Background: This study aimed to identify preoperative parameters for predicting cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) who have undergone radical nephroureterectomy (RNU).
Methods: The preoperative clinical and laboratory records of 357 UTUC patients who underwent RNU at three different institutions were retrospectively reviewed (256, training set; 101, test set). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed on the training set data to identify preoperative prognostic factors, using which a risk stratification model was developed. The model was validated using test set data.
Results: In univariate analysis, clinical T stage classification and preoperative concentrations of hemoglobin, C-reactive protein, sodium, and albumin showed significant association with CSS. Multivariate analysis showed that low preoperative sodium and hemoglobin concentrations were significantly associated with a poor prognosis. A risk stratification model was developed using the preoperative sodium (<141 mEq/L) and hemoglobin concentrations (below normal). Three subgroups were formed depending on the presence of no (favorable group), one (intermediate), or two (poor) prognostic factors, and the 5-year CSS estimates were found to be 96.5, 75.5, and 47.0 %, respectively (P < 0.01). The risk model was significantly associated with the adverse pathological findings of stage pT3 or more and lymphovascular invasion (P = 0.005).
Conclusion: We identified low preoperative sodium and hemoglobin concentrations as prognostic factors for patients with UTUC treated with RNU. Our risk stratification model may help physicians design a therapeutic strategy.