Do vascular, lymphatic, and perineural invasion have prognostic implications for bladder cancer after radical cystectomy?
OBJECTIVES: To elucidate the respective prognostic implications of vascular, lymphatic, and perineural invasion noted on the pathologic analyses of radical cystectomy specimens. Controversy still exists on whether the pathologic features of vascular, lymphatic, and perineural invasion have any role as prognostic indicators for bladder cancer. METHODS: A retrospective review of 125 patients with bladder cancer treated with radical cystectomy was conducted. Patients who received either preoperative or postoperative chemotherapy, those with lymph node metastasis confirmed on postoperative pathologic analysis, those who did not undergo standard bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection, and those receiving palliative treatment were excluded from the study. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 62.5 years (range 39 to 84), and the median follow-up duration was 41.0 months (range 1 to 146). Vascular, lymphatic, and perineural invasion was present in 8.8%, 20.8%, and 8.8% of specimens, respectively,
Related Questions
- Is eligibility for a chemotherapy protocol a good prognostic factor for invasive bladder cancer after radical cystectomy?
- Do vascular, lymphatic, and perineural invasion have prognostic implications for bladder cancer after radical cystectomy?
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