Pattern of metastases in relation to characteristics of primary tumor and treatment in patients with disseminated urothelial carcinoma

Abstract

Purpose: The anatomical pattern of recurrence and metastases in patients with urothelial cancer are described, and the relationship between treatment and features of the primary invasive tumor and the subsequent pattern of metastases is analyzed.

Materials and methods: Between 1976 and 1991, 240 patients with recurrent or metastatic urothelial cancer were admitted to our department.

Results: The majority of the patients had recurrence within 2 years after initial diagnosis. Local recurrences and lung metastases were diagnosed significantly earlier than other metastases. Multiple sites were involved in more than half of the patients. The most common sites of recurrence were local in the bladder in 65% of the cases and bone in 35%, followed by lymph nodes in 26% and lung in 20%. The pattern of metastases was similar in patients with different histological findings, grade and location of the primary tumor. Patients younger than 60 years and those with cancer of the renal pelvis more often had distant metastases compared to older patients with bladder cancer. Local recurrences were less frequent in patients who had undergone cystectomy compared to those treated with radiotherapy only. Moreover, patients with local recurrences were likely to have metastases elsewhere.

Conclusions: Bone was the most frequent site of metastases outside the pelvis and all patients suspected to have recurrence should be examined for bone metastases. The results indicate that the pattern of recurrence and metastases are not dependent on the features of the primary tumor.