Abstract

Study of the ectopic secretion of Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (beta-HCG) in the tumoral tissue of 62 patients diagnosed with infiltrant transitional carcinoma of the bladder. The inmunohistochemical tests showed specific stains in 15/62 patients. Bi-varied analysis showed that vesical tumours with beta-HCG ectopic expression present associated nodular disease with a significantly higher prevalence (p = 0.02). Survival of patients with beta-HCG+ tumours was overall lower that of patients with beta-HCG-tumours, but this difference did not reach statistical significance. Multivariate analysis of survival showed no prognostic value for the tissue expression of beta-HCG, when it is considered as an isolated variable. Complete local response was seen in 5/6 beta-HCG+ patients treated with pre-operative chemo and radiotherapy and in 1/4 patients treated with pre-operative radiotherapy. Tissular expression of beta-HCG is a poor prognostic factor due to its relationship with another 2 variables of larger predictive capability: the presence of metastatic nodular disease and the infiltration of venous and/or lymphatic structures of the vesical wall.