Epidemiology and risk factors of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC)

Upper urinary tract urothelial carcinomas (UTUC) are tumors that involve the urinary tract from the renal calyces to the distal ureter. They are relatively uncommon and they share several characteristics and risk factors with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder, but with some notable distinctions. Higher frequency of UTUC have been associated with living in certain geographic locations, such as the Balkan countries and Taiwan. In this chapter, we review the epidemiology of upper tract urothelial carcinoma over the last few decades in the United States and in certain regions of the world where it has higher prevalence. We provide a review of contemporary evidence for well established as well as controversial risk factors for UTUC.