What is transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis and ureter?
Transitional cell cancer (TCC) of the renal pelvis and ureter is a disease in which cancer (malignant) cells are found in the tissues in the kidneys that collect urine (the renal pelvis) and/or in the tube that connects the kidney to the bladder (ureter). The kidneys are a “matched” pair of organs found on either side of your backbone. The kidneys of an adult are about 5 inches long and 3 inches wide and are shaped like a kidney bean. Inside each kidney are tiny tubules that clean your blood, taking out waste products and making urine. The urine made by the kidneys passes through the ureter into the bladder where it is held until it is passed from your body. The renal pelvis is the part of the kidney that collects urine and drains it to the ureters. The cells that line the renal pelvis and ureters are called transitional cells, and it is these cells that are affected in TCC. If you have a more common type of kidney cancer called renal cell cancer, see the patient information statement
