Objective: To evaluate the prognostic factors of ureter transitional cell carcinoma (TCC).
Methods: Between January 2001 and December 2005 133 TCC patients were treated. And the data was retrospectively analyzed.
Results: A mean age of the 133 patients was 68 years (range 43 - 87 years) at diagnosis. Altogether the non-invasive ureter TCC was found in 42 patients (31.6%) and the invasive ureter TCC in 91 patients (68.4%). Invasive ureter TCC growth was more common in distally located tumors (82.5%) compared to mid (62.5%) and proximal ureter (47.1%). Tumor stage, grade and location of the tumor were all correlated with disease specific survival in a univariate analysis. In a multivariate Cox analysis, tumor stage and grade were significantly associated with disease specific survival.
Conclusions: More invasive tumors are found in ureter than in bladder. Ureter cancer is more frequently found in the distal part. Distally located ureteral tumors are more likely invading into the muscular cell layers compared to proximally located tumors. Tumor stage and grade are still the more important prognostic factors for ureter TCC.