Trends in clinical outcome of transitional cell carcinoma of the ureter: have the results improved?

We divided 53 consecutive patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the ureter into two groups. Group A consisted of patients treated in the 1970s and group B of patients treated in the 1980s. Clinical features and outcomes were compared between the groups. Group B patients saw an increased use of new diagnostic modalities, including antegrade pyelography, computed tomography, and bone scintigraphy. Regional lymphadenectomy was added to the operative routine in group B and combined chemotherapy, using methotrexate, vinblastine, adriamycin and cisplatinum, the most effective regimen at present, was used in 9 patients in group B and no patients in group A. In spite of new diagnostic modalities and treatments, the survival rate for ureteral cancer failed to improve from the 1970s to the 1980s.