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Updated: Jul 19, 2026
An Orthotopic Bladder Tumor Model and the Evaluation of Intravesical saRNA Treatment
Published on: July 28, 2012
Primary angiosarcoma of the bladder
Raja R Seethala1, Jose A Gomez, Funda Vakar-Lopez
1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa 15217, USA. seethalarr@upmc.edu
Context:
Primary bladder angiosarcomas are extremely rare, and their clinical and pathologic features are not well described.
Objective:
To further refine the clinical features of primary bladder angiosarcomas and define their pathologic spectra.
Data Sources:
Relevant sources were identified using MEDLINE and a subsequent bibliographic search of all pertinent reports and reviews. We also searched the M. D. Anderson pathology archives.
Study Selection:
After excluding 4 cases that likely secondarily involved the bladder, we identified 9 true primary bladder angiosarcomas.
Data Extraction:
Data were extracted on the following: demographics, clinical presentation, predisposing factors, gross pathology, microscopic pathology, immunophenotype, therapy, and outcomes.
Data Synthesis:
Primary bladder angiosarcomas were found at a mean age of 64.2 years, with a male-female ratio of 8:1. Two cases arose in a postirradiation setting. Primary bladder angiosarcomas typically presented with hematuria and were grossly hemorrhagic, raised masses (mean size, 6.7 cm) of the trigone and/or dome. Histologically, most showed classic anastomosing channels lined by plump hyperchromatic cells, though many showed variant histology such as solid growth and epithelioid cytology. Three (43%) of 7 patients died within a year, but only 1 patient died with evidence of disease. The remaining patients were alive at the time of publication of their respective cases (mean, 22 months).
Conclusions:
Primary angiosarcomas of the bladder are typically rare tumors of middle-aged and elderly men that present with locally advanced disease and show a wide histologic spectrum. However, their prognosis may be better than previously thought.
