Metastatic patterns of bladder carcinoma

The authors reviewed 227 new bladder cancers from two main hospitals in Beirut Lebanon. They analyzed the morphologic features of these tumours, insisting particularly on the number, the size, the site, the grade, the stage, the mode of spread and the vascular permeation. The latter four factors appear to be directly related to the metastatic spread of these tumours. The metastatic patterns are summarized, regional lymph node metastases being the main problem because of therapeutic implications (radical surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy). The problems of generalized carcinoma, unusual lymph node metastases and solitary distant metastases are also considered.