pathologic stage T2, T3, T4

Table 3.
Comparison of the pathologic features of bladder cancer with the pathologic features of the upper urinary tract tumors in 15 patients
Bladder pathologic features Pathologic feature of upper urinary tract tumors
Superficial Muscle invasive Total
LG HG LG HG
Superficial          
LG 3 (13) 0 (0) 0 (0) 1 (5) 4 (18)
HG 9 (41) 3 (13) 1 (5) 4 (18) 17 (77)
Invasive
LG 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0)
HG 1 (5) 0 (0) 0 (0) 0 (0) 1 (5)
Total 13 (59) 3 (13) 1 (5) 5 (23) 22 (100)

()=%, LG: low grade (grade 1-2), HG: high grade (grade 3), pathologic stage Ta, Tis, T1

pathologic stage T2, T3, T4

TOOLS
Similar articles