Upper tract urothelial carcinoma: a different disease entity in terms of management

Abstract

Upper tract urothelial carcinomas (UTUCs) consist of 5%–10% of all urothelial carcinomas, the rest being urothelial carcinomas of the bladder (UCB). There is increasing evidence to show that UTUC is a distinct disease entity from UCB based on phenotypical and genotypical (genetic and epigenetic) differences. This may account for why the natural history of UTUC is different from that of UCB, with >60% of UTUCs and only 15%–25% of UCB presenting with invasion at diagnosis. Management of UTUC is thus different from UCB in a variety of ways, ranging from surgical management, postoperative instillation therapy, postoperative surveillance and medical management (neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy). This review paper aims to highlight these differences with an emphasis on the distinct management of UTUC, along with the latest updates.