Unusual clinical presentation of upper urothelial carcinoma in Taiwan

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The unusual clinical picture of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) in Taiwan appears to be different from that reported elsewhere. METHODS: The authors reviewed their experience of 135 cases of pathologically proven TCC of the upper urinary tract. Data regarding the gender ratio and clinical presentation were analyzed. RESULTS: The male to female ratio was found to be 1 to 1.3, showing a slight female predominance. The ratio of TCC of the renal pelvis to TCC of the ureter to TCC of the bladder was noted to be approximately 1.1:0.9:8.0. TCC of the renal pelvis accounted for 10.7% of all urothelial TCC, and for approximately 40% of all renal carcinomas. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the current study found that the gender incidence and ratio of renal pelvis TCC to all renal carcinomas are different in Taiwan compared with data presented in the majority of other studies.