Urothelial trauma - A mechanism of tumor promotion?

Multistage carcinogenesis involves both tumor initiation and promotion. This study was undertaken to investigate whether urothelial trauma is an effective promoting agent. One hundred and ninety mice were maintained on a diet of 0.1% FANFT. Forty animals served as controls and three groups of animals underwent bladder catherization and urothelial trauma at periodic intervals beginning at week 19. The experiment was terminated at week 49. The data revealed no significant difference in the incidence of tumors in any group. There was, however, a greater incidence of invasive tumors in the groups undergoing urothelial trauma (Group II, 30%; Group III, 39%; Group IV, 57%) compared with the controls (25%). Trauma may, therefore, have some role in the promotion of tumors. Further studies are in progress to better define the role of urothelial trauma and its possible relevance to clinical recurrence of transitional cell carcinoma following transurethral resection.