The descriptive term lymphoepithelioma was originally applied to a characteristic tumor occurring in the nasopharynx consists of a poorly differentiated epithelial component showing syncytial features, and a second component consists of a prominent lymphoid stromal infiltration. In the nasopharynx and neck cancer is associated with Epstein-Barr virus, but no such association has been found that this pattern was observed in the bladder. These cancers were also found to be very sensitive to radiation therapy. More recently, morphologically similar cancers have been reported from a large number of sites, including thyroid, skin, cervix, lung and gastrointestinal tract. The first report of this histological variant of bladder came from researchers at Harvard in 1991. Subsequently, the case series MD Anderson Cancer Center, Sweden, Spain and Greece have appeared, but the total number of reported cases is still well below 100.
There seem no particular distinctive features of the clinical presentation of patients with lymphoepithelioma. The clinical importance of recognizing this subgroup is, first, be aware of the possibility of diagnosing this entity as an extranodal lymphoma, and secondly, to recognize the significantly better prognosis than people enjoy this pattern as the predominant ( or exclusive) histology. In several series, including our own experience, these cancers have been observed to be more sensitive to chemotherapy and more radiosensitive than conventional TCC.
Surprisingly however, only patients with "focal" pattern of expression of a lymphoepithelioma have a poor prognosis. This clinical observation was made first in the series of 11 patients reported in MD Anderson's record. At present, we find an additional 18 patients in the register of MD Anderson. This additional experience confirms the aggressive nature of this subset (and the prognosis is excellent for people with lymphoepithelioma predominantly or exclusively).
There seem no particular distinctive features of the clinical presentation of patients with lymphoepithelioma. The clinical importance of recognizing this subgroup is, first, be aware of the possibility of diagnosing this entity as an extranodal lymphoma, and secondly, to recognize the significantly better prognosis than people enjoy this pattern as the predominant ( or exclusive) histology. In several series, including our own experience, these cancers have been observed to be more sensitive to chemotherapy and more radiosensitive than conventional TCC.
Surprisingly however, only patients with "focal" pattern of expression of a lymphoepithelioma have a poor prognosis. This clinical observation was made first in the series of 11 patients reported in MD Anderson's record. At present, we find an additional 18 patients in the register of MD Anderson. This additional experience confirms the aggressive nature of this subset (and the prognosis is excellent for people with lymphoepithelioma predominantly or exclusively).