Retroperitoneal nephroureterectomy with excision of cuff of the bladder for upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma: comparison of laparoscopic and open surgery with long-term follow-up

Robotic surgery of the urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract single surgeon initial experience, 66 consecutive cases

PURPOSE

Robotic surgery is increasingly utilized in the treatment of urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract (UTUC). This study investigates the advantages and burden of robot-assisted surgical treatment of the urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract in a referral urological department, along with their functional and oncological results.

METHODS

The study included 66 prospectively enrolled patients who were surgically treated by a single, robotically specialized surgeon between July 2019 and December 2023. Patients were divided into three groups. Group 1: 50 patients underwent robot-assisted radical Nephroureterectomy (RANU) with bladder cuff excision, Group 2: 11 patients underwent RANU simultaneously with robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC), and Group 3: 5 patients underwent robot-assisted segmental ureterectomy (RASU). Clinical and oncological parameters were compared. Perioperative morbidity according to Clavien-Dindo was the primary endpoint of our study. The secondary endpoint was oncologic outcomes.

RESULTS

37.8% of patients had locally advanced carcinomas. The average console time of RANU with bladder cuff excision was 69 min. The rate of positive surgical margins was n = 1/66 (2%). Lymphadenectomy (LAD) was performed on 30% of patients, with a mean of 13.7 lymph nodes removed. Of those who received LAD, 33% had lymph node metastasis. n = 6/66 (9%) patients received blood transfusion. The overall complication rate was 24%. The readmission rate was 7.5%. With a median follow-up of 26 months, the 2-year recurrence-free survival rate was 84.4%, and the 2-year overall survival rate was 94%.

CONCLUSION

Robotic surgery is a feasible option for treating UTUC that can be adapted to meet the surgical needs of each patient. Prospective studies are warranted to confirm its benefits.

Effects of different combinations of radical nephroureterectomy and bladder cuff excision procedures for upper tract urothelial carcinoma on bladder recurrence

PURPOSE

To compare the effects of different combinations of radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) and bladder cuff excision (BCE) surgical procedures on intravesical recurrence (IVR) in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective observational study included 452 patients who underwent RNU with BCE for UTUC between January 2010 and December 2020. The patients were classified into three groups based on different combinations of RNU and BCE surgical procedures: open RNU with open BCE (group 1, n=104), minimally invasive (MIS) RNU with open BCE (group 2, n=196), and MIS RNU with intracorporeal BCE (group 3, n=152). Data on demographics, body mass index, history, preoperative renal function, perioperative status, tumor characteristics, histopathology, and recurrence conditions were collected. Multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to determine the impact of the surgical procedures on IVR. P-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

After a median follow-up of 29.5 months, the IVR rate was 29.6% and the IVR-free survival rate was the lowest in group 2 (group 1 vs. group 2 vs. group 3: 69.0% vs. 55.1% vs. 67.5%; log-rank P=0.048). The overall survival rate was comparable among the three groups. Multivariate analysis revealed that group 2 had a significantly higher risk of IVR than group 1 (hazard ratio=1.949, 95% confidence interval=1.082-3.511, P=0.026), while groups 1 and 3 had similar risks.

CONCLUSIONS

For patients with UTUC, MIS RNU with open BCE is associated with a higher risk of IVR than open RNU with open BCE and MIS RNU with intracorporeal BCE.

Perioperative and oncologic outcomes of transperitoneal versus retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephroureterectomy for upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma: a systematic review and pooled analysis of comparative outcomes

BACKGROUND

The debate on whether to choose a transperitoneal (TP) or retroperitoneal (RP) approach for treating upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) with laparoscopic surgery has been drawing attention. This study aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze the existing evidence regarding oncologic and perioperative outcomes of transperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy (TLNU) and retroperitoneal laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy (RLNU) in managing UTUC.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Google Scholar for identifying randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies that evaluated the outcomes of TLNU and RLNU for UTUC. Continuous variables were represented by weighted mean difference (WMD) and standard mean difference (SMD), while binary variables were represented by odds ratio (OR), with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. A sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the robustness of the estimates.

RESULT

Six observational studies were incorporated into this meta-analysis. The overall TLNU was associated with significantly shorter operating time (WMD - 19.85; 95% CI - 38.03 to - 1.68; P = 0.03); longer recovery time of intestinal function (SMD 0.46; 95% CI 0.08 to 0.84; P = 0.02). However, the terms of estimated blood loss (WMD - 5.72; 95% CI - 19.6 to - 8.15; P = 0.42); length of stay (WMD - 0.35; 95% CI - 1.61 to 0.91; P = 0.59), visual analog pain scale (WMD - 0.38; 95% CI - 0.99 to 0.84; P = 0.22); drainage duration (WMD - 0.22; 95% CI - 0.61 to 0.17; P = 0.26); overall complication rates (OR 1.24; 95% CI 0.58 to 2.63; P = 0.58); local recurrence rate (OR 0.6; 95% CI 0.3 to 1.21; P = 0.16); distant metastasis (OR 0.94; 95% CI 0.04 to 20.77; P = 0.97); 1-year overall survival (OS) (OR 0.45; 95% CI 0.1 to 2.01; P = 0.3) showed no difference between TLNU and RLUN.

CONCLUSION

TLNU provides similar surgical outcomes and oncologic results compared to RLUN; however, TLNU has a shorter procedure time and prolonged intestinal function recovery time. Due to the heterogeneity among the studies, randomized clinical trials with follow-ups in the long term are required to obtain more definite results.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/ , identifier CRD42023388554.

Comparison of Tumor Seeding and Recurrence Rate After Laparoscopic vs. Open Nephroureterectomy for Upper Urinary Tract Transitional Cell Carcinoma

Introduction: Laparoscopic surgery for Upper Urinary Tract Urothelial Cell Carcinoma (UTUC) is still debated for its possible seeding risk and thus consequent oncological recurrences, especially for atypical ones. The aim of the study is to compare recurrence and survival after Laparoscopic vs. Open Radical Nephroureterectomy (RNU) for Upper Urinary Tract Urothelial Cancer (UTUC).

Method: A retrospective evaluation of UTUC consecutive surgeries from 2008 to 2019 was conducted, including pT ≥ 2, High Grade UTUC who underwent RNU with bladder cuff excision without concomitant lymphadenectomy in three urological tertiary centers. Statistical analyses compared recurrence and cancer specific survival, based on surgical approach, while logistic multivariate analyses and Kaplan Meyer survival curve analyzed possible risk factors for recurrence and survival.

Results: One hundred seven cases of RNU, 47 (43.9%) laparoscopic and 60 (56.1%) open, were included in this report. Preoperative characteristics were comparable between groups. However, tumor stage was higher in the Open arm [T3–T4 in 44 (73.3%) vs. 20 (43.4%) in Laparoscopic]. Mean follow-up was 91.6 months in laparoscopy RNU vs. 93.5 months in open RNU. Recurrence rate (RR) was comparable between groups (p = 0.594), and so was the site, although 3 (6.3%) peritoneal recurrences were found only in laparoscopic group (p = 0.057). At multivariate logistic regression, tumor stage and surgical approach were independent predictors of recurrence (p < 0.05), while only tumor stage was predictor of cancer specific death (p = 0.029).

Conclusion: Surgical approach has no impact on recurrence site, overall survival, and RR. Still, according to our data peritoneal carcinomatosis was present only in laparoscopic arm, despite how it didn't reach statistical significance.

Laparoscopic compared with open nephroureterectomy in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma: A systemic review and a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of open nephroureterectomy compared with laparoscopic nephroureterectomy on postoperative results in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma subjects.

METHODS

A systematic literature search up to January 2021 was done and 36 studies included 23 013 subjects with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma at the start of the study; 8178 of them were laparoscopic nephroureterectomy, and 14 835 of them were open nephroureterectomy. They were reporting relationships between the efficacy and safety of open nephroureterectomy compared with laparoscopic nephroureterectomy in the treatment of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma. We calculated the odds ratio (OR) or the mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to assess the efficacy and safety of open nephroureterectomy compared with laparoscopic nephroureterectomy in the treatment of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma using the dichotomous or continuous method with a random or fixed-effect model.

RESULTS

Laparoscopic nephroureterectomy in subjects with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma was significantly related to longer operation time (MD, 43.90; 95% CI, 20.91-66.90, P < .001), shorter hospital stay (MD, -1.71; 95% CI, -2.42 to -1.00, P < .001), lower blood loss (MD, -133.82; 95% CI, -220.92 to -46.73, P = .003), lower transfusion need (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.47-0.67, P < .001) and lower overall complication (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.70-0.90, P < .001) compared with open nephroureterectomy. However, no significant difference was found between laparoscopic nephroureterectomy and open nephroureterectomy in subjects with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma in 2-5-years recurrence-free survival (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.69-1.18, P = .46), 2-5-years cancer-specific survival (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.69-1.28, P = .68) and 2-5-years overall survival (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 0.91-1.87, P = .15).

CONCLUSIONS

Laparoscopic nephroureterectomy in subjects with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma may have a longer operation time, shorter hospital stay, lower blood loss, transfusion need and overall complication compared with open nephroureterectomy. Further studies are required to validate these findings.

Open Nephroureterectomy Compared to Laparoscopic in Upper Urinary Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: A Meta-Analysis

Background: In this meta-analysis, we will focus on evaluating the effects of open nephroureterectomy compared with laparoscopic nephroureterectomy on postoperative results in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma subjects.

Methods: A systematic literature search up to January 2021 was performed, and 36 studies included 23,013 subjects with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma at the start of the study; of them, 8,178 were laparoscopic nephroureterectomy, and 14,835 of them were open nephroureterectomy. They were reporting relationships between the efficacy and safety of open nephroureterectomy compared with laparoscopic nephroureterectomy in the treatment of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma. We calculated the odds ratio (OR) or the mean difference (MD) with 95% CIs to evaluate the efficacy and safety of open nephroureterectomy compared with laparoscopic nephroureterectomy in the treatment of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma using the dichotomous or continuous method with a random or fixed-effect model.

Results: Laparoscopic nephroureterectomy in subjects with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma was significantly related to longer operation time (MD, 43.90; 95% CI, 20.91–66.90, p < 0.001), shorter hospital stay (MD, −1.71; 95% CI, −2.42 to −1.00, p < 0.001), lower blood loss (MD, −133.82; 95% CI, −220.92 to −46.73, p = 0.003), lower transfusion need (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.47–0.67, p < 0.001), and lower overall complication (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.70–0.90, p < 0.001) compared with open nephroureterectomy.

However, no significant difference was found between laparoscopic nephroureterectomy and open nephroureterectomy in subjects with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma in 2–5 years recurrence-free survival (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.69–1.18, p = 0.46), 2–5 years cancer-specific survival (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.69–1.28, p = 0.68), and 2–5 years overall survival (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 0.91–1.87, p = 0.15).

Conclusion: Laparoscopic nephroureterectomy in subjects with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma may have a longer operation time, shorter hospital stay, and lower blood loss, transfusion need, and overall complication compared to open nephroureterectomy. Further studies are required to validate these findings.

Initial experience of complete laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy combined with transvesical laparoscopic excision of distal ureter in patients with upper urinary tract cancer

Background

Selecting the treatment procedure for cancer patients is a challenging task. We report our initial experience of complete laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for patients with upper urinary tract urothelial cancer (UTUC).

Methods

A total of four patients with UTUC underwent complete laparoscopic RNU combined with transvesical laparoscopic excision of the distal ureter using three 5-mm ports. Transvaginal specimen extraction was applied in female patients to reduce incisional pain and improve cosmesis. Peri-operative complications were evaluated using the Clavien-Dindo classification system. Postoperative pain was evaluated during hospitalization using a numeric pain rating scale (scales of 1 to 10). Patients who underwent retroperitoneal laparoscopic surgery combined with open excision of the distal ureter during the same period were included as a control group (conventional RNU, consisting of laparoscopic nephrectomy combined with open bladder cuff excision) for pain scale evaluation.

Results

The novel surgery was successfully completed for all four patients (two males and two females). The mean pneumoperitoneum time for retroperitoneoscopic nephroureterectomy and specimen extraction was 174 min, while the mean pneumovesicum time for the ureteral orifice excision was 88 min. One male patient had bladder leakage at the suture site of the bladder wall, which lasted for 2 weeks. No patient experienced recurrent disease during the follow-up period (median, 10 months). Mild to moderate pain lasted for 5 or 6 days after RNU. A couple of days after surgery, the numeric pain rating scale of complete laparoscopic RNU and conventional RNU group reached its peak level at 3.0 ± 1.8 and 5.3 ± 2.8, respectively. There was no statistical difference in the degree of postoperative pain (P = 0.31).

Conclusions

We described our initial experience and outcome of complete laparoscopic RNU for UTUC. Further experience and research are required to determine whether this advanced laparoscopic technique yields better outcomes and has true clinical value.

Oncological outcomes of radical nephroureterectomy for upper urinary tract urothelial neoplasia in Denmark

Objective: To report the oncological outcomes of radical nephroureterectomy for upper urinary tract urothelial neoplasia in a large study sample.Materials and methods: This was a nationwide multicenter registry-based cohort study of all patients with upper urinary tract urothelial neoplasia in Denmark found to be eligible for nephroureterectomy between April 2004 and April 2017 (N = 1384). Primary endpoints were intravesical recurrence-free survival and overall survival. Survival probabilities were estimated with Kaplan-Meier and the log-rank test to compare survival curves. Association with clinical outcomes was studied using univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards.Results: Intravesical recurrence-free survival was 72% [95% confidence interval (CI) 69-75%] at 5 years and 70% (95% CI 67-73%) at 10 years. Patients with muscle-invasive disease had a significantly lower rate of intravesical recurrence [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.46, p < 0.0001] and patients with high-grade tumors had a significantly higher rate of incident intravesical recurrence compared to low-grade tumors (HR = 1.65, p = 0.001). The overall survival was 76% (95% CI 74-79%) at 5 years and 64% (95% CI 60-70%) at 10 years. Patients with higher age (p = 0.008) and muscle-invasive disease (p < 0.0001) had worse overall survival. When comparing surgical approaches, laparoscopic nephroureterectomy versus open nephroureterectomy did not differ in intravesical recurrence-free survival but was associated with shorter postoperative hospital stay (p < 0.0001) and better overall survival (p = 0.02).Conclusions: We report the oncological outcomes of radical nephroureterectomy for upper urinary tract urothelial neoplasia in a large sample and give insights into predictive factors with significant impact.

Laparoscopic versus open nephroureterectomy for upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (LNU) and open nephroureterectomy (ONU) for the treatment of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC).

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases were selected for systematic review of trials that compared outcomes of LNU and ONU. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3 and STATA 13.0 software.

RESULTS

LNU was associated with longer operation time (P < .001), shorter hospital stay (P < .001), less blood loss (P = .006) and lower rate of transfusion (P < .001). The occurrence of complications, including minor (P = .52), major (P = .21) and total complications (P = .19) were similar between LNU and ONU. There was no significant difference in the rate of 5-year recurrence-free survival (P = .90), 5-year cancer-specific survival (P = .12), and 5-year overall survival (P = .11) as well as 2-year RFS (P = .84), 2-year CSS (P = .86), and 2-year OS (P = .25).

CONCLUSION

Our results indicated that LNU is a safe and effective method to treat UTUC. Given the limitations of this study, further multicenter, randomized trials are required to confirm these findings.

Robotic Nephroureterectomy

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma is a rare malignancy that has an abundance of surgical treatment options, including open, laparoscopic, robotic, and endoscopic approaches. As advances in technology allow for shorter, less morbid operations, the variation in care of this uncommon disease has raised concerns about compromising oncologic principles. Many institutions have described their experience with promising results; however, there is a paucity of high-quality data that supports the use of robotic surgery as a new gold standard. This article describes how to perform the operation using a single-dock method and reviews contemporary literature on perioperative and oncologic outcomes.

Laparoscopic vs robotic nephroureterectomy: Is it time to re-establish the standard? Evidence from a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To conduct a systematic review of comparative studies of laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (LNU), the standard management for upper urothelial tumours, and robot-assisted NU (RANU) that has emerged as a viable alternative.

METHODS

MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library were searched according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to identify all studies reporting on both LNU and RANU for upper urothelial tract tumours.

RESULTS

In all, 1630 patients were included, of which 838 underwent LNU and 792 RANU. Three studies reported on mean operative time and found it to be less in LNU, with two reporting this to be significant (RANU 298 vs LNU 251 min, P = 0.03; 306 vs 234 min, respectively, P < 0.001). Both studies reporting on median node count found this to be higher in the robotic groups: RANU 5.5 vs LNU 1.0 and RANU 21 vs LNU 11. Positive surgical margins (RANU 1.69% vs LNU 7.06%, P = 0.18), bladder recurrence (24.6% vs 36.89%, P = 0.09), and distant metastases (27.50% vs 17.50%, P = 0.29) were not significantly different between the two techniques. Disease-specific mortality did not differ between the two techniques (RANU 7.5% vs LNU 12.5%, P = 0.46), but postoperative mortality was reduced in RANU (0.14% vs 1.32%, P = 0.03). Overall complication rates were statistically lower in RANU, at 12.5% vs 18.8% (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This review suggests these techniques are equivalent in terms of perioperative and oncological performance. Furthermore, there may be a lower overall complication rate, as well as postoperative mortality in the robotic group. Further research in the form of a randomised controlled trial is warranted.

Predictors of recurrence and patterns of failure among patients treated with nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma

Purpose

Recurrence rates following nephroureterectomy (NU) for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) remain high. As such, adjuvant therapy directed at high risk sites may improve long term outcomes. We describe patterns and predictors of UTUC recurrence according to patient, disease and treatment-related factors.

Methods and materials

We reviewed the records of 113 patients treated with NU for UTUC at our institution between 2006 and 2013. Time to locoregional (LR), intravesical (IV), distant recurrence and death were described using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log rank statistic. Cox Proportional Hazards analyses were performed to evaluate the adjusted hazard for LR/IV and LR recurrence.

Results

Advanced T stage (T3/4) was present in 41 (36%) patients, 10 (9%) were node-positive and 21 (19%) showed evidence of lymphovascular space invasion (LVSI). Median overall survival and time to any recurrence was 54.6 and 20.7 months, respectively. Disease recurrence was observed in 48 (42%) patients. The location of failure was intravesical in 27 (24%), locoregional in 22 (19%) and distant in 20 (18%). Three-year LR/IV and distant failure rates were 38.7% and 22.2%, respectively. Three-year LR failure was 4.6% in pTa-2 vs. 25.8% in T3-T4 disease. Multivariate analysis identified history of prior bladder disease as a significant predictor of LR/IV recurrence.

Conclusions

In this study we demonstrate LR/IV recurrence as the predominant pattern of failure in UTUC patients treated with nephroureterectomy. This systematic description of recurrence patterns and associated factors will guide further investigation of adjuvant therapy to minimize the treatment failures defined herein.

Transurethral electric coagulation combined with retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephroureterectomy for upper urinary urothelial carcinoma

Retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (LNU) combined with transurethral electric resection of ipsilateral bladder cuff is widely accepted to treat the upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UUT-UC). To reduce the local recurrence rate, we improved the procedure from electric resection to electric coagulation. From May 2008 to July 2012, of all the 156 retroperitoneal LNU patients, 76 cases (test group) were performed with LNU combined with electric coagulation, and 80 cases (control group) were with electric resection. For the clinical outcomes, the hospital stay in the test group was shorter (5.2 ± 2.6 days versus 8.2 ± 3.4 days; P < 0.05), and the 1-year tumor recurrence rate was much lower (1.6% versus 13.3%, P < 0.05). There was no difference in operation time and blood loss between groups. Retroperitoneal LNU combined with electric coagulation is technically feasible and safe with lower tumor recurrence rate and shorter hospital stay.

Hand-assisted retroperitoneoscopic nephroureterectomy with bladder cuffing after preperitoneal and retroperitoneal perivesical ballooning

Purpose

We aimed to describe the surgical technique of hand-assisted retroperitoneoscopic nephroureterectomy (HARNU) with bladder cuffing after preperitoneal and retroperitoneal perivesical ballooning.

Materials and Methods

From March 2008 to September 2012, we performed HARNU and open bladder cuffing in 28 consecutive series of patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma. We performed HARNU according to the following procedure: (1) a camera port incision was made on the posterior axillary line; (2) multiple, repeated, preperitoneal and retroperitoneal ballooning was performed on both the posterior axillary line and in the umbilicus; (3) a 7.0 cm skin incision was made from the suprapubic to the lower inguinal with the balloon present in the extraperitoneal area; (4) hand-assisted laparoscopic retroperitoneal nephroureterectomy; (5) cessation of gas insufflation; and (6) extravesical cuffing as an open surgical procedure.

Results

The mean estimated blood loss was 250 mL. The mean operation time was 240 minutes. The mean time to oral intake and ambulation was 1.0 day and two days, respectively. As for postoperative complications due to the hand-assisted device, one patient developed febrile urinary tract infection within three weeks postoperatively and was hospitalized again to receive parenteral antibiotics.

Conclusions

We made a low Gibson incision for a route for the hand-assisted procedure as well as a window for open surgery in dissecting the distal ureter and extracting the surgical specimens. Thus, our results indicate that the HARNU might be a feasible surgical modality.

Surgical management for upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma (UUT-TCC): a systematic review

Surgical management of upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma (UUT-TCC) has significantly changed over the past two decades. Data for several new surgical techniques, including nephron-sparing surgery (NSS), is emerging. The study systematically reviewed the literature comparing (randomised and observational studies) surgical and oncological outcomes for various surgical techniques MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, British Nursing Index, AMED, LILACS, Web of Science, Scopus, Biosis, TRIP, Biomed Central, Dissertation Abstracts, ISI proceedings, and PubMed were searched to identify suitable studies. Data were extracted from each identified paper independently by two reviewers (B.R. and B.S.) and cross checked by a senior member of the team. The data analysis was performed using the Cochrane software Review manager version 5. Comparable data from each study was combined in a meta-analysis where possible. For dichotomous data, odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated based on the fixed-effects model and according to an intention-to-treat analysis. If the data available were deemed not suitable for a meta-analysis it was described in a narrative fashion. One randomised control trial (RCT) and 19 observational studies comparing open nephroureterectomy (ONU) and laparoscopic NU (LNU) were identified. The RCT reported the LNU group to have statistically significantly less blood loss (104 vs 430 mL, P < 0.001) and mean time to discharge (2.30 vs 3.65 days, P < 0.001) than the ONU group. At a median follow-up of 44 months, the overall 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS; 89.9 vs 79.8%) and 5-year metastasis-free survival rates (77.4 vs 72.5%) for the ONU were better than for LNU, respectively, although not statistically significant. A meta-analysis of the observational studies favoured LNU group for lower urinary recurrence (P < 0.001) and distant metastasis. The meta-analyses for local recurrence for the two groups were comparable. One retrospective study comparing ONU with a percutaneous approach for grade 2 disease reported no significant differences in CSS rates (53.8 vs 53.3 months). Three retrospective studies compared NSS and radical NU, and reported no significant differences in overall CSS and recurrence-free survival between the two approaches. Five retrospective studies compared various techniques of en bloc excision of the lower ureter. No technique was reported to be better (operative and oncological) than any other. This review concludes that there is a paucity of good quality evidence for the various surgical approaches for UUT-TCC. The techniques have been assessed and reported in many retrospective single-centre studies favouring LNU for better perioperative outcomes and comparable oncological safety. The reported observational studies data is further supported by one RCT.

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma: current treatment and outcomes

The reference standard treatment of upper tract urothelial carcinoma is open radical nephroureterectomy. Many centers have advocated less-invasive treatment modalities. We reviewed contemporary treatments of upper tract urothelial carcinoma and their outcomes. A MEDLINE search was conducted for all relevant published data during the past 15 years. Endoscopic management is feasible for low-grade disease with strict surveillance protocols. Radical nephroureterectomy remains the reference standard for upper tract urothelial carcinoma. The intermediate-term oncologic outcomes are similar between the laparoscopic and open approaches. Controversies still exist regarding the optimal management of the distal ureter, the utility of topical therapy, and the role of lymphadenectomy.

Transperitoneal laparoscopic nephroureterectomy for native upper tract urothelial carcinoma in renal transplant recipients

PURPOSE

To analyze the safety and clinical outcome of laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (LNUT) for native upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UC) in renal transplant (RT) recipients.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 956 RT recipients from January 2003 to December 2010 to evaluate the benefit of LNUT for patients who were diagnosed with de novo UC after renal transplantation.

RESULTS

Women predominated (10/11, 91 %) in the 11 patients with upper tract UC who underwent LNUT. Five patients underwent LNUT ipsilateral to the transplanted kidney, 4 patients underwent contralateral LNUT, and 2 patients underwent bilateral LNUT. Nine were operated with LNUT combining resection of bladder cuff, 2 with right ureteral cancer underwent open ureterectomy with bladder cuff due to severe adhesions attached to the lesion. The mean surgical duration was 184.2 min (105-305), the mean blood loss was 182.3 ml (20-500), and the mean hospitalization time was 6.7 days (5-9). The mean levels of preoperative and postoperative serum creatinine were 0.99 mg/dl (0.78-1.16) and 1.01 mg/dl (0.89-1.18), respectively. No intraoperative complications occurred. One patient died of multiple metastases at 13 months after LNUT. The mean follow-up of the remaining 10 patients after diagnosis was 21.7 months (3-48). Two patients had recurrent bladder cancer and underwent transurethral resection of the tumor. Eight patients showed no evidence of disease during the follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

LNUT is a safe and effective approach with low morbidity in transplant recipients, and this therapy provides less trauma, quicker recovery, and acceptable oncological outcomes.

Laparoscopic versus open nephroureterectomy for the treatment of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma: a systematic review and cumulative analysis of comparative studies

CONTEXT

Laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (LNU) has increasingly been used as a minimally invasive alternative to open nephroureterectomy (ONU), but studies comparing the efficacy and safety of the two surgical procedures are still limited.

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate the oncologic and perioperative outcomes of LNU versus ONU in the treatment of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

A systematic review and cumulative analysis of comparative studies reporting both oncologic and perioperative outcomes of LNU and ONU was performed through a comprehensive search of the Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Library electronic databases. All analyses were performed using the Review Manager (RevMan) v.5 (Nordic Cochrane Centre, Copenhagen, Denmark) and Meta-analysis In eXcel (MIX) 2.0 Pro (BiostatXL) software packages.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Twenty-one eligible studies (1235 cases and 3093 controls) were identified. A significantly higher proportion of pTa/Tis was observed in LNU compared to ONU (27.52% vs 22.59%; p = 0.047), but there were no significant differences in other stages and pathologic grades (all p>0.05). For patients who underwent LNU, the 5-yr cancer-specific survival (CSS) rate was significantly higher, at 9% (p = 0.03), compared to those who underwent ONU, while the overall recurrence rate and bladder recurrence rate were notably lower, at 15% (p = 0.01) and 17% (p = 0.02), respectively. However, there were no statistically significant differences in 2-yr CSS, 5-yr recurrence-free survival (RFS), 5-yr overall survival (OS), 2-yr OS, and metastasis rates between LNU and ONU (all p>0.05). Moreover, there were no significant differences between LNU and ONU in terms of intraoperative complications, postoperative complications, and perioperative mortality (all p>0.05). The results of our study were mainly limited by the retrospective design of most of the individual studies included as well as selection biases based on different management of regional lymph nodes and pathologic characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that LNU offers reliable perioperative safety and comparable oncologic efficacy when compared to ONU. Given that some limitations cannot be overcome, well-designed prospective trials are needed to confirm our findings.

Complete laparoscopic nephroureterectomy with intravesical lockable clip

Introduction

We present a cohort of patients with low-stage pelviureteric neoplastic disease who underwent complete laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (CLNUE) with intravesical lockable clip (IVLC). Due to the absence of a standard technique of NUE, the study was not randomized.

Materials

From 1/2010 to 1/2012, 21 patients were subjected to CLNUE-IVLC. The first step was transurethral excision of the ureterovesical junction with Collin's knife deep into the paravesical adipose tissue. The ureter was grasped with biopsy forceps and the distal end of the ureter was occluded with lockable clip. The applicator was introduced through a 5 mm port inserted as an epicystostomy. The patients were rotated to flank position and CLNUE followed. The endoscopically introduced clip on the distal ureter is proof of completion of the total ureterectomy.

Results

The mean operation time was 161 (115-200) min. In four (19.0%), the application of the clip failed and CLNUE was completed with non-occluded ureter. In three cases, subsequent laparoscopic nephrectomy was converted to open surgery. In two cases, the distal ureterectomy was completed with pluck technique through a lower abdominal incision that was also used for extraction of the specimen. There were four complications (Clavien II 2x, IIIb, V). Follow-up was available for all – mean 10.6 (range: 0-25) months. One died of disease generalization within 11 months.

Conclusion

CLNUE-IVLC is fast and safe. If needed, the endoscopic phase can be switched to open NUE. Disadvantages include: the need to change the position of the patient, the risk of inability to apply the clip on the distal ureter, and the risk of an unclosed defect of the urinary bladder.

Propensity-score-matched comparison of perioperative outcomes between open and laparoscopic nephroureterectomy: a national series

BACKGROUND

Nephroureterectomy (NU) represents the primary management for patients with nonmetastatic upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). Either an open NU (ONU) or a laparoscopic NU (LNU) may be considered. Despite the presence of several reports comparing perioperative and cancer-control outcomes between the two approaches, no reports relied on a population-based cohort.

OBJECTIVES

Examine intraoperative and postoperative morbidity of ONU and LNU in a population-based cohort.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

We relied on the US Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) to identify patients with nonmetastatic UTUC treated with ONU or LNU between 1998 and 2009. Overall, 7401 (90.8%) and 754 (9.2%) patients underwent ONU and LNU, respectively. To adjust for potential baseline differences between the two groups, propensity-score-based matching was performed. This resulted in 3016 (80%) ONU patients matched to 754 (20%) LNU patients.

INTERVENTION

All patients underwent NU.

MEASUREMENTS

The rates of intra- and postoperative complications, blood transfusions, prolonged length of stay (pLOS), and in-hospital mortality were assessed for both procedures. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed within the cohort after propensity-score matching.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

For ONU versus LNU respectively, the following rates were recorded: blood transfusions, 15% versus 10% (p<0.001); intraoperative complications, 4.7% versus 2.1% (p=0.002); postoperative complications, 17% versus 15% (p=0.24); pLOS (≥5 d), 47% versus 28% (p<0.001); in-hospital mortality, 1.3% versus 0.7% (p=0.12). In multivariable logistic regression analyses, LNU patients were less likely to receive a blood transfusion (odds ratio [OR]: 0.6; p<0.001), to experience any intraoperative complications (OR: 0.4; p=0.002), and to have a pLOS (OR: 0.4; p<0.001). Overall, postoperative complications were equivalent. However, LNU patients had fewer respiratory complications (OR: 0.4; p=0.007). This study is limited by its retrospective nature.

CONCLUSIONS

After adjustment for potential selection biases, LNU is associated with fewer adverse intra- and perioperative outcomes than ONU.

Upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma: what have we learned in the last 4 years?

In the last 4 years many studies have been published on the topic of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). This is a recent review of the available literature of the last 3 years. A systematic Medline/PubMed search on UTUC including limits for clinical trials and randomized, controlled trials was performed for English-language articles using the keywords 'upper urinary tract carcinoma', 'nephroureterectomy', 'laparoscopic', 'ureteroscopy', 'percutaneous', 'renal pelvis', 'ureter' and their combinations from January 2008 to December 2010. Additional selected reports from 2007 were included. Case reports and non-English literature were excluded. Publications were mostly retrospective, including some large, multicentre studies from the Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma Collaboration (UTUCC). The authors of this article are members of the UTUCC. Altogether, 92 original articles dealing with UTUC were identified and summarized. The vast majority of the available literature has a low level of evidence (level IV), although many multicentre studies tried to overcome the problem of low numbers by pooling data. It was concluded that in the last 3 years our knowledge regarding UTUC has increased dramatically, although new study concepts allowing us to increase the level of evidence are needed.

Long-term comparative outcomes of open versus laparoscopic nephroureterectomy for upper urinary tract urothelial-cell carcinoma after a median follow-up of 13 years*

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Open nephroureterectomy (ONU) rather than laparoscopic nephroureterectomy (LNU) is still regarded as the standard of care for extirpative surgical management of upper urinary tract urothelial-cell carcinoma (UUT-UCC). The longest published follow-up of LNU is 7 years. We report outcomes for patients having surgery ≥10 years ago.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Consecutive patients with UUT-UCC who were treated with ONU (n=39) or LNU (n=23) between April 1992 to September 2000 were included. Preoperative, tumor, operative and postoperative characteristics, recurrence, and outcomes were collated. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.

RESULTS

Median follow-up of censored patients was 163 months (13.6 y). Estimated mean overall survival (OS) was 111 months for ONU and 103 months for LNU. Mean progression free survival (PFS) was 175 months for ONU and 143 months for LNU. Probability of PFS at 10 years was 79% for ONU and 76% for LNU and was unchanged at 15 years. There was no significant difference between ONU and LNU in terms of OS (P=0.51, log-rank test), PFS (P=0.70) or cancer-specific survival (CSS; P=0.43). There were no prognostic differences between ONU and LNU after correcting for confounding variables. There was no increase in the probability of a bladder cancer recurrence from 10 to 15 years postoperation.

CONCLUSION

Long-term follow-up of patients who were operated on more than 10 years ago suggests that LNU has oncologic equivalence to ONU because there were no significant differences in OS, PFS, or CSS between ONU and LNU patients followed for a median of 13 years.

Predictive factors of recurrence and survival of upper tract urothelial carcinomas

OBJECTIVE

UTUCC is a rare tumor, and most reports on prognostic factors come from small single-center series. The objective of this article was to provide an updated overview of current clinical, pathological and biological prognostic factors of UTUC.

METHODS

PubMed was searched for records from 2002 to 2010 using the terms "prognostic factors", "recurrence", "survival", and "upper tract urothelial carcinoma". Among identified citations, papers were selected based on their clinical relevance.

RESULTS

Classical clinical factors that influence UTUC prognosis include age, presence of symptoms, hydronephrosis, and interval from diagnosis. Many biomarkers have shown promises to better appraise the natural course of UTUC although none is currently used in clinical practice. Stage, grade, lymph node metastases, lymphovascular invasion, tumor necrosis, and tumor architecture are strong pathological parameters. RNU is the standard treatment of localized UTUC. Both laparoscopic and open approaches seem to offer similar cancer control. Lymph node dissection increases staging accuracy and might confer a survival benefit.

CONCLUSION

RNU is the standard treatment for most patients with UTUC. Recent multicenter studies confirmed the prognostic value of classical prognostic parameters. Better survival prediction might be obtained with prognostic systems including clinical data and new biomarkers.

Comparison between laparoscopic and open radical nephroureterectomy in a contemporary group of patients: are recurrence and disease-specific survival associated with surgical technique?

BACKGROUND

Open radical nephroureterectomy (ORN) is the current standard of care for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), but laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy (LRN) is emerging as a minimally invasive alternative. Questions remain regarding the oncologic safety of LRN and its relative equivalence to ORN.

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to compare recurrence-free and disease-specific survival between ORN and LRN.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

We retrospectively analyzed data from 324 consecutive patients treated with radical nephroureterectomy (RN) between 1995 and 2008 at a major cancer center. Patients with previous invasive bladder cancer or contralateral UTUC were excluded. Descriptive data are provided for 112 patients who underwent ORN from 1995 to 2001 (pre-LRN era). Comparative analyses were restricted to patients who underwent ORN (n=109) or LRN (n=53) from 2002 to 2008. Median follow-up for patients without disease recurrence was 23 mo.

INTERVENTION

All patients underwent RN.

MEASUREMENTS

Recurrence was categorized as bladder-only recurrence or any recurrence (bladder, contralateral kidney, operative site, regional lymph nodes, or distant metastasis). Recurrence-free probabilities were estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods. A multivariable Cox model was used to evaluate the association between surgical approach and disease recurrence. The probability of disease-specific death was estimated using the cumulative incidence function.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

Clinical and pathologic characteristics were similar for all patients. The recurrence-free probabilities were similar between ORN and LRN (2-yr estimates: 38% and 42%, respectively; p=0.9 by log-rank test). On multivariable analysis, the surgical approach was not significantly associated with disease recurrence (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.88 for LRN vs ORN; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57-1.38; p=0.6). There was no significant difference in bladder-only recurrence (HR: 0.78 for LRN vs ORN; 95% CI, 0.46-1.34; p=0.4) or disease-specific mortality (p=0.9). This study is limited by its retrospective nature.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the results of this retrospective study, no evidence indicates that oncologic control is compromised for patients treated with LRN in comparison with ORN.