Does kidney removal surgery treat upper tract urothelial cancer?

Upper tract urothelial cancer begins in the lining of the renal pelvis or ureter. A common extensive operation removes the affected kidney and ureter, together with nearby tissue and the bladder end of the ureter, because disease can occur along this connected lining.

The team chooses treatment after reviewing imaging, urine or tissue findings, tumour position, grade, kidney function, and whether disease appears elsewhere. In carefully selected situations, a kidney-sparing approach may be considered. The operation is not automatically suitable for every tumour.

Ask whether the tumour is in the renal pelvis or ureter and what the scans show about its extent. Discuss how surgery could affect kidney function and whether other treatments are planned. Bring a full medicine list and mention blood-thinning drugs, kidney problems, and previous urinary procedures.

Seek prompt clinical advice for visible blood in the urine, fever, worsening side pain, difficulty passing urine, or repeated vomiting. After surgery, urgent help is needed for heavy bleeding, severe breathlessness, fainting, confusion, or a marked reduction in urine.

Will the operation remove the kidney and the full ureter? Is kidney-sparing treatment suitable for the tumour's location and features? How will kidney function be checked? What will pathology determine about the next stage of care?