THE CLINICAL AND HISTOLOGICAL FEATURES OF TRANSITIONAL-CELL CARCINOMAOF THE BLADDER WITH MICROCYSTS - ANALYSIS OF 12 CASES

Objective To describe the clinical course and histological features of transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder with microcysts. Pat ients and methods Among 940 patients with bladder TCC diagnosed at our institution during a 5 year period, 12 (1.2%; eight men and four wome n, mean age 71.1 years, range 52-85) were diagnosed histologically as having microcystic TCC. Sections of the tumours were stained with haem atoxylin and eosin, periodic acid-Schiff and Alcian blue and clinical data obtained from the patients' records. Results Of the 12 patients w ith bladder TCC with microcysts, three had tumours confined to the epi thelium, six had tumour invasion of the lamina propria and three had m uscle invasion, One patient had low-grade TCC and 11 had high-grade TC C; six patients had a second primary tumour; three had a colon carcino ma, one a villous adenoma of the caecum, one a locally advanced carcin oma of the prostate and the last a squamous cell carcinoma of the uter ine cervix. Conclusions Microcystic TCC was associated with high-stage and high-grade bladder tumours and with other primary tumours, especi ally of the colon. Screening these patients for asymptomatic tumours o f the colon is suggested.