Enteric type urachal adenocarcinoma: a case report
Dina El Demellawy1, Ahmed Nasr, Salem Alowami
1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.
The Canadian Journal of Urology
|August 13, 2009
Summary
Urachal adenocarcinoma, a rare cancer, can present with bladder tumors. This case highlights enteric-type adenocarcinoma with features similar to colon cancer.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Gastroenterology
- Oncology
Background:
- Urachal pathology is uncommon, with urachal adenocarcinoma being the most frequent diagnosis.
- The exact pathogenesis of urachal adenocarcinoma remains unclear.
- This report details a rare instance of this specific urachal tumor.
Observation:
- A 55-year-old male presented with microscopic hematuria.
- Diagnostic imaging revealed a bladder tumor with extravesical extension, excluding other organ involvement.
- Surgical resection showed a cystic mass within the bladder wall filled with mucoid material.
Findings:
- Microscopic analysis confirmed an enteric-type adenocarcinoma with significant mucin production.
- The neoplastic urachal epithelium exhibited colonic differentiation, including goblet cells.
- Immunohistochemical staining was positive for acid mucin and cytokeratins 20 (CK 20), mirroring colon adenocarcinoma.
Implications:
- This case underscores the importance of considering urachal adenocarcinoma in bladder tumors.
- The findings suggest a potential shared pathogenesis or differentiation pathway between urachal and colonic adenocarcinomas.
- Further research into urachal adenocarcinoma pathogenesis is warranted.
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