Small cell carcinoma of the bladder

Epidemiology

Small cell carcinoma accounts for less than 2% of bladder tumours¹. The average age of patients is 67 years¹, mainly male.

Clinical features

Patients present with haematuria or dysuria. A third of patients have metastatic carcinoma, most often with spread to the liver or regional lymph nodes.

Histopathology

The tumour cells are small with pyknotic nuclei and "salt and pepper" chromatin. Most cases show a mix of small cell and transitional cell carcinoma, less often adenocarcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma. Tumour necrosis is common, most often punctuate. The Azzopardi effect is common.

Immunohistochemistry

	Synaptophysin	16/231
	Chromogranin	9/301
	NSE	1/41
	Cam 5.2	14/21 (staining is punctate)1
	CD117	2/71
	EGFR	4/111

Prognosis

5-year survival is not more than 50%¹.

References

¹Abrahams NA, Moran C, Reyes AO, et al. Small cell carcinoma of the bladder: a contemporary clinicopathological study of 51 cases. Histopathology 2005; 46:57-63

This page last revised 31.1.2005.

©SMUHT/PW Bishop