Feasibility of radical transurethral resection as monotherapy for selected patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer.
OBJECTIVE
We proved the feasibility of radical transurethral bladder tumor resection in selected patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer with a minimum followup of more than 15 years and investigated the impact of patient age on survival. A followup schedule was developed based on progression and recurrence during this period.


METHODS
A phase II nonrandomized trial was designed including patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer with negative biopsies of tumor bed who were apparently healthy after undergoing complete transurethral bladder tumor resection. Patients with positive biopsies, or with macroscopically residual tumor, hydronephrosis or metastasis were excluded from study. In this trial 133 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria and had a minimum followup of more than 15 years.


RESULTS
Cancer specific survival was 81.9%, 79.5% and 76.7%, and progression-free survival with bladder preservation was 75.5%, 64.9% and 57.8% at 5, 10 and 15 years, respectively. Patient age had a negative impact on overall survival on univariate (HR 0.842, p = 0.049) and multivariate analyses (HR 1.062, p = 0.000), and according to median and quartile age stratifications (p = 0.000 and p = 0.000, respectively). However, age did not have a negative impact on cancer specific survival even when following the same stratifications. Although progression and recurrence were concentrated during the first 3 years (70% and 65%, respectively), both steadily increased afterward. A followup schedule was developed according to this sequence of events.


CONCLUSIONS
Radical transurethral bladder tumor resection is a reliable therapeutic approach for patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer after complete tumor resection and with negative biopsies of the tumor bed. These results are consistent in all age ranges.
Solsona
Eduardo
E
Service of Urology, Instituto Valenciano de Oncología, Valencia, Spain. solsona@pulso.com
Iborra
Inmaculada
I
Collado
Argimiro
A
Rubio-Briones
José
J
Casanova
Juan
J
Calatrava
Ana
A
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015653:Cystectomy / Q000379:methods; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014521:Urethra; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*