Invasiveness and metastases of bladder cancer

An analysis of post-mortem data on 918 cases of bladder cancer established tumor invasion into adjacent tissues in 50.2 +/- 1.61 and metastases--in 36.9 +/- 1.59% of cases. Paravesical fat tissue, the prostate and ureter were the most frequent sites of invasion: 34.7 +/- 1.57, 15.6 +/- 1.20 and 7.5 +/- 0,87%, respectively. Invasion proved to be among the basic risk factors of recurrence development and vesical fistula formation. Tumors were mostly disseminated into lymph nodes (21.6 +/- 1.36), liver (14.9 +/- 1.17) and lung (10.7 +/- 1.02%). A relationship between histologic pattern of tumor and frequency of metastatic spread was found. Bladder cancer extension into the small pelvis and dissemination were frequently the source of diagnostic errors.