What is UTUC in urology?

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is cancer of the transitional urothelial cells that line the upper urothelial tract of the renal pelvis and ureter. This type of cancer accounts for between 5% and 10% of urothelial cancer cases. It’s the fourth most common cancer in men, but less common in women.

What are the symptoms of UTUC?

The most common presenting symptom of UTUC is blood in the urine (hematuria). It occurs in approximately 75 percent of patients. This can be blood that you see (gross hematuria) or blood that is seen only on a urine dipstick or microscopy (microscopic hematuria).

Does urothelial carcinoma mean cancer?

Urothelial carcinoma. Urothelial cells expand when your bladder is full and contract when your bladder is empty. These same cells line the inside of the ureters and the urethra, and cancers can form in those places as well. Urothelial carcinoma is the most common type of bladder cancer in the United States.

Is upper tract urothelial carcinoma bladder cancer?

What is Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma (UTUC)? Most bladder cancers (approximately 90-95%) occur in the bladder itself. However, the urothelial cells that line the bladder are also found in other locations in the urinary system. Urothelial carcinoma is a cancer that can occur in those cells.

How serious is urothelial carcinoma?

Bladder cancer can be benign or malignant. Malignant bladder cancer may be life threatening, as it can spread quickly. Without treatment, it can damage tissues and organs.

Is UTUC curable?

Surgery is the most effective treatment for UTUC. Surgery may be performed as either keyhole surgery or open surgery. The extent of the surgery depends on the location and stage of the tumour. Your surgeon will discuss the type of operation you may need.

How is UTUC treated?

High-grade UTUC has the potential to spread from the kidney or ureter and is most often treated with surgical removal of the kidney and ureter – an operation called radical nephrouretectomy.

Can urothelial carcinoma be cured?

Follow-up and outlook after treatment These cancers can be cured with treatment. During long-term follow-up care, more superficial cancers are often found in the bladder or in other parts of the urinary system. Although these new cancers do need to be treated, they rarely are deeply invasive or life threatening.

How is UTUC diagnosed?

Diagnostic workup of patients with suspected UTUC comprises the following: CTU, preferably with a CMP, for detection of tumors as contrast-enhancing masses rather than as filling defects; cystoscopy and urinary cytology; fURS with biopsy and renal pelvis barbotage cytology.

How do you get urothelial carcinoma?

The major cause of urothelial cancer is cigarette smoking. A strong correlation exists between the duration and amount of cigarette smoking and cancers at all levels of the urothelial tract. This association holds for both transitional cell and squamous cell carcinomas.

How is urothelial carcinoma diagnosed?

Urine cytology is the most widely used noninvasive test to detect urothelial tumors. However, it is limited by its low sensitivity. On the other hand, cystoscopy is the gold standard procedure to follow patients with a history of bladder cancer but this test is invasive and costly.