Small cell carcinoma (urinary bladder)
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Morgan M, Weerakkody Y, Small cell carcinoma (urinary bladder). Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 07 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-41618
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rID:
41618
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Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Matt A. Morgan had no recorded disclosures.
View Matt A. Morgan's current disclosures
Last revised:
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Matt A. Morgan had no recorded disclosures.
View Matt A. Morgan's current disclosures
Revisions:
3 times, by
2 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Synonyms:
- Small cell carcinomas of the bladder
- Poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma of the bladder
- Small cell carcinoma of the bladder
Small cell carcinomas of the bladder are rare bladder cancers with a poor prognosis. Its appearance overlaps other bladder cancers, in particular, urothelial/transitional cell carcinoma.
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Epidemiology
A very rare tumor, it has been estimated at <0.0001% of bladder cancers. It is thought to have a predominance in caucasian patients and those with a smoking history.
Clinical presentation
Hematuria and pain are the most common symptoms. Its presentation overlaps that of other bladder tumors, such as urothelial/transitional cell carcinoma; there is no specific presentation.
Radiographic features
The appearance is similar to urothelial/transitional cell carcinoma: an enhancing polypoid bladder mass. There are no imaging finding specific to the tumor.
Treatment and prognosis
Prognosis is poor, with <10% five year survival for disease confined to the pelvis 4.
Differential diagnosis
- urothelial/transitional cell carcinoma (much more common)
References
- 1. Wong-You-Cheong JJ, Woodward PJ, Manning MA et-al. From the Archives of the AFIP: neoplasms of the urinary bladder: radiologic-pathologic correlation. Radiographics. 2006;26 (2): 553-80. doi:10.1148/rg.262055172 - Pubmed citation
- 2. Kim JC, Kim KH, Jung S. Small cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder: CT and MR imaging findings. Korean J Radiol. 2003;4 (2): 130-5. Free text at pubmed - Pubmed citation
- 3. Abrahams NA, Moran C, Reyes AO et-al. Small cell carcinoma of the bladder: a contemporary clinicopathological study of 51 cases. Histopathology. 2005;46 (1): 57-63. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2559.2004.01980.x - Pubmed citation
- 4. Lohrisch C, Murray N, Pickles T et-al. Small cell carcinoma of the bladder: long term outcome with integrated chemoradiation. Cancer. 2000;86 (11): 2346-52. Pubmed citation
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