Yanagi M, Hamasaki T, Akatsuka J, et al. - In patients who underwent retroperitoneoscopic nephroureterectomy (RNU) for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), a high chance of occurrences of intravesical recurrence (IVR) in 1 and 3 years post-RNU was observed when the pneumoretroperitoneum time was prolonged (≥ 210 min) and in patients with positive urine cytology, respectively. For such cases, strict follow-up post-RNU is more likely advised.

• IVR represents one of the major concerns of patients with UTUC treated with nephroureterectomy.

• This study included 73 patients treated with RNU for non-metastatic UTUC, without a history of or concomitant bladder cancer.

• Occurrence of subsequent IVR post-RNU was evident in 18 (24.7%) patients during median follow-up of 39.1 months.

• IVR-free survival rates, at 1 and 3 years, were 85.9% and 76.5%, respectively.

• As shown in the Fisher exact test, prolonged pneumoretroperitoneum time of ≥ 210 min and positive urine cytology were risk factors for IVR in 1- and 3- years post-RNU, respectively.