Prognostic Capabilities of Variant Histology for Patients With UTUC

A recent study conducted by Hao Lun Luo, MD, PhD, and colleagues investigated the ability of variant histology to predict oncological outcomes for patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) who have undergone radical nephroureterectomy (RNU).

The study was published in the International Journal of Oncology.

Researchers analyzed the data of 1239 patients with clinically localized UTUC who received RNU at a single institution from January 2005 to June 2020. A uro-pathologist evaluated the variant histology data.

Multivariate analysis was performed with the Cox regression model. The analysis included variant histology and other prognostic factors for post-RNU oncological outcomes, such as intravesical recurrence, nonurothelial recurrence, and cancer-specific death.

Investigators found that 384 (31%) of the participating patients had variant histology.

When contrasted with pure UTUC (P<.05), advanced tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, high tumor grade, lymphovascular invasion, open surgery, and renal pelvis were connected with an increased amount of UTUC with variant histology.

In the selection of analyzed patient data, 31% of patients with UTUC who received RNU had variant histology.

Researchers concluded that variant histology acted as an independent prognostic factor for more nonurothelial recurrence and cancer-specific mortality. They noted that variant histology was associated with less intravesical recurrence.