Upper Tract Tumors

Home » Upper Tract Tumors » Treatment, Prognosis, Prevention

Treatment

The preferred method for treating most upper tract tumors is surgical removal of the kidney, ureter, and a portion of the bladder (nephroureterectomy). Partial removal of the ureter is not often recommended because there is a high risk for recurrence in the remaining portion.

Tumors that are confined to the lower third of the ureter may be treated using surgical removal of the ureter (ureterectomy) and surgical removal of regional lymph nodes (lymphadenectomy).

Patients with only one kidney and those with reduced kidney function, bilateral tumors (i.e., occurring on both sides), and metastatic upper tract tumors are not candidates for this procedure. These patients are treated using topical immunotherapy or chemotherapy.

Topical immunotherapy, also called biological therapy, is used to enhance the immune system's ability to fight cancer. In this treatment, BCG, a vaccine derived from the bacteria that causes tuberculosis, is infused through a catheter into the upper urinary tract to stimulate the immune system to destroy cancer cells.

Side effects include inflammation of the bladder (cystitis), inflammation of the prostate (prostatitis), and flu-like symptoms. If high fever (over 101.5 °F) occurs, it may indicate that bacteria have entered the bloodstream (called bacteremia, a life-threatening condition that requires antibiotic treatment).

Chemotherapy is used after surgery to treat metastatic upper tract tumors and as primary treatment for inoperable tumors. Chemotherapy involves using toxic drugs to destroy cancer cells. A combination of methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (M-VAC) is often used for upper tract tumors. These drugs may be injected, administered intravenously, or taken in pill form. Chemotherapy has many side effects, some of which are severe.

Radiation may be used to reduce pain (called palliative treatment) for upper tract tumors.

Prognosis

The prognosis for upper tract tumors depends on the stage of the disease at diagnosis. Untreated upper tract tumors are fatal. Tumors of the renal pelvis have a better prognosis than tumors of the ureter.

Prevention

Upper tract tumors cannot be prevented. Avoiding or quitting smoking and eliminating other known risk factors such as chronic bladder or kidney infections and kidney stones can help lessen the risk.

© 1998-2008 Healthcommunities.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Upper Tract Tumors Resources

	Join Our Upper Tract Tumors Forum Do you have a question, want to share medical advice, or just need to discuss your situation with someone else having a similar experience? The healthchannels forum is a resource for everyone to share and discuss their health and medical needs with others.	Advertising Disclaimer
	Living with...Share your story Do you have a personal health story that you would like to share with others? As a source of free patient education, our goal is to provide our users with trustworthy information and support from others. That's why we've started our "Living with..." sections.
	Our "Living With..." support pages are a place to share experiences about living with a certain condition, disease, disorder, or illness and for loved ones of those dealing with health-related issues. Many people, especially when newly diagnosed, find comfort in knowing that others are having a similar experience. Help others by sharing your story. View stories already submitted.
	Stay Updated Sign up for our newsletter and receive important updates on the medical conditions that are most important to you.
To quickly access health information from your website's browser, download Healthcommunities.com's healthchannels toolbar.