Currently, the treatment of choice in urothelial tumors of the upper urinary tract is nephroureterectomy (NU) as an Open procedure (ONU), though the laparoscopic treatment is now routinely performed as a minimally invasive therapy (LNU). LNU has demonstrated oncologic safety at least equivalent to open, but some issues dealing with cancer still remain. We retrospectively analyzed data from 36 LNU performed between 2006 and 2010, compared with data of 32 ONU performed in 2002-2005 (pre-laparoscopy era). The mean follow-up was 23 months in patients undergoing LNU and 42 months for those treated with ONU. In particular, we evaluated cancer recurrence, the site of recurrence and survival rates. We had local recurrence in 3 patients (8.3%) after LNU and 2 after ONU (6.25%). 2 patients who underwent LNU (5.5%) died of metastatic disease at 9 and 12 months; 3 patients who underwent ONU (9.3%) died of metastasis at 12, 16 and 23 months, respectively. Bladder recurrence was observed in 3 patients after ONU and in 4 after LNU. The most frequent sites of cancer recurrence were: local recurrence (3 LUN, 2 ONU), 1 laparoscopic port recurrence, 3 regional lymph node recurrences (2 LNU, 1ONU), bladder recurrences (3 LNU, 4 ONU). There were no significant differences in disease recurrence and even survival rates at 1 and 3 years were not very different between the two techniques. The grade and stage of cancer affecting the incidence of metastatic disease, as well as the localization of early disease (pelvis-ureter-both) is a negative prognostic factor, rather than the surgical technique used. Therefore, there is no evidence that the control is compromised in cancer patients treated with LNU rather than with ONU.