Accuracy and limitations of ureteroscopic biopsy in the staging and grading of upper tract urothelial carcinoma: A retrospective analysis at a large tertiary center

Background: Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) poses significant diagnostic challenges due to the limitations of current staging and grading techniques. Ureteroscopic (URS) biopsy is widely used preoperatively, but its accuracy, compared to final pathology, remains variable. Objectives: To evaluate the accuracy and limitations of URS biopsy in the staging and grading of UTUC, using final pathological results from radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) as the reference standard. Methods: This retrospective study included 86 patients who underwent URS biopsy followed by RNU for UTUC at a tertiary institution between 2011 and 2023. Data were collected on patient demographics, tumor characteristics, imaging, and pathology results. The accuracy of URS biopsy in staging and grading was assessed, and its associations with pathological upstaging and non-diagnostic biopsies were statistically analyzed. Results: URS biopsy correctly staged 54.69% of tumors (κ = 0.311 [0.183 – 0.439], p<0.001) and correctly graded 70.93%. (κ = 0.447 [0.303 – 0.592], p<0.001). Pathological upstaging and upgrading occurred in 39.06% and 25.58% of cases, respectively. Non-diagnostic biopsies for both stage and grade were observed in 5.81% of cases, particularly in tumors located in the renal pelvis (p=0.0064). Complementary diagnostic tools, such as computed tomography urography (CTU) and urine cytology, showed limitations, with CTU detecting invasive disease in only 14.29% of cases and urine cytology identifying high-grade tumors in 11.11%. Conclusion: URS biopsy demonstrates limitations in accurately staging and grading UTUC, resulting in a risk of both undertreatment and overtreatment. A multimodal diagnostic approach incorporating imaging, cytology, and clinical judgment is essential to optimizing management decisions and improving oncological outcomes.
- Petros FG. Epidemiology, clinical presentation, and evaluation of upper-tract urothelial carcinoma. Transl Androl Urol. 2020;9(4):1794-1798. doi: 10.21037/tau.2019.11.22
- Gontero P. EAU Guidelines on Non-muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer (T1, T1 and CIS); 2024.
- Soria F, Shariat SF, Lerner SP, et al. Epidemiology, diagnosis, preoperative evaluation and prognostic assessment of upper-tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). World J Urol. 2017;35(3):379-387. doi: 10.1007/s00345-016-1928-x
- Almas B, Halvorsen OJ, Johannesen TB, Beisland C. Higher than expected and significantly increasing incidence of upper tract urothelial carcinoma. A population based study. World J Urol. 2021;39(9):3385-3391. doi: 10.1007/s00345-020-03576-3
- Coleman JA, Clark PE, Bixler BR, et al. Diagnosis and management of non-metastatic upper tract urothelial carcinoma: AUA/SUO guideline. J Urol. 2023;209(6):1071-1081. doi: 10.1097/JU.0000000000003480
- Chlapoutakis K, Theocharopoulos N, Yarmenitis S, Damilakis J. Performance of computed tomographic urography in diagnosis of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma, in patients presenting with hematuria: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Radiol. 2010;73(2):334-338. doi: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2008.10.026
- Jinzaki M, Kikuchi E, Akita H, Sugiura H, Shinmoto H, Oya M. Role of computed tomography urography in the clinical evaluation of upper tract urothelial carcinoma. Int J Urol. 2016;23(4):284-298. doi: 10.1111/iju.13032
- Zhao J, Shen Y, Guo M, Matin SF, Hansel DE, Guo CC. Diagnostic accuracy of upper tract urothelial carcinoma using biopsy, urinary cytology, and nephroureterectomy specimens: A tertiary cancer center experience. Am J Clin Pathol. 2024;162(5):492-499. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/aqae065
- Seisen T, Peyronnet B, Dominguez-Escrig JL, et al. Oncologic outcomes of kidney-sparing surgery versus radical nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma: A systematic review by the EAU non-muscle invasive bladder cancer guidelines panel. Eur Urol. 2016;70(6):1052-1068. doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2016.07.014
- Mori K, Katayama S, Laukhtina E, et al. Discordance between clinical and pathological staging and grading in upper tract urothelial carcinoma. Clin Genitourin Cancer. 2022;20(1):95. e1-95.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.clgc.2021.10.002
- Subiela JD, Territo A, Mercade A, et al. Diagnostic accuracy of ureteroscopic biopsy in predicting stage and grade at final pathology in upper tract urothelial carcinoma: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Surg Oncol. 2020;46(11):1989-1997. doi: 10.1016/j.ejso.2020.06.024
- Vashistha V, Shabsigh A, Zynger DL. Utility and diagnostic accuracy of ureteroscopic biopsy in upper tract urothelial carcinoma. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2013;137(3):400-407. doi: 10.5858/arpa.2012-0136-OA
- Abdel-Razzak OM, Ehya H, Cubler-Goodman A, Bagley DH. Ureteroscopic biopsy in the upper urinary tract. Urology. 1994;44(3):451-457. doi: 10.1016/s0090-4295(94)80116-9
- Margolin EJ, Matulay JT, Li G, et al. Discordance between ureteroscopic biopsy and final pathology for upper tract urothelial carcinoma. J Urol. 2018;199(6):1440-1445. doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2018.02.002
- Klett D. A novel upper tract ureteroscopic biopsy technique: The “form tackle”. Int Braz J Urol. 2022;48:367-368.
- Golan S, Gerber G, Margel D, et al. A novel technique to improve the processing of minute ureteroscopic biopsies. Pathol Oncol Res. 2018;24(1):89-94. doi: 10.1007/s12253-017-0219-1
- Messina E, Proietti F, Laschena L, et al. MRI for risk stratification of muscle invasion by upper tract urothelial carcinoma: A feasibility study. Eur Radiol Exp. 2024;8(1):9. doi: 10.1186/s41747-023-00403-3
- Liu Q, Zhang X, Zhou F, et al. Diagnostic accuracy of photodynamic diagnosis for upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Photodiagnosis Photodyn Ther. 2020;32:102067. doi: 10.1016/j.pdpdt.2020.102067