Timing of cystectomy for superficial bladder tumors

The Role and Importance of Timely Radical Cystectomy for High-Risk Non-muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer accounts for the majority of incident bladder cancers but is a heterogeneous disease with variation in clinical presentation, course, and outcomes. Risk stratification techniques have attempted to identify those at highest risk of cancer recurrence and progression to help personalize and individualize treatment options. Radical cystectomy during the optimal window of curability could improve cancer outcomes; however, identifying the disease and patient characteristics as well as the correct timing to intervene remains difficult. We review the natural history of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, discuss different risk-stratification techniques and how they can help identify those most likely to benefit from radical treatment, and examine the evidence supporting the benefit of timely cystectomy.

The time from diagnosis of bladder cancer to radical cystectomy in Polish urological centres - results of CysTiming Poland study

Introduction

The aim of the study was to assess the waiting time, from establishing the indications for radical cystectomy to surgery, in patients with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder at different Polish urological centres and to determine its influencing factors.

Material and methods

Retrospective analysis of data was performed on all consecutive radical cystectomies, performed in 2008–2012, at 10 Polish urological centres. The waiting time of patients from establishing the indications for radical cystectomy to surgery, as well as factors potentially influencing this time, were assessed. University (3), provincial (3) and regional (4) hospitals were defined as the 3^rd, 2^nd and 1^st level referral hospitals, respectively.

Results

A total of 575 patients qualified for radical cystectomy due to muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (MIBC, 68% of cases) or failure of previous treatment of non–muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (NMIBC, 32%) were included in the analysis. The average time after the establishment of indications to surgery was 73.4 days, with a median of 56 days. In the case of 121 patients (22.1%), the waiting time exceeded 90 days. Significant differences in waiting time were found when the hospital referral levels were taken into consideration. In the 3^rd level referral hospitals the median time for cystectomy was 61.5 days (p = 0.035), in the 2^nd level referral hospitals – 45 days (p = 0.000) and, in the 1^st level referral hospitals – 58 days (p = 0.051).

Conclusions

The waiting time from establishing the indications for radical cystectomy to surgery for most cases in Poland does not exceed 90 days.

Treatment paradigm shift may improve survival of patients with high risk superficial bladder cancer

PURPOSE

Historically patients with recurrent T1 bladder tumors after bacillus Calmette-Guerin have been treated with bladder sparing approaches. Recently a paradigm shift has occurred since patients are increasingly offered radical cystectomy before disease progression to muscle invasion. In this study we explored the effect of this paradigm shift on progression rates and disease specific survival.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The historical cohort consisted of 307 patients from 3 prospective intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin protocols from 1980 to 1989. An institutional review board approved review identified 589 patients treated with bacillus Calmette-Guerin in a contemporary cohort from 1992 to 2004.

RESULTS

In the historical cohort the 85 patients with documented T1 recurrence were initially treated with repeat transurethral resection and intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin. Of these 85 patients 60 had progression to muscle invasive disease. At 5 years after T1 recurrence, the cumulative incidence of progression to T2 disease was 71% (95% CI 61%, 81%) and the cumulative incidence of death from disease was 48% (95% CI 39%, 60%). In the contemporary cohort 129 patients had documented T1 recurrence. In this cohort 65 of the 129 patients with recurrent T1 underwent immediate radical cystectomy. At 5 years after T1 recurrence, the cumulative incidence of progression to muscle invasive disease was 28% (95% CI 20%, 38%) and the cumulative incidence of death from disease was 31% (95% CI 22%, 42%).

CONCLUSIONS

Preemptive radical cystectomy performed for recurrent T1 disease following intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy may be associated with better disease specific survival.

Radical Radiotherapy For Bladder Cancer: Retrospective Analysis of a Series of 459 Patients Treated in an Italian Institution

AIMS

To contribute to the available evidence about the efficacy of exclusive radiotherapy for bladder cancer through a retrospective analysis of a large series of patients consecutively treated in a single institution.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 459 patients with UICC categories T1-T4, N0-Nx and M0 bladder cancer consecutively treated with radiotherapy alone with radical intent formed the clinical basis for this study. Many of them (and particularly the T1 cases) had poor medical conditions or were unfit for surgery. About half of the cases (54%) had a T2 tumour, and about 18% had T3-T4 disease. Eighty per cent of the cases received minimal doses in the target volume in the range 60-70 Gy; pelvic lymph nodes were treated in 34%. Simple radiotherapy techniques were used in most cases. Average follow-up for living patients was 4.4 years. Results were analysed according to number and type of relapses: overall survival, disease-specific survival, failure-free survival probability, acute and late toxicity (RTOG scale).

RESULTS

Actuarial 5-year overall survival, disease-specific survival and failure-free survival rates at 5 years for the entire series were 36%, 56%, 33%, respectively. Age, T category (for all the end points) and tumour dose (only for failure-free survival) were significantly related to prognosis at multivariate survival analysis. Late enteric toxicity (6.1% of the cases) was significantly linked with the treated volumes (univariate analysis). Urinary late toxicity (23% of cases) was linked with age and T category (multivariate analysis). In both cases, toxicity was mostly Grade 1 or 2.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of radiotherapy in this negatively selected series, accrued over a long period of time in patients treated with unsophisticated techniques, are reasonably good; they add to the evidence available to support the use of modern bladder-sparing programmes, including the association of chemo- and radiotherapy.

Complications of radical cystectomy for nonmuscle invasive disease: comparison with muscle invasive disease

PURPOSE

Radical cystectomy is gold standard treatment for muscle invasive bladder cancer and is an option for many patients with nonmuscle invasive disease at high risk for disease progression. We assessed the early complications of radical cystectomy among patients with nonmuscle invasive compared to those with muscle invasive disease.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed the records of 304 consecutive patients who underwent radical cystectomy from December 1995 to July 2000. We evaluated complications that occurred within 30 days of the procedure. Cases were stratified into nonmuscle invasive (PO, Pa, P1 and PIS, N0) or muscle invasive (P2-4, N0-3) tumors based on final specimen pathology. The 2 groups were then compared with respect to age, gender, race, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, type of urinary diversion, estimated blood loss, operative time and length of stay, and major and minor complications.

RESULTS

Of the 293 available patients 105 (36.8%) had nonmuscle invasive specimen pathology. Overall major and minor complications occurred in 4.9% and 30.4% of cases, respectively. Independent t test revealed no significant difference between groups in terms of age (p = 0.85), gender (p = 0.77), race (p = 1.0), American Society of Anesthesiologists (p = 0.32), type of urinary diversion (p = 0.33), estimated blood loss (p = 0.31), operative time (p = 0.41), length of stay (p = 0.75), or presence of major (p = 0.78) or minor (p = 0.79) complications.

CONCLUSIONS

The early morbidity associated with radical cystectomy for nonmuscle invasive disease is similar to but not less than that associated with muscle invasive tumors. These acceptable risks as well as the potential benefits should be discussed with patients with nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer at high risk for disease progression.