The case for conservative management in the treatment of patients with non-muscle-invasive micropapillary bladder carcinoma without carcinoma in situ.

Abstract

This retrospective study of 18 patients with micropapillary carcinoma of the bladder suggests that tumor stage and patient outcome may be related to the percentage of the micropapillary component of the carcinoma. Radical surgery is mandatory in muscle-invasive disease, even though patients with lymph node involvement die from the disease. In non-muscle-invasive disease and in the absence of associated carcinoma in situ, intravesical BCG treatment may be offered when the micropapillary component of the carcinoma component is a small percentage.