Stages of Transitional Cell Cancer of the Renal Pelvis and Ureter

Cancer stage describes the extent of cancer in the body, such as the size of the tumor, whether it has spread, and how far it has spread from where it first formed. It is important to know the stage of transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis and ureter to plan the best treatment.  

There are several staging systems for cancer that describe the extent of the cancer. Transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis and ureter staging usually uses the TNM staging system. You may see your cancer described by this staging system in your pathology report. Based on the TNM results, a stage (I, II, III, or IV, also written as 1, 2, 3, or 4) is assigned to your cancer. When talking to you about your cancer, your doctor may describe it as one of these stages. 

Learn more about Cancer Staging.

The following stages are used for transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis and/or ureter:

Stage 0 (Noninvasive Papillary Carcinoma and Carcinoma in Situ)

In stage 0, abnormal cells are found in tissue lining the inside of the renal pelvis or ureter. These abnormal cells may become cancer and spread into nearby normal tissue. Stage 0 is divided into stages 0a and 0is, depending on the type of tumor:

• Stage 0a is also called noninvasive papillary carcinoma, which may look like long, thin growths that grow out from the tissue lining the inside of the renal pelvis or ureter.
• Stage 0is is also called carcinoma in situ, which is a flat tumor on the tissue lining the inside of the renal pelvis or ureter.

Stage I (also called stage 1)

In stage I, cancer has formed and has spread from the tissue lining the inside of the renal pelvis or ureter to the connective tissue layer.

Stage II (also called stage 2)

In stage III, cancer has spread to the muscle layer of the renal pelvis or ureter.

Stage III (also called stage 3)

In stage III, cancer has spread:

• from the muscle layer of the renal pelvis to fat around the renal pelvis or to tissue in the kidney; or
• from the muscle layer of the ureter to fat around the ureter.

Stage IV (also called stage 4)

In stage IV, cancer has spread to at least one of the following:

• a nearby organ.
• lymph nodes.
• other parts of the body, such as the lung, liver, or bone.

Stage IV transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis and ureter is also called metastatic cancer. Metastatic cancer happens when cancer cells travel through the lymphatic system or blood and form tumors in other parts of the body. The metastatic tumor is the same type of cancer as the primary tumor. For example, if transitional cell cancer renal pelvis and ureter spreads to the liver, the cancer cells in the liver are actually transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis and ureter. The disease is called metastatic transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis and ureter, not liver cancer. Learn more in Metastatic Cancer: When Cancer Spreads.

Transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis and ureter is also described as localized, regional, metastatic, or recurrent:

Localized

The cancer is found only in the kidney.

Regional

The cancer has spread to tissues around the kidney and to nearby lymph nodes and blood vessels in the pelvis.

Metastatic

The cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Recurrent

Recurrent cancer is cancer that has recurred (come back) after it has been treated. If transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis and ureter comes back, it may come back in the renal pelvis, ureter, or in other parts of the body, such as the lung, liver, or bone. Tests will be done to help determine where the cancer has returned. The type of treatment for recurrent transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis and ureter will depend on where it has come back.

Learn more in Recurrent Cancer: When Cancer Comes Back. Information to help you cope and talk with your health care team can be found in the booklet When Cancer Returns.