T1 GIII bladder cancer. Management with transurethral resection only.

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Oncology
• Surgical Oncology

Background:

• Transurethral resection (TUR) is a standard treatment for superficial bladder tumors.
• The role of intravesical chemotherapy in conjunction with TUR for survival outcomes remains inconclusive.
• High-grade T1 bladder carcinoma (T1 GIII) presents a specific challenge in treatment management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term outcomes of T1 GIII bladder carcinoma treated exclusively with TUR.
• To assess recurrence and progression rates in patients receiving TUR only.
• To determine the survival impact of TUR as the sole treatment modality for T1 GIII bladder cancer.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 42 consecutive patients diagnosed with T1 GIII bladder carcinoma.
• All patients underwent transurethral resection (TUR) as the only treatment, without adjuvant or neoadjuvant therapies.
• Follow-up included cystoscopy, urinary cytology, and intravenous urography for a median of 40 months.

Main Results:

• Tumor recurrence was observed in 50% of patients, with a median disease-free interval of 9.6 months.
• Tumor progression occurred in 23.5% of patients.
• Overall survival was 73.6% and cancer-specific survival was 88.2% at a mean follow-up of 36 months.

Conclusions:

• Transurethral resection (TUR) alone can be an effective initial treatment for T1 GIII bladder carcinoma.
• Initial treatment with TUR only demonstrates acceptable rates of recurrence and progression.
• This conservative approach may obviate the need for adjuvant/neoadjuvant therapies, thereby reducing associated costs and complications.