The Importance of Lymphovascular Invasion at Radical Cystectomy

Objectives: To investigate relationship between the lymphovascular invasion(LVI) and tumor characteristics and to evaluate effect on survival of LVI in patients who underwent radical cystectomy because of bladder cancer. Materials and Methods: Five hundred and six patients were enrolled the study between 1990 and 2013. Patients were divided into two groups in terms of lymphovascular invasion at final pathology after radical cystectomy. There were 108 patients with LVI(group1) and 244 patients without LVI(group2). Both groups were compared in terms of clinicopathologic features and survival. Results: There was no statically different for gender in both group(p=0,222).Lymh node involvement, grade, and p T stage were higher significantly in group 1(p<0,05). Positive lymph node number was 2.3±3.1 in group 1 and 0.6 ± 2.1 in group 2(p<0.001). Lymph node density was 24.3±30.1 in group 1 and 5.6±9.2 in group 2 (p<0.001).Estimated mean survival time was 27.2±3.4 months in group 1 and 80.2 ± 8.1 months in group 2 (p<0.001). Conclusions: Lymphovascular invasion is an independent prognostic factor for disease specific survival and effects survival negatively in patients who underwent radical cystectomy for bladder cancer. Patients with lymphovascular invasion should be considered for close monitoring after cystectomy.