Neuroendocrine carcinomas of the prostate and urinary bladder: a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge.

This review addresses the various morphological, immunohistochemical and cell kinetic aspects of pure and mixed neuroendocrine carcinomas of the prostate and urinary bladder and of carcinomas with focal neuroendocrine differentiation. It is important that neuroendocrine tumours of the prostate and urinary bladder be clearly distinguished from their nonneuroendocrine counterparts because of differences in treatment and prognosis. In the case of high-grade neuroendocrine carcinomas, early diagnosis and initiation of appropriate chemotherapy may increase survival and potentially induce complete remission in individual cases.