Presenting symptoms, treatment delay and survival in bladder cancer

In 212 consecutive patients with bladder tumour, relationships between symptoms, demographic factors, delay before treatment and survival rate were investigated. The presenting symptom was haematuria in 79% of the patients. The interval from onset of symptoms until treatment averaged 28 weeks (median = 15 weeks). The general practitioner delay comprised half of the total delay. Patients with cystitis as the presenting symptom and women with haematuria had the longest doctor delay. The length of delay did not influence the crude survival rate in patients with tumours in the two highest TNM stages. In T1 and T2 tumours, shorter delay tended to give a better survival rate.     

Alternate Occurrence of Allergic Disease and an Unusual Form of Interstitial Cystitis

Background : It has been postulated that interstitial cystitis can be induced by an allergy. This is partly based on the observation that many patients with interstitial cystitis also have allergic diseases. In this study, an allergic evaluation was conducted on patients with interstitial cystitis complicated by bronchial asthma, a typical allergic disease.
Methods : Clinical histories were obtained and biopsy specimens from the vesical walls of the study patients were examined histologically. Cutaneous tests and IgE radioallergosorbent tests (RAST) were performed. Further, intravesical provocation tests were carried out using IgE RAST-positive antigens, and histamine release assays were performed on the vesical biopsy specimens using anti-lgE antibodies.
Results : Five of 6 patients alternately exhibited symptoms of allergic disease and bladder symptoms. The eosinophil and mast cell counts in the vesical biopsy specimens of these 5 patients were increased. Furthermore, an intravesical provocation test performed using the IgE RAST-positive antigen was positive in 4 patients. The mean vesical biopsy specimen histamine release was 1 7.7% for patients with interstitial cystitis with bronchial asthma which was significantly higher than that for interstitial cystitis patients without bronchial asthma (8.9%) or the control group (4.5%). The prognosis of patients with interstitial cystitis with allergic complications was relatively good.
Conclusion : Patients with bronchial asthma exhibited hypersensitivity both generally and locally in the bladder. The alternation phenomenon was observed between the hypersensitive organs.     

Effects of sodium hyaluronate on epithelial healing of the vesical mucosa and vesical fibrosis in rabbits with acetic acid induced cystitis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of sodium hyaluronate on epithelial healing of the vesical mucosa and vesical fibrosis, and clarify the effect of the sodium hyaluronate solution concentration, we administered sodium hyaluronate in the bladder of rabbits with acetic acid induced cystitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sodium hyaluronate at 3 concentrations (0.1%, 0.2% and 0.4%) was injected intravesically into rabbits with cystitis. Seven days after injection the effect of sodium hyaluronate was evaluated by bladder capacity measurement. Furthermore, the epithelial defective region of the mucosal membrane and bladder dry weight were determined and the condition of the epithelial membrane and extent of fibrosis were examined histologically. RESULTS: In all sodium hyaluronate treated groups a significant improvement in bladder capacity was observed compared to controls. In addition, a significant reduction was noted in the area of the epithelial defective region in the groups treated with 0.2% or 0.4% sodium hyaluronate and a significant decrease was noted in bladder dry weight in the group treated with 0.4% sodium hyaluronate. Histological examination revealed accelerated epithelial healing of the vesical mucosa and inhibited vesical fibrosis in the group treated with 0.4% sodium hyaluronate. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that sodium hyaluronate is effective for promoting epithelial healing of the vesical mucosa and inhibiting vesical fibrosis.     

出血性放射性膀胱炎的临床疗效观察

目的观察不同程度出血的放射性膀胱炎采用不同的治疗方法的效果。方法根据出血严重程度放射性膀胱炎分为轻度、中度和重度。轻度：止血药物和高压氧治疗;中度：依次给予膀胱持续生理盐水冲洗、经尿道电凝止血和介入治疗;重度：经尿道电凝止血和介入治疗。中度和重度巩固治疗用高压氧和膀胱灌注透明质酸钠。结果轻度3例,2例治愈,1例1年后复发,行电凝止血。膀胱冲洗38例,9例治愈。电凝止血29例,10例治愈,2次以上电凝19例。介入治疗10例,6例治愈,4例再次电凝止血。膀胱灌注8例,随访3～8月,无1例复发。结论不同程度出血的放射线膀胱炎应采用不同的治疗方法。     

Immunocytology in the assessment of patients with asymptomatic microhaematuria

INTRODUCTION: Discrimination between malignant and nonmalignant conditions remains the key problem in assessing microhaematuria. This prospective study investigated the role of immunocytology in the evaluation of patients with microhaematuria. METHODS: uCyt+ is a commercially available immunocytologic assay based on microscopic detection of tumour-associated antigens on the membrane of urothelial cells by immunofluorescence. Between October 2000 and August 2005, 189 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed painless microhaematuria without prior transitional cell carcinoma were included. All urine samples were examined cytologically and immunocytologically. Of the 189 samples, 178 (94%) were assessable. RESULTS: Clinical assessment by physical examination, laboratory tests, endoscopy, and imaging modalities found bladder cancer in 8 patients (4%). Further diagnoses were benign prostatic hyperplasia (54 cases, 29%), cystitis (including interstitial cystitis; 20 cases, 11%), urolithiasis (18 cases, 9%), tumours of other origin (6 cases, 2%), and "further conditions" (26 cases, 13%). In 57 patients (30%) the reasons for haematuria were not disclosed. Immunocytology was positive in 7 of 8 bladder tumours (87%) and negative in 154 of 170 patients with haematuria for other reasons (91%). CONCLUSIONS: The high sensitivity and good specificity of immunocytology in the diagnosis of bladder cancer was confirmed in this population with a low disease prevalence. Only one tumour of low malignant potential was missed by immunocytology. If assessment of these patients would have been based only on immunocytology, 154 costly and invasive diagnostic procedures could have been avoided, with only 16 of 170 individuals (9%) undergoing these examinations unnecessarily. The findings justify a prospective investigation of this issue.     

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for radiation-induced haemorrhagic cystitis

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) for treating haemorrhagic cystitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From February 1997 to April 2004, seven patients with radiation-induced haemorrhagic cystitis were treated with HBO; they received a mean (range) of 30 (18-57) HBO treatments and the follow-up was 24 (3-53) months. RESULTS: The haematuria resolved completely in all seven patients shortly after treatment; one had an improvement but died from complications relating to cancer shortly after completing treatment, and two had recurrence of gross haematuria. They were re-treated with HBO until the haematuria resolved. CONCLUSIONS: Radiation-induced haemorrhagic cystitis can be treated successfully with HBO primarily or after failure of standard regimens. This method was well tolerated even in patients debilitated by advanced cancer and blood loss. Long-term remission is possible in most patients, and re-treatment effectively manages recurrent bleeding.     

A new minimally invasive technique for treating radiation cystitis: the argon-beam coagulator

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of the argon-beam coagulator used endoscopically for treating radiation cystitis, as radiotherapy is commonly used for treating pelvic tumours of urological origin, but intractable bleeding related to radiation cystitis remains a serious complication and requires a difficult long-term follow-up, for which cystoscopic methods of management have traditionally had limited success. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We assessed seven patients with radiation cystitis; they were treated with argon-beam coagulation after a cystoscopic evaluation. RESULTS: With a mean follow-up of 15 months, one treatment was used in six patients, with a second treatment required in one. CONCLUSION: The argon-beam coagulator appears to be a safe, well tolerated and minimally invasive treatment in patients with radiation cystitis.     

Squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder: pathology, diagnosis and treatment

Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) can occur in both nonbilharzial and bilharzial bladders; the two subtypes differ in epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinicopathological features. The nonbilharzial type occurs in Western countries and represents < 5% of all vesical tumours; it occurs most often in the seventh decade with a slight male predominance. The principal predisposing factor is prolonged indwelling urethral catheterization in patients with spinal cord injury and the main symptom is haematuria. Patients are usually diagnosed at an advanced stage and most of the tumours are of moderate and high grades. At cystoscopy tumours are predominantly ulcerative and commonly involve the trigone and lateral walls. Although distant metastasis is infrequent (8-10%) the prognosis is grave and most patients die after failure of locoregional control; radical cystectomy provides the best therapy. To avoid nonbilharzial SCC, patients with spinal cord injury should be free of catheterization if possible. The outcome can be improved by early detection with frequent cytology, cystoscopy and biopsy. Bilharzial SCC occurs commonly in the Middle East, South-east Asia and South America where schistosomiasis is endemic. In an Egyptian series SCC represented 59% of 1026 cystectomy specimens. The tumour is diagnosed in the fifth decade, and five times more common in men than women. Bladder carcinogenesis is probably related to bacterial and viral infections, commonly associated with bilharzial infestation rather than the parasite itself. The presentation is often with irritative bladder symptoms and haematuria, and many patients present at an advanced stage, although most tumours are of low and moderate grades. At cystoscopy tumours are predominantly nodular and usually arise from the upper vesical hemisphere. Lymph-node metastasis occurs in approximately 19% and significantly decreases survival; radical cystectomy remains the main treatment, giving a 5-year survival rate of 50%. Early detection improves the therapeutic yield and prevention is possible by combining snail control and mass therapy of the infested rural population by oral antibilharzial drugs.     

Evaluation of intravesical alum irrigation for massive bladder hemorrhage

The efficacy of intravesical alum irrigation was analyzed after application to 9 patients with continuous and severe bladder hemorrhage. Causes of bleeding were radiation cystitis in 4 patients, vesical invasion by cervical cancer in 3, bladder cancer in 1 and cyclophosphamide-induced cystitis in 1. Though alum treatment was initially effective for control of massive bladder hemorrhage in all patients, it eventually failed to suppress a subsequent hemorrhage in 2 patients (78% success rate). No significant side effects directly related to this therapy were observed. In conclusion, alum irrigation is effective for controlling massive bladder hemorrhage for a rather short time. Therefore, additional treatment modalities should also be considered for primary diseases.     

The results of routine evaluation of adult patients with haematuria analysed according to referral form information with 2-year follow-up

OBJECTIVE: With the principal aim of determining how often investigation of haematuria results in a malignancy diagnosis, the referrals (n = 581) during one year to a department of urology (catchment area 250,000 inhabitants) where haematuria was mentioned in the referral form have been registered and analysed. The case records were evaluated after two years. RESULTS: The tumours detected were mainly bladder tumours (n = 43) and prostate cancers (n = 31). Only three upper urinary tract tumours were diagnosed. The incidence of malignancies was high in patients with macroscopic haematuria (24%), especially if it was asymptomatic (32%). The incidence was lower in microscopic haematuria (9%), especially if it was asymptomatic (5%). The incidence of malignancies was strongly age- and sex-related; in no female under 70 years and in no male under 45 years of age with microscopic haematuria was a malignant tumour detected. CONCLUSION: Macroscopic haematuria, especially in older patients, is often associated with a malignancy and the investigation must be given high priority. The incidence of malignant tumours in patients with symptomatic microscopic haematuria also warrants an investigation. In the case of asymptomatic microhaematuria. the risk is so low, especially in women that the need for a work-up must be strongly questioned.     

Cutaneous ureterostomy as last resort treatment of intractable haemorrhagic cystitis following radiation

Sixteen patients with severe intractable haemorrhagic cystitis following radiotherapy, two of them with bleeding tumours, were treated surgically by cutaneous ureterostomy with or without contralateral nephrectomy. They had undergone various forms of conservative treatment and were treated by surgery only when conservative therapy had failed. In these poor risk patients a cutaneous ureterostomy was employed as a lesser procedure than an ileal loop. Of the 16 who underwent urinary diversion 11 were completely free of haemorrhage and three continued to have slight intermittent haematuria.     

Hyperbaric oxygenation therapy for cyclophosphamide-induced haemorrhagic cystitis

A 41-year-old female patient undergoing cyclophosphamide therapy for ovarian tumour suffered from haemorrhagic cystitis. Hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) (100% of oxygen concentration at 2 atmospheric absolute pressures for 60 minutes a day for 30 days) was performed. After treatment the symptom subsided and haematuria disappeared. Cystoscopic findings demonstrated marked improvement. During the course of therapy no side effect was noted. Thus, HBO treatment appeared to have a beneficial effect on cyclophosphamide cystitis.     

上尿路梗阻伴发慢性非细菌性膀胱炎的诊治分析

【摘要】〓目的〓探讨上尿路梗阻伴发慢性非细菌性膀胱炎的诊治分析。方法〓回顾性分析137例上尿路梗阻住院病人伴发慢性非细菌性膀胱炎的临床资料,通过尿液培养、膀胱镜检查、活检等检查手段以及输尿管镜手术过程中确诊慢性非细菌性膀胱炎。结果〓137例中发现慢性非细菌性膀胱炎32例(23.4%),这其中上尿路因结石梗阻出现的慢性非细菌性膀胱炎27例(19.7%),非结石因素梗阻原因出现的慢性非细菌性膀胱炎5例(3.6%)。32例非细菌性膀胱炎,腺性23例,增生性3例,膀胱白斑病变6例,合并慢性输尿管炎、输尿管息肉11例。在32例上尿路梗阻伴发非细菌性膀胱炎病例中,中段尿细菌培养阳性3例,均为大肠埃希氏杆菌,96例不伴有慢性膀胱炎病例中中段尿培养阳性者11 例,大肠埃希氏杆菌10例,金葡菌和表皮葡萄球菌1例。6例上尿路梗阻伴发非细菌性膀胱炎病例予以随访3月,膀胱炎症病灶消失。结论〓上尿路梗阻情况下可伴发慢性非细菌性膀胱炎。     

Intravesical formalin instillation in the treatment of massive haematuria

16 patients with massive haematuria due to bladder cancer or cytostatic or radiation cystitis have been treated with intravesical instillation of 4% formalin solution. The method proved to be effective in the control of bleeding in 15 cases, but produced complications two of which were severe. This mode of treatment should thus be limited to debilatated patients in whom other conservative methods fail to control the bleeding. Complications and mode of action of formalin instillation are discussed.     

The management of haemorrhagic cystitis with sodium pentosan polysulphate

OBJECTIVE: To assess the use of sodium pentosan polysulphate (SPP) for haemorrhagic cystitis (HC), a potentially life-threatening side-effect in patients treated with pelvic radiotherapy or cyclophosphamide, and which can be difficult to manage as patients often have significant comorbidity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between September 1991 and December 2000, 60 consecutive patients (24 women and 36 men) with haemorrhagic cystitis were primarily treated with SPP; 53 patients had had radical radiotherapy for pelvic malignancy and seven systemic cyclophosphamide. All patients were screened for blood dyscrasia and residual/primary urothelial malignancy with imaging, urine cytology and cystoscopy. RESULTS: In all, 51 patients were available for follow-up; the median (range) interval between completing treatment and developing haematuria was 4.5 (0.08-39.4) years, the duration of treatment 180 (21-1745) days and patients were followed for 450 (19-4526) days from the onset of haematuria. All patients were started on SPP at an initial dose of 100 mg three times daily. In 21 patients the dose was gradually reduced to a maintenance dose of 100 mg and in 10 further patients SPP was stopped because the haematuria stopped completely. Twenty patients died while on treatment from causes not directly related to their haematuria. CONCLUSION: We recommend the use of SPP as the primary method of managing haemorrhagic cystitis associated with pelvic radiotherapy or systemic chemotherapy.     

膀胱白斑的电切镜下表现及病理特点

目的　探讨膀胱白斑的电切镜下表现及病理特点 ,为临床诊断、治疗提供可靠依据。方法　随机对门诊 43 6例患者用电切镜进行膀胱尿道镜检和病灶活检 ,发现膀胱白斑 68例 ,观察膀胱白斑 ,取病灶组织活检 ,观察病理变化。结果　电切镜下膀胱白斑为白色不规则稍隆起白色斑片状 ,多见于膀胱三角区。病检所见膀胱白斑为膀胱黏膜鳞状上皮化生 ,并有活跃的细胞角化。 68例中增生型 65例 ,增生、萎缩混合型 3例。合并腺性膀胱炎 2 3例。固有膜炎性浸润 3 6例。细胞增生活跃、排列紊乱、有异形性 9例 ,合并移行细胞癌Ⅰ级 1例。合并膀胱颈部炎性息肉 13例 ,慢性滤泡性膀胱炎 1例 ,发现结石或结晶 6例 ,可见出血灶 7例。结论　膀胱白斑是较常见的膀胱黏膜变异现象 ,可能为癌前病变 ,常与慢性膀胱炎、腺性膀胱炎等合并存在 ,用电切镜检查较易发现 ,及时取病灶组织活检对早期确诊具有重要意义。     

Is it necessary to perform urine cytology in screening patients with haematuria?

All patients with gross haematuria and those older than 50 years with microscopic haematuria need investigations to rule out the presence of a urological malignancy. OBJECTIVE: To study the role of urine cytology in the evaluation of patients with haematuria. METHODS: Two hundred and eighty-five patients were evaluated. All patients underwent evaluation including urine cytology, flexible cystoscopy, ultrasonography and/or IVU. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 62.4 years. Sixty-five percent had gross and 35% microscopic haematuria. Fifty-five tumours were discovered (19.2%); of these 48 were transitional cell carcinomas, 3 renal cell carcinomas and 3 carcinomas of the prostate. Thirty-seven urinary cytologies were abnormal. The overall sensitivity of urinary cytology was 42.4% and specificity 94.3%. Of 18 patients with positive cytology, all were found to have transitional cell carcinomas on cystoscopy or imaging. Of 19 patients with suspicious cytologies, only 6 were found to have tumours. The remaining 13 patients had no evidence of tumour on combined upper tract imaging (IVU and ultrasound) or on rigid cystoscopy and bladder biopsy. Whilst all the other investigation modalities contributed to diagnoses (and/or exclusion of tumours), no additional tumours were discovered solely by urinary cytology. A moderate cost saving could be made without compromising diagnostic accuracy. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that performing routine urine cytology is not relevant in the investigation of patients with haematuria, its role is at best supportive.     

Paraganglioma of the bladder: report of a case

Paragangliomas are uncommon tumours that comprise less than 0.1% of all primary bladder neoplasms. Approximately half of the patients present the clinical triad of hypertension, haematuria and attacks associated with micturition. About 10% of vesical paragangliomas behave malignantly. This may be manifested as local invasion or metastatic spread, particularly to lymph nodes and lung. The best therapy remains total excision and partial cystectomy is considered adequate treatment for most cases. We report a case of paraganglioma of the bladder with extramural appearance in a 39-year-old man. Clinical symptoms were hypertension, dysuria and a well-defined hypogastric mass. One year after complete removal of the tumour, the patient is asymptomatic and normotensive, with normal catecholamine and vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) levels.     

Urinary tract ultrasonography in the evaluation of haematuria--a report of over 1,000 cases

Over a 5-year period, 1007 patients with haematuria were investigated, using a protocol based on ultrasonography as the upper tract imaging modality of choice. Intravenous urography (IVU) was only used in selected individuals, including those patients with bladder cancer suspected on cystoscopy, suspicious or malignant cytology, previous investigation for haematuria, on-going haematuria at the time of their clinic visit, a history of flank pain or hydronephrosis on ultrasonography. Of this series, 840 (83%) had visible haematuria, 158 (15%) had microscopic or chemical haematuria and 9 (0.9%) had unspecified haematuria. A total of 133 bladder transitional cell tumours, 21 renal cell cancers and 2 upper tract transitional cell cancers (TCC) were diagnosed. The sensitivity of ultrasound with respect to bladder cancer was 63% and the specificity 99%. The odds ratio of diagnosing cancer in patients with visible haematuria compared to microscopic or unspecified haematuria was 3.3. No upper tract tumours were missed using this investigational protocol. An ultrasonography-based protocol could miss fewer upper tract TCCs than a standard IVU-based service would miss renal cell cancer. Provided there is no history of flank pain, no malignant cytology, no hydronephrosis and no previously investigated haematuria, IVU could be safely omitted.