[Is the bladder localization of urothelial transitional carcinoma a nosologic entity different from tumors appearing in the upper urinary tract?].

This study was undertaken in 69 patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract. In 31, bladder tumor was diagnosed prior to (35.5%), concomitant with (38.5%), and after treatment of the upper urothelial tumor. Localization in the bladder more commonly involved the ipsilateral left or right lateral aspect and less frequently involved the trigone. It is difficult to predict the nature of the bladder tumor from the upper urinary tract tumor. However, we have observed that excision of the upper tract tumor favourably affects the evolution of the bladder tumor diagnosed prior to or concomitant with treatment of the upper tract tumor.