Does Bladder Cancer with Inchworm Sign Indicate Better Prognosis after TURBT?

Abstract

Background: Inchworm sign is considered to be a characteristic finding in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Nevertheless, pathologically diagnosed muscle invasive bladder cancers (MIBCs) are occasionally diagnosed from tissue obtained by transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) in patients with inchworm sign. Methods: We retrospectively investigated the factors related to muscle invasive status in bladder cancer associated with inchworm sign and the role of inchworm sign in tumor outcomes following TURBT. Results: Of the 109 patients with inchworm sign, 94 (86.2%) and 15 (13.8%) were NMIBC and MIBC, respectively. Non-papillary tumors (hazard ratio (HR): 9.55, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.07–44.10; p < 0.01) and tumors located in the bladder neck (HR: 7.73, 95% CI: 1.83–32.76; p < 0.01) were significant predictors of MIBC in bladder cancer with inchworm sign. Furthermore, recurrence-free survival (RFS) and progression-free survival were compared between patients with NMIBC with and without inchworm sign; however, no significant differences were found. In patients with NMIBC with inchworm sign, positive urine cytology was a prognostic factor for RFS (HR: 1.90, 95% CI: 1.04–3.48; p = 0.04). Conclusions: In bladder cancer with inchworm sign, 86.2% were NMIBC. Even in the case of inchworm sign, the presence of a non-papillary tumor or a bladder neck tumor before TURBT should be noted because of the possibility of MIBC. In this study, the inchworm sign was not a prognostic factor in patients with NMIBC.