Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the bladder: three cases with clinicopathological and p53 protein expression study

• Published in: Virchows Archiv : an international journal of pathology 2004-05, Vol.444 (5), p.420-425
• Main Authors: IZQUIERDO-GARCIA, Francisco Miguel, GARCIA-DIEZ, Fructuoso, FERNANDEZ, Isabel, PEREZ-ROSADO, Alberto, SAEZ, Anabel, SUAREZ-VILELA, Dimas, GUERREIRO-GONZALEZ, Rafael, BENEITEZ-ALVAREZ, Manuel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - metabolism; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - therapy; Disease-Free Survival; DNA, Neoplasm - analysis; Epithelial Cells - metabolism; Epithelial Cells - pathology; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genes, p53 - physiology; Humans; In Situ Hybridization; Lymphocytes; Male; Medical research; Medical sciences; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Proteins; Radiation therapy; Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic - metabolism; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic - pathology; Tissues, organs and organisms biophysics; Treatment Outcome; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - genetics; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - metabolism; Tumors; Upper respiratory tract, upper alimentary tract, paranasal sinuses, salivary glands: diseases, semeiology; Urinary Bladder - surgery; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - metabolism; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - pathology; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - therapy
• ISSN: 0945-6317; 1432-2307
• DOI: 10.1007/s00428-004-1000-x

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the bladder is an uncommon neoplasm, of which 49 cases have been described in the English literature, none of which has been studied for p53 protein expression. We studied three muscle-infiltrating cases of this tumor using immunohistochemical, in situ hybridization and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. The three cases were positive for epithelial markers and negative for lymphoid antigens in the tumoral syncytial areas. The intensive infiltrate of small cells was negative for epithelial and positive for lymphoid markers. This population was mainly made up of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, positive for TIA-1. p53 protein was intensely positive in more than 90% of the epithelial component nuclei, being negative in the lymphoid cells. PCR study did not show mutations on p53. Both lymphocytes and epithelium were negative for Epstein-Barr virus markers, such as the latent membrane protein and EBER (Epstein-Barr-encoded RNA). The prognosis was very good after radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment, preserving the bladder despite the muscle infiltration. The presence of an intense cytotoxic T-lymphocyte population may be related to this good prognosis. Both aspects, p53 protein status and T-lymphoid population, had never been studied before in bladder lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma.