ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the impact of preoperative diagnostic ureteroscopy and biopsy (UB) on radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) and the prognosis of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC).@*METHODS@#The clinical data of UTUC patients receiving RNU between Jan. 2007 and Dec. 2016 were retrospectively collected. The median follow up time was 40 months. The operation time and blood loss of RNU were compared between UB group and non-UB group. Subgroup analyses were conducted according to the time interval between UB and RNU, and surgery methods of lower ureter. The linear regression model was used to adjust for other common factors that impacted operation time.@*RESULTS@#A total of 163 UTUC patients were included in the final analysis. For the lower ureter, open ureterectomies were performed in 91 patients (55.9%), while retroperitoneal laparoscopic ureterectomies were performed in 72 patients (44.1%). A total of 110 (67.5%) patients received preoperative UB. Compared with non-UB group, the average operation time of UB group was significantly longer [(252.5±79.8) min vs. (221.3±79.8) min, P=0.019], but no difference of blood loss was found (median, 50 mL vs. 50 mL, P=0.143). In subgroup analysis, the average operation time of RNU was significantly prolonged when RNU was performed after 1 week of UB (P=0.023). Meanwhile, the median blood loss of RNU increased significantly when it was done after 2 weeks of UB compared with non-UB group (100 mL vs. 50 mL, P=0.012). UB was also significantly prolonged the operation time of RNU in retroperitoneal laparoscopic ureterectomy group (P=0.012). In multivariable analysis, UB (P=0.049), ≥pT3 (P=0.039), pN+ (P=0.018) and ureterectomy method (P=0.005) were independent risk factors of prolonged operation time. The 3-year cancer specific survival (CSS) rate was 87.2% in our cohort. UB had no significant impact on cancer specific survival (P=0.435).@*CONCLUSION@#UB was an independent risk factor of prolonged RNU time, but did not significantly influence cancer specific survival of upper tract urothelial carcinoma patients.