Recurrence of Subepithelial Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer Following Transurethral Resection: A Case Report

Area of Science:

• Uro-oncology
• Medical Imaging
• Surgical Pathology

Background:

• Transurethral resection (TUR) is the standard treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.
• Recurrence affects about half of patients post-TUR, typically presenting as intraluminal growths.
• Subepithelial and intramural bladder cancer recurrence is rarely reported and challenging to diagnose.

Observation:

• This case report details a rare instance of recurrent bladder cancer within the subepithelial layer.
• The recurrence was not visible via standard cystoscopy, underscoring diagnostic limitations.
• Imaging modalities were key in identifying the subepithelial tumor location.

Findings:

• Imaging findings are critical for diagnosing subepithelial recurrent bladder cancers.
• Recurrent cancers in the intramural layer pose diagnostic and surgical challenges.
• This report emphasizes the importance of advanced imaging for detecting rare recurrence patterns.

Implications:

• Enhanced imaging techniques may improve the detection of challenging bladder cancer recurrences.
• Accurate diagnosis of subepithelial tumors can guide appropriate surgical or therapeutic strategies.
• Further research into imaging characteristics of rare bladder cancer recurrence is warranted.