Clinical studies of renal pelvic and ureteral tumors. An analysis of 551 cases

A review of 551 cases of renal pelvic and/or ureteral tumor treated in ten universities in Western Japan during the past 10 years was performed retrospectively. The results were as follows: 1) The mean age group at onset was the sixties. 2) A higher incidence rate was found in male patients than in female patients, with a ratio of 2.2:1. 3) The 5-year and 10-year survival rates in all patients were 57% and 41%, respectively. 4) The tumors were found in various sites, these being 54% in the renal pelvis, 29% in the distal ureter, 10% in the mid-ureter and 7% in the proximal ureter. 5) The ratio of single lesions to multiple lesions was 2 to 1. The prognosis of patients with single lesions was better than that of patients with multiple lesions. 6) The following are the differences in survival curves of histopathological factors. They were statistically significant. Pattern of growth: Papillary > Non-papillary. Histological stage: low stage (<= pT1) > high stage (pT2 <=). Histological grade: low grade (<= G2) > high grade (G3). Pattern of infiltration: INFα > INFβ, INFγ. Vessel invasion: negative>positive.