title: Combined treatment approaches in regionally advanced bladder cancer.
abstract: Multimodal therapy for locally advanced bladder carcinoma is being pursued in a wide diversity of protocols at this same time. While a number of innovative approaches are being explored, neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy in conjunction with cystectomy remains the dominant approach. The M-VAC regimen has become the dominant combination for the treatment of advanced bladder cancer; its use in an adjunctive setting is a logical progression. Although it is capable of effecting a response in the primary bladder lesion in a high percentage of cases, it is still not known whether survival will be enhanced. The use of radiosensitizing cytotoxics in conjunction with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, when combined with external-beam radiotherapy, is a provocative new approach that attempts to achieve both bladder salvage and enhanced patient survival. Completion of well-designed randomized studies will be necessary to determine whether these therapeutic innovations will yield any clinical benefit.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urologic Surgery, Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Walther
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015653:Cystectomy; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008727:Methotrexate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D014747:Vinblastine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D014747:Vinblastine; D004317:Doxorubicin; D002945:Cisplatin; D008727:Methotrexate