Upper Tract Urothelial CarcinomaUTLUNDNCT07321210
Radical Nephroureterectomy With vs Without Template Lymph Node Dissection in High-Risk Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma (T-LND UTUC)
A study testing Template Lymph Node Dissection and Selective Lymph Node Resection in people with Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma and Lymph Node Dissection, run by Tianjin Medical University Second Hospital at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if adding a template lymph node dissection (TLND) to the standard surgery for upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC) can improve patient survival and prevent the cancer from recurrence. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma, Lymph Node Dissection
- What is being tested?
- Template Lymph Node Dissection and Selective Lymph Node Resection
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 150 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 1 Sep 2025to 30 Aug 2032
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Signed written informed consent form (ICF).
- Age > 18 years at the time of ICF signing.
- Clinical diagnosis of unilateral Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma (UTUC) by imaging (enhanced CT or MRI) and/or ureteroscopic biopsy/urinary cytology, and scheduled to undergo Radical Nephroureterectomy (RNU).
- Clinical assessment indicating that the tumor and regional lymph nodes are completely resectable, with at least one of the following high-risk features:
- Locally advanced: Preoperative imaging assessed as cT2 stage or higher (i.e., tumor invades muscularis propria or deeper).
- High-grade: Preoperative ureteroscopic biopsy pathology confirmed as high-grade urothelial carcinoma (or with squamous differentiation/sarcomatoid differentiation).
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- Moderate or severe hydronephrosis: Ipsilateral moderate or severe hydronephrosis due to tumor obstruction.
- Large tumor size: Imaging measures maximum tumor diameter > 2 cm.
- cN1: Imaging suggests regional lymph node short-axis diameter > 1 cm, and the investigator judges it to be resectable.
- Presence of at least one measurable lesion according to RECIST v1.1 criteria.
- Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0 or 1.
- Adequate organ function meeting the following requirements (without use of any blood components or colony-stimulating factors within 14 days):
- Bone marrow function: Neutrophils ≥ 1,500/mm³, Platelets ≥ 100,000/mm³, Hemoglobin ≥ 9 g/dL (5.6 mmol/L).
- Renal function: Serum creatinine ≤ 1.5 mg/dL and/or Creatinine clearance ≥ 60 mL/min.
- Liver function: Total bilirubin ≤ 1.5 × ULN, AST \& ALT ≤ 1.5 × ULN.
- For women of childbearing potential (WOCBP): Must agree to use a highly effective medically approved contraceptive method during the treatment period and for 3 months after treatment ends. A negative serum or urine pregnancy test within 7 days before enrollment is required; must be non-lactating. For non-sterilized male patients: Must agree to use effective contraception with their partner during the treatment period and for 3 months after treatment ends.
- Subject voluntarily joins the study, has good compliance, and agrees to undergo safety and survival follow-up.
Who cannot join
- Previous receipt of any anti-tumor therapy for UTUC, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapy.
- History or concurrent presence of muscle-invasive bladder urothelial carcinoma.
- Preoperative imaging assesses regional lymph nodes as unresectable: lymph nodes fused into a massive conglomerate, or fully encasing the abdominal aorta/inferior vena cava/pelvic vessels preventing safe separation.
- Known bilateral UTUC or hereditary diseases that definitively increase the risk of contralateral upper tract tumors, such as Lynch Syndrome.
- Diagnosis of other active malignancies within the past 5 years (except for adequately treated basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or carcinoma in situ of the cervix which have been cured and show no recurrence within 5 years).
- Presence of any active autoimmune disease or history of autoimmune disease.
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- Current use of immunosuppressants for immunosuppressive purposes, continued within 2 weeks prior to enrollment.
- Poorly controlled cardiac clinical symptoms or diseases.
- Coagulation abnormalities or bleeding tendency.
- Presence of specific active gastrointestinal conditions or uncontrolled tumor bleeding.
- History of significant bleeding, hemoptysis, or thromboembolic events within specified timeframes.
- Active infection or unexplained fever > 38.5°C during screening or before the first dose.
- Occurrence of abdominal fistula, gastrointestinal perforation, or intra-abdominal abscess within 4 weeks prior to surgery.
- History or current objective evidence of pulmonary fibrosis, interstitial pneumonia, pneumoconiosis, radiation pneumonitis, drug-related pneumonia, severely impaired pulmonary function, etc.
- Congenital or acquired immunodeficiency.
- Participation in another clinical study within 1 month prior to enrollment, or potential receipt of other systemic anti-tumor therapy during the study period.
- Known history of psychotropic drug abuse, alcohol abuse, or drug use.
- Inability or unwillingness to bear the out-of-pocket costs of examinations and treatments.
- Any other condition deemed by the investigator to make the subject unsuitable for participation.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
China1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Tianjin Medical University Second Hospital
Tianjin, Tianjin Municipality, 300211
Changyi Quan, MD, 13388067990, 345920147@qq.com
Shimiao Zhu, PhD, MD
About this study
Official title: Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Radical Nephroureterectomy With Versus Without Template Lymph Node Dissection in High-Risk Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: A Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if adding a template lymph node dissection (TLND) to the standard surgery for upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC) can improve patient survival and prevent the cancer from recurrence. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Do patients who receive standard surgery with LND live longer without their cancer returning? Is adding LND safe, and how does it affect surgery-related complications? Researchers will compare the group receiving standard surgery plus LND to the group receiving standard surgery alone to see if adding LND is more effective.
Read more
Participants will:
Be randomly assigned to one of the two surgical groups. Undergo their assigned surgery and recover in the hospital. Attend regular follow-up visits for checkups and scans for 5 years to monitor for cancer recurrence, with the possibility of long-term follow-up extending to 10 years.
Read the detailed description
Background: Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), encompassing renal pelvic and ureteral carcinomas, is a relatively rare but aggressive malignancy of the urinary system, accounting for 5-10% of all urothelial cancers. Radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) with bladder cuff excision remains the gold standard for treating non-metastatic UTUC. However, prognosis remains poor, particularly for patients with locally advanced disease, due to high rates of recurrence and metastasis. The role of concurrent lymph node dissection (LND) during RNU is one of the most debated topics in UTUC management. While LND is widely accepted in muscle-invasive bladder cancer for its diagnostic and therapeutic benefits, its utility in UTUC lacks high-level evidence. Current guidelines conditionally recommend LND for high-risk UTUC based largely on retrospective data, leading to significant heterogeneity in clinical practice. This multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled trial aims to definitively establish the clinical value of template-based LND in high-risk UTUC.
Objectives:
- Primary Objectives:
- To compare the impact of RNU plus template LND versus RNU alone on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with high-risk non-metastatic UTUC.
- To evaluate and compare the safety profiles of both approaches, including perioperative complications (graded by Clavien-Dindo), operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and length of hospital stay.
- Secondary Objectives:
- To compare non-urothelial tract recurrence-free survival (NU-RFS), intravesical recurrence-free survival (IFS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS) between the two groups.
- To establish a lymph node metastasis (pN+) mapping profile for different UTUC tumor locations using template-based LND.
- Exploratory Objectives:
- To identify molecular biomarkers predictive of prognosis using bulk RNA sequencing of prospectively collected tumor tissues.
- To develop a lymph node metastasis prediction nomogram based on radiomic data from contrast-enhanced CT, tumor characteristics, lymph node size/location, and clinical symptoms.
Methods:
This is a prospective, multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled trial. A total of 150 eligible patients with high-risk UTUC (cT2-4N0-1M0 or cT1N1M0) will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to one of two arms:
Experimental Arm (A): RNU + template LND Control Arm (B): RNU + removal of only radiologically or intraoperatively detected lymph nodes >1 cm Stratified randomization will be performed based on tumor location (renal pelvis/upper ureter, mid-ureter, lower ureter) and clinical nodal status (cN0 vs. cN1). Surgical approach (open, laparoscopic, or robotic) will be at the surgeon's discretion, but LND must adhere to predefined anatomical templates.
Patients will be followed for up to 10 years, with regular imaging, urine cytology, and cystoscopy according to a standardized schedule. DFS, OS, and other survival endpoints will be analyzed using Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox proportional hazards models. Safety will be assessed via Clavien-Dindo grading and monitoring of adverse events.
Innovation:
This trial addresses a critical evidence gap in UTUC management by providing the first high-level, prospective, randomized data on the therapeutic efficacy of template LND. Key innovative aspects include:
- Standardization of LND templates based on tumor location, enhancing surgical consistency and pathological staging.
- Incorporation of biomarker and radiomic analyses to explore predictive signatures for lymph node involvement and survival.
- A multicenter design ensuring generalizability and sufficient power to detect clinically meaningful differences in survival outcomes.
- Potential to establish LND as a standard of care for high-risk UTUC, thereby informing future guidelines and improving oncologic outcomes.
- Being tested
- Template Lymph Node Dissection, Selective Lymph Node Resection
- Keywords
- Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), Template Lymph node dissection, Nephroureterectomy, High-risk neoplasm, Randomized Controlled Trial
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Template Lymph Node DissectionProcedure or surgery
A systematic and anatomic-based lymph node dissection performed during radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). The dissection boundaries are strictly defined by a pre-specified template according to the primary tumor location: renal hilum+para-aortic (left hilar and paraaortic) or renal hilum+para-caval (right hilar, paracaval, and interaortocaval) for renal pelvis/upper ureter; extended to common/external iliac for mid-ureter; and pelvic (common, external, internal iliac, and obturator) for lower ureter. The goal is potential therapeutic benefit by removing nodal metastatic disease.
Selective Lymph Node ResectionProcedure or surgery
A diagnostic procedure performed during radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). It does not involve a systematic template dissection. The surgeon will only remove intraoperatively identified suspicious and radiographic lymphadenopathy (>1 cm in the short-axis diameter). The primary goal is pathological staging rather than therapeutic clearance of a nodal basin.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| RNU + Template Lymph Node Dissection | Experimental | Participants in this arm will undergo Radical Nephroureterectomy (RNU) combined with template Lymph Node Dissection (LND). The LND will be performed according to a predefined template based on the primary tumor location: renal hilum+para-aortic (left hilar and paraaortic) or renal hilum+para-caval (right hilar, paracaval, and interaortocaval) for renal pelvis/upper ureter; extended to common/external iliac for mid-ureter; and pelvic (common, external, internal iliac, and obturator) for lower ureter. The surgical approach (open, laparoscopic, or robot-assisted) is at the surgeon's discretion. Receives: Procedure: Template Lymph Node Dissection |
| RNU + Selective Lymph Node Resection | Active comparator | Participants in this arm will undergo Radical Nephroureterectomy (RNU) alone. No template lymph node dissection will be performed. However, if intraoperatively identified suspicious and radiographic lymphadenopathy (>1 cm in the short-axis diameter) are present, they may be removed for pathological staging purposes only. Receives: Procedure: Selective Lymph Node Resection |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Disease-Free Survival (DFS)
Time from randomization to the first documented occurrence of disease recurrence (local, regional nodal, or distant metastasis), new urothelial carcinoma in the contralateral upper tract or bladder, or death from any cause, whichever occurs first.
Measured: From date of randomization until the date of first documented progression, recurrence, or death from any cause, assessed up to 5 years. (Assessments: every 3 months for the first 2 years, then every 6 months for years 3-5.)
Overall Survival (OS)
Time from randomization to death from any cause.
Measured: From date of randomization until the date of death from any cause, assessed up to 5 years. (Assessments: every 3 months.)
Incidence and Severity of Postoperative Complications (Perioperative Safety)
A composite measure to assess the safety of the surgical procedures, including:
Incidence and severity of postoperative complications graded by Clavien-Dindo classification.
Operative time (minutes). Estimated intraoperative blood loss (milliliters). Length of postoperative hospital stay (days).
Measured: From the date of surgery until 30 days post-operation.
Secondary outcomes (4)
Non-Urothelial Tract Recurrence-Free Survival (NU-RFS)
Time from randomization to the first documented recurrence at a local site, regional lymph nodes, distant metastasis, or death from any cause, whichever occurs first.
Measured: From date of randomization until the date of first documented non-urothelial recurrence or death, assessed up to 5 years. (Assessments: every 3 months for the first 2 years, then every 6 months for years 3-5.)
Intravesical Recurrence-Free Survival (IFS)
Time from randomization to the first documented occurrence of new urothelial carcinoma in the bladder or contralateral upper tract, or death from any cause, whichever occurs first.
Measured: From date of randomization until the date of first documented intravesical recurrence or death, assessed up to 5 years. (Assessments: cystoscopy every 6 months for the first 2 years, then as per protocol.)
Cancer-Specific Survival (CSS)
Time from randomization to death attributable to urothelial carcinoma.
Measured: Time Frame: From date of randomization until the date of death due to urothelial carcinoma, assessed up to 5 years. (Assessments: every 3 months.)
Lymph Node Metastasis Map
The distribution and positive rate (pN+%) of lymph node metastases, mapped according to the predefined template dissection locations for different primary tumor sites (renal pelvis/upper ureter, mid-ureter, lower ureter).
Measured: At time of surgery (from final pathological report, approximately 4 weeks post-operation)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted6 Jan 2026
- Study start1 Sep 2025
- Primary completion30 Aug 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Aug 2032 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (27)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Upper Tract Urothelial CarcinomaStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 150 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Tianjin Medical University Second Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Cancer Institute and Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin Third Central Hospital
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Changyi Quan, MD, Principal investigator, Tianjin Medical University Second Hospital
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07321210
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- TLND-UTUC
- Acronym
- UTLUND
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 21 Dec 2025
- Last updated
- 25 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Hsieh HC, Wang CL, Chen CS, Yang CK, Li JR, Wang SS, Cheng CL, Lin CY, Chiu KY. The prognostic impact of lymph node dissection for clinically node-negative upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma in patients who are treated with radical nephroureterectomy. PLoS One. 2022 Dec 1;17(12):e0278038. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278038. eCollection 2022.
PubMed 36454803Bobjer J, Gerdtsson A, Abrahamsson J, Baseckas G, Bergkvist M, Blackberg M, Brandstedt J, Jancke G, Hagberg O, Kollberg P, Lundstrom KJ, Lofgren A, Nyberg M, Rian Martensson L, Saemundsson Y, Stahl E, Sorenby A, Warnolf A, Liedberg F. Location of Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Metastases in Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: Results from a Prospective Lymph Node Mapping Study. Eur Urol Open Sci. 2023 Sep 27;57:37-44. doi: 10.1016/j.euros.2023.09.010. eCollection 2023 Nov.
PubMed 38020529Li X, Cui M, Gu X, Fang D, Li H, Qin S, Yang K, Zhu T, Li X, Zhou L, Gao XS, Wang D. Pattern and risk factors of local recurrence after nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma. World J Surg Oncol. 2020 May 30;18(1):114. doi: 10.1186/s12957-020-01877-w.
PubMed 32473636Zareba P, Rosenzweig B, Winer AG, Coleman JA. Association between lymph node yield and survival among patients undergoing radical nephroureterectomy for urothelial carcinoma of the upper tract. Cancer. 2017 May 15;123(10):1741-1750. doi: 10.1002/cncr.30516. Epub 2017 Feb 2.
PubMed 28152158Huang J, Qian H, Yuan Y, Cai X, Chen Y, Zhang J, Kong W, Wu X, Cao M, Huang Y, Chen H, Xue W. Prospective Clinical Trial of the Oncologic Outcomes and Safety of Extraperitoneal Laparoscopic Extended Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection at Time of Nephroureterectomy for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma. Front Oncol. 2022 Feb 24;12:791140. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.791140. eCollection 2022.
PubMed 35280720Zhai TS, Jin L, Zhou Z, Liu X, Liu H, Chen W, Lu JY, Yao XD, Feng LM, Ye L. Effect of lymph node dissection on stage-specific survival in patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma treated with nephroureterectomy. BMC Cancer. 2019 Dec 12;19(1):1207. doi: 10.1186/s12885-019-6364-z.
PubMed 31830927Messer J, Lin YK, Raman JD. The role of lymphadenectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma. Nat Rev Urol. 2011 May 24;8(7):394-401. doi: 10.1038/nrurol.2011.78.
PubMed 21606972Roscigno M, Brausi M, Heidenreich A, Lotan Y, Margulis V, Shariat SF, Van Poppel H, Zigeuner R. Lymphadenectomy at the time of nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial cancer. Eur Urol. 2011 Oct;60(4):776-83. doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2011.07.009. Epub 2011 Jul 14.
PubMed 21798659Raza SJ, Miller C, May A, Davaro F, Siddiqui SA, Hamilton Z. Lymph node density for stratification of survival outcomes with node positive upper tract urothelial carcinoma. Can J Urol. 2019 Aug;26(4):9852-9858.
PubMed 31469641Sato R, Watanabe K, Matsushita Y, Watanabe H, Motoyama D, Ito T, Sugiyama T, Otsuka A, Miyake H. Prognostic assessments in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma undergoing radical nephroureterectomy and systematic regional lymph node dissection. Urologia. 2022 Aug;89(3):354-357. doi: 10.1177/03915603211034943. Epub 2021 Jul 29.
PubMed 34325582Piontkowski AJ, Corsi N, Morisetty S, Majdalany S, Rakic I, Li P, Arora S, Jamil M, Rogers C, Autorino R, Abdollah F. Benefit of lymph node dissection in cN+ patients in the treatment of upper tract urothelial carcinoma: Analysis of NCDB registry. Urol Oncol. 2022 Sep;40(9):409.e9-409.e17. doi: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2022.04.015. Epub 2022 May 24.
PubMed 35623996Fajkovic H, Cha EK, Jeldres C, Donner G, Chromecki TF, Margulis V, Novara G, Lotan Y, Raman JD, Kassouf W, Seitz C, Bensalah K, Weizer A, Kikuchi E, Roscigno M, Remzi M, Matsumoto K, Breinl E, Pycha A, Ficarra V, Montorsi F, Karakiewicz PI, Scherr DS, Shariat SF. Prognostic value of extranodal extension and other lymph node parameters in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma. J Urol. 2012 Mar;187(3):845-51. doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2011.10.158. Epub 2012 Jan 15.
PubMed 22248522Siegel RL, Kratzer TB, Giaquinto AN, Sung H, Jemal A. Cancer statistics, 2025. CA Cancer J Clin. 2025 Jan-Feb;75(1):10-45. doi: 10.3322/caac.21871. Epub 2025 Jan 16.
PubMed 39817679Cui Y, Lu Y, Wu J, Quan C. Benefits of lymphadenectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma only located in the lower ureter: a bicentre retrospective cohort study. Front Oncol. 2023 Apr 14;13:1115830. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1115830. eCollection 2023.
PubMed 37124512Lee HY, Chang CH, Huang CP, Yu CC, Lo CW, Chung SD, Wu WC, Chen IA, Lin JT, Jiang YH, Lee YK, Hsueh TY, Chiu AW, Chen YT, Lin CM, Tsai YC, Chen WC, Chiang BJ, Huang HC, Chen CH, Huang CY, Wu CC, Lin WY, Tseng JS, Ke HL, Yeh HC. Is Lymph Node Dissection Necessary During Radical Nephroureterectomy for Clinically Node-Negative Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma? A Multi-Institutional Study. Front Oncol. 2022 Apr 29;12:791620. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.791620. eCollection 2022.
PubMed 35574295
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 25 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Radical Nephroureterectomy With Versus Without Template Lymph Node Dissection in High-Risk Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: A Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07321210
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- UTLUND / TLND-UTUC
- Keywords
- Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), Template Lymph node dissection, Nephroureterectomy, High-risk neoplasm, Randomized Controlled Trial
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 150 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Tianjin Medical University Second HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Cancer Institute and Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, Tianjin Third Central Hospital
- Study start
- 1 Sep 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Aug 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Aug 2032 (estimated)
- First posted
- 6 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if adding a template lymph node dissection (TLND) to the standard surgery for upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC) can improve patient survival and prevent the cancer from recurrence. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Do patients who receive standard surgery with LND live longer without their cancer returning? Is adding LND safe, and how does it affect surgery-related complications? Researchers will compare the group receiving standard surgery plus LND to the group receiving standard surgery alone to see if adding LND is more effective.
Participants will:
Be randomly assigned to one of the two surgical groups. Undergo their assigned surgery and recover in the hospital. Attend regular follow-up visits for checkups and scans for 5 years to monitor for cancer recurrence, with the possibility of long-term follow-up extending to 10 years.
Detailed description
Background: Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), encompassing renal pelvic and ureteral carcinomas, is a relatively rare but aggressive malignancy of the urinary system, accounting for 5-10% of all urothelial cancers. Radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) with bladder cuff excision remains the gold standard for treating non-metastatic UTUC. However, prognosis remains poor, particularly for patients with locally advanced disease, due to high rates of recurrence and metastasis. The role of concurrent lymph node dissection (LND) during RNU is one of the most debated topics in UTUC management. While LND is widely accepted in muscle-invasive bladder cancer for its diagnostic and therapeutic benefits, its utility in UTUC lacks high-level evidence. Current guidelines conditionally recommend LND for high-risk UTUC based largely on retrospective data, leading to significant heterogeneity in clinical practice. This multicenter, prospective, randomized controlled trial aims to definitively establish the clinical value of template-based LND in high-risk UTUC.
Objectives:
- Primary Objectives:
- To compare the impact of RNU plus template LND versus RNU alone on disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with high-risk non-metastatic UTUC.
- To evaluate and compare the safety profiles of both approaches, including perioperative complications (graded by Clavien-Dindo), operative time, intraoperative blood loss, and length of hospital stay.
- Secondary Objectives:
- To compare non-urothelial tract recurrence-free survival (NU-RFS), intravesical recurrence-free survival (IFS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS) between the two groups.
- To establish a lymph node metastasis (pN+) mapping profile for different UTUC tumor locations using template-based LND.
- Exploratory Objectives:
- To identify molecular biomarkers predictive of prognosis using bulk RNA sequencing of prospectively collected tumor tissues.
- To develop a lymph node metastasis prediction nomogram based on radiomic data from contrast-enhanced CT, tumor characteristics, lymph node size/location, and clinical symptoms.
Methods:
This is a prospective, multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled trial. A total of 150 eligible patients with high-risk UTUC (cT2-4N0-1M0 or cT1N1M0) will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to one of two arms:
Experimental Arm (A): RNU + template LND Control Arm (B): RNU + removal of only radiologically or intraoperatively detected lymph nodes >1 cm Stratified randomization will be performed based on tumor location (renal pelvis/upper ureter, mid-ureter, lower ureter) and clinical nodal status (cN0 vs. cN1). Surgical approach (open, laparoscopic, or robotic) will be at the surgeon's discretion, but LND must adhere to predefined anatomical templates.
Patients will be followed for up to 10 years, with regular imaging, urine cytology, and cystoscopy according to a standardized schedule. DFS, OS, and other survival endpoints will be analyzed using Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox proportional hazards models. Safety will be assessed via Clavien-Dindo grading and monitoring of adverse events.
Innovation:
This trial addresses a critical evidence gap in UTUC management by providing the first high-level, prospective, randomized data on the therapeutic efficacy of template LND. Key innovative aspects include:
- Standardization of LND templates based on tumor location, enhancing surgical consistency and pathological staging.
- Incorporation of biomarker and radiomic analyses to explore predictive signatures for lymph node involvement and survival.
- A multicenter design ensuring generalizability and sufficient power to detect clinically meaningful differences in survival outcomes.
- Potential to establish LND as a standard of care for high-risk UTUC, thereby informing future guidelines and improving oncologic outcomes.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| RNU + Template Lymph Node Dissection | Experimental | Procedure: Template Lymph Node DissectionParticipants in this arm will undergo Radical Nephroureterectomy (RNU) combined with template Lymph Node Dissection (LND). The LND will be performed according to a predefined template based on the primary tumor location: renal hilum+para-aortic (left hilar and paraaortic) or renal hilum+para-caval (right hilar, paracaval, and interaortocaval) for renal pelvis/upper ureter; extended to common/external iliac for mid-ureter; and pelvic (common, external, internal iliac, and obturator) for lower ureter. The surgical approach (open, laparoscopic, or robot-assisted) is at the surgeon's discretion. |
| RNU + Selective Lymph Node Resection | Active comparator | Procedure: Selective Lymph Node ResectionParticipants in this arm will undergo Radical Nephroureterectomy (RNU) alone. No template lymph node dissection will be performed. However, if intraoperatively identified suspicious and radiographic lymphadenopathy (>1 cm in the short-axis diameter) are present, they may be removed for pathological staging purposes only. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (17 listed)
- Signed written informed consent form (ICF).
- Age > 18 years at the time of ICF signing.
- Clinical diagnosis of unilateral Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma (UTUC) by imaging (enhanced CT or MRI) and/or ureteroscopic biopsy/urinary cytology, and scheduled to undergo Radical Nephroureterectomy (RNU).
- Clinical assessment indicating that the tumor and regional lymph nodes are completely resectable, with at least one of the following high-risk features:
- Presence of at least one measurable lesion according to RECIST v1.1 criteria.
Key exclusion criteria (19 listed)
- Previous receipt of any anti-tumor therapy for UTUC, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, or targeted therapy.
- History or concurrent presence of muscle-invasive bladder urothelial carcinoma.
- Preoperative imaging assesses regional lymph nodes as unresectable: lymph nodes fused into a massive conglomerate, or fully encasing the abdominal aorta/inferior vena cava/pelvic vessels preventing safe separation.
- Known bilateral UTUC or hereditary diseases that definitively increase the risk of contralateral upper tract tumors, such as Lynch Syndrome.
- Diagnosis of other active malignancies within the past 5 years (except for adequately treated basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, or carcinoma in situ of the cervix which have been cured and show no recurrence within 5 years).
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Template Lymph Node DissectionA systematic and anatomic-based lymph node dissection performed during radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). The dissection boundaries are strictly defined by a pre-specified template according to the primary tumor location: renal hilum+para-aortic (left hilar and paraaortic) or renal hilum+para-caval (right hilar, paracaval, and interaortocaval) for renal pelvis/upper ureter; extended to common/external iliac for mid-ureter; and pelvic (common, external, internal iliac, and obturator) for lower ureter. The goal is potential therapeutic benefit by removing nodal metastatic disease. | Procedure or surgery | RNU + Template Lymph Node Dissection |
| Selective Lymph Node ResectionA diagnostic procedure performed during radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). It does not involve a systematic template dissection. The surgeon will only remove intraoperatively identified suspicious and radiographic lymphadenopathy (>1 cm in the short-axis diameter). The primary goal is pathological staging rather than therapeutic clearance of a nodal basin. | Procedure or surgery | RNU + Selective Lymph Node Resection |
Primary outcome
Disease-Free Survival (DFS)
Time frame: From date of randomization until the date of first documented progression, recurrence, or death from any cause, assessed up to 5 years. (Assessments: every 3 months for the first 2 years, then every 6 months for years 3-5.)
Time from randomization to the first documented occurrence of disease recurrence (local, regional nodal, or distant metastasis), new urothelial carcinoma in the contralateral upper tract or bladder, or death from any cause, whichever occurs first.
Overall Survival (OS)
Time frame: From date of randomization until the date of death from any cause, assessed up to 5 years. (Assessments: every 3 months.)
Time from randomization to death from any cause.
Incidence and Severity of Postoperative Complications (Perioperative Safety)
Time frame: From the date of surgery until 30 days post-operation.
A composite measure to assess the safety of the surgical procedures, including: Incidence and severity of postoperative complications graded by Clavien-Dindo classification. Operative time (minutes). Estimated intraoperative blood loss (milliliters). Length of postoperative hospital stay (days).
4 secondary outcomes
Non-Urothelial Tract Recurrence-Free Survival (NU-RFS)
Time frame: From date of randomization until the date of first documented non-urothelial recurrence or death, assessed up to 5 years. (Assessments: every 3 months for the first 2 years, then every 6 months for years 3-5.)
Intravesical Recurrence-Free Survival (IFS)
Time frame: From date of randomization until the date of first documented intravesical recurrence or death, assessed up to 5 years. (Assessments: cystoscopy every 6 months for the first 2 years, then as per protocol.)
Cancer-Specific Survival (CSS)
Time frame: Time Frame: From date of randomization until the date of death due to urothelial carcinoma, assessed up to 5 years. (Assessments: every 3 months.)
Lymph Node Metastasis Map
Time frame: At time of surgery (from final pathological report, approximately 4 weeks post-operation)
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 25 Jun 2026.
- Background: PubMed 36454803Hsieh HC, Wang CL, Chen CS, Yang CK, Li JR, Wang SS, Cheng CL, Lin CY, Chiu KY. The prognostic impact of lymph node dissection for clinically node-negative upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma in patients who are treated with radical nephroureterectomy. PLoS One. 2022 Dec 1;17(12):e0278038. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0278038. eCollection 2022.
- Background: PubMed 38020529Bobjer J, Gerdtsson A, Abrahamsson J, Baseckas G, Bergkvist M, Blackberg M, Brandstedt J, Jancke G, Hagberg O, Kollberg P, Lundstrom KJ, Lofgren A, Nyberg M, Rian Martensson L, Saemundsson Y, Stahl E, Sorenby A, Warnolf A, Liedberg F. Location of Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Metastases in Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: Results from a Prospective Lymph Node Mapping Study. Eur Urol Open Sci. 2023 Sep 27;57:37-44. doi: 10.1016/j.euros.2023.09.010. eCollection 2023 Nov.
- Background: PubMed 32473636Li X, Cui M, Gu X, Fang D, Li H, Qin S, Yang K, Zhu T, Li X, Zhou L, Gao XS, Wang D. Pattern and risk factors of local recurrence after nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma. World J Surg Oncol. 2020 May 30;18(1):114. doi: 10.1186/s12957-020-01877-w.
- Background: PubMed 28152158Zareba P, Rosenzweig B, Winer AG, Coleman JA. Association between lymph node yield and survival among patients undergoing radical nephroureterectomy for urothelial carcinoma of the upper tract. Cancer. 2017 May 15;123(10):1741-1750. doi: 10.1002/cncr.30516. Epub 2017 Feb 2.
- Background: PubMed 35280720Huang J, Qian H, Yuan Y, Cai X, Chen Y, Zhang J, Kong W, Wu X, Cao M, Huang Y, Chen H, Xue W. Prospective Clinical Trial of the Oncologic Outcomes and Safety of Extraperitoneal Laparoscopic Extended Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection at Time of Nephroureterectomy for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma. Front Oncol. 2022 Feb 24;12:791140. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2022.791140. eCollection 2022.
- Background: PubMed 31830927Zhai TS, Jin L, Zhou Z, Liu X, Liu H, Chen W, Lu JY, Yao XD, Feng LM, Ye L. Effect of lymph node dissection on stage-specific survival in patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma treated with nephroureterectomy. BMC Cancer. 2019 Dec 12;19(1):1207. doi: 10.1186/s12885-019-6364-z.
- Background: PubMed 21606972Messer J, Lin YK, Raman JD. The role of lymphadenectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma. Nat Rev Urol. 2011 May 24;8(7):394-401. doi: 10.1038/nrurol.2011.78.
- Background: PubMed 21798659Roscigno M, Brausi M, Heidenreich A, Lotan Y, Margulis V, Shariat SF, Van Poppel H, Zigeuner R. Lymphadenectomy at the time of nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial cancer. Eur Urol. 2011 Oct;60(4):776-83. doi: 10.1016/j.eururo.2011.07.009. Epub 2011 Jul 14.
- Background: PubMed 31469641Raza SJ, Miller C, May A, Davaro F, Siddiqui SA, Hamilton Z. Lymph node density for stratification of survival outcomes with node positive upper tract urothelial carcinoma. Can J Urol. 2019 Aug;26(4):9852-9858.
- Background: PubMed 34325582Sato R, Watanabe K, Matsushita Y, Watanabe H, Motoyama D, Ito T, Sugiyama T, Otsuka A, Miyake H. Prognostic assessments in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma undergoing radical nephroureterectomy and systematic regional lymph node dissection. Urologia. 2022 Aug;89(3):354-357. doi: 10.1177/03915603211034943. Epub 2021 Jul 29.
- Background: PubMed 35623996Piontkowski AJ, Corsi N, Morisetty S, Majdalany S, Rakic I, Li P, Arora S, Jamil M, Rogers C, Autorino R, Abdollah F. Benefit of lymph node dissection in cN+ patients in the treatment of upper tract urothelial carcinoma: Analysis of NCDB registry. Urol Oncol. 2022 Sep;40(9):409.e9-409.e17. doi: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2022.04.015. Epub 2022 May 24.
- Background: PubMed 22248522Fajkovic H, Cha EK, Jeldres C, Donner G, Chromecki TF, Margulis V, Novara G, Lotan Y, Raman JD, Kassouf W, Seitz C, Bensalah K, Weizer A, Kikuchi E, Roscigno M, Remzi M, Matsumoto K, Breinl E, Pycha A, Ficarra V, Montorsi F, Karakiewicz PI, Scherr DS, Shariat SF. Prognostic value of extranodal extension and other lymph node parameters in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma. J Urol. 2012 Mar;187(3):845-51. doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2011.10.158. Epub 2012 Jan 15.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Changyi Quan, MD principal investigator
Tianjin Medical University Second Hospital
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Template Lymph Node Dissection and Selective Lymph Node Resection in people with Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma and Lymph Node Dissection, run by Tianjin Medical University Second Hospital at 1 site in China.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 17 inclusion and 19 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 25 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in China. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Shimiao Zhu, MD, PhD (+86 88328607, zhushimiao@tmu.edu.cn), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Disease-Free Survival (DFS) (time frame: From date of randomization until the date of first documented progression, recurrence, or death from any cause, assessed up to 5 years. (Assessments: every 3 months for the first 2 years, then every 6 months for years 3-5.)). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07321210, which also lists 27 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 25 Jun 2026.