Conservative treatment for high-risk NMIBC failing BCG treatment: who benefits from adding electromotive drug administration (EMDA) of mitomycin C (MMC) to a second BCG induction cycle?

PURPOSE: Radical cystectomy (RC) is the standard treatment for high-risk non muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) failing first BCG treatment. A second BCG course is an option for those patients who refuse RC or are not eligible for it, but its success rate is quite low. Aim of the present study was to determine whether the addition of intravesical electromotive drug administration of mytomicin-C (EMDA-MMC) improved the efficacy of second BCG course. METHODS: Patients with high-risk NMIBC having failed first BCG treatment and having refused RC were offered a second BCG induction course either alone (group A) or combined with EMDA-MMC (group B). Recurrence-free survival (RFS), progression-free survival (PFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) were tested. RESULTS: Of the 80 evaluable patients, 44 were in group A and 36 in group B; median follow-up was 38 months. RFS was significantly worse in group A whereas there was no difference in PFS and CSS between the two groups. Stratifying by disease stage, Ta patients receiving combined treatment had statistically better RFS and PFS survival than those receiving BCG only; this difference did not apply to T1 patients. Multivariable analysis confirmed that combined treatment was a significant predictor of recurrence and was close to predict progression. No tested variable was predictive of recurrence or progression in T1 tumours. Among those who underwent RC, CSS was 61.5% in those who had progression and 100% in those who remained with NMIBC. CONCLUSION: Combined treatment improved RFS and PFS only in patients with Ta disease.

A Matched-Pair Analysis after Robotic and Retropubic Radical Prostatectomy: A New Definition of Continence and the Impact of Different Surgical Techniques.

Background: Radical prostatectomy is considered the gold-standard treatment for patients with localized prostate cancer. The literature suggests there is no difference in oncological and functional outcomes between robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) and open (RRP). (2) Methods: The aim of this study was to compare continence recovery rates after RARP and RRP measured with 24 h pad weights and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire­Short Form (ICIQ-SF). After matching the population (1:1), 482 met the inclusion criteria, 241 patients per group. Continent patients with a 24 h pad test showing <20 g of urinary leakage were considered, despite severe incontinence, and categorized as having >200 g of urinary leakage. (3) Results: There was no difference between preoperative data. As for urinary continence (UC) and incontinence (UI) rates, RARP performed significantly better than RRP based on objective and subjective results at all evaluations. Univariable and multivariable Cox Regression Analysis pointed out that the only significant predictors of continence rates were the bilateral nerve sparing technique (1.25 (CI 1.02,1.54), p = 0.03) and the robotic surgical approach (1.42 (CI 1.18,1.69) p ≤ 0.001). (4) Conclusions: The literature reports different incidences of UC depending on assessment and definition of continence "without pads" or "social continence" based on number of used pads per day. In this, our first evaluation, the advantage of objective measurement through the weight of the 24 h and subjective measurement with the ICIQ-SF questionnaire best demonstrates the difference between the two surgical techniques by enhancing the use of robotic surgery over traditional surgery.

Mitofusin-2 Down-Regulation Predicts Progression of Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer.

Identification of markers predicting disease outcome is a major clinical issue for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). The present study aimed to determine the role of the mitochondrial proteins Mitofusin-2 (Mfn2) and caseinolytic protease P (ClpP) in predicting the outcome of NMIBC. The study population consisted of patients scheduled for transurethral resection of bladder tumor upon the clinical diagnosis of bladder cancer (BC). Samples of the main bladder tumor and healthy-looking bladder wall from patients classified as NMIBC were tested for Mfn2 and ClpP. The expression levels of these proteins were correlated to disease recurrence, progression. Mfn2 and ClpP expression levels were significantly higher in lesional than in non-lesional tissue. Low-risk NMIBC had significantly higher Mfn2 expression levels and significantly lower ClpP expression levels than high-risk NMIBC; there were no differences in non-lesional levels of the two proteins. Lesional Mfn2 expression levels were significantly lower in patients who progressed whereas ClpP levels had no impact on any survival outcome. Multivariable analysis adjusting for the EORTC scores showed that Mfn2 downregulation was significantly associated with disease progression. In conclusion, Mfn2 and ClpP proteins were found to be overexpressed in BC as compared to non-lesional bladder tissue and Mfn2 expression predicted disease progression.

Distinctive morphological and molecular features of urothelial carcinoma with an inverted growth pattern.

Urothelial carcinoma with an inverted growth pattern (UC-IGP) is a peculiar entity within the spectrum of urothelial lesions. While efforts have been made over the last few decades to unravel its carcinogenesis and relationship with conventional urothelial carcinoma, the exact classification of inverted urothelial lesions is a matter of debate. The morphological features of UC-IGP pose several issues in differential diagnosis with other mostly benign lesions. Various techniques, including immunohistochemistry, UroVysion, and many molecular methods, have been employed to study the exact nature of this lesion. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the morphological and immunophenotypical aspects of UC-IGP. Moreover, we present and discuss the immunohistochemical and molecular markers involved in diagnosis and prognosis of UC-IGP lesions.

Assessing treatment response after intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin induction cycle: are routine bladder biopsies necessary?

PURPOSE: To determine the need for routine bladder biopsies (BBs) in assessing response to the induction cycle of intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) for high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). METHODS: Our prospectively maintained NMIBC database was queried to identify patients with high-risk disease (carcinoma in situ, high-grade Ta/T1) who underwent BBs after BCG induction cycle. Urine cytology, cystoscopy, and BBs findings were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 219 patients met the inclusion criteria. Urine cytology was positive in 20 patients and negative in 199; cystoscopy was positive in 35 patients, suspicious in 32 and normal in 152 patients. BBs yielded bladder cancer (BCa) in 43 (19.6%) patients, with a BCa rate of 9.3% in patients with negative cytology and cystoscopy as opposed to 38.0% in patients whereby one or both exams were suspicious/positive. The diagnostic accuracy of urine cytology, cystoscopy, and combined tests was 0.56, 0.70, and 0.71, respectively. The negative predictive value of combined tests was 90.7%. Performing BBs only in patients with positive cytology and/or positive/suspicious cystoscopy would have spared 140 (64%) patients to undergo this procedure while missing BCa in 13 (9.3%) of them, representing 30% of all BCa cases. CONCLUSION: Performing BBs only in patients with positive cytology and suspicious/positive cystoscopy would spare 64% of un-necessary BBs but miss a non-negligible number of BCas. While no data are available regarding the potential consequences of missing such BCas, such information should be taken into account in patient's counselling.

Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer with Variant Histology: Biological Features and Clinical Implications.

BACKGROUND: The most common bladder cancer (BC) histotype is pure urothelial carcinoma (UC), which may undergo divergent differentiation in some cases. Variant histology (VH) presents along variable morphologies, either single or combined between them or with pure UC. From a clinical standpoint, the vast majority of BC is diagnosed at non-invasive or minimally invasive stages, namely as non-muscle invasive BC (NMIBC). There is a wide range of therapeutic options for patients with NMIBC, according to their clinical and pathological features. However, current risk stratification models do not show optimal effectiveness. Evidence from the literature suggests that VH has peculiar biological features, and may be associated with poorer survival outcomes compared to pure UC. SUMMARY: In order to describe the biological features and prognostic/predictive role of VH in NMIBC, and to discuss current treatment options, we performed a systematic literature search through multiple databases (PubMed/Medline, Google Scholar) for relevant articles according to the following terms, single and/or in combination: "non-muscle invasive bladder cancer," "variant histology," "micropapillary variant," "glandular differentiation," "squamous differentiation," "nested variant," "plasmacytoid variant," and "sarcomatoid variant." We extracted 99 studies including original articles, reviews, and systematic reviews, and subsequently analyzed data from 16 studies reporting on the outcome of NMIBC with VH. We found that the relative rarity of these forms as well as the heterogeneity in study populations and therapeutic protocols results in conflicting findings overall. Key Messages: The presence of VH should be taken into account when counseling a patient with NMIBC, since it may upgrade the disease to high-risk tumor and thus warrant a more aggressive treatment.

Improvement of urinary tract symptoms and quality of life in benign prostate hyperplasia patients associated with consumption of a newly developed whole tomato-based food supplement: a phase II prospective, randomized double-blinded, placebo-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common urologic disease among elderly men. The diagnosis of BPH is usually driven by lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) that can significantly affect patients' quality of life. This phase II prospective, randomized double-blinded, placebo-controlled study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of a novel whole tomato-based food supplement on LUTS of patients diagnosed with BPH. METHODS: Forty consecutive patients with histologically proved BPH were randomized 1:1 to receive daily for 2 months a sachet (5 g) of a newly developed whole tomato food supplement (WTFS) (treatment = Group A) or placebo (Group B). Patients were asked to fill the International Prostatic Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire before and after treatment. RESULTS: All but 1 patient in Group B successfully completed the scheduled regimen. No side effects were recorded. Unlike placebo, treatment significantly reduced (P < 0.0002) LUTS since mean IPSS decreased from 9.05 ± 1.15 to 7.15 ± 1.04 (paired t-test, two-tailed P-value < 0.001), and improved life quality (P < 0.0001). A trend toward a reduction of total PSA levels was observed in WTFS treated patients (8.98 ng/mL ± 1.52 vs 6.95 ± 0.76, P = 0.065), with changes being statistically significant only in the subgroup of patients with baseline levels above 10 ng/mL (18.5 ng/mL ± 2.7 vs 10.3 ± 2.1, P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: The new WTFS may represent a valid option for the treatment of symptomatic BPH patients. Unlike pharmacological treatments, the supplement is side effects free and highly accepted among patients.

Advanced ureteroscopic techniques for the management of kidney stones.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Recent years witnessed significant changes in the endourological management of renal tones because of the development of new, more advanced instruments. Retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) has gained particular advantage from such technological progress and now tends to be considered the gold standard treatment for uncomplicated less than 20 mm renal stones. Using a step-by-step approach, this review aims to highlight current achievements but also unsolved problems in RIRS. RECENT FINDINGS: Several technical details of RIRS, including preoperative stenting, use of ureteral access sheets, lithotripsy method, and renal drainage, remain open to discussion and linked to surgeon's preference. Moreover, there is a wide range of variation in efficacy and safety data, with major complications being episodic but often under-reported. SUMMARY: RIRS has gained increased popularity among the urological community. This is certainly because of the continuous technological advancements, which have continuously improved the RIRS performance but also to the perception of ease and safety of this procedure when compared with the other available treatment modalities, particularly percutaneous nephrolitotomy. Indeed, the reported advances in RIRS technique have significantly improved the outcomes of this procedure but care should be taken not to underestimate its potential challenges.

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Before Radical Cystectomy: Why We Must Adhere?

AIM: This study provides a critical literature review on state-of-the-art and novel strategies in the field of neoadjuvant treatments for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). METHODS: A nonsystematic literature review was performed using PubMed, Scopus and Clinical Trials.gov to retrieve papers related to neoadjuvant treatments for MIBC over the past 15 years. Prospective and retrospective studies were included. RESULTS: Platinum-based treatment is the gold standard and mainly consists of a combination of cisplatin with vinblastine, methotrexate, doxorubicin, gemcitabine, adriamycin or even epirubicin. The 5- year absolute overall survival benefit of MVAC is 5% and the absolute disease-free survival improves by 9%. CMV treatment is associated with a 10-year overall survival improving from 30% to 36% and a 16% reduction in mortality. Gemcitabine and cisplatin regimen provides complete response in 20% of cases, with non-inferior oncological outcomes compared to MVAC regimen. Recent prospective trials investigating neoadjuvant immunotherapy show a high rate of complete response, from 29% with atezolizumab to 39.5% with pembrolizumab. The tyrosine kinase inhibitor pathway is being explored and could offer an interesting strategy to improve survival outcomes. CONCLUSION: Available evidence suggests better oncological outcomes for MIBC patients receiving neoadjuvant treatment before radical cystectomy. While MVAC remains the standard of care in cisplatin eligible patients, novel strategies are under development for cisplatin-ineligible patients, whereby immunotherapy seems to hold great promise.

Urinary Tract Large Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma: Diagnostic, Prognostic and Therapeutic Issues.

Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) of the urinary tract is a high-grade neuroendocrine tumor with distinct pathological features, usually portending an aggressive clinical behavior in comparison to conventional urothelial carcinoma. Due to its low prevalence, little is known about its clinical management and there is no current standard of care. The aim of this review was to summarize the current knowledge about LCNEC of the bladder, ureter and kidney, with relevance to diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic issues, through a systematic analysis of clinical, pathological and outcome data retrieved from the literature.

Impact of time to second transurethral resection on oncological outcomes of patients with high-grade T1 bladder cancer treated with intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin.

PURPOSE: To determine the impact of time to restaging transurethral resection (Re-TUR) on recurrence-free survival (RFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and cancer specific survival (CSS) of patients with high-grade T1 bladder cancer (BC) treated with intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). MATERIALS AND PATIENTS: Our prospectively maintained NMIBC databases were queried to identify patients with high-grade T1 BC who underwent Re-TUR before receiving intravesical BCG treatment (induction + 1-year maintenance). Patients were divided into three groups based on time to Re-TUR (group A: ≤ 6 weeks; group B: > 6-12 weeks; group C: > 12-18 weeks). Kaplan-Meier plots were used to estimate differences in RFS, PFS, and CSS. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to assess the impact of time to Re-TUR on oncological outcomes. RESULTS: Overall, 269 high-grade T1 BC patients were eligible for the analysis. Nineteen (7.1%) had concomitant CIS. Median follow-up was 49.3 (IQR 25-65) months. Kaplan-Meier plots showed no differences in RFS, PFS, and CSS between the three groups. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that Group B had a slightly better RFS, while the other outcomes were not affected by time to Re-TUR. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study testing the role of time to Re-TUR in a homogeneous population of patients with high-grade T1 BC who received complete BCG treatment. The study challenged the concept the sooner the Re-TUR the better, since time to Re-TUR did not significantly affect oncological outcomes.

Role of androgen receptor expression in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

In order to evaluate the potential prognostic/predictive role of androgen receptor (AR) expression in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), and whether it may represent a therapeutic target, we conducted a systematic search of the literature using 'androgen receptor or AR', 'testosterone', 'bladder cancer' and 'non-muscle invasive bladder cancer or NMIBC' as keywords. Eleven studies met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. No significant association was found between AR status and patients' gender (p=0.232), tumor size (p=0.975), tumor stage (p=0.237), tumor grade (p=0.444), tumor multicentricity (p=0.397), concomitant CIS (p=0.316) and progression of disease (p=0.397). On the other hand, relative lack of AR expression was significantly correlated to recurrent disease (p=0.001). Evidence for a direct correlation between AR expression and recurrence-free survival of patients with NMIBC indicate ARs as potential markers of BC behavior; moreover, the finding of a role of androgen blockade therapy in improving survival highlights the potential clinical application of this pathway, which deserves to be further explored.

Is Repeat Transurethral Resection Always Needed in High-Grade T1 Bladder Cancer?

Re-staging transurethral resection, the so-called repeat TUR (Re-TUR), is mandatory in case of incomplete first transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). In completely resected high grade T1 tumors, Re-TUR is recommended but question remains whether it provides advantages in terms of recurrence-free survival (RFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and cancer specific survival (CSS). The present study aimed to determine whether Re-TUR improves such outcomes in patients with completely resected high-grade T1 bladder cancer (BC). We queried our prospectively maintained database to identify patients with completely resected high-grade T1 BC who underwent (Group A) or not (Group B) Re-TUR before starting intravesical instillations of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). The impact of Re-TUR as well as of other tested variables on RFS, PFS, and CSS was tested by Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank testing. A total of 118 patients underwent Re-TUR, which pointed out no BC in 61 (51.7%), NMIBC in 54 (45.8%) and pT2 disease in 3 (2.5%). The 3 patients with pT2 disease underwent cystectomy, whereas all others were offered BCG treatment. Forty-two patients refused BCG treatment while 2 did not complete it; therefore, Group A (Re-TUR before BCG treatment) consisted of 71 patients whereas Group B consisted of 40 patients who refused Re-TUR but completed BCG treatment. Mean follow-up was 60 months (range 12-142). Kaplan-Meier curves and Log-rank testing showed no difference in RFS, PFS and CSS between patients who had (Group A) or had not (Group B) Re-TUR before starting BCG treatment. Our findings suggest that a Re-TUR in patients with a completely resected high-grade T1 BC does not translate into a better oncological outcome. Given its impact on both patients and healthcare system, the need for Re-TUR in completely resected high grade T1 BC should be further investigated into the framework of a randomized study.

Diagnostic and prognostic roles of CK20 in the pathology of urothelial lesions. A systematic review.

Cytokeratin 20 (CK20) is one of the most common immunohistochemical markers in the routine practice of a pathology lab, as biopsies from the urinary tract encompass a wide spectrum of lesions which may pose issues in their detection and classification. In this review, we aim to outline the diagnostic accuracy and prognostic value of CK20 in flat urothelial lesions, papillary non-invasive and invasive urothelial carcinoma, molecular subgroups and variant histology, and we briefly discuss its limitations and potential pitfalls.

Prognostic and therapeutic role of HER2 expression in micropapillary carcinoma of the bladder.

Micropapillary carcinoma of the bladder (MPBC) is a variant type of infiltrating urothelial carcinoma, which portends a poor biological behavior in terms of disease stage at first diagnosis and clinical outcome; its peculiar morphology raises issues concerning the ability of tumor detection by imaging techniques and proper biopsy procedure, and the appropriate treatment for non-muscle infiltrating and muscle-infiltrating MPBC remains a matter of debate. On the basis of its established prognostic and therapeutic role in breast and gastro-esophageal cancer in the first instance, the human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2) has been investigated in selected case series of MPBC over the last 10 years. The aim of the present review was to summarize the existing evidence on HER2 status in MPBC, and to discuss its present and future utility in risk assessment and treatment choice of this uncommon, yet aggressive, disease.

Morphological and Immunohistochemical Biomarkers in Distinguishing Prostate Carcinoma and Urothelial Carcinoma: A Comprehensive Review.

The differential diagnosis between high-grade prostate carcinoma and infiltrating urothelial carcinoma (UC) in transurethral resection prostate specimens as well as cystoprostatectomy specimens may often be challenging due to morphologic and clinical overlap of the 2 entities. Such distinction has critical therapeutic and staging consequences, yet it is hampered by both issues in morphology and by the low accuracy rates of single immunohistochemical markers, as reported in literature. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the available morphological and immunohistochemical parameters, which may allow to discriminate between prostate carcinoma and urothelial carcinoma in the proper clinical context and to discuss their diagnostic applications in daily practice.

Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 in Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer: Issues in Assessment Methods and Its Role as Prognostic/Predictive Marker and Putative Therapeutic Target: A Comprehensive Review.

Although human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) plays a prognostic and predictive role in breast and gastric cancer, its function in bladder cancer (BC) is still controversial. A comprehensive review of the literature has been carried out. An electronic search of databases from PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar was implemented. The search terms were: "BC," "bladder carcinoma," "bladder neoplasm," "human epidermal growth factor 2," "HER2," "HER-2," "c-erbB-2," "c-erbB2," "erbB-2," "erbB2," "neu," "marker," "biomarker," and "prognosis". Results of the review consented to (a) summarize the available data on HER2 a predictor of recurrence and/or progression free survival on univariate and multivariate analysis, (b) explore the related issues in assessing HER2 status on these tumor samples, since they may severely impair its predictive function, and (c) report the state-of-the art of HER2 as a putative therapeutic target in BC and especially non-muscle invasive BC. HER2 stands out for being a prognostic factor as well as a therapeutic target in various cancers. Data from the literature concerning its use in BC provide conflicting results, probably due to the inherent complexity of BC biology. Efforts should be made to establish a suitable tumor-specific scoring system, and to assess single drugs' efficacy in well-designed clinical trials.

Altered expression of HER-2 and the mismatch repair genes MLH1 and MSH2 predicts the outcome of T1 high-grade bladder cancer.

PURPOSE: The identification of factors predicting the outcome of stage T1 high-grade bladder cancer (BC) is a major clinical issue. METHODS: We performed immunohistochemistry to assess the role of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) and microsatellite instability (MSI) factors MutL homologue 1 (MLH1) and MutS homologue 2 (MSH2) in predicting recurrence and progression of T1 high-grade BCs having undergone transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) alone or TURBT + intravesical instillations of bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). RESULTS: HER-2 overexpression was a significant predictor of disease-free survival (DFS) in the overall as well as in the two patients' population; as for progression-free survival (PFS), it was significant in the overall but not in the two patients' population. MLH1 was an independent predictor of PFS only in patients treated with BCG and MSH2 failed to predict DFS and PFS in all populations. Most importantly, the higher the number of altered markers the lowers the DFS and PFS. In multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression analysis, the number of altered molecular markers and BCG treatment were significant predictors (p = 0.0004 and 0.0283, respectively) of DFS, whereas the number of altered molecular markers was the only significant predictor (p = 0.0054) of PFS. CONCLUSIONS: Altered expression of the proto-oncogene HER-2 and the two molecular markers of genetic instability MLH1 and MSH2 predicted T1 high-grade BC outcome with the higher the number of altered markers the lower the DFS and PFS. These findings provide grounds for further testing them in predicting the outcome of this challenging disease.

Evolving concepts and use of immunohistochemical biomarkers in flat non-neoplastic urothelial lesions: WHO 2016 classification update with diagnostic algorithm.

CONTEXT: The classification of flat non-neoplastic urothelial lesions has been evolved through the years in the attempt to better define a spectrum of morphologic entities with somewhat overlapping features. Differentiating these lesions is important because of differences in patient management and clinical outcome. Materials and methods and objective: A systematic review of the literature has been carried out in order to (1) assess the most striking clinical features of each lesion and (2) identify those morphological traits and immunophenotypical markers which may aid in the differential diagnosis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Our results point out the importance of a proper definition of flat non-neoplastic urothelial lesions in order to predict clinical behaviour and allow tailored patient management; therefore, we attempted to construct a novel and "easy to use" algorithm for a clear, standardized and evidence-based pathological diagnosis.

Asymptomatic solitary bladder plasmocytoma: A case report and literature review.

RATIONALE: Solitary extramedullary plasmocytoma may arise in any organ, either as a primary tumor or as part of a systemic myeloma; if it rarely affects bladder, it presents with urinary symptoms. We describe the first case of asymptomatic BP occasionally diagnosed in a patient with ascites. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 74-year-old woman with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related liver cirrhosis presented with ascites and no urinary or other symptoms. DIAGNOSES: Routine blood tests were within normal ranges, except for mild elevation of transaminases due to chronic hepatitis. Abdominal ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) scanning showed multiple liver nodules suspected for carcinomas and, incidentally, a 18 mm solid lesion of right bladder wall. OUTCOMES: She underwent transurethral resection of the bladder tumor and percutaneous liver biopsies; final diagnosis was solitary bladder plasmocytoma (BP) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), respectively. She was given chemoembolization of the main HCC nodule but no adjuvant treatment for BP. At 3-month follow-up, total-body CT showed no signs of bladder disease nor distant metastases; unfortunately, she died one month later due to liver failure. LESSONS: This is the first reported case of asymptomatic BP. This rare neoplasm may pose difficulties in differential diagnosis with both bladder metastases and the plasmocytoid variant of bladder transitional cell carcinoma. We also highlighted lack of factors predicting disease outcome as well as response to potential adjuvant treatments.