Evaluation of endothelial markers in detecting blood and lymphatic channel invasion in pT1 transitional carcinoma of bladder

In a study of 40 patients with high-grade (G2 and G3) transitional cell carcinoma of bladder invading the lamina propria--stage pT1, retraction artifact was often misdiagnosed as vascular/lymphatic tumour invasion. Vascular/lymphatic infiltration was diagnosed in five cases based on haematoxylin and eosin stained sections, but confirmed in only two of these using immunohistochemical techniques to demonstrate endothelial markers. Of the latter, these preparations demonstrating von-Willebrand factor and binding the monoclonal antibody QBEND/10 were technically superior to those in which Ulex europaeus agglutinin 1 was used. It is unlikely that the demonstration of vascular/lymphatic infiltration, a rare feature, will prove of value in defining prognostic groups for treatment.