Prognostic significance of peritumoural inflammation in invasive urothelial bladder carcinoma

Summary Peritumoural inflammation consisting of lymphocytes, plasma cells and lymph follicles is present in two thirds of invasive urothelial bladder carcinomas. This type of inflammation is significantly rarer in advanced tumour stages (P3, P4) and its presence is a favourable prognostic factor. The mean survival time in patients with this type of inflammation is 26.1 months compared to only 14.8 months in patients without. All other forms of inflammation e. g. eosinophilic or polymorphonuclear leukocytes have no relation with prognosis. The significant prognostic value of lympho-plasmocytic inflammation may be considered as local expression of immunological host resistance.