title: Prognostic factors influencing survival of patients receiving intravesical epodyl.
abstract: Results from a retrospective analysis of 139 patients with recurrent superficial bladder tumors treated by intravesical epodyl are reviewed. Of patients who had complete clearance of tumor from the bladder 95 per cent became free of disease within 12 months of starting intravesical therapy. No patient who had persistent tumors at 2 years was free of tumor subsequently. The majority of complete responders who suffered recurrences did so within 3 years and 80 per cent of a small series of patients who remained free of tumor after 3 years and then stopped treatment continued to be free of tumor for a further 2 years. Failure to respond within 12 months or early invasion of the submucosa on biopsy (stage P1b tumors) was associated with poor survival. In patients who underwent salvage cystectomy the demonstration that 35 per cent had involved metastatic lymph nodes and 38 per cent had invasion of muscle is a clear indication of the dangers of delaying radical treatment once the patient has failed to respond completely to intravesical therapy.
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004987:Ethers / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005009:Ethoglucid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004987:Ethers; D005009:Ethoglucid