Integrated therapy for invasive bladder carcinoma. Experience with 108 patients

One hundred eight patients with invasive bladder carcinoma, clinically staged T3, who underwent preoperative irradiation followed by radical cystectomy and ileal conduit urinary diversion without pelvic lymphadenectomy at this Center between January 1, 1969, and December 30, 1975, were reviewed. Sixty-two patients are alive and free of disease twelve to ninety-six months after treatment. The incidence of recurrent pelvic disease is 8%. With protracted radiotherapy (5,000 rads TD/five weeks), pelvic lymphadenectomy is not necessary and has the benefit of distinguishing high-risk population who may benefit from adjuvant therapy.