Pathology and Prognosis Following Total Cystectomy for Carcinoma of Bladder

SUMMARY The histopathological features of cystectomy specimens of carcinoma of bladder have been reviewed and related to the subsequent clinical course. The cases studied had also had some form of radiotherapy before cystectomy. Deep invasion, poor differentiation and high mitotic activity in the tumour, lymphatic vessel permeation and lymph node metastases were all associated with a high proportion of deaths from tumour in the first 3 and 5 years following operation, as were absence or patchy distribution of round‐cell infiltration around the invading tumour edge, particularly a poor plasma cell response. No relation was found between the clinical course and degree of pleomorphism of the tumour or fibrosis, vascular changes, lymphocyte, eosinophil or tissue mast‐cell‐infiltration in the tissues surrounding the tumour, or to lymph node histology apart from the presence or absence of actual tumour deposits.