[Effect of prophylactic treatment with intravesical epirubicin in recurrence of superficial bladder tumor]. / Efectos del tratamiento profiláctico con epirrubicina intravesical en la recidiva del tumor vesical superficial.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy in the prevention of tumor recurrence, disease free interval and side effects of intravesical epirrubicin post-TUR of superficial bladder tumor. METHODS: From February 1993 to November 1997, 57 patients with stage Ta, T1, grade I, II and III tumor of the bladder were studied. These patients were treated with 50 mg epirrubicin in 50 ml saline solution administered intravesically on 15 occasions for one year after surgery. The mean follow-up was 18 months. The follow-up protocol included clinical, analytical, cytological, US and cystoscopic control evaluations every 3 months for the first year, every 6 months for the second and third year, and yearly thereafter. RESULTS: At a mean follow-up of 30.2 months, 31.5% (18/55) of the patients showed tumor recurrence; the disease free interval was 17 months for the remaining 18 patients and 43 months for the overall group. Cystitis was observed as an adverse effect in 5 of 57 patients (8.8%). CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that prophylactic treatment with intravesical epirrubicin for the prevention of recurrence in superficial bladder tumor has few side effects and its efficacy is similar to that reported in other studies.

[Urachal leiomyoma]. / Leiomioma del uraco.

A case of leiomyoma of the urachus is reported herein. A review of the literature revealed only 6 cases have been reported. Its incidence is suspected to be higher, but this tumor type is only detected when it is large enough or when complications arise such as bleeding, infection, etc. There is no other data of interest except for its rarity.

[Fibro-epithelial polyps of the urinary tract. Apropos of 2 new cases (of the ureter and bladder)]. / Pólipos fibro-epiteliales del tracto urinario. A propósito de dos nuevos casos (ureteral y vesical).

Fibroepithelial polyps are benign mesodermal tumors that may be localized at any level of the urinary tract. However, the ureter and urethra are uncommon sites and these are rarely found in the bladder. Two cases are described involving the middle ureteral third and the bladder. We discuss the different hypotheses regarding its etiology and describe the clinical features, diagnostic methods and treatment. We underscore its benign natural history, treatment by conservative surgery and non-recurrence.

[Anaplastic tumor of the bladder with neurosecretory granules and benign courses]. / Tumor vesical "anaplásico" con gránulos neurosecretorios y evolución benigna.

We report on a 59-year-old female patient with a bladder tumor that was initially classified as anaplastic (undifferentiated) tumor. Posteriorly, electron microscopic and immunohistochemical analyses of the specimen revealed a neuroendocrine tumor distinct from a paraganglioma. The origin and prognosis of bladder carcinoids and small cell undifferentiated carcinomas are discussed. The authors indicate that the level of bladder wall infiltration is the most important prognostic parameter in these type of tumors.