French ccAFU guidelines - update 2020-2022: upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma

-The purpose was to propose an update of the French guidelines from the national committee ccAFU on upper tract urothelial carcinomas (UTUC).

- A systematic Medline search was performed between 2018 and 2020, as regards diagnosis, options of treatment and follow-up of UTUC, to evaluate different references with levels of evidence.

- The diagnosis of this rare pathology is based on CT-scan acquisition during excretion and ureteroscopy with histological biopsies. Radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) remains the gold standard for surgical treatment, nevertheless a conservative endoscopic approach can be proposed for low risk lesion: unifocal tumor, possible complete resection and low grade and absence of invasion on CT-scan. Close monitoring with endoscopic follow-up (flexible ureteroscopy) in compliant patients is therefore necessary. After RNU, bladder instillation of chemotherapy is recommended to reduce risk of bladder recurrence. A systemic chemotherapy is recommended after RNU in pT2-T4 N0-3 M0 disease.

- These updated guidelines will contribute to increase the level of urological care for diagnosis and treatment for UTUC.

Published by Progres en urologie : journal de l'Association francaise d'urologie et de la Societe francaise d'urologie, 2020. The guideline itself is at the source linked here.

doi.org/10.1016/S1166-7087(20)30750-8