T1 GIII bladder cancer - Management with transurethral resection only

Objective: Transurethral resection (TUR) is the elective procedure in the t reatment of superficial bladder tumor. The association of intravesical chem otherapy has no influence on survival and cause specific survival. This stu dy was carried out to determine the evolution of T1 GIII bladder carcinoma treated with TUR only. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed th e records of 42 consecutive patients with T1 GIII bladder carcinoma. Follow -up was available for 34 patients. No patient received either adjuvant or n eoadjuvant therapy. All the patients were treated with TUR only and followe d for a median of 40 months. They were followed by cystoscopy, urinary cyto logy and intravenous urography. Results: Forty-seven percent of patients ha d a solitary tumor while 53% had multiple tumors. Tumor recurrence occurred in 50% with a disease-free interval until the first relapse of 9.6 months. Progression of the primary tumor was observed in 23.5% of patients. The ov erall survival rate was 73.6% and the cancer-specific survival estimate was 88.2% at mean 36 months of follow-up. Conclusions: T1 GIII bladder carcino ma may be treated initially with transurethral resection only with acceptab le recurrence and progression rates. This would avoid costs and complicatio ns of the adjuvant/neoadjuvant therapies.