Infiltrating carcinoma of the bladder: preliminary results of multidisciplinary protocols with radiotherapy and neoadjuvant chemotherapy

Report on the evolution of a series of 64 patients with T2-4 N0-3 M0 infiltrant transitional carcinoma of the bladder, treated with TUR and radical cystectomy (28/62) or intra-operative radiotherapy (IOR) 15 Gy and external radiotherapy 40 Gy prior to cystectomy (34/62).

The last group including 24 patients which received neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. Seventy percent (15 p0N-, 5 p0N+, 1 p1N-, 3 p1N+) patients treated with radiotherapy, with and without chemotherapy, had local response. Considering just the group which received IOR, external radiotherapy and co-adjuvant chemotherapy (24/34), the local response accounts for 79% (10 p0N-, 5 p0N+, 1 p1N-, 3 p1N+). Current survival of the group receiving concomitant multiple therapy is 92 +/- 5%, 75 +/- 9% and 57 +/- 11% at 1, 3 and 5 years; for equal intervals current survival of the group undergoing cystectomy is 57 +/- 9%, 46 +/- 9% and 40 +/- 10% (p = 0.02). The univariate analysis has confirmed that stage decrease is significantly more frequent in the group receiving radiotherapy with and without chemotherapy (p less than 0.001). Such a decrease significantly biased survival (p = 0.001).

In the multivariate analysis, the variables with greater prognostic power were pre-surgical renal function (p less than 0.001), use of radiotherapy (p less than 0.001) and surgical complications (p less than 0.001). Preliminary results show a very high local response to multiple therapy which has been translated so far in increased survival.

CITA DEL ARTÍCULO Actas Urol Esp. 1992 Feb;16(2):127-32