Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-pjpqr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-17T06:24:40.477Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

1 - The pathology of bladder cancer

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 August 2009

David MacVicar
Affiliation:
Royal Marsden Hospital
Get access

Summary

Introduction

Carcinoma of the bladder is the seventh most common cancer worldwide [1]. It comprises 3.2% of all cancers, with an estimated 260 000 new cases each year in men and 76 000 in women. The highest incidence rates in males and females occur in Western Europe, North America and Australia. The UK annual incidence is over 10 000 new cases, with a male:female ratio of 5 : 2 [2–5].

Urothelial carcinoma is the most common type of bladder cancer. However, there is significant geographic variation, and in certain regions of the world, such as Egypt and parts of Africa, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the bladder predominates.

Urothelial carcinomas of the renal pelvis, ureter and urethra are less common, accounting for approximately 10% of all urinary tract neoplasms.

It should be noted that the formerly used term “transitional cell carcinoma (TCC)” is now largely replaced by “urothelial carcinoma,” although you will still hear urologists and pathologists use both interchangeably.

The WHO histological classification of tumors of the urinary tract (2004) is given in modified form inTable 1.1 [6].

The urothelium is the lining epithelium of the urinary collecting system and includes that of the renal pelvis, ureters, bladder and part of the urethra. Its thickness varies from three to seven cell layers, depending on the state of distension of the bladder. The turnover rate of those cells is low, of the order of three to six months.

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ferlay, J, Bray, F, Pisani, P, Parkin, D M. GLOBOCAN 2000: Cancer Incidence, Mortality and Prevalence Worldwide. Lyon: IARC Press, 2001.Google Scholar
Office for National Statistics. Cancer Statistics Registrations: Registrations of Cancer Diagnosed in 2003, England. Series MB1 No. 34. Vol. 2006, London: National Statistics.
Welsh Cancer Intelligence and Surveillance Unit (www.wales.nhs.uk).
Cancer incidence and mortality data; ISD Online. Cancer Research UK (http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats).
Northern Ireland Cancer Registry. Cancer statistics (www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres).
Eble, J N, Sauter, G, Epstein, J I, Sesterhenn, I A (eds.). World Health Organization Classification of Tumours. Pathology and Genetics of Tumours of the Urinary System and Male Genital Tract Organs. Lyon: IARC Press, 2004.
Koss, L G. Mapping of the urinary bladder: its impact on the concept of bladder cancer. Hum Pathol 1979; 10: 533–48.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sobin, L H, Wittekind, C.TNM Classification of Malignant Tumours (6th edn). New York: Wiley-Liss, 2002.Google Scholar
Dataset for tumours of the urinary collecting system (Renal pelvis, ureter, bladder and urethra). Coordinators: Dr. Patricia Harnden, Professor Richard Ball, Dr. Alex Freeman, University College London, January 2007.
Minimum Dataset for Bladder Tumour Histopathology Reports: Royal College of Pathologists, April 2000.
Bostwick, D.Natural history of early cancer. J Cellul Biochem 1992; 161(suppl): 31–8.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Orozco, R E, Martin, A A, Murphy, W M. Carcinoma in-situ of the urinary bladder. Cancer 1994; 74: 115–22.3.0.CO;2-R>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Parkin, D M, Ferlay, J, Hamdi-Cherif, Met al. Cancer in Africa: Epidemiology and Prevention. IARC Scientific Publication No. 153. Lyon: IARC Press, 2003.Google Scholar
Lynch, C F, Cohen, M B. Urinary System. Cancer 1995; 75: 316–29.3.0.CO;2-T>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×