Prognostic value of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in upper tract urothelial carcinoma patients treated with radical nephroureterectomy:A metaanalysis

Objective:To evaluate the prognostic value of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio(PLR)in upper tract urothelial carcinoma(UTUC)patients treated with radical nephroureterectomy.Methods:This study was pre-registered in PROSPERO(No.CRD42020186645).Two reviewers independently performed a comprehensive literature search on PubMed,Web of Science,EMBASE,Cochrane Library databases,China Biology Medicine disc(CBM),Wanfang database,and China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI)from inception to May 2021 for prospective or retrospective cohort studies evaluating the prognostic value of PLR.Literature was analyzed with inclusion and exclusion criteria.Data and other useful clinicopathological features were extracted and analyzed with fixed or random-effect models when applicable.Heterogeneity was assessed on the basis of Cochran’s Q test and I2 statistic.Publication bias was assessed with funnel plots and precisely assessed by Egger's tests.Results:A total of ten studies involving 3287 UTUC patients were included.Meta-analysis showed that elevated preoperative PLR was associated with worse overall survival(HR=1.51,95%CI 1.17-1.94,P=0.001),cancer specific survival(HR=1.52,95%CI 1.21-1.90,P<0.001),disease free survival(HR=1.32,95%CI 1.12-1.56,P=0.001),and progression free survival(HR=1.88,95%CI 1.41-2.52,P<0.001).Furthermore,the sensitivity analyses validated the stability and reliability of the results.Conclusion:The present meta-analysis demonstrates a significant association between elevated preoperative PLR and poor prognosis of UTUC patients treated with radical nephroureterectomy.Hence,PLR could be helpful as a potential prognostic biomarker to guide clinical decision-making and select individualized treatment strategies for UTUC patients.However,more prospective and large-scale trials are needed to provide more evidence.

Laparoscopic nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma-Update

Upper urinary tract urothelial carcinomas(UTUCs)are uncommon and account for only 5%e10%of urothelial carcinomas.Pyelocaliceal tumors are about twice as common as ureteral tumors.Sixty percent of UTUCs are invasive at diagnosis.Radical nephroureterectomy,including the excision of the distal ureter and bladder cuff is standard of care for treatment of localized UTUCs,because of the high potential for recurrence,multifocality,and progression.Since first laparoscopic nephroureterectomy(LNU)was introduced by Clayman et al.in 1991 and improvement of laparoscopic technique and equipment,LNU has been reported to be equivalent to conventional open method.We reviewed the current literature of patients with UTUCs treated by LNU focusing on technical aspects,peri-operative and oncological outcomes.Laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy offers the advantages of minimally invasive surgery without deteriorating the oncological outcome for treatment of UTUCs.Indications tend to increase as operator skills increase.Indications for laparoscopic or open nephroureterectomy are in principle the same.The basic requirement for laparoscopic surgery in UTUCs is to achieve benefits of minimal invasive surgery and maintain oncologic principles.

Techniques to resect the distal ureter in robotic/laparoscopic nephroureterectomy

Treatment of clinically-organ confined high grade urothelial carcinoma of the upper tract has historically comprised open nephroureterectomy,with the distal ureter and bladder cuff mobilized through a separate open pelvic incision.To decrease morbidity,urologists have increasingly adopted laparoscopy and robotics in performing nephroureterectomy.In many published series of laparoscopic nephroureterectomy,the distal ureter and bladder cuff are detached from the bladder endoscopically by a variation of the“pluck”technique,with the resulting bladder defect left to heal by prolonged indwelling urethral catheter drainage.While the distal ureter and bladder cuff can be excised laparoscopically,it does require advanced laparoscopic skills.With the wrist articulation and stereoscopic vision in robotic surgery,robotic nephroureterectomy(RNU)and bladder cuff excision can be performed in antegrade fashion to mimic the open technique together with the ability to intracorporeally close the bladder defect in a watertight,mucosa to mucosa fashion after excising the bladder cuff.In this review,we discuss the published minimally invasive techniques in resecting the distal ureter and bladder cuff during laparoscopic and RNU.

Oncological impact of different distal ureter managements during radical nephroureterectomy for primary upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma

BACKGROUND The current standard surgical treatment for non-metastatic upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma(UTUC)is radical nephroureterectomy(RNU)with bladder cuff excision(BCE).Typically,BCE techniques are classified in one of the following three categories:An open technique described as intrasvesical incision of the bladder cuff,a transurethral incision of the bladder cuff(TUBC),and an extravesical incision of the bladder cuff(EVBC)method.Even though each of these management techniques are widely used,there is no consensus about which surgical intervention is superior,with the best oncologic outcomes.AIM To investigate the oncological outcomes of three BCE methods during RNU for primary UTUC patients.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the data of 248 primary UTUC patients,who underwent RNU with BCE between January 2004 to December 2018.Patients were analyzed according to each BCE method.Data extracted included patient demographics,perioperative parameters,and oncological outcomes.Statistical analyses were performed using chi-square and log-rank tests.The Cox proportional hazards regression model was utilized to identify independent predictors.P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.RESULTS Of the 248 participants,39.9%(n=99)underwent intrasvesical incision of the bladder cuff,38.7%(n=96)EVBC,and 21.4%(n=53)TUBC.At a median followup of 44.2 mo,bladder recurrence developed in 17.2%,12.5%,and 13.2%of the cases,respectively.Cancer-specific deaths occurred in 11.1%,5.2%,and 7.5%of patients,respectively.Kaplan-Meier survival curves with a log-rank test highlighted no significant differences in intravesical recurrence-free survival,cancer-specific survival,and overall survival among these approaches with P values of 0.987,0.825,and 0.497,respectively.Multivariate analysis showed that the lower ureter location appears to have inferior intravesical recurrence-free survival(P=0.042).However,cancer-specific survival and overall survival were independently influenced by tumor stage(hazard ratio[HR]=8.439;95%con
dence interval:2.424-29.377;P=0.001)and lymph node status(HR=14.343;95%CI:5.176-39.745;P<0.001).CONCLUSION All three techniques had comparable outcomes;although,EVBC and TUBC are minimally invasive.While based upon rather limited data,these findings will support urologists in blending experience with evidence to inform patient choices.However,larger,rigorously designed,multicenter studies with long term outcomes are still required.

Comparison of survival outcomes between laparoscopic versus open radical nephroureterectomy in upper tract urothelial cancer patients:Experiences of a tertiary care single center

Objectives:To test for differences in overall and recurrence-free survival between laparoscopic and open surgical approaches in patients undergoing radical nephroureterectomy(RNU)for upper tract urothelial carcinoma(UTUC).Materials and methods:We retrospectively identified patients treated for UTUC from 2010 to 2020 from our institutional database.Patients undergoing laparoscopic or open RNU with no suspicion of metastasis(cM0)were for the current study population.Patients with suspected metastases at diagnosis(cM1)or those undergoing other surgical treatments were excluded.Tabulation was performed according to the laparoscopic versus open surgical approach.Kaplan-Meier plots were used to test for differences in overall and recurrence-free survival with regard to the surgical approach.Furthermore,separate Kaplan-Meier plots were used to test the effect of preoperative ureterorenoscopy on overall and recurrence-free survival within the overall study cohort.Results:Of the 59 patients who underwent nephroureterectomy,29%(n=17)underwent laparoscopic nephroureterectomy,whereas 71%(n=42)underwent open nephroureterectomy.Patient and tumor characteristics were comparable between groups(p≥0.2).The median overall survival was 93 and 73 months in the laparoscopic nephroureterectomy group compared to the open nephroureterectomy group(p=0.5),respectively.The median recurrence-free survival did not differ between open and laparoscopic nephroureterectomies(73 months for both groups;p=0.9).Furthermore,the median overall and recurrence-free survival rates did not differ between patients treated with and without preoperative ureterorenoscopy.Conclusions:The results of this retrospective,single-center institution showed that overall and recurrence-free survival rates did not differ between patients with UTUC treated with laparoscopic and open RNU.Furthermore,preoperative ureterorenoscopy before RNU was not associated with higher overall or recurrence-free survival rates.

Clinical analysis of retroperitoneoscopic nephroureterectomy for renal tuberculosis

Objectives:To explore the feasibility and safety of retroperitoneoscopic nephroureterectomy for kidney tuberculosis.Methods:Forty-eight retroperitoneoscopic nephroureterectomies and thirty-five nephroureterectomies for kidney tuberculosis procedures were performed from June 2008 to December 2014.The patients consisted of 53 males and 30 females with a mean age of 36 years (range:26-51 years).The patients' data were reviewed and analyzed.Results:The retroperitoneoscopic nephroureterectomy procedures were completed successfully in 48 cases with no conversions to open surgery.The mean operating time was 170 minutes (range:121-258 minutes),the mean blood loss was 110 ml (range:70-250 ml),and the mean hospital stay was 5.70 days (range:5-14 days); these were all much less than nephroureterectomy procedures (P ＜ 0.05).A total of five minor complications (10.4％) occurred,injury to the peritoneum was observed in three patients,and infection at the incision site was observed in two patients,there were no obvious difference between the two surgical methods (P ＞ 0.05).Seventy-five patients were followed up,and the average follow-up time was 12.5 months (range:6-20 months).All the patients recovered without any lesions remaining.Conclusions:The results of this study indicate that retroperitoneoscopic nephroureterectomy is a feasible,safe,effective,and less invasive treatment modality for treating renal tuberculosis.

Clipping the extremity of ureter prior to nephroureterectomy is effective in preventing subsequent bladder recurrence after upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma

Background Bladder recurrent disease is still a challenge in the treatment of upper tract urothelial carcinoma （UTUC）. This controlled study aims to investigate the efficacy of early clipping of the distal ureter prior to nephroureterectomy （NU） to prevent bladder recurrence after UTUC.

Simultaneous bilateral retroperitoneoscopic nephroureterectomy in renal recipients： a single-center experience

Conventional simultaneous bilateral open nephroureterectomy combined with resection of bladder cuffs seems not optimal for bilateral upper tract urothelial carcinoma （UTUC） in renal transplant and dialysis patients with enormous invasion related to large morbidity,delayed gastrointestinal function,and late recovery.1 This study reports the largest series of minimally invasive procedures of simultaneous bilateral retroperitoneoscopic nephroureterectomy （SBRNU） via a midline lower abdominal incision in renal recipients.

Total endoscopic nephroureterectomy for native kidney ipsilateral to transplanted kidney

Background From limited exposure with management of the native distal ureter ipsilateral to the transplanted kidney, we usually choose open nephroureterectomy （NU） or laparoscopic NU combined with an open approach in renal transplant （RTx） recipients. We herein describe our preliminary experience with total endoscopic NU with bladder cuff （BC） excision and evaluate its feasibility for RTx recipients.

Rare primary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the renal pelvis

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma(LELC)is a rare,malignant epithelial tumour which can arise within the upper urinary tract.This letter adds to a previous systematic review and cumulative analysis of 28 published upper urinary tract-LELC cases which provided insight into this disease;however,the current evidence does not provide clinicians with clear guidelines due to its rarity.Therefore,the aim was to report a new case of renal pelvis LELC presented in our hospital.In this instance,we were able to report treatment experience and longterm follow-up results.This patient presented with hypertension and haemturia which initiated further investigation.While ultrasound identified an hypechoic mass,no malignant cells were detected using cytological testing.Abdominal magnetic resonance imaging identified a slightly enhanced mass in the left renal pelvis with no evidence of lymph node metastasis.Ureteroscopic tumor biopsy suggested the existence of urothelial carcinoma,hence,laparoscopic radical left nephroureterectomy with bladder cuff excision was performed.Through patientpractitioner consultations,we decided to adopt a"watch and wait"approach after radical nephroureterectomy rather than administering chemotherapy.Although,we would encourage clinicians to record and publish cases to garner insight into this type of malignant disease.

Significant methodologic variations in calculating renal function changes following kidney tumor surgery:A quality reporting issue?

Renal tumor surgery places patients at increased risk for chronic kidney disease(CKD). Accurate quantification of kidney function changes before and after surgery is essential to determine the magnitude of decline attributable to an index procedure. Current literature, however, highlights heterogeneity and inconsistencies in measurement techniques thereby contributing to ambiguity amongst studies. Further efforts are necessary to standardize reporting of kidney function outcomes related to renal surgery.

Huge encrusted ureteral stent forgotten for over 25 years:A case report

BACKGROUND Ureteral stent insertion is a relatively non-invasive procedure commonly used in the field of urology to resolve urinary obstruction.However,they are sometimes forgotten and the risk of complications increases with time.CASE SUMMARY A 43-year-old woman with a history of recurrent urinary tract infections visited our hospital for evaluation of persistent left flank pain,and lower urinary tract symptoms despite anti-biotic treatment.She had received urological surgery in her teens but did not know the details of her surgery.Kidney,ureter,and bladder X-ray and abdominopelvic computed tomography revealed a forgotten left ureteral stent with huge encrustation at both ends and a severely dilated left kidney with parenchymal thinning.In order to remove the ureteral stent,a laparoscopic nephroureterectomy was planned.The ureteral stent was successfully removed,and she was discharged after recovery.The patient was followed up for two years after surgery and did not show any signs of long-term complications.CONCLUSION Long indwelling stents can cause dire complications requiring radical interventions.Stent registry systems,novel stent material development,and proper patient education is important for complication prevention.

Minimally invasive nephrectomy for inflammatory renal disease

Objective:Once chronic inflammatory renal disease(IRD)develops,it creates a severe peri-fibrotic process,which makes it a relative contraindication for minimally invasive surgery(MIS).Our objective is to show that laparoscopic nephrectomy(LN)is a surgical option in IRD with fewer complications and better outcomes.Methods:Retrospective review of patients who underwent a modified-surgical laparoscopic transperitoneal nephrectomy was performed.Data search included all operated patients between May 2013 and May 2018 that had a pathology result with any renal inflammatory condition(xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis,chronic nephritis,and renal tuberculosis).We describe intra-operative variables such as operative time,blood loss,conversion rate,postoperative complications and length of hospital stay.Results:There were 51 patients who underwent laparoscopic nephrectomy with a confirmatory pathology report for IRD.We identified four(8%)major complications;three of them required transfusion and one conversion to open surgery.The mean operative time was 233108 min.Mean estimated blood loss was 206242 mL excluding the conversion cases and 281423 mL including them.The mean length of hospital stay was 3.02.0 days.Conclusion:Laparoscopic nephrectomy for IRD can safely be done.It is a reproducible technique with low risks and complication rates.Our experience supports that releasing the kidney first and leaving the hilum for the end is a safe approach when vascular structures are embedded into a single block of inflammatory and scar tissue.

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the upper urinary tract: A systematic review of case reports

BACKGROUND Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas(LELCs)are rare,malignant epithelial tumors,generally considered a subtype of squamous cell carcinoma.LELCs are undifferentiated and can occur in multiple tissues,although LELCs in the urinary tract are extremely rare.As such,evidence does not provide clinicians with guidelines for the best practices.Even though this is a rare disease,it is associated with high morbidity and mortality.Therefore,we must learn to differentiate LELC types and identify risk factors for early identification.AIM To develop an evidence base to guide clinicians treating primary LELCs of the upper urinary tract(UUT-LELC).METHODS We performed a systematic review of all reports on UUT-LELC from the first published case in 1998 until October 2019,according to the PRISMA.A database was then developed by extracting data from previously published reports in order to analyze interactions between clinical characteristics,pathological features,interventions and outcomes.Survival was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier estimates,which were compared using log rank tests.RESULTS A total of 28 previously published cases were identified for inclusion.The median age was 72 years with a male to female ratio of 4:3.Pure type LELCs were most common with 48.3%(n=14),followed by 37.9%(n=11)predominant LELCs and 3.4%(n=1)focal LELCs.Epstein-Barr virus testing was negative in all cases.Fourteen patients received radical nephroureterectomy(RNU)-based intervention.Twenty-three patients survived with no evidence of further metastasis,although six died before the median 18 mo follow-up point.Survival analysis suggests pure histological subtypes,and patients who receive complete tumor resection have more favorable prognoses.As always in cancer care,early identification generally increases the probability of interventional success.CONCLUSION The most effective treatment for UUT-LELC is RNU-based therapy.Since cases are few in number,case reporting must be enhanced and publishing encouraged to both save and prolong lives.

The preoperative serum cystatin-C as an independent prognostic factor for survival in upper tract urothelial carcinoma

Cystatin-C(Cys-C)has been reported as a valuable prognostic biomarker in various malignancies.However,its effect on upper tract urothelial carci noma(UTUC)patie nts has not bee n investigated before.Thus,to explore the impact of Cys-C on survival outcomes in patients undergoing radical nephroureterectomy(RNU),a total of 538 patients with UTUC who underwent RNU between 2005 and 2014 in our center(West China Hospital,Chengdu,China)were included in this study.Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regressi on an a lyses were performed to assess the relationship betwee n Cys-C and survival outcomes using SPSS versi on 22.0.The cutoff value of Cys-C was set as 1.4 mg I1 using the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves and Youden index.The mean age of patients included was 66.1±11.1 years,and the media n follow-up durati on was 38(interquartile ran ge:19-56)mon ths.Overall,162(30.1%)patients had elevated Cys-C,and they were much older and had worse renal function than those with Cys-C<1.4 mg I^-1(both P<0.001).Meanwhile,Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the group with elevated Cys-C had worse cancer-specific survival(CSS,P=0.001),disease recurrence-free survival(RFS,P=0.003),and overall survival(OS,P<0.001).Multivariable Cox analysis suggested that the elevated Cys-C was identified as an independent prognostic predictor of CSS(hazard ratio[HR]:1.997,95%confidential interval[CI]:1.331-2.996),RFS(HR:1.429,95%CI:1.009-2.023),and OS(HR:1.989,95%CI:1.366-2.896).In conclusion,our result revealed that the elevated preoperative serum Cys-C was significantly associated with worse outcomes in UTUC patients undergoing RNU.

Pretreatment elevated fibrinogen level predicts worse oncologic outcomes in upper tract urothelial carcinoma

This study aimed to further validate the prognostic role of fibrinogen in upper tract urothelial carcinoma(UTUC)in a large Chinese cohort.A total of 703 patients who underwent radical nephroureterectomy were retrospectively identified.Fibrinogen levels of≥4.025 g l?1 were defined as elevated.Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association between fibrinogen and adverse pathological features.Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox regression models were used to assess the associations of fibrinogen with cancer-specific survival(CSS),disease recurrence-free survival(RFS),and overall survival(OS).Harrell c-index and decision curve analysis were used to assess the clinical utility of multivariate models.The median follow-up duration was 42(range:1–168)months.Logistic regression analysis revealed that elevated fibrinogen was associated with higher tumor stage and grade,lymph node involvement,lymphovascular invasion,sessile carcinoma,concomitant variant histology,and positive surgical margins(all P<0.05).Multivariate Cox regression analysis demonstrated that elevated fibrinogen was independently associated with decreased CSS(hazard ratio[HR]:2.33;P<0.001),RFS(HR:2.09;P<0.001),and OS(HR:2.09;P<0.001).The predictive accuracies of the multivariate models were improved by 3.2%,2.0%,and 2.8%for CSS,RFS,and OS,respectively,when fibrinogen was added.Decision curve analysis showed an added benefit for CSS prediction when fibrinogen was added to the model.Preoperative fibrinogen may be a strong independent predictor of worse oncologic outcomes in UTUC;therefore,it may be valuable to apply this marker to the current risk stratification in UTUC.