Oncologic outcomes for complete robot-assisted laparoscopic management of upper-tract transitional cell carcinoma

The gold standard for treatment of upper-tract transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) is nephroureterectomy. For distal ureteral TCC, distal ureterectomy with ureteral reimplantation represents a treatment option. Multiple minimally invasive techniques have been introduced with the goal of replicating these open procedures. Currently, there is a paucity of literature for the use of robot-assisted laparoscopic (RAL) management of upper-tract TCC. We evaluated our experience with RAL management of upper-tract TCC.

A retrospective chart review was performed on all patients who underwent complete RAL nephroureterectomy or distal ureterectomy with ureteral reimplantation at our institution.

Eleven patients with a mean age of 67.4 years underwent RAL nephroureterectomy. Mean operative time was 326 minutes (range 243-470 minutes), estimated blood loss 200 mL (range 100-400 mL), and mean length of hospital stay was 4.7 days. With a mean follow-up of 15.2 months (range 2-31 months), four patients experienced recurrence, and two ultimately died from metastatic disease. Four patients with a mean age of 73.5 years underwent RAL distal ureterectomy with ureteral reimplantation for distal ureteral TCC. Mean operative time was 311 minutes (range 225-446 minutes), estimated blood loss 200 mL (range 100-350 mL), and mean length of hospital stay was 4.7 days. With a mean follow-up of 30.5 months (range 12-48 months), only one patient, whose pathology exhibited carcinoma in situ within periureteral tissue, required adjuvant treatment for recurrent disease.

RAL nephroureterectomy and distal ureterectomy with ureteral reimplantation are feasible options for patients with upper-tract TCC with promising short-term oncologic outcomes.