Down-staging (<pT2) of urothelial cancer at cystectomy after the diagnosis of detrusor muscle invasion (pT2) at diagnostic transurethral resection (TUR): is prediction possible?

Virchows Arch. 2012 Aug;461(2):149-56. doi: 10.1007/s00428-012-1277-0. Epub 2012 Jul 10.

Abstract

Urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) with musculus detrusor (MD) invasion is treated by cystectomy. Subsequent pathologic evaluation of cystectomies does not reveal MD invasion (<pT2) in a subgroup of patients. Our objective was to identify features at diagnostic transurethral resection (TUR) predicting down-staging (<pT2) at cystectomy. Patients with pathologically confirmed MD invasion at TUR followed by cystectomy for UCC without (neo-) adjuvant therapy were included (N = 106). Slides of both TUR and cystectomy specimens were reviewed, and survival analyses were performed. In total, 27/106 (26 %) tumors were down-staged at cystectomy, of which 13 (12 %) had no residual tumor (pT0). There was no significant difference in age, gender, time interval between TUR and operation, number of slides sampled, and presence of TUR scar between down-staged (<pT2) and pT2 UCC. At review of TUR specimens (N = 52) with UCC initially diagnosed as pT2, MD invasion was not confirmed in eight cases (15 %). One case showed extensive histiocytic reaction misinterpreted as UCC; in four cases, muscularis mucosae had been considered MD, and in three cases, desmoplastic reaction mimicked MD. No histologic parameter at TUR was significantly associated with down-staging at cystectomy. Overall and disease-specific survival was not statistically different in down-staged and pT2 UCC. In conclusion, down-staging of UCC (<pT2) at cystectomy occurred in 26 %. At review of diagnostic TURs, MD invasion was not confirmed in 15 %. No clinical or pathologic parameter was predictive for down-staging at cystectomy. There was no difference in survival between down-staged and pT2-staged UCC.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / mortality
  • Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / pathology*
  • Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / surgery
  • Cystectomy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscle, Smooth / pathology*
  • Muscle, Smooth / surgery
  • Neoplasm Grading
  • Neoplasm Staging*
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / mortality
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / surgery