Pathologic Features of Recurrent Bladder Tumors after Upper Urinary Tract Transitional Cell Carcinoma / 대한비뇨기과학회지

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.