Current concepts of the aetiology, pathogenesis and pathology of bladder cancer

Attention is directed to the information currently available on the pathogenesis of human bladder cancer. The continuum between carcinoma, carcinoma-in-situ and other epithelial abnormalities is noted. Pre-neoplastic lesions are defined as irreversible but not necessarily progressive, and a possible morphologic marker for pre-neoplasia seen with scanning electron microscopy is described.