Polyps and masses of the pediatric urinary bladder: a 21-year pathology review

Cavernous hemangioma in the bladder of an 8-year-old boy

An isolated intravesical cavernous hemangioma of the bladder represents a rare occurrence, frequently posing challenges in distinguishing it from rhabdomyosarcoma. In this context, we present a case involving an 8-year-old male child diagnosed with a cavernous hemangioma of the bladder, which on MRI closely resembles the findings of rhabdomyosarcoma. Under such circumstances, the utilization of slow-flow images in contrast-enhanced MRI holds promise as a potentially valuable tool for discriminating between cavernous hemangioma and rhabdomyosarcoma in similar clinical scenarios.

Intravesical urachal cyst masquerading as a bladder malignancy: a case report

BACKGROUND

Urinary bladder masses in children are extremely rare. Certain benign conditions (e.g., ureterocele) can mimic malignant bladder masses. In this report, we present a unique case of a urachal cyst masquerading as a bladder malignancy. Unlike the typical location of urachal cysts along the course of the urachal tract, the cyst in this case was unexpectedly situated within the urinary bladder, leading to diagnostic difficulties.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 2-year-old Bahraini boy presented with hematuria and dysuria for 2 weeks. There was no history of fever, abdominal pain, or vomiting. Physical examination yielded normal findings. Urinalysis showed numerous red blood cells and revealed positive results for nitrites and leukocyte esterase. Abdominal ultrasound showed a well-defined soft tissue lesion with internal vascularity located at the apex of the urinary bladder. Subsequently, magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a thick-walled cystic structure arising from the anterosuperior wall of the bladder and protruding into its lumen. The patient underwent complete excision of the bladder lesion for the presumed diagnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma. Histopathological examination showed a fluid-filled space lined by stratified squamous epithelium with areas of intestinal metaplasia, revealing an unexpected diagnosis of a urachal cyst. The patient was discharged with complete resolution of symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Intravesical urachal cysts are a rare type of congenital urachal anomaly that may simulate a bladder malignancy, particularly if associated with infection. This case emphasizes the importance of considering urachal cysts in the differential diagnosis of bladder masses, especially in children, and specifically when the lesion is midline in the anterosuperior wall of the bladder.

Urethral pyogenic granuloma in a pediatric patient

Pyogenic granuloma, also known as lobular capillary hemangioma, is a benign vascular tumor rarely found in the genitourinary tract. Here, we present a case of a 6-year-old boy presenting with gross hematuria who was found to have a mass at the bladder base on ultrasound. Endoscopic resection was performed, revealing the base of the mass originating from the prostatic urethra. Pathology found pyogenic granuloma. This entity has not previously been reported to arise from the pediatric urethra and should be considered on the differential for children presenting with gross hematuria and those found to have bladder or urethral masses.

Capillary hemangioma of the bladder in a pediatric patient

We report a case of a bladder hemangioma in a pediatric patient. A 2-year-old Caucasian female presented with intermittent gross hematuria and protrusion of beefy red tissue near the vaginal introitus when straining. On cystoscopy, we discovered a wide-based vermiform mass. Transurethral resection of the bladder mass was performed. Based on the histological findings of the tissue resected, a diagnosis of capillary hemangioma of the bladder was made. Despite their rarity, bladder hemangiomas should be considered in the differential in children with gross hematuria.

Haemangiomas in the urinary bladder: Two case reports

BACKGROUND

Urinary bladder haemangioma is a benign nonurothelial tumour that rarely occurs in paediatric and adolescent patients. Clinical and radiological examinations are not adequate for an accurate diagnosis. The purpose of this serial case report is to raise awareness of urinary bladder haemangioma and appropriate management.

CASE SUMMARY

We described two rare cases of urinary bladder haemangioma that were confirmed by histopathology followed by immunohistochemistry and reviewed the literature on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with this disease. The radical cystectomy was performed with open method surgery associated with an abdominal wall ostomy of the ileal outlet tract for case 1. Case 2 underwent a laparoscopic partial cystectomy. Postoperative pathology confirmed the diagnosis of urinary bladder haemangioma. Haematuria resolved postoperatively, and there was no evidence of tumour recurrence in 3 years follow-up for case 1. Postoperative urinary and pelvic ultrasonography showed no signs of recurrence in 3 mo follow-up for case 2.

CONCLUSION

Careful histopathological and immunohistochemical studies are required to establish the correct diagnosis. There is no “gold standard” treatment for urinary bladder haemangioma, and treatment options are varied for individuals with favourable follow-ups.

Tumour-like lesions of the urinary bladder

There are a number of benign epithelial proliferations in the bladder that may be difficult to distinguish from carcinomas, including urothelial carcinoma and its variants, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. If misdiagnosed, there is the potential for over treatment, with its attendant risk of complications, as well as errors relating to prognostic assessment. In the case of the misdiagnosis of high grade proliferative lesions that mimic invasive carcinoma, unnecessary radical surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy may result. Similarly, the misdiagnosis of lesions that have the appearance of low grade carcinoma can prompt a lifetime of radiological investigation and cystoscopies. In this review, we discuss a variety of entities that may be diagnostically challenging and emphasise the importance of identifying key morphological features that have diagnostic utility. We also highlight the importance of relevant clinical information and the clinical settings in which these lesions may occur. In this review we have divided the lesions on the basis of morphology in order to facilitate discussion relating to the differential diagnosis. The architectural patterns we discuss include papillary lesions (polypoid/papillary cystitis and papillary urothelial hyperplasia), pseudocarcinomatous proliferations (pseudocarcinomatous urothelial hyperplasia, florid proliferation of von Brunn nests and fibroepithelial polyps), glandular lesions (intestinal metaplasia and müllerianosis) and lesions with several different patterns (prostatic type urethral polyps and nephrogenic adenoma or metaplasia).

Transurethral En bloc Excision of Pediatric Bladder Tumor using Holmium Laser

A 12-year-old male child, during evaluation of chronic constipation, was incidentally diagnosed to have a fronded bladder growth. Transurethral en bloc excision of the tumor was achieved using holmium laser. Histopathology confirmed it to be an inflammatory pseudotumor. This case is reported for its unusual presentation and management by holmium laser.

Benign fibroepithelial bladder polyp: a rare cause of childhood haematuria

Haematuria in paediatric population is common yet alarming. It warrants a thorough physical examination and other investigations. Of late, a number of extremely rare aetiology of childhood haematuria have come to forefront. One such uncommon cause is benign fibroepithelial urinary bladder polyp. The presentation is of a child with intermittent haematuria exacerbated by physical/sports activity associated with or without suprapubic pain. Diagnosis is usually made by ultrasonography and cystoscopy and confirmed by histopathological examination. Treatment is surgical and involves cystoscopic transurethral resection of the mass. The exact aetiology of benign fibroepithelial polyp is uncertain with no clear guidelines on long-term surveillance. However, these cases should be subjected to cystourethroscopy if haematuria recurs. Treatment is surgical with good long-term prognosis. Not much is written in literature about benign fibroepithelial bladder polyp.

Delayed Metastasis of Clear Cell Sarcoma of Kidney to Bladder After 7 Disease-Free Years

INTRODUCTION

Clear cell sarcoma of the kidney (CCSK) is childhood neoplasm with its own distinctive pattern of metastasis and may appear after a disease free interval of 5 years or more.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Histopathology and immunohistochemistry were available from the radical nephrectomy and the later partial cystectomy, which was performed after a seven disease-free interval.

RESULTS

The pathologic features of the primary tumor were those of a classic CCSK with a monotypic pattern of uniform rounded to ovoid tumor cells with a background network of delicate blood vessels. By contrast, the bladder recurrence had a myxoid hypocellular appearance (one of the known variant patterns of CCSK). Both tumors displayed immunopositivity for Cyclin-D1 and CD117 with a less intense reaction in the bladder metastasis.

CONCLUSIONS

This case demonstrates that CCSK has the potential to metastasize after a prolonged disease-free interval and may have deceptively bland histopathologic features.

Cystitis cystica and glandularis producing large bladder masses in a 16-year-old boy

The macroscopic appearances of florid cystitis cystica et glandularis can be mistaken for malignancy, and it is therefore important to perform a prompt resection to confirm the histological diagnosis and exclude sinister pathology.

Functioning metastatic paraganglioma of the urinary bladder in a 10-year-old child

Paragangliomas of the urinary bladder are very rare tumours representing less than 1% of bladder tumours. Preoperative diagnosis is essential to avoid perioperative complications related to catecholamine release. A high index of suspicion should be maintained when the classical symptoms of voiding-related paroxysms of headache, palpitation and dizziness are present. We present a rare case of malignant paraganglioma of the urinary bladder in a 10-year-old boy. The patient had the classic presentation. We review the radiological diagnostic tools and findings of this rare entity.

[Urothelial tumors in children]

Urothelial tumors are very rare in children (to date, only about 150 cases have been reported worlwide). Only 20% occur before the age of ten. The aim of this study is to specify the clinicopathologic features of urothelial tumor in young patients, which require a slightly different approach to treatment. On the basis of the WHO/ISUP (World Health Organisation/International Society of Urological Pathology) consensus classification report, these lesions are usually low-grade lesions, non invasive, and rarely recurrent. The sex ratio is three boys to one girl. These tumors are located preferentially in the low urinary tract, especially in the bladder. The main symptom is the macroscopic hematuria, which requires ultrasound examination in all cases. Cystoscopy is indicated in case of lesion of the bladder wall, or in case of persistent or recurrent hematuria, to obtain definitive diagnosis and biopsies. The tumors are mainly located on the posterior or lateral bladder wall above the trigone or near the ureteral orifices. Treatment is based on the transurethral resection of the lesion. The subsequent monitoring is sparsely codified, due to the exceptional occurrence of these tumors in the paediatric age group. These patients are likely to have better outcome than older patients, but it is due to the predominance of noninvasive papillary urothelial tumors. Tumor recurrences are not uncommon. In case of invasive, high-grade urothelial carcinomas, metastases or even lethal outcome may occur in rare cases.

Macroscopic Hematuria and a Bladder Mass: Eosinophilic Cystitis in a 7-Year-Old Boy

We report a case of eosinophilic cystitis in a 7-year-old boy with a history of atopic symptoms, with focus on the radiological findings. He presented with hematuria and dysuria and ultrasonography (US) showed irregular bladder wall thickening resembling a bladder mass. CT urography did not characterize the lesion any further and showed no local or distant spread. Biopsies revealed eosinophilic cystitis, a benign inflammatory condition. We found that US characterized the lesion at least as well as CT and should be the first choice of imaging. When staging is considered before biopsy, MRI should be preferred to CT. There are no specific radiological signs of eosinophilic cystitis. On follow-up, US was a safe, cost-effective imaging modality, but findings should be interpreted in a clinical context. In a child with hematuria and a bladder mass, eosinophilic cystitis is a relevant but rare differential diagnosis, especially when there is a known atopic history.

Genetics of Bladder Malignant Tumors in Childhood

Bladder masses are represented by either benign or malignant entities. Malignant bladder tumors are frequent causes of disease and death in western countries. However, in children they are less common. Additionally, different features are found in childhood, in which non epithelial tumors are more common than epithelial ones. Rhabdomyosarcoma is the most common pediatric bladder tumor, but many other types of lesions may be found, such as malignant rhabdoid tumor (MRT), inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor and neuroblastoma. Other rarer tumors described in literature include urothelial carcinoma and other epithelial neoplasms. Rhabdomyosarcoma is associated to a variety of genetic syndromes and many genes are involved in tumor development. PAX3-FKHR and PAX7-FKHR (P-F) fusion state has important implications in the pathogenesis and biology of RMS, and different genes alterations are involved in the pathogenesis of P-F negative and embryonal RMS, which are the subsets of tumors most frequently affecting the bladder. These genes include p53, MEF2, MYOG, Ptch1, Gli1, Gli3, Myf5, MyoD1, NF1, NRAS, KRAS, HRAS, FGFR4, PIK3CA, CTNNB1, FBXW7, IGF1R, PDGFRA, ERBB2/4, MET, BCOR. Malignant rhabdoid tumor (MRT) usually shows SMARCB1/INI1 alterations. Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene translocations are the most frequently associated alterations in inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT). Few genes alterations in urothelial neoplasms have been reported in the paediatric population, which are mainly related to deletion of p16/lnk4, overexpression of CK20 and overexpression of p53. Here, we reviewed available literature to identify genes associated to bladder malignancies in children and discussed their possible relationships with these tumors.

Multiple hemangiomas of the urinary bladder in a child with gross hematuria

We report a case of multiple hemangiomas involving the urinary bladder in a 4-year-old boy who presented with recurrent episodes of gross hematuria. On ultrasonography, compared with the bladder wall, the lesions presented as multiple isoechoic polypoid intraluminal masses with mildly increased vascularity on color Doppler exam. Cavernous hemangioma was confirmed by cold-cup biopsy, and the all lesions were coagulated with a Holmium laser. Despite their rarity, bladder hemangiomas should be included in the differential diagnosis of multiple intravesical masses in children with gross hematuria.

Urothelial bladder tumour in childhood: A report of two cases and a review

Urothelial bladder tumour in childhood is extremely rare, and almost all the reported cases have been low-grade tumours with a favourable outcome. Here we review 57 reports comprising 127 cases, and we report two new cases.

Magnetic resonance imaging of pediatric pelvic masses

Both benign and malignant pelvic masses are encountered in the pediatric population. Although ultrasonography remains the modality of choice for initial evaluation of a pediatric pelvic mass, in selected cases magnetic resonance (MR) imaging can add important diagnostic information. MR imaging has several advantages over ultrasonography and computed tomography, including superior contrast resolution and an ability to characterize abnormalities based on unique tissue characteristics. MR evaluation assists in lesion characterization, presurgical planning, and staging when a malignancy is suspected. MR imaging also offers a nonionizing imaging modality for long-term follow-up of patients undergoing therapy for malignant pelvic masses.

Bladder polypoid cystitis-derived A20 associates with tumorigenesis

Bladder chronic inflammation is associated with the pathogenesis of bladder cancer; the underlying mechanism is unclear. The PT53 gene is an important anticancer gene in the body, which is suppressed in cancer. The ubiquitin E3 ligase A20 (A20) plays a role in regulating the activities of epithelial cells. This study was designed to investigate the correlation between A20 and the pathogenesis of bladder cancer. The biopsy tissues of human bladder cancer, bladder polypoid cystitis, and chronic inflammation were collected; the levels of A20 and p53 were analyzed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR, Western blotting, and immune precipitation. HEK293 cells were employed to test the role of overexpression of A20 in the suppression of the p53 gene in the cells. Fifty-six patients with bladder cancer, 48 patients with bladder polypoid cystitis, and 16 patients with bladder chronic inflammation were recruited into this study. Human bladder cancer tissue and the polypoid tissue showed high levels of A20, which had a positive correlation with the tumorigenesis in the bladder; 12 out of 46 (26.1%) patients with bladder polypoid cystitis were diagnosed as bladder cancer. A20 bound to p53 to form complexes in bladder cancer tissue and bladder polypoid tissue. The overexpression of A20 suppresses p53 protein levels in HEK293 cells. A20 has a positive correlation in the tumorigenesis of bladder polypoid disorders.

Pediatric genitourinary oncology

Tumors of the kidney, bladder, prostate, testis, and adrenal represent a large part of the adult urologic practice, but are relatively infrequent in children. The natural history and management of these tumors in the pediatric age is different from that of the adults. As result of the successful work of several clinical trial groups in recent decades, there has been a significant improvement in their cure rates. The aim of this article is to review their most significant clinical aspects, as well as to present an update in their management.

Giant fibroepithelial polyp of the glans penis not associated with condom-catheter use: A case report and literature review

Fibroepithelial polyps are rare benign tumours of the glans penis; there are only a few reported cases. The pathogenesis is unknown. However, they have been linked with chronic condom catheter use or prior penile surgery. We report a case of a 62-year-old man with a large fibroepithelial polyp of the glans penis of 11 years duration, which was not associated with condom catheter use or prior surgery. The mass was large, measuring 7 × 5 × 3 cm. Fibroepithelial polyps have been reported in a range of genito-urinary sites in males and females, adults and children, and in rare cases may be associated with malignant transformation. They should be considered in the differential diagnosis of both cutaneous and mucosal genitourinary lesions.

Nephrogenic adenomas in pediatric patients: a morphologic and immunohistochemical study of 21 cases

Similar to nephrogenic adenomas in adults, those in children are rare benign lesions that often occur in the setting of previous surgery or chronic irritation of the urinary tract. These lesions often present with hematuria and/or as polypoid or papillary lesions on cystoscopy, which may indicate malignancy. We sought to evaluate the various patterns of nephrogenic adenoma occurring in the pediatric population and better characterize the immunophenotype of these lesions. We reviewed 21 cases of nephrogenic adenomas from urinary bladder biopsies of 16 patients. Most patients had a history of urinary bladder augmentation with recurrent urinary stones and urinary tract infections. Many cases presented as a papillary or polypoid mass on cystoscopy. The most common morphologic patterns are papillary, tubulocystic, and a mixed pattern of papillary and tubulocystic, followed by cystic and tubular. On immunostaining, PAX-2, PAX-8, CK7, and MUC-1 provided the most diffuse and intense positive reactivity for nephrogenic adenoma, whereas CD10 and P504S were focal and lesser in intensity when positive. p63 and PAX-5 were consistently negative. We conclude that, although rare in children, nephrogenic adenoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of papillary/polypoid lesions in the urinary tract, especially in the context of previous surgery, chronic irritation from recurrent urinary tract infections, or stones. The immunohistochemistry profile of nephrogenic adenomas in our study also provides evidence that these are derived from distal renal tubular cells. In difficult cases, an immunohistochemical panel consisting of cytokeratin 7, PAX-2, PAX-8, and MUC-1 may be useful.

Nonneoplastic lesions of the prostate and bladder

CONTEXT

Specimens from the prostate and bladder are commonly encountered by the general surgical pathologist. Emphasis is usually placed on neoplasms of the bladder and prostate, particularly if malignant, owing to their therapeutic consequences. A good command of benign lesions occurring in the bladder and prostate, and knowledge of their preneoplastic potential will help pathologists confidently diagnose malignancy versus its benign mimickers and guide the urologists in choosing the appropriate therapy and follow-up for the patient.

OBJECTIVE

To present a mixture of benign entities, and discuss their histologic and clinical characteristics, hoping to provide a practical review for the general surgical pathologist.

DATA SOURCES

An extensive review of the literature on the entities discussed was performed.

CONCLUSIONS

A wide variety of benign entities are present in the prostate and bladder. Benign lesions in the prostate can be age related, such as prostatic atrophy and benign prostatic hyperplasia; transition zone associated, such as basal cell hyperplasia, adenosis, and sclerosing adenosis; or prostatic urethra associated. Benign lesions of the bladder encompass a wide variety of reactive changes that can occur in the urothelium, as well as hyperplastic lesions or reactive proliferations that could be misdiagnosed as malignant. The bladder responds to chronic irritation through several reactive/metaplastic lesions such as cystitis cystica/glandularis, keratinizing squamous metaplasia, or nephrogenic metaplasia. The urothelium can also give rise to hyperplastic/proliferative lesions, in particular von Brunn nest hyperplasia, papillary polypoid cystitis, and pseudocarcinomatous proliferation, which should be distinguished from malignant processes. Ectopic tissue, such as prostatic or mullerian, can also be seen.