[Radical or conservative surgery for upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinomas (TCC)?]

Abstract

Objective: We expose the arguments supporting radical and conservative surgery based on international bibliography and our own experience, with special citation of endoscopic surgery (percutaneous and ureteroscopy).

Methods/results: We evaluate the criteria of multifocality, cell seeding and number of recurrences separately, as well as the diagnostic difficulties establishing tumor grade and stage, by connecting the various techniques and their results.

Conclusion: the choice between radical or conservative surgery for upper urinary tract TCC is conditioned by precise indications and the surgical technique chosen does not influence the final outcome of low grade/stage tumors.