BACKGROUND: The efficacy and long-term results of endoscopic management of @entity1606 ( @entity1606 ) were examined. The authors evaluated the accuracy of endoscopic biopsy in determining @entity5 grade in the subset of @entity1 who underwent open surgical excision. METHODS: Between 1987 and 2001, 50 @entity1 (17 with a solitary kidney) underwent ureteroscopy and biopsy of upper tract @entity1606 . Eleven @entity1 underwent ureterectomy or nephroureterectomy shortly after endoscopic biopsy. There was no follow-up for nine @entity1 . Thirty @entity1 underwent endoscopic ablation of their @entity5 with laser or electrofulguration at the time of the initial biopsy and were followed with close endoscopic surveillance at 3-4-month intervals. RESULTS: For the 30 @entity1 who underwent endoscopic ablation, mean follow-up was 38 months (range, 4-106 months). There was an average of 3.4 recurrences, with an average time to first recurrence of 7 months. Ten of the 30 @entity1 underwent open resection during follow-up. Six @entity1 exhibited @entity5 progression at follow-up. During the follow-up period, one @entity1 died of recurrent disease, and six died of other causes. Endoscopic biopsy accurately predicted the @entity5 grade for 8 of the 9 @entity1 who had open @entity5 resection within 2 months of their last biopsy and for 10 of the 11 @entity1 who had open resection shortly after their initial endoscopic biopsy (overall accuracy, 18 of 20 [90%]). CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic treatment of focal low-grade @entity1606 of the upper urinary tract is feasible and safe, provided that vigilant follow-up and endoscopic surveillance are performed. Endoscopic biopsy provides accurate information regarding @entity5 grade.

Endoscopic management of upper urinary tract XXXX : long-term experience.

@entity5 :: ('MESH:D009369', 'Disease') :: ['tumor', 'primary tumor'] @entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['patients', 'patient'] @entity1606 :: ('MESH:D002295', 'Disease') :: ['upper tract transitional cell carcinoma', 'TCC']
@entity1606 :: (MESH:D002295,Disease) :: ['transitional cell carcinoma']
