4 Nov 2025 • Patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) who had a history of urinary tract stones faced significantly worse survival following radical nephroureterectomy.

Researchers who tracked 3,414 patients for over 4.5 years discovered that those with a history of stones had greater UTUC-specific mortality (27.8% vs 18.5%) and twice the rate of metastases (14.8% vs 7.2%). While overall and bladder recurrence-free survival were unaltered, stone history independently predicted worse cancer-specific (HR 1.83) and disease-free survival (HR 1.69).

The findings identify prior stone disease as a distinct high-risk marker in UTUC, underscoring the need for closer post-surgical monitoring and potential adjuvant therapy in this high-risk group.

Source: JAMA Network | Read Full Story