Transitional cell carcinoma natural history, complications and prognosis (2024)

FAQs

What are the complications of transitional cell carcinoma? ›

Overview. Common complications of transitional cell carcinoma include metastasis, anemia, hydronephrosis, urethral stricture, and urinary incontinence.

These cancers are curable in more than 90% of patients if they are superficial and confined to the renal pelvis or ureter. Patients with deeply invasive tumors that are confined to the renal pelvis or ureter have a 10% to 15% likelihood of cure.

Transitional cell carcinoma affects the transitional cells of the urinary system and accounts for an overwhelming majority of bladder cancer diagnoses. This cancer may spread rapidly, affecting other organs and becoming life-threatening in some cases.

Muscle invasive bladder cancer

This means it has grown into a deeper (muscle) layer of the bladder, or beyond. Muscle invasive bladder cancer needs more intensive treatment than non muscle invasive bladder cancer. This is because there is a risk that it could spread to other parts of the body.

The 5-year OS for all bladder TCC was 27.6%, with a mean survival time of 32.6 months. For NMIBC, the 5-year OS was 53.8% with a mean survival of 54.5 months. For MIBC, the 5-year OS was 19% with a mean survival of 25.4 months.

TCC is slow growing and usually has no symptoms in the early stages.

Types of Transitional Cell Cancer

Transitional cell carcinoma can be either low grade or high grade. If it's low grade, it isn't likely to spread into deeper layers of your bladder or anywhere else in your body. It's also less likely to come back after treatment.

Location. The bladder is by far the most common site of transitional cell carcinomas, 50 times more common than TCC of the renal pelvis, and 100 times more common than TCC of the ureter ¹. Bladder TCCs are the most common tumor of the entire urinary tract.

Types of bladder cancer

Urothelial carcinoma (also called transitional cell carcinoma) is cancer that begins in the urothelial cells, which line the urethra, bladder, ureters, renal pelvis, and some other organs.

Signs and symptoms of transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis and ureter include blood in the urine and back pain. In the early stages, there may be no signs and symptoms of transitional cell cancer of the renal pelvis and ureter.

What is the life expectancy of a person with stage 3 transitional cell carcinoma? ›

Results: The actuarial 5-year overall and disease specific survival for patients with stage III disease was 28 and 40%, respectively. Median disease specific survival was 37 months.

Conclusions. Familial transitional cell carcinoma may be the result of a genetically transmitted predisposition to disease, at least in some affected families.

around 75 out of every 100 (around 75%) survive their cancer for 1 year or more after diagnosis. more than 50 out of every 100 (more than 50%) survive their cancer for 5 years or more after they are diagnosed. around 45 out of every 100 (around 45%) survive their cancer for 10 years or more after diagnosis.

The 5-year relative survival rate of people with bladder cancer that has not spread beyond the inner layer of the bladder wall is 96%. Almost half of people are diagnosed with this stage. If the tumor is invasive but has not yet spread outside the bladder, the 5-year relative survival rate is 70%.

Complications related to the tumor include weight loss, fatigue, UTI, metastasis, and urinary obstruction leading to chronic kidney failure. [14]The adverse effects of surgical management include UTI, urinary leak, pouch stones, urinary tract obstruction, erectile dysfunction, and vagin*l narrowing.

Smoking is the most important risk factor for bladder cancer. People who smoke are at least 3 times as likely to get bladder cancer as people who don't.