Lymphoepithelioma-Like Bladder Carcinoma: A Diagnostic and Therapeutic Challenge. Contribution Using a New Case and Review of the Literature

Lymphoepithelioma-Like Carcinoma of the Urinary Bladder: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the urinary bladder is a rare variant of infiltrating urothelial carcinoma. Diagnostic and therapeutic manipulations are not yet standardised, due to the rarity of the tumour, with surgery and chemotherapy being reported as potential therapeutic options. We report on a case of lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the bladder in a 93-year-old female patient and discuss the pathological features and therapeutic options of the neoplasm. Due to her increased age and associated comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus and ischemic heart disease, the patient was treated with transurethral resection of the tumour and subsequent cisplatin-based chemotherapy but unfortunately died of chemotherapy-related complications.

Survival Analysis of Lymphoepithelioma-Like Carcinoma of the Urinary Bladder and the Effect of Surgical Treatment Modalities on Prognosis

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the prognostic factors of patients with lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the urinary bladder (LELCB) and explore the value of surgical treatment. Methods: Data of patients with LELCB were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The multivariate analysis was performed using the stepwise Cox proportional hazards regression model and conditional inference tree method to identify significant prognosticators of overall survival (OS) from the parameters such as age, gender, lymph node involvement, tumor extent, radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery type. Literature review (LR) was performed, and eligible cases were used to validate prognostic classification using the Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank tests. Results: Sixty patients with a median age of 69.5 years were identified from the SEER database and 91 patients through LR. The Cox analysis identified age, gender, lymph node involvement, and surgical approach as independent prognosticators of OS. Based on the nomogram scores, patients were stratified into three prognostic groups: (I) patients younger than 70 years; (II) patients older than 70 years, who received bladder-sparing therapy (BST); and (III) patients older than 70 years undergoing radical cystectomy (RC). Patients in group II had the worst outcomes in terms of OS compared with patients in groups I and III (p < 0.001 and p = 0.03, respectively). A similar survival pattern was found in the LR cohort. Conclusion: The nomogram provided individualized prognostic quantification of OS in patients with LELCB. BST could yield favorable outcomes when treating LELCB, especially for younger patients, whereas older patients might derive more survival benefit from RC.

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the upper urinary tract: A systematic review of case reports

BACKGROUND

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas (LELCs) are rare, malignant epithelial tumors, generally considered a subtype of squamous cell carcinoma. LELCs are undifferentiated and can occur in multiple tissues, although LELCs in the urinary tract are extremely rare. As such, evidence does not provide clinicians with guidelines for the best practices. Even though this is a rare disease, it is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, we must learn to differentiate LELC types and identify risk factors for early identification.

AIM

To develop an evidence base to guide clinicians treating primary LELCs of the upper urinary tract (UUT-LELC).

METHODS

We performed a systematic review of all reports on UUT-LELC from the first published case in 1998 until October 2019, according to the PRISMA. A database was then developed by extracting data from previously published reports in order to analyze interactions between clinical characteristics, pathological features, interventions and outcomes. Survival was analyzed using Kaplan–Meier estimates, which were compared using log rank tests.

RESULTS

A total of 28 previously published cases were identified for inclusion. The median age was 72 years with a male to female ratio of 4:3. Pure type LELCs were most common with 48.3% (n = 14), followed by 37.9% (n = 11) predominant LELCs and 3.4% (n = 1) focal LELCs. Epstein-Barr virus testing was negative in all cases. Fourteen patients received radical nephroureterectomy (RNU)-based intervention. Twenty-three patients survived with no evidence of further metastasis, although six died before the median 18 mo follow-up point. Survival analysis suggests pure histological subtypes, and patients who receive complete tumor resection have more favorable prognoses. As always in cancer care, early identification generally increases the probability of interventional success.

CONCLUSION

The most effective treatment for UUT-LELC is RNU-based therapy. Since cases are few in number, case reporting must be enhanced and publishing encouraged to both save and prolong lives.

Lymphoepithelioma-Like Carcinoma of the Bladder: A Case Report of a Rare and Particular Variant of Urothelial Carcinoma

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the bladder (LELCB) is a rare variant of urothelial carcinoma first described by Zukerberg in 1991 and confirmed as a variant of urothelial carcinoma by the WHO classification of tumors of the urinary system. LELCB is characterized by a marked infiltration of lymphocytes in the area involved by the tumor which may coexist with the conventional urothelial carcinoma. LELCB are classified according to the percentage of lymphoepithelioma component within the tumor with the prognosis depending on the percentage. We report a new case of pure LELCB occurring in 63-year-old woman presenting with hematuria. Ultrasonography and cystoscopy revealed a large tumor on the left lateral wall of the bladder. Transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURBT) was performed. Pathological and immunohistochemical analysis revealed a high-grade muscle-invasive LELCB (G3pT2). The patient underwent an adjuvant systemic chemotherapy with no recurrence after a ten-month follow-up. To our knowledge, this is the second Moroccan case of LELCB reported in the English literature. Although its rare occurrence prognosis and ideal therapeutic management of LELCB have not been clearly established yet, literature findings encourage the adoption of a conservative approach in treatment of LELCB.