Value of selective upper tract cytology for recognition of upper tract tumors after treatment of superficial bladder cancer.

Background: The value of selective upper urinary tract (UT) cytology in patients who are asymptomatic and tumor free at control cystoscopy after being treated for superficial bladder carcinoma has not been studied. The present study was performed to evaluate the value of selective UT cytology in patients who are tumor free at control cystoscopy after being treated for superficial bladder cancer.

Methods: Forty-seven consecutive patients who had undergone definitive surgical treatment for superficial bladder cancer at least 24 months prior and were tumor free at control cystoscopy were evaluated with bladder wash for cytology as well as selective UT urine cytology by catheterization of both ureteral orifices. Of the 47 patients, disease was stage Ta in 30 (63.8%), T1 in 15 (31.9%) and Ta/Tcis in 2 (4.3%). Primary tumor was unifocal in 24 (51.1%) and multifocal in 23 (48.9%) patients. The time elapsed from the initial diagnosis to the last evaluation ranged from 2 to 21 years (mean 5.39).

Results: UT cytology was positive in 2 cases. Although, excretory urography (IVP) revealed mild pelvicalicectasis in 1 of these 2 patients, ureterorenoscopy (URS) revealed no abnormality. In the other patient with normal IVP and retrograde pyelography (RGP), URS revealed a ureteral tumor 5 mm in diameter. Although the UT cytology was normal in the remaining 45 patients, IVP revealed right hydronephrosis in 1 patient and URS revealed multiple ureteral tumors.

Conclusion: Given the normal appearance of the UT, it is highly unlikely that these patients have tumor in the UT. Thus, during the follow-up of patients with superficial bladder cancer, it is not useful to perform UT select cytology in the absence of any identifiable filling defects in the upper urinary tract.