Impact of Non-synchronous Diagnostic Ureteroscopy on Intravesical Recurrence in Patients Underwent Radical Nephroureterectomy for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: A Propensity-Score Matched Analysis

Abstract Background: The effect of diagnostic ureteroscopy (DURS) on intravesical recurrence (IVR) after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) were controversial. To investigate the impact of DURS, we carried out this single-center retrospective study by applying propensity-score matching (PSM) and Cox regression model. Patients and Methods: The data of 160 patients with pTa-pT3 upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) were analyzed. Eighty-six patients underwent DURS (DURS group) and 74 patients without DURS (control group). The DURS group was further sub-grouped into synchronous DURS group (DURS followed by immediate RNU, n=45) and non-synchronous DURS group (DURS followed by delayed RNU, n=41). Baseline confounders were corrected by PSM. The impact of DURS on IVR was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis in PSM cohort and by Cox regression model in the full data set. Results: The median follow-up time was 40.4 months. No difference of the 3-year IVRFS between DURS group and control group (72.6% vs. 65.3%, p=0.263). In subgroup analysis, the 3-year IVR-free survival of non-synchronous DURS group (51.4%) was significantly lower than that of synchronous DURS (78.3%) or control group (72.6%) (p=0.027). Further Cox regression analysis showed that non-synchronous DURS (HR 1.481, 95% CI 1.031-2.127, p=0.034) was independent risk factors for postoperative IVR. Conclusions: Non-synchronous DURS was not recommended for the diagnosis and preoperative evaluation of UTUC, because it could raise the risk of IVR after RNU. For UTUC patients in need of DURS, synchronous DURS could be a safer choice than the non-synchronous DURS in terms of lowering the IVR risk.