Ureter cancer treatment and diagnosis

Cancer of the renal pelvis (small area in the centre of the kidney that the ureter arises from) and ureter are very rare. They are considered bladder cancers rather than kidney cancers. Higher incidence in men than women. The incidence rises from the age of 65 years and is even rarer under this age.

Risk factors are smoking, heavy usage of phenacetin (a pain relieve drug that is now banned) and possibly arsenic in drinking water. Over 90% of the tumours are transitional cell carcinomas.

• Blood/blood clots in the urine (haematuria)
• Pain in the side of lower back
• Pain or burning sensation on passing urine
• Difficulty in passing urine

Some of these symptoms can be caused by other conditions such as infection.

Your doctor will discuss your symptoms and give you a thorough physical examination. Tests may also include:

• Urine tests (likely to be carried out initially to investigate for possible urinary tract infection or blood in the urine if not apparent)
• CT scan –may be a CT urogram (CT scan of the urinary tract)
• Intravenous urogram (IVU) –x-ray of the urinary system
• Utereroscopy

Radiotherapy kills cancer cells. It’s used in the early stages of cancer treatment or after it has started to spread. It can also be used to relieve pain and discomfort from cancer that has spread.

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Chemotherapy is medication that treats your cancer. The drugs kill cancer cells, preventing them from dividing and spreading further.

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