Radiotherapy of bladder cancer

Radiotherapy of bladder cancer is a locally effective therapeutic approach. It is increasingly becoming part of the multimodal protocols aimed at the preservation of both organ and organ function. In this context, it is an al ternative to cystectomy. The addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy enhan ces the curative potential of this non-surgical approach and may be useful especially in older, multimorbid patients. If chemotherapy can not be appli ed, the use of radiotherapy alone is reasonable, although in advanced tumor s the results are disappointing. After the transurethral resection of bladder cancer, postoperative radiothe rapy should be considered in muscle-invasive cancer as well as when other n egative prognostic factors occur. The prerequisites for an effective, minim ally toxic, state of the art radiotherapy are a subtle treatment-planning p rocedure and an accurate delivery of the radiation.