Renal Pelvic Tumors

Seventy patients with renal pelvic tumors were grouped during a clinicopathologic study according to a new proposed classification that is based on tumor stage and grade. Prognosis is excellent for patients with histologically benign papilloma (group I) or noninvasive or focally invasive papillary carcinoma (group II). It appears good also for patients with fully invasive carcinoma that is still confined to the kidney itself (group III). Invasion outside the kidney or renal pelvis (group IV) is an ominous sign. In about one half of the patients there were associated tumors of bladder or ureter, and prognosis may be determined by these other tumors. Bladder tumors that developed after pelvic tumors almost all appeared within three years. Nephrectomy and total ureterectomy remain the treatment of choice under most circumstances. Local resection or partial excision is recommended for bilateral pelvic tumors.