Therapy and prognosis of carcinoma of the renal pelvis.

Forty-eight patients with carcinoma of the renal pelvis were treated between 1976 and 1986. 77% (n = 37) underwent nephrectomy; 4% (n = 2) open biopsy; 8% (n = 4) organ-preserving surgery, and 11% (n = 5) were treated conservatively. Major complications associated with the nephrectomies included: hemorrhage (11%); pulmonary embolism (5%); abscess (5%); ileus (5%), and pneumonia (5%). There was no postoperative mortality. Grade-III carcinoma, advanced tumor stage (T4N+M1), and generalized urothelial cancer worsened the prognosis. Such patients might benefit from adjuvant therapy.