Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the urinary bladder--diagnostic and clinical implications.
BACKGROUND
A 57-year-old man presented with a 4-week history of intermittent, painless frank hematuria. There were no other symptoms. He had no previous urologic history, is a nonsmoker, and works as a manual laborer.


METHODS
Physical examination, ultrasound of the urinary tract, and intravenous urography were all unremarkable. Urine microscopy confirmed more than 5 red blood cells per high-power field, but no malignant cells were seen on cytologic assessment. Flexible cystoscopy revealed a 3 cm, partially solid, solitary lesion on the right lateral wall of the bladder. The tumor was completely resected under general anesthesia.


METHODS
Histologically, the tumor was described as a G3 pT1 transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.


RESULTS
Following the resection of a solitary recurrence 6 weeks after the initial tumor resection, the patient underwent a standard course of intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy. Despite this, another tumor was identified 3 months later. Histologically, this tumor was described as a lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma, of at least grade G3pT1. The patient underwent radical cystoprostatectomy with ileal conduit formation; no adjuvant systemic chemotherapy was given in light of complete tumor resection. The patient is under continuing, close clinical and radiologic observation and remains free of disease recurrence, 36 months postoperatively.
Mayer
Erik K
EK
St Mary's Hospital, London, UK.
Beckley
Ian
I
Winkler
Mathias H
MH
D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D015653:Cystectomy / Q000379:methods*; D003558:Cystoscopy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011468:Prostatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D014567:Urography