Small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder. Presentation of 23 cases and review of 134 published cases.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the morphological diagnostic criteria and biology of the urinary bladder small cell carcinoma (SCC).


METHODS
Study of 23 cases of bladder SCC, looking for the clinical presentation, pathological features and evolution, and review of 134 previously published cases.


RESULTS
The SCC is infrequent (0.48-1%), 50% of them have areas of transitional cell carcinoma, supporting the metaplastic theory. The classic small cell morphology is the best diagnostic criterion. The neurone-specific enolase and chromogranin A are good markers, but not indispensable. An early metastatic incidence (56%) with a high mortality rate (68.7%), mostly before 2 years after the diagnosis, is the typical evolution. Only the patients with additional cis-platinum-based chemotherapy have better prognosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The pathologist should watch out for the presence of SCC and the urologist should consider the possibility of combined treatment for these cases.
Trias
I
I
Department of Pathology, Clínica Plató, Fundació Privada, Barcelona, Spain.
Algaba
F
F
Condom
E
E
Español
I
I
Seguí
J
J
Orsola
I
I
Villavicencio
H
H
García Del Muro
X
X
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology