Tumor morphometry as prognostic factor in T1 and T2 bladder cancer.

Cytologic features indicative of malignancy were related to the subsequent rate of tumor recurrence in 50 patients with T1 and T2 transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder. All patients with T1 disease in whom frequent recurrences developed had more than 15 per cent malignant-looking (ML) cells in their original biopsy. In patients with less than 15 per cent ML cells recurrences developed infrequently. All patients with T2 disease who had more than 15.5 per cent ML cells subsequently had a poor prognosis, whereas those with less than 15.5 per cent ML cells had a good prognosis.