Ureteral Obstruction Secondary to Gastrointestinal Malignancies

ABSTRACT

Metastasis from primary malignancies anywhere in the body can spread to the retroperitoneum and lead to ureteral obstruction. Seventeen patients who had ureteral obstructions caused by advanced gastrointestinal malignancies have been retrospectively analyzed. The results are as follows 1) Of the 17 patients, 9 were male and 8 were female, and the mean age was 56.9 with a range from 33 to 75. 2) In the 16 patients whose pathologic diagnose were confirmed by primary surgery, the pathologic stages of stomach cancer were stage III in 1 patient and IV in 6 patients, and those of colorectal cancer were stage B in 2 patients, C in 6 patients and D in 1 patient. 3) Urologic symptoms and signs were micro- or macroscopic hematuria (58.8%), elevated BUN (52.9%), and flank pain (29.4%). Sixteen out of 17 patients had one of these findings. 4) The time interval between the original diagnosis of a gastrointestinal malignancy and the subsequent ureteral obstruction in 11 patients (64.7%) was within 2 years. The time interval for a11 17 patients was 33.9 months with a range from 2 months to 10 years. 5) Ureteral involvement was bilateral in 10 patients (58.8%) and unilateral in 7 (41.2%). The levels of ureteral obstruction in stomach cancer were upper (5) and midureter (3), and those in colorectal cancer were upper (1), mid (1) and lower ureter (7). 6) Twenty out of 27 kidneys were managed by a double-J stent (5 kidneys) or a percutaneous nephrostomy (15 kidneys). In conclusion, we believe that the possibility of ureteral obstruction by direct invasion or lymph node metastasis should be taken into account in patients who have advanced gastrointestinal malignancies. If such patients show hematuria, elevated BUN, or flank pain, a secondary ureteral obstruction should be suspected. Also malignant ureteral obstructions should be detected and managed early to preserve the renal function.