# Diagnosis and therapeutic strategies for primary bladder mucinous adenocarcinoma: a case report and literature review

**Authors:** Xi Cheng, Weibo Wang, Lexing Yang, Supeng Tai, Junyue Tao, Yao Fu, Jun Zhou

PMC · DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1652375 · Frontiers in Oncology · 2025-10-08

## TL;DR

A rare bladder cancer case is reported, highlighting the diagnostic process and treatment approach with surgery and chemotherapy.

## Contribution

This case report provides insights into the diagnosis and treatment of primary bladder mucinous adenocarcinoma using a multimodal approach.

## Key findings

- Histopathology and immunohistochemistry confirmed primary bladder mucinous adenocarcinoma with specific markers.
- The patient underwent surgery and FOLFOX chemotherapy with no recurrence observed in 6 months.
- The case emphasizes the need for a comprehensive diagnostic strategy and potential efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy.

## Abstract

Primary bladder mucinous adenocarcinoma (BMA) is an exceedingly rare and aggressive malignancy. We report a case of a 72-year-old male presenting with hematuria and dysuria. Imaging revealed a bladder mass, and histopathological examination following biopsy demonstrated characteristic extracellular mucin pools and signet-ring cells. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was crucial for diagnosis, showing a negative profile for GATA binding protein 3 (GATA3) and Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 2 (SATB2), along with membrane nuclear positivity for β-catenin. Endoscopic examination confirmed the absence of a primary gastrointestinal malignancy. The patient underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic radical cystoprostatectomy followed by three cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy with the FOLFOX regimen (5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin). No recurrence was observed during the 6-month follow-up. This case highlights the diagnostic challenges of BMA and emphasizes the importance of a multimodal diagnostic approach incorporating histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and endoscopy. The potential efficacy of adjuvant FOLFOX regimen is worth further exploration given the lack of standard therapeutic guidelines for this rare entity.

## Linked entities

- **Genes:** GATA3 (GATA binding protein 3) [NCBI Gene 2625], SATB2 (SATB homeobox 2) [NCBI Gene 23314], ctnnb1.S (catenin beta 1 S homeolog) [NCBI Gene 380441]
- **Chemicals:** 5-fluorouracil (PubChem CID 3385), leucovorin (PubChem CID 135403648), oxaliplatin (PubChem CID 9887053)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** SATB2 (SATB homeobox 2) [NCBI Gene 23314] {aka C2DELq32q33, DEL2Q32Q33, GLSS}, GATA3 (GATA binding protein 3) [NCBI Gene 2625] {aka HDR, HDRS}, mucin [NCBI Gene 100508689], CTNNB1 (catenin beta 1) [NCBI Gene 1499] {aka CTNNB, EVR7, MRD19, NEDSDV, armadillo}
- **Diseases:** dysuria (MESH:D053159), hematuria (MESH:D006417), bladder mass (MESH:D001745), malignancy (MESH:D009369), BMA (MESH:D002288), gastrointestinal malignancy (MESH:D005770)
- **Chemicals:** FOLFOX (MESH:C410216), 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin (-)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Full text

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## Figures

3 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12540155/full.md

## References

37 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12540155/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12540155