Treatment of urothelial tumors of the upper urinary tract by nephroureterectomy, renal autotransplantation, and pyelocystostomy.

Nephroureterectomy, renal autotransplantation, and pyelocystostomy have been performed in eight patients with urothelial tumors of the upper urinary tract. One patient had tumors in a solitary kidney, two patients had bilateral tumors, and five patients had unilateral tumors. Three patients have had recurrent calyceal tumors which were successively managed by the transurethral route. In one patient the kidney had to be removed after 4.5 years because of infiltrating tumor recurrence. Two patients died; the renal pelvis of the graft was tumor free at autopsy in both cases. The other five patients are alive and free from tumor recurrence. The procedure implies increased radicality compared with conventional conservative treatment and simplified follow-up. It may be considered in patients with bilateral tumors or tumors of a solitary kidney, and in selected patients with unilateral low-grade, low-stage tumors.