Upper Urinary Tract Carcinoma In Situ: Current Knowledge, Future Direction

Purpose: Carcinoma in situ of the urinary tract is a high grade form of nonmuscle invasive urothelial cancer. Our understanding of this entity in the upper tract is poor, and case management remains challenging due to knowledge gaps regarding the definition, diagnosis, treatment options and followup of the disease. We reviewed the available literature for similarities and differences between bladder and upper tract carcinoma in situ, and herein summarize the best available data.Materials and Methods: We reviewed PubMed® and MEDLINE™ databases from January 1976 through September 2014. The PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement was used to screen publications. All authors participated in the development of a consensus definition of disease.Results: A total of 61 publications were found suitable for this review. All studies were retrospective. Compared to bladder carcinoma in situ, upper tract carcinoma in situ appears to have lower progression rates and improve...