Transitional cell carcinoma

As a transitional cell carcinoma, also known as transitional cell carcinoma, malignant tumors are of transitional tissue ( urothelium ) lining the urinary tract, respectively. Accordingly, they occur as cancer of the renal pelvis, ureter, urethra and as bladder cancer.

Depending on the degree of de-differentiation, they have a papillary to solid growth pattern.

Etiology and pathogenesis

The peak age is between 60 and 70 years, with men are affected twice as often as women. For Germany it is expecting about 25 000 new cases and about 6,400 deaths per year. Across the European Community, there are about 104 000 new cases and 36 400 deaths per year.

Epidemiologically, the following risk factors were found:

• Chronic inflammation
• Leukoplakia
• Aromatic amines ( benzidine, 2-naphthylamine )
• Tar products (smoking: 4 -fold increased risk)
• Chronic abuse of phenacetin

Morphology

There are more than 90% of urothelial carcinomas are in the bladder. Papillomas as they are mainly localized in the bladder back or side wall. In addition, most papillary tumors grow. Penetrates the tumor into the lamina propria, it is called an invasive infiltrating urothelial carcinoma.

Metastasis

Metastasis occurs early via the lymphatic system ( lymphatic ). Applied later a metastasis via the blood system ( hematogenous ), for example, in liver, lung, bone. In the metastatic state, the cisplatin-based chemotherapy is the current standard of care. In a relapse after cisplatin - based chemotherapy, the vinca alkaloid Vinflumin is recommended since 2010.