Successful Kidney-Sparing Systemic Therapy for a High-Risk Ureteral Carcinoma Case

Abstract

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) refers to the malignancies located from renal calices toward the end of the ureter and could be classified as renal pelvis carcinoma and ureteral carcinoma. For high-risk UTUC cases with a normal contralateral kidney, radical nephroureterectomy is the standard treatment. As for low-risk UTUC cases or solitary kidney cases, kidney-sparing therapy may be a better choice. Besides, to prevent postoperative recurrence, systemic therapy should be applied, though the investigation is still ongoing. In this case report, we reported a rare case diagnosed with high-risk ureteral carcinoma, but he underwent kidney-sparing therapy due to chronic kidney disease. Recurrence has occurred after segmental ureterectomy. But through the utilization of ablation, bladder instillation, and tislelizumab, endoscopy and CT were normal in the follow-up (the patient refused to take washings from the upper urinary tract) for more than a year. In all, the utilization of ureteroscopic retrograde tumor ablation, BCG bladder instillation, and tislelizumab injection to treat high-risk ureteral carcinoma for kidney-sparing therapy have filled in the gap in this field, which should be promoted to help more patients in similar situations.