Lymphovascular invasion in transurethral resection specimens as predictor of progression and metastasis in patients with newly diagnosed T1 bladder urothelial cancer.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the clinical significance of lymphovascular invasion in transurethral resection of bladder tumor specimens in patients with newly diagnosed T1 urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.


METHODS
Enrolled in the study were 118 patients with newly diagnosed T1 urothelial carcinoma of the bladder who underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumor between 2001 and 2007. Patient records were retrieved from a prospectively maintained bladder cancer database. We evaluated the correlation between lymphovascular invasion and other clinicopathological features, and the impact of lymphovascular invasion on disease recurrence, disease progression and metastasis.


RESULTS
Lymphovascular invasion was histologically confirmed in 33 patients (28.0%). While lymphovascular invasion correlated with tumor grade (p = 0.002), it was not associated with gender, age, bladder tumor history, tumor size, multiplicity or concomitant carcinoma in situ. Recurrence, progression and metastasis developed in 45 (38.1%), 19 (16.1%) and 10 patients (8.5%), respectively. Univariate analysis showed that lymphovascular invasion was marginally associated with recurrence and significantly associated with progression (p = 0.011) and metastasis (p = 0.019). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that recurrence was significantly associated with lymphovascular invasion (p = 0.029), and with bladder tumor history (p <0.001), tumor size (p = 0.031) and multiplicity (p = 0.043). Lymphovascular invasion was the only independent prognostic factor associated with progression (p = 0.016).


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with newly diagnosed T1 urothelial carcinoma of the bladder lymphovascular invasion in transurethral resection of bladder tumor specimens predicts disease progression and metastasis.
Cho
Kang Su
KS
Urologic Oncology Clinic, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
Seo
Ho Kyung
HK
Joung
Jae Young
JY
Park
Weon Seo
WS
Ro
Jae Y
JY
Han
Kyung Seok
KS
Chung
Jinsoo
J
Lee
Kang Hyun
KH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000556:secondary* / Q000601:surgery*; D015653:Cystectomy / Q000379:methods*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D014521:Urethra; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D019043:Vascular Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*