Superficial bladder tumors in patients under 40 years of age: Clinical, prognostic and cytogenetic aspects

Bladder carcinoma with transitional cells is the most frequent neoplasia in the urinary system, but it is quite rare in patients under 40 years of age (0.4-2%). An analysis of 21 patients under 40 and a review of other report s show that tumors in patients under 20 years old have little tendency to r ecur and to progress, while tumors in patients aged between 21 and 40 have a behavior pattern similar to older age groups regarding recurrence and dis ease progression. Preliminary results of a study using fluorescent in situ hybridization with probes for the centromere of chromosomes 7 and 17 showed a high incidence of aneusomy with regard to these chromosomes and a geneti c difference between superficial tumors in the young and in adults. Using p robes from chromosomes already described in bladder carcinogenesis, we obta ined higher sensitivity and specificity in detecting aneuploid events. Copy right (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.