Localized Urinary Bladder Amyloidosis as Urothelial Cancer Mimicker: A Case Series Examining Cystoscopic, Histologic, and Cytologic Findings.

Context.—: Localized amyloidosis of the bladder is rare and often mimics bladder malignancy. It is typically associated with the extracellular deposition of monoclonal light chains, either κ or λ. The cause is unknown, but it is thought to be due to chronic inflammation/cystitis.
Objective.—: To highlight the importance of localized urinary bladder amyloidosis as a rare mimicker of urothelial malignancy and elucidate its clinical, histopathologic, and cytopathologic manifestations.
Design.—: Cases of urinary bladder amyloidosis diagnosed during 2000-2023 were retrieved retrospectively from pathology archives. Electronic medical records, including cystoscopy findings and pathology slides including Congo red stain, were reviewed.
Results.—: Here we present 6 patients with localized urinary bladder amyloidosis. Four of the 6 patients were women, with ages ranging from 46 to 69 years, and a mean age of 58 years. Five of 6 patients presented with hematuria, while in 1 patient, bladder amyloidosis was discovered incidentally. Cystoscopy findings invariably were concerning for malignancy, with raised erythema in 5 patients and fungating mass protruding into the bladder lumen in 1 patient. Bladder biopsies and urine cytology were negative for malignancy in all cases. Congo red-positive amyloid deposits involved lamina propria with sparing of the detrusor muscle. In 5 cases, the deposits were typed as derived from the λ light chain, whereas no information was available for 1 patient. Subsequent clinical workup ruled out systemic amyloidosis.
Conclusions.—: These cases of urinary bladder amyloidosis highlight the importance of considering rare amyloidosis in the differential diagnosis of hematuria and cystoscopy with a lesion mimicking malignancy.
Competing Interests: The authors have no relevant financial interest in the products or companies described in this article.
(© 2025 College of American Pathologists.)