Polypoid/Papillary Cystitis: A Series of 41 Cases Misdiagnosed as Papillary Urothelial Neoplasia

Abstract

Polypoid cystitis and its more chronic phase papillary cystitis, which results as a reaction to injury to the bladder mucosa, is a benign lesion mimicking various papillary urothelial neoplasms. Analogous lesions occur throughout the urothelial tract and are referred to as polypoid urethritis, polypoid ureteritis, and polypoid pyelititis when present in the urethra, ureter, and renal pelvis, respectively. For simplicity, these lesions in different sites and papillary cystitis will typically be referred to as polypoid cystitis in this manuscript. A search of the consultation files from our institution from January 2000 to July 2007 was performed. Of 155 cases diagnosed as polypoid cystitis, we identified 41 cases that were diagnosed as papillary urothelial neoplasms by contributing pathologists and only sent to us, typically at the request of the urologist after the case had be signed out. For cases where information was available, clinical symptoms included bladder obstruction (n=7), gross hematuria (n=6), colovesicular fistula (n=4), follow-up status posttreatment of bladder and ureter carcinoma (n=4), bladder/urethral stones (n=2), benign prostate hyperplasia (n=2), follow-up after radiation for prostate cancer (n=2), long-standing urinary stents (n=2), and voiding dysfunction (n=1). Original diagnoses included noninvasive low grade papillary urothelial carcinoma (n=23), noninvasive high grade papillary urothelial carcinoma (n=6), papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential (n=5), papilloma (n=3), urothelial neoplasia (n=2), carcinoma in situ (n=1), and squamous carcinoma (n=1). The mean age at diagnosis was 63 years (range, 19 to 93 y; median 63 y). Male to female ratio was 3.1 to 1. Clinical symptoms varied with the most common manifestations, including gross hematuria, bladder/urethral stones, history of prostate cancer treated with radiation, follow-up after bladder/ureter carcinoma treatment, long-term urinary stents, and colovesicular fistulas. At cystoscopy, lesions were variably described as polypoid, trabeculations, bullous polyps, and diffuse erythema and edema. The locations of polypoid cystitis were bladder (n=34), ureteral orifice (n=2), urethra (n=2), renal pelvis (n=2), and undesignated (n=1). Architecturally, 31 cases had isolated papillary fronds with in 1 case branching papillary structures. The base of the papillary stalks were characterized as both broad and narrow (n=24), only broad (n=9), and only narrow (n=3). The overlying urothelium of polypoid cystitis was diffusely and focally thickened in 8 cases and 5 cases, respectively. Umbrella cells were identified in 32 cases. Acute and chronic inflammation was present in 28 cases, moderate in 15, and mild in 13 cases. Eleven cases showed chronic inflammation, mild in 10, and moderate in 1 case. Reactive urothelial atypia was noted in 26 cases with mitotic figures present in 22 cases, frequent in 3 and rare in 19 cases. Stroma edema was seen in 32 cases with fibrosis within the polypoid stalks seen in 16 cases. The key to correctly...

Papillary urothelial neoplasm of low malignant potential of the urinary bladder: clinicopathologic and outcome analysis from a single academic center

“…On the other hand, the absence of hyperchromatic cells with more prominent and conspicuous atypias and the lack of significant mitotic activity allow the distinction between PUNLMP and low-grade urothelial papillary carcinoma. cystitis, can be found in the surveillance of patients with previous bladder tumors and they are cytoscopically almost undistinguishable from PUNLMPs and other urothelial tumors [27,28].…”

Tumor-like lesions of the urinary bladder

“…18,19 The designation papillary cystitis is used when thin finger-like papillae are present, and polypoid cystitis when the lesions are edematous and broad based ( Figure 16). There is obvious overlap between the two ends of the spectrum.…”

Benign Diseases of the Bladder

“…6C). 58,63 Attention should be directed to the quality of the fibrovascular core, which is classically more delicate in neoplastic lesions and often lacks the prominent edema and inflammation of the cystitis. 60 In addition, polypoid cystitis lacks the arborizing ''secondary'' papillae that are common in papillary urothelial lesions.…”