Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Bladder: 15 Years of Experience

Aim: To present our 15 years of clinical experience on squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the bladder. Methods: A total of 3590 patients with bladder tumors operated between September 1998 and May 2013 were retrospectively evaluated. A total of 42 patients with SCC confirmed by histopathology were included in this study. The patients’ characteristics, including age, gender, smoking history, tumor size, and location, pathological tumor stages, treatment modalities, and survival rates were all evaluated. Results: The median age of the patients at diagnosis was 62 years (range: 40-85) and the male-to-female ratio was 9.5: 1. The most common locations of tumors were left lateral, trigone, right lateral, posterior, dome, and bladder neck, respectively. Eight patients (16.7%) had metastasis at the time of diagnosis. Twenty-one patients underwent radical cystectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy ± adjuvant treatment (chemotherapy/ radiotherapy) and 19 patients, who refused surgery, received radiotherapy ± chemotherapy. The median survival time in patients with squamous cell carcinoma who underwent radical cystectomy + adjuvant therapy was 27 months (range: 25-32) and 17 months (range: 16-19) in those who received radiotherapy + chemotherapy. Conclusions: SCC of the urinary bladder are aggressive tumors with low survival rates. The role of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in treatment is limited. Early radical cystectomy is a good treatment option for a favorable prognosis. (The Medical Bulletin of Haseki 2015; 53:192-5)