Impact of schistosomiasis on urinary bladder cancer in the southern province of Saudi Arabia: review of 60 cases.

The histopathologic findings reported in 254 consecutive urinary bladder biopsies were reviewed. Evidence of urinary schistosomiasis was identified in 88 biopsies (35%) and malignant neoplasms were diagnosed in 60 cases (24%). Nine out of 60 (15%) cases of bladder cancer had urinary bladder schistosomiasis and the remaining 51 cases (85%) had no clinical evidence of schistosomiasis. Transitional cell carcinoma was the commonest type of urinary bladder cancer (70%) followed by squamous cell carcinoma (20%) adenocarcinoma (8%) and rhabdomyosarcoma (2%). The mean age of the patients included was 60 +/- 15 years and the male:female ratio was 9:1. Comparison of our findings to those reported from other provinces of Saudi Arabia and from other countries, including those with known high incidence of schistosomiasis, is included.