[Peritumoral infiltration of mononuclear leukocytes and clinical course in bladder cancer]

Peritumoral infiltration by mononuclear leucocytes was investigated in 27 recurrent-free cases of bladder cancer and also in 22 cases which had taken an unfavourable course. The investigation was undertaken in all cases after transurethral resection of the tumour and intravesical instillation of adriamycin or BCG. 67% of the recurrence free cases showed peritumoral infiltration by inflammatory cells, whilst the remaining 33% failed to show any such reaction. Of the patients in whom the disease was progressive only 5% showed peritumoral infiltration with mononuclear leucocytes, whereas 95% demonstrated no such cell infiltration. Of 19 patients with tumour-associated inflammatory cell infiltration 95% remained recurrent free, whereas of 30 patients lacking this response only 30% remained recurrence free.