Neoadjuvant versus adjuvant chemotherapy in upper tract urothelial carcinoma: A nationwide cohort study

This study aimed to evaluate the trend of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in patients who underwent radical nephroureterectomy with bladder cuff excision (NUx) for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) to compare the perioperative outcomes and overall survival (OS) between AC and NAC using nationwide population-based data.

We collected data on patients diagnosed with UTUC and treated with NUx between 2004 and 2016 using the National Health Insurance Service database, and evaluated the overall treatment trends. The AC and NAC groups were propensity score-matched. Cox proportional hazard and Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to assess survival.

Of the 8,705 enrolled patients, 6,627 underwent NUx only, 94 underwent NAC, and 1,984 underwent AC. The rate of NUx without perioperative chemotherapy increased from 70.8 to 78.2% (R² = 0.632; p < 0.001). The rates of dialysis (p = 0.398), TUR-BT (p = 1.000), and radiotherapy (p = 0.497) after NUx were similar. In the Kaplan-Meier curve, the NAC and AC groups showed no significant difference (p = 0.480). In multivariate analysis, treatment with AC or NAC was not associated with OS (hazard ratio 0.83, 95% confidence interval 0.49-1.40, p = 0.477).

The use of NUx without perioperative chemotherapy has tended to increase in South Korea. Dialysis, TUR-BT, and radiotherapy rates after NUx were similar between the NAC and AC groups. There was no significant difference in OS between the NAC and AC groups. Proper perioperative chemotherapy according to patient and tumor conditions should be determined by obtaining more evidence of UTUC.