Sarcomatoid urothelial carcinoma of the bladder: Analysis of 28 cases with emphasis on clinicopathologic features and markers of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition

Joseph Sanfrancesco, Jesse K. McKenney, Mariah Z. Leivo, Sounak Gupta, Paul Elson, Donna E. Hansel

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

62 Scopus citations

Abstract

Context. - Sarcomatoid urothelial carcinoma (UCa) is a rare but aggressive variant of bladder cancer that can show diagnostic challenges even using ancillary techniques. Objective. - To examine immunohistochemical markers in the context of sarcomatoid UCa, including those associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Design. - Twenty-eight cases of sarcomatoid UCa were rereviewed. Clinical outcomes were obtained through database search. Immunohistochemistry for clinical and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition markers was performed. Results. - All patients had biopsy-proven invasive UCa; 61% (17 of 28) had sarcomatoid UCa at initial diagnosis. A recognizable epithelial component(s) was present in 17 lesions. The sarcomatoid component accounted for 65% of the lesion (average), with heterologous elements present in 3 of 28 cases (11%). The morphologic spectrum of the sarcomatoid element included spindled not otherwise specified, myxoid, pseudoangiosarcomatous, and malignant fibrous histiocytoma-like undifferentiated features. The sarcomatoid component was immunoreactive for pancytokeratin (22 of 26; 85%), p63 (20 of 26; 77%), cytokeratin 903 (17 of 26; 65%), cytokeratin 7 (16 of 26; 62%), GATA3 (16 of 26; 62%), and cytokeratin 5/6 (16 of 26; 62%). STAT-6, CD31, CD34, and HMB45 were all nonreactive, whereas smooth muscle actin often showed at least focal immunoreactivity (22 of 26; 85%). Epithelial-tomesenchymal transition markers were frequently expressed, including vimentin (26 of 26; 100%), FoxC2 (26 of 26; 100%), SNAIL (23 of 26; 88.5%), and ZEB1 (18 of 26; 69.2%). Follow-up was available for 24 patients (median, 7 months). Sixteen of 28 patients (57%) died of disease (overall mean survival, 9.1 months). The presence of myxoid or chordoid features was associated with reduced survival (P < .05). Conclusions. - Sarcomatoid UCa is an aggressive form of UCa that frequently expresses epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition markers, suggesting a possible mechanism associated with aggressive tumor behavior.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)543-551
Number of pages9
JournalArchives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Volume140
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2016

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pathology and Forensic Medicine
  • Medical Laboratory Technology

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