Conservative nephron-sparing treatment of upper-tract tumors

While radical nephroureterectomy represents the gold standard for managing upper-tract urothelial carcinoma, nephron-sparing approaches have increasingly been utilized in the elective setting. Such considerations are accentuated by contemporary studies highlighting sequelae related to chronic kidney disease following nephrectomy. Kidney sparing treatments including segmental ureteral resection and endoscopic ablation may therefore be appropriate in select patients with small, solitary, low-grade upper-tract tumors. Bladder and ipsilateral upper-tract recurrences are frequent after nephron-sparing treatments for UTUC, thereby underscoring the need to maintain strict radiographic and endoscopic surveillance protocols in patients amenable to this rigorous compliance program.