Should bladder biopsies be performed routinely after bacillus Calmette-Guérin treatment for high-risk superficial transitional cell cancer of the bladder?
OBJECTIVE
After endoscopic resection of high-grade superficial urothelial neoplasms (Ta, T1 or Tis), adjuvant bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy is performed routinely to avoid recurrence and/or progression. Vesical biopsies often are performed to assess the efficacy of treatment. The aim of our study was to evaluate the usefulness of these biopsies.


METHODS
During this retrospective bi-centre study, 130 patients who had undergone vesical high-grade tumour resection were included. There were 40 Ta associated with Tis in three cases, 87 T1 associated with Tis in 13 cases, and three isolated Tis. After BCG treatment, the following parameters were studied: cytoscopic findings, urine cytology and the histologic results of systematised biopsies.


RESULTS
Urine cytology was positive (high-grade) for 26 patients and negative (normal or low-grade) for 104 patients. For the 26 patients with positive cytology, vesical flexible cystoscopy findings were considered suspicious in 18 patients and normal in eight patients. As for the 104 patients who presented negative cytology, cystoscopic findings were considered negative in 76 patients and suspicious in 28 patients. In the present study, the sensitivity of cytology and cystoscopy in the detection of recurrence after BCG treatment was 56% and 87.5%, respectively; specificity was 56% and 81.6%, respectively. When the two examinations were combined, sensitivity was 100%, and specificity was 76%.


CONCLUSIONS
After BCG therapy, the association of negative flexible cystoscopy findings and normal urine cytology made it possible to avoid routine biopsies. Patients could therefore avoid the morbidity of this procedure.
Guy
Laurent
L
Department of Urology, CHU Clermont-Ferrand, France. lguy@chu-clermont.fr
Savareux
Laurent
L
Molinié
Vincent
V
Botto
Henry
H
Boiteux
Jean-Paul
JP
Lebret
Thierry
T
D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001706:Biopsy; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D003558:Cystoscopy / Q000379:methods; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D016233:Immunotherapy, Active; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000473:pathology*; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*
D001500:BCG Vaccine