Upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is an uncommon disease and its gold-standard treatment is radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). Distal ureterectomy (DU) might be an alternative for tumors of the distal ureter but its indications remain unclear. Here, we aimed to evaluate the oncological outcomes of DU for UTUC of the pelvic ureter. We performed a multicenter retrospective analysis of patients with UTUC who underwent DU. The primary endpoint was 5-year cancer-specific survival (CSS), followed by overall survival (OS), intravesical recurrence-free (IVR) and homolateral urinary tract recurrence-free (HUR) survivals as secondary endpoints. Univariate and multivariate Cox regressions were performed to assess factors associated with outcomes. 155 patients were included, 91% of which were high-risk. 5-year CSS was 84.4%, OS was 71.9%, IVR-free survival was 43.6% and HUR-free survival was 74.4%. Multifocality, high grade and tumor size were the most significant predictors of survival endpoints. Of note, neither hydronephrosis nor pre-operative diagnostic ureteroscopy/JJ stent were associated with any of the endpoints. Perioperative morbidity was minimal. In conclusion, DU stands as a possible alternative to RNU for UTUC of the pelvic ureter. Close monitoring is mandatory due to the high risk of recurrence in the remaining urinary tract.

Background: The role of lymphonodal dissection during surgery for a tumor of the urinary tract remains controversial. Objective: To analyze anatomical bases of lymphonodal dissection in tumors of the upper urinary tract and analyze its impact on survival, recurrence, and staging. Acquisition of data: A web-based search for scientific articles using Medline/Pubmed was carried out to identify and analyze articles on the practice and the role of lymphonodal dissection in this indication. Data Synthesis: The lymphatic drainage of the upper urinary tract has rarely been studied and is poorly understood. The lymphonodal metastatic extension is the most common extension in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma. Lymphnode invasion is a clear independent poor prognostic factor. Therefore, it seems legitimate to offer an extended lymphonodal dissection to patients undergoing surgery to cure these tumors. When lymphnodes dissection respects clear anatomical principles based on the location of the primary tumor and its extension, it improves both survival and recurrence rates. This result could be secondary to the treatment of subclinical metastatic disease. Conclusion: An extended lymphadenectomy during surgery for upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma following strict anatomical pattern improves staging with a highly probable therapeutic benefit.

Ten senior urologists were interrogated to develop a predictive model based on factors from which they could anticipate complex transurethral resection of bladder tumours (TURBT). Complexity was defined by consensus. Panel members then used a five-point Likert scale to grade those factors that, in their opinion, drove complexity. Consensual factors were highlighted through two Delphi rounds. Respective contributions to complexity were quantitated by the median values of their scores. Multivariate analysis with complexity as a dependent variable tested their independence in clinical scenarios obtained by random allocation of the factors. The consensus definition of complexity was “any TURBT/En-bloc dissection that results in incomplete resection and/or prolonged surgery (>1 h) and/or significant (Clavien-Dindo ≥ 3) perioperative complications”. Logistic regression highlighted five domains as independent predictors: patient’s history, tumour number, location, and size and access to the bladder. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis confirmed good discrimination (AUC = 0.92). The sum of the scores of the five domains adjusted to their regression coefficients or Bladder Complexity Score yielded comparable performance (AUC = 0.91, C-statistics, p = 0.94) and good calibration. As a whole, preoperative factors identified by expert judgement were organized to quantitate the risk of a complex TURBT, a crucial requisite to personalise patient information, adapt human and technical resources to individual situations and address TURBT variability in clinical trials.

Purpose: The bladder cuff (BC) management and its surgical approach represent an essential and debated step in radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for upper tract urothelial carcinoma. The objective of our study was to determine which BC management has the best oncologic outcomes in terms of bladder recurrence-free survival (BRFS). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed all patients who underwent an open robot-assisted laparoscopic (RNU) or a combined RNU between March 2012 and March 2019 in three academic hospitals. BC management approaches were divided into two categories: (O-cuff) open BC and (R-cuff) robot-assisted BC. We assessed demographic characteristics, distal ureter approach, pathology, and operative details, as well as oncologic outcomes including BRFS. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. A multivariable analysis was performed to identify predictive factors of bladder recurrence (BR). Results: A total of 117 patients were included with a mean follow-up of 40.4 months. Patients with a history of bladder cancer, RNU with pure laparoscopic approach, and endoscopic BC were excluded. There were 53 (45%) patients in the O-cuff group and 64 (55%) in the R-cuff group. BRFS at 2 years was 73.3% and 72.7% for O-cuff and R-cuff, respectively ( p = 0.9). On multivariable analysis, distal ureter tumor (odds ratio: 6.24, 95% confidence interval: 1.95–21.5; p < 0.01) was associated with BR. Conclusion: There was no statistically significant difference in BRFS between the O-cuff and R-cuff groups. Nevertheless, we underlined that distal ureter tumor was associated with BR. Although we did not find differences regarding the surgical approach, BC remains a very important step of RNU and caution should be taken when performed laparoscopically to avoid any tumor spillage. Risk factors for bladder cancer recurrence might be taken into account for the choice of its surgical approach.

High-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is treated with intravesical instillations of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), which trigger a local immune response. Improved patient outcomes have been linked to the recruitment of CD4⁺ T helper type 1 (Th1) cells to the bladder. However, specific antigens recognized by the bladder-infiltrating T cells remain largely unknown. In this study, we followed thirty-two patients with NMIBC undergoing BCG immunotherapy. Longitudinal blood and urine samples were collected to investigate the dynamics and characteristics of BCG-specific T cells. We detected pre-existing BCG-specific CD4⁺ T cells in most BCG therapy-naive patients before treatment induction. BCG immunotherapy increased the frequency and memory differentiation of circulating BCG-specific CD4⁺ T cells, which displayed a polyfunctional Th1 phenotype. Importantly, we provide evidence that BCG-specific CD4⁺ Th1 cells can be detected in urine during therapy, suggesting their recruitment to the bladder. This study provides novel biological insights into the cellular mechanisms of BCG-induced immunity in bladder cancer.