We systematically reviewed the literature and summarized oncologic and safety outcomes for endoscopic management (EM) compared to radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). Studies comparing oncologic and/or safety results for EM versus RNU in patients with UTUC were included in our review. Overall, 13 studies met the criteria, and five studies were included in a meta-analysis using adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and bladder recurrence-free survival (BRFS). EM was associated similar OS (HR 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.75-2.16), CSS (HR 1.37, 95% CI 0.99-1.91), and BRFS (HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.61-1.55) to RNU, while 28-85% of patients treated with EM experienced upper tract recurrence across the studies. EM required more interventions with a higher cumulative risk of complications and lower likelihood of renal preservation. In summary, EM for low-grade UTUC had comparable survival outcomes to RNU at the cost of higher local recurrence rates resulting in a need for long-term rigorous surveillance and repeated interventions. PATIENT SUMMARY: For selected cases of cancer in the upper urinary tract, surgical treatment via a telescope inserted through the urethra or the skin (endoscope) results in cancer control outcomes that are comparable to those after removal of the kidney and ureter. However, because of its higher rate of local recurrence, this approach requires repeated endoscopic treatment sessions. Patients should be well informed about these issues to help in shared decision-making.

Department of Urology Comprehensive Cancer Center Medical University of Vienna Vienna Austria; Department of Urology King Fahad Specialist Hospital Dammam Saudi Arabia

Department of Urology Comprehensive Cancer Center Medical University of Vienna Vienna Austria; Department of Urology La Croix Du Sud Hospital Quint Fonsegrives France

Department of Urology Comprehensive Cancer Center Medical University of Vienna Vienna Austria; Department of Urology Medical University of Silesia Zabrze Poland

Department of Urology Comprehensive Cancer Center Medical University of Vienna Vienna Austria; Department of Urology Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Okayama Japan

Department of Urology Comprehensive Cancer Center Medical University of Vienna Vienna Austria; Department of Urology Paracelsus Medical University Salzburg University Hospital Salzburg Salzburg Austria

Department of Urology Comprehensive Cancer Center Medical University of Vienna Vienna Austria; Department of Urology The Jikei University School of Medicine Tokyo Japan

Department of Urology Comprehensive Cancer Center Medical University of Vienna Vienna Austria; Department of Urology University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf Hamburg Germany

Department of Urology Comprehensive Cancer Center Medical University of Vienna Vienna Austria; Department of Urology University of Verona Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata Verona Italy

Department of Urology Comprehensive Cancer Center Medical University of Vienna Vienna Austria; Institute for Urology and Reproductive Health Sechenov University Moscow Russia

Department of Urology Comprehensive Cancer Center Medical University of Vienna Vienna Austria; Institute for Urology and Reproductive Health Sechenov University Moscow Russia; Division of Urology Department of Special Surgery The University of Jordan Amman Jordan; Department of Urology University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Dallas TX USA; Department of Urology 2nd Faculty of Medicine Charles University Prague Czechia; Department of Urology Weill Cornell Medical College New York NY USA

Department of Urology Comprehensive Cancer Center Medical University of Vienna Vienna Austria; Karl Landsteiner Institute of Urology and Andrology Vienna Austria

Department of Urology Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Okayama Japan

Department of Urology Sorbonne Université GRC n°5 Predictive Onco urology AP HP Pitié Salpêtrière Hospital Paris France

Division of Urology Department of Special Surgery The University of Jordan Amman Jordan

Division of Urology Molinette Hospital University of Studies of Torino Torino Italy

Institute for Urology and Reproductive Health Sechenov University Moscow Russia

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