[Organ preservation in cancer of the upper urinary tract]

Urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract is a rare disease. Tumor biology is comparable to transitional cell carcinomas of the bladder. Local tumor control is much more difficult to achieve in the upper urinary tract than in the bladder. Radical nephroureterectomy is often performed due to carcinomas with low grade histology. Progression rates in these cases are rare; overtreatment has to be discussed. The current article uses the available published data to discuss whether local treatment is an option for tumors of the upper urinary tract. Summarizing the available data, it is indicated that if complete resectability is possible organ preservation is equivalent to radical nephroureterectomy independent of the T‑ and G‑category of the tumor.