Early Vertebral Metastases in Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: A Case Report

Abstract

Most urinary tract tumors are bladder cancers, whereas NMIBCs are the most common. In NMIBC, distant metastases are extremely rare, and imaging for staging is rarely requested without warning signs, nor recommended. Nonetheless, non-muscle invasive bladder cancers can develop distant metastases without regional progression. We present a case of NMIBC with vertebral metastasis in a young man with no risk factors for bladder tumors who responded well to systemic therapy. We also discuss possible explanations for this rare occurrence.