[Treatment of upper urinary tract tumors. Report of our experience]

The objective of this article is to perform a comprehensive exposition of the various non-endourological treatment options for upper urinary tract tumors in order to set the bases to choose the most adequate surgical indication depending on tumors' and patients' characteristics; we consider the various surgical approaches, and the historic evolution from the classic indication established by Albarran (radical nephroureterectomy with bladder cuff) to the current ones more conservative. We also consider the role of radiotherapy and chemotherapy in the treatment of these tumors.

We refer to the conclusions of various authors and their large series published in the literature, series considered classic already, and provide support adding our experience by reviewing 223 patients treated from 1977 to 2003 with a mean follow-up of 45 months (maximum 238 months).

We can state that it is acceptable to indicate less aggressive ways of treatment (nephroureterectomy without bladder cuff, distal or partial ureterectomy, and conservative operations) if the oncological radicality requirements are met, remembering that site, tumor grade and stage are determinant in the outcome.