title: Correlation of pathological and cytological-cytometric grading of transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary tract.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cystoscopy and cytology are standard procedures for diagnosis and follow-up of patients with bladder cancer. Urinary cytodiagnosis is a descriptive method for tumor characterization. We correlated histopathologic diagnosis of noninvasive urothelial carcinomas with cytological evaluation and, furthermore, we validated cytology by cytometric analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  94 patients with a history of bladder cancer were included in the study. 25 patients were negative for tumors, 22 showed pTa G1 carcinomas, 25 had pTaG2 and 22 patients had G3 carcinomas. All patients underwent cytological and cytometric evaluation. Nuclear diameter and circumference were measured for 15 representative nuclei per specimen. Statistical evaluation was performed using Graph Pad Software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cytology showed excellent tumor detection for G2 and G3 carcinomas, with a sensitivity of 100% combined with a specificity of 100%. Using cytometry, we can significantly distinguish between unsuspicious patients and G1 carcinomas on the one hand and high-grade carcinomas on the other. Furthermore, in 6 of 25 patients (24%) with noninvasive G2 carcinomas, but G3 cytological evaluation, tumor progression occurred.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Urinary cytology is an excellent instrument for detection of clinically relevant high-grade bladder cancer. Descriptive alterations of the cytopathology can be validated by objective data using cytometric analysis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Essen, Essen, Germany. Frank.vomDorp@uk-essen.de
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Vom Dorp
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tschirdewahn
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Börgermann
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schenck
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: Tibor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Szarvas
authors.forename: Oliver W
authors.initials: OW
authors.lastname: Hakenberg
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rübben
mesh_terms: D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D014571:Urologic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*