There remains a lack of consensus among guideline relating to which patients require investigation for haematuria. We determined the incidence of urinary tract cancer in a prospective observational study of 3556 patients referred for investigation of haematuria across 40 hospitals between March 2016 and June 2017 (DETECT 1; ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02676180) and the appropriateness of age at presentation in cases with visible (VH) and nonvisible (NVH) haematuria. The overall incidence of urinary tract cancer was 10.0% (bladder cancer 8.0%, renal parenchymal cancer 1.0%, upper tract transitional cell carcinoma 0.7%, and prostate cancer 0.3%). Patients with VH were more likely to have a diagnosis of urinary tract cancer compared with NVH patients (13.8% vs 3.1%). Older patients, male gender, and smoking history were independently associated with urinary tract cancer diagnosis. Of bladder cancers diagnosed following NVH, 59.4% were high-risk cancers, with 31.3% being muscle invasive. The incidence of cancer in VH patients <45 yr of age was 3.5% (n = 7) and 1.0% (n = 4) in NVH patients <60 yr old. Our results suggest that patients with VH should be investigated regardless of age. Although the risk of urinary tract cancer in NVH patients is low, clinically significant cancers are detected below the age threshold for referral for investigation.
Patient summary
This study highlights the requirement to investigate all patients with visible blood in the urine and an age threshold of ≥60 yr, as recommended in some guidelines, as the investigation of nonvisible blood in the urine will miss a significant number of urinary tract cancers. Patient preference is important, and evidence that patients are willing to submit to investigation should be considered in reaching a consensus recommendation for the investigation of haematuria. International consensus to guide that patients will benefit from investigation should be developed.
Los tumores malignos del tracto urinario están asociados a gran morbimortalidad siendo su prevalencia variable a nivel global. Recientemente el estudio IDENTIFY ha publicado resultados sobre la prevalencia del cáncer del tracto urinario a nivel internacional. Este estudio evalúa la prevalencia de cáncer dentro de la cohorte española del estudio IDENTIFY para determinar si los resultados publicados son extrapolables a nuestra población.
Se realizó un análisis de los datos de la cohorte de pacientes españoles del estudio IDENTIFY. Se trata de una cohorte prospectiva de pacientes derivados al hospital con sospecha de cáncer, predominantemente por hematuria. Los pacientes fueron reclutados entre diciembre de 2017 y diciembre de 2018.
En total 706 pacientes procedente de 9 centros españoles fueron analizados. Doscientos setenta y siete pacientes (39,2%) fueron diagnosticados de cáncer, 259 (36,7%) de cáncer vejiga, 10 (1,4%) de tracto urinario superior, 9 (1,2%) renal y 5 (0,7%) de próstata. El aumento de la edad (OR: 1,05; IC 95%: 1,03-1,06; p < 0,001), presencia de hematuria visible (OR: 2,19; IC 95%: 1,13-4,24; p = 0,02) y el hábito tabáquico (exfumadores: OR: 2,11; IC 95%: 1,30-3,40; p = 0,002; fumadores: OR: 2,36; IC 95%: 1,40-3,95; p = 0,001) se asocia con mayor probabilidad de cáncer vesical.
Este estudio resalta el riesgo que existe en pacientes con HV y hábito tabáquico de presentar cáncer de vejiga. El cáncer de vejiga presentó la mayor prevalencia, siendo esta mayor que la expuesta en series previas y la presentada en el estudio IDENTIFY. Trabajos futuros deben evaluar otros factores asociados que permitan crear modelos de predicción de cáncer para seguir aumentando la detección de estos en nuestros pacientes.
Malignant tumors of the urinary tract are associated with high morbidity and mortality, and their prevalence can vary worldwide. Recently, the IDENTIFY study has published results on the prevalence of urinary tract cancer at a global level. This study evaluates the prevalence of cancer within the Spanish cohort of the IDENTIFY study to determine whether the published results can be extrapolated to our population.
An analysis of the data from the Spanish cohort of patients in the IDENTIFY study was performed. This is a prospective cohort of patients referred to secondary care with suspected cancer, predominantly due to hematuria. Patients were recruited between December 2017 and December 2018.
A total of 706 patients from 9 Spanish centers were analyzed. Of these, 277 (39.2%) were diagnosed with cancer: 259 (36.7%) bladder cancer, 10 (1.4%) upper tract urothelial carcinoma, 9 (1.2%) renal cancer and 5 (0.7%) prostate cancer. Increasing age (OR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.03-1.06; P<.001), visible hematuria (VH) OR: 2.19; 95% CI: 1.13-4.24; P=.02)and smoking (ex-smokers: OR: 2.11; 95% CI: 1.30-3.40; P=.002); (smokers: OR: 2.36; 95% CI: 1.40-3.95; P=.001) were associated with higher probability of bladder cancer.
This study highlights the risk of bladder cancer in patients with VH and smoking habits. Bladder cancer presented the highest prevalence; higher than the prevalence reported in previous series and presented in the IDENTIFY study. Future work should evaluate other associated factors that allow us to create cancer prediction models to improve the detection of cancer in our patients.
2024, Urologic Oncology: Seminars and Original Investigations
To increase the population-level understanding of upper tract imaging evaluation during risk-based hematuria assessment. Using a national, privately-insured cohort, we evaluated the rates of imaging and the diagnostic yield of each imaging modality. We hypothesized that the rate of upper tract disease would be low and that the benefit of computed tomography over renal ultrasound would be limited.
We identified patients with an incident diagnosis of microscopic or gross hematuria between 2010 and 2015 within the MarketScan database. Multivariable logistic regression was used to predict the adjusted likelihood of any upper tract finding, with a subset analysis limited to malignant outcomes.
We identified 466,710 patients; 150,880 (32.3%) received ultrasound, 219,449 (47.0%) received computed tomography, and 96,381 (20.7%) received other imaging. Ultrasound detected 1,469 findings among 150,880 patients (1%); computed tomography detected 3,764 findings among 219,449 patients (1.7%); other imaging detected 2,612 findings among 96,381 patients (2.7%) (P < 0.0001). When adjusted for comorbidities, increased age, male sex, increased Elixhauser index, gross hematuria, and CT or other imaging were associated with upper tract findings, in the overall and subset analysis (all p < 0.0001).
The diagnostic yield of imaging is higher than expected; however, the detection rate remained low. As supported by updated clinical practice guidelines, clinicians should pursue risk-based imaging strategies during hematuria evaluation, although these data may support increased utilization of ultrasound at the initial evaluation.
Urothelial cancers are often detected incidentally because of an exponential growth in medical cross-sectional imaging. Nowadays there is the need for improved lesion characterization to distinguish clinically significant tumors from benign conditions. The gold standard for diagnosis of bladder cancer is cystoscopy, while for upper tract urothelial cancer computed tomographic urography and flexible ureteroscopy are more appropriate modalities. Computed tomography (CT) is the cornerstone in the assessment of locoregional and distant disease, using a protocol with precontrastographic and postcontrastographic phases. In particular, renal pelvis, ureter and bladder lesions can be assessed during the urography phase in the acquisition protocol of the urothelial tumors. Multiphasic CT is associated with overexposure to ionising radiation and repeated infusion of iodinated contrast media, which can be problematic especially in certain types of patients (allergic, nephropathic, pregnant women and in paediatric age). Dual-energy CT can overcome these difficulties with a number of methods, for example, by reconstructing virtual noncontrast images from a single-phase examination with contrast medium. In this review of the recent literature, we would like to highlight the role of Dual-energy CT in the diagnosis of urothelial cancer, its potential in this setting and possible advantages related to it.
2022, International Journal of Surgery Case Reports
Citation Excerpt :
The most common causes of hematuria are lower urinary tract infections, especially of the bladder, urolithiasis, urogenital tumors or benign prostatic hyperplasia; being a condition that presents a clinical challenge due to its broad spectrum, there is a lack of consensus at present on the necessary diagnostic investigation for hematuria [1].
The most common causes of hematuria are lower urinary tract infections, especially of the bladder, urolithiasis, urogenital tumors or benign prostatic hyperplasia; consequently, this condition presents the greatest clinical challenge due to its broad clinical spectrum, hematuria is an atypical form of presentation of testicular tumors, with very few cases reported in the literature, reaffirming the importance of a complete examination when approaching hematuria in the emergency department.
We present a case of a 31-year-old patient who presented to the emergency department with macroscopic hematuria of 5 weeks of evolution, showing on examination a mass in the left testicle. Imaging studies showed bilateral pulmonary metastatic lesions and retroperitoneal lymph node activity with a retrocaval conglomerate infiltrating the left ureter, for which a radical left orchiectomy and multiple procedures were performed to resolve the hematuria.
Macroscopic hematuria in adolescents or young adults is an infrequent cause of admission to the Emergency Department with a large list of differential diagnoses both benign and malignant so it is necessary to perform exhaustive studies in its approach, when young patients present with a painless testicular mass, it is important to keep testicular cancer within the differential diagnoses, metastatic disease is a rare form of presentation in this type of tumors. The relevance of this clinical case lies in the fact that hematuria was the main symptom that brought the patient to the emergency department, so we must not forget that macroscopic hematuria should be extensively studied.
When approaching a patient with macroscopic hematuria, the clinical history and physical examination is extremely important to provide the best possible care and focus the treatment properly.
Patient factors associated with urinary tract cancer can be used to risk stratify patients referred with haematuria, prioritising those with a higher risk of cancer for prompt investigation.
To develop a prediction model for urinary tract cancer in patients referred with haematuria.
A prospective observational study was conducted in 10 282 patients from 110 hospitals across 26 countries, aged ≥16 yr and referred to secondary care with haematuria. Patients with a known or previous urological malignancy were excluded.
The primary outcomes were the presence or absence of urinary tract cancer (bladder cancer, upper tract urothelial cancer [UTUC], and renal cancer). Mixed-effect multivariable logistic regression was performed with site and country as random effects and clinically important patient-level candidate predictors, chosen a priori, as fixed effects. Predictors were selected primarily using clinical reasoning, in addition to backward stepwise selection. Calibration and discrimination were calculated, and bootstrap validation was performed to calculate optimism.
The unadjusted prevalence was 17.2% (n = 1763) for bladder cancer, 1.20% (n = 123) for UTUC, and 1.00% (n = 103) for renal cancer. The final model included predictors of increased risk (visible haematuria, age, smoking history, male sex, and family history) and reduced risk (previous haematuria investigations, urinary tract infection, dysuria/suprapubic pain, anticoagulation, catheter use, and previous pelvic radiotherapy). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the final model was 0.86 (95% confidence interval 0.85–0.87). The model is limited to patients without previous urological malignancy.
This cancer prediction model is the first to consider established and novel urinary tract cancer diagnostic markers. It can be used in secondary care for risk stratifying patients and aid the clinician’s decision-making process in prioritising patients for investigation.
We have developed a tool that uses a person’s characteristics to determine the risk of cancer if that person develops blood in the urine (haematuria). This can be used to help prioritise patients for further investigation.
Smokers, males, and older patients have higher predilection for these cancers [2]. For patients presenting with haematuria, common investigations include cystoscopy, upper tract imaging, and sometimes urine cytology and/or novel urinary biomarkers [1–3]. The economic impact on health care organisations and the potential harm of excessive haematuria investigations cannot be underestimated, particularly for NVH, for which the prevalence is high but the cancer yield is relatively [4].
The current impact of haematuria investigations on health care organisations is significant. There is currently no consensus on how to investigate patients with haematuria.
To evaluate the incidence of bladder cancer, upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) among patients undergoing investigation for haematuria and identify any risk factors for bladder cancer, UTUC, and RCC (BUR).
Medline, Embase, and Cochrane controlled trials databases and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched for all relevant publications from January 1, 2000 to June 2021 according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Prospective, retrospective, and cross-sectional studies with a minimum population of 50 patients with haematuria were considered for the review.
A total of 44 studies were included. The total number of participants was 229 701. The pooled incidence rate for urothelial bladder cancer was 17% (95% confidence interval [CI] 14–20%) for visible haematuria (VH) and 3.3% (95% CI 2.45–4.3%) for nonvisible haematuria (NVH). The pooled incidence rate for RCC was 2% (95% CI 1–2%) for VH and 0.58% (95% CI 0.42–0.77%) for NVH. The pooled incidence rate for UTUC was 0.75% (95% CI 0.4–1.2%) for VH and 0.17% (95% CI 0.081–0.299%) for NVH. On sensitivity analysis, the proportions of males (risk ratio [RR] 1.14, 95% CI 1.10–1.17 for VH; 1.54, 95% CI 1.34–1.78 for NVH; p < 0.00001; moderate certainty evidence) and individuals with a smoking history (RR 1.41, 95% CI 1.24–1.61 for VH; 1.53, 95% CI 1.36–1.72 for NVH; p < 0.00001; moderate certainty evidence) appeared to be higher in BUR than in non-BUR groups.
Male gender and smoking history are risk factors for BUR cancer in haematuria, with bladder cancer being the commonest cancer. The incidence of RCC and UTUC in NVH is low. The review serves as a reference standard for future policy-making on investigation of haematuria by global organisations.
Our review shows that male gender and smoking history are risk factors for cancers of the bladder, kidney, and ureter. The review also provides information on the proportion of patients who have cancer when they have blood in their urine (haematuria) and will allow policy-makers to decide on the most appropriate method for investigating haematuria in patients.
