title: Malakoplakia mimics urinary bladder cancer: a case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malakoplakia is an unusual and very rare chronic inflammatory disease. In bladder especially it can mimic malignancy and lead to serious misdiagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We presented a case of a middle-aged woman with persistent macrohematuria and cystoscopically polypoid bladder mass that resembled a neoplastic process. The final diagnosis was based on cystoscopic biopsy and microscopic findings of acidophilic, foamy histiocytes with the presence of Michaelis-Gutmann inclusions which are characteristic for diagnosis of malakoplakia. Immunohistochemistry confirmed diagnosis by demonstrating CD68-positive macrophages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Urinary bladder malakoplakia should be considered in patients with persistent urinary tract infections and tumor mass at cystoscopy. Early identification with prompt antibiotic treatment can be helpful in avoiding unnecessary surgical interventions and in preventing development of possible complications.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nii, Nih, Serbia.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ristić-Petrović
authors.forename: Slavica
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stojnev
authors.forename: Ljubinka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Janković-Velicković
authors.forename: Goran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Marjanović
mesh_terms: D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic / Q000276:immunology; D001706:Biopsy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D008287:Malacoplakia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000473:pathology*; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000097382:CD68 Molecule
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D015214:Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic; C067980:CD68 antigen, human; D000097382:CD68 Molecule