Cancer Cell International (Nov 2020)

Sarcomatoid variant urothelial carcinoma of the bladder: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the clinicopathological features and survival outcomes

  • Liangyou Gu,
  • Qing Ai,
  • Qiang Cheng,
  • Xin Ma,
  • Baojun Wang,
  • Qingbo Huang,
  • Xintao Li,
  • Peng Zhang,
  • Kan Liu,
  • Xupeng Zhao,
  • Hongzhao Li,
  • Xu Zhang

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12935-020-01626-9
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 20, no. 1
pp. 1 – 14

Abstract

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Abstract Background A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to compare the clinicopathological features and survival outcomes between sarcomatoid variant (SV)-urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) and conventional UCB (C-UCB). Methods A comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library was performed. Endpoints included clinicopathological features and survival outcomes (overall survival [OS], cancer-specific survival [CSS], and progression-free survival [PFS]). The survival benefits of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) or adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) for SV-UCB also have been studied. Results A total of 8 observational studies were included. Patients with SV-UCB had a higher rate of ≥ stage pT3 (odds ratio [OR], 2.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.64–2.59; p < 0.001) and a lower rate of concomitant carcinoma in situ (OR, 0.25; 95% CI, 0.09–0.72; p = 0.010). The other clinicopathological variables were similar between SV-UCB and C-UCB. With unadjusted data, patients with SV-UCB had a significant inferior OS (HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.07–1.44; p = 0.004) and CSS (HR, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.63–2.66; p < 0.001). However, after adjusted, SV-UCB had worse OS (HR, 1.41; 95% CI, 0.95–2.08; p = 0.090) and CSS (HR, 1.54; 95% CI, 0.95–2.52; p = 0.080) approaching the borderline of significance. For SV-UCB, NAC (HR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.51–1.05; p = 0.090) and AC (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.66–1.17; p = 0.370) seemed to have no benefit on OS. Conclusions Compared to C-UCB, SV-UCB was associated with more advanced disease and more inferior OS and CSS. NAC and AC had no survival benefit for SV-UCB.

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