PRIMARY CARCINOMA OF THE URETER

Abstract

The rarity of primary carcinoma of the ureter and the difficulty of diagnosis should impel every diagnostician to seize with avidity such information as the literature pertaining to the subject may offer, and to store it in his subconscious mind. The perplexities encountered in making a diagnosis are noted by the authors reporting the condition, a correct preoperative diagnosis having been made only five times in thirty-three reported cases; and, if successful treatment is to be carried out, an early and accurate diagnosis is imperative. A first encounter with a case of this type will bring disaster to both physician and patient if the physician fails to profit by the experience of previous observers. Primary carcinoma of the ureter has been reported since 1879. Hektoen, 1 in 1896, referred to two cases earlier than his own. A review of the literature was made by Albarran in 1902, who compiled reports