Prognostic significance of tumor budding in muscle invasive urothelial carcinomas of the bladder

Abstract   Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of tumor budding in muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma of bladder (MIBC).   Material and methods: A total of 60 patients who underwent radical cystectomy and cystoprostatectomy for MIBC were included in the study. The correlations between tumor budding, and tumor necrosis, lymphovascular invasion (LVI), perineural invasion (PNI) and histopathological data with distant metastasis were evaluated. The correlation between progression free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates and the presence, and grade of tumor budding was investigated.   Results: A statistically significant correlation was not seen between tumor budding, necrosis, LVI, and PNI. There was a strong correlation between distant organ metastasis, and presence of tumor necrosis. There was no statistically significant correlation between PFS, OS and tumor budding. A statistically significant relationship was observed between OS and tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, and distant organ metastasis.   Conclusion: In our study, statistically significant effect of tumor budding on survival rates in MIBCs was not observed. Also, no significant correlation was observed between tumor budding and tumor necrosis, LVI, and PNI.     Cite this article as: Küçük Ü, Ekmekçi S, Çakır E, Ekin Z, Ergani B, Ekin GR. Prognostic significance of tumor budding in muscle invasive urothelial carcinomas of the bladder. Turk J Urol 2019; 45(4): 273-8.