Clinical features and management of primary bladder lymphoma

Objective To summarize the clinical experience of primary bladder lymphoma. Methods From September 2012 to May 2019, 8 cases of primary bladder lymphoma treated in our institute were analyzed retrospectively, including 4 males and 4 females. The mean age was 50.5 years old, ranged from 15 to 85. There were 3 cases of localized bladder lymphoma and 5 cases of metastatic bladder lymphoma. Three cases presented with painless gross hematuria primarily and 5 cases suffered from abdominal pain and bloating. Imaging examination showed the bladder tumor or pelvic mass with maximum diameter ranged from 3 to 22 cm, with 11.3 cm on average. Preoperative diagnosis of bladder tumor in 3 cases, and pelvic malignant tumor in 5 cases. Two patients underwent TURBT and 6 cases underwent pelvic mass resection and partial cystectomy. Results Postoperative pathological diagnosis showed 6 cases of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, 1 case of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma, 1 case of anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Follow-up after surgery ranged 3 to 60 months, with 28.1 months on average. Two patients can not tolerate radiotherapy or chemotherapy for postoperative complications of vesico-vaginal fistula and intestinal fistula, and both were alive at the last follow-up. Six patients underwent CHOP regimen (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone), 3 cases were addd with rituximab. Three patients died during the follow-up. One 85-year-old patient died 10 months after surgery. Two cases of metastatic bladder lymphoma died 3 or 6 months after surgery respectively. Three cases were alive after chemotherapy, including 2 young patients undergoing chemotherapy with DICE regime and one patient undergoing pelvic radiotherapy. Conclusion The primary bladder lymphoma has no special clinical symptoms, and TURBT and needle biopsy are critical for the diagnosis, based on the pathological and immunohistochemical examination. The most common pathological type is diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. R-CHOP chemotherapy is recommended, which can be followed by DICE regime for young patients. Metastasis and aging predict poor prognosis. Key words: Lymphoma; Urinary Bladder; Treatment; Prognosis