Long term follow-up of combined radiochemotherapy for locally advanced bladder carcinoma: 10-year survival after radiochemotherapy

BACKGROUND. The 5- and 10-year survival rates and the toxicity of combined radiochemotherapy for 53 consecutive patients with locally advanced bladder carcinoma were studied in a noncomparative trial. METHODS. Between November 1986 and October 1987, 53 consecutive patients (mean age, 68 years) with muscle invasive and/or locally advanced bladder carcinoma were treated by simultaneous chemotherapy and hyperfractionated irradiation. Radiation was administered during the first to fourth week and during the ninth to tenth week as an interrupted treatment protocol. Cisplatin and epirubicin were used as radiosensitizers before radiation. The maximum dose of irradiation was 57.6 grays. RESULTS. Of 53 patients, 45 completed the planned treatment course. Causes for discontinuing therapy in 8 patients were pronounced myelosuppression (n = 2), severe gastrointestinal symptoms (n = 2), nephrotoxicity (n = 1), and severe radioproctitis (n = 1). Two additional patients stopped therapy due to vascular diseases independent of treatment-related toxicity. The overall survival for all 53 patients was 23% after 5 years and 8% after 10 years. Cause specific survival was 36% after 5 years and 29% after 10 years. Four patients are still alive after 10 years without disease progression. One of them received incomplete therapy due to toxicity. All four patients underwent transurethral resections for superficial, local tumor recurrences. CONCLUSIONS. The poor prognosis group of patients with invasive and/or locally advanced bladder carcinoma was found to have a limited disease specific survival after combined radiochemotherapy. (C) 2000 American Cancer Society.