Pelvic recurrences post cystectomy: current treatment strategies

Pelvic recurrence following cystectomy is a devastating problem for both physician and patient. Patients who recur locally usually do so within the first 2 years following surgery. Stage, grade, and possibly p53 status of the tumor are prognostic indicators for local failure. Patients with extensive disease at the time of diagnosis may benefit from adjuvant or neoadjuvant treatment to attempt to decrease the rate of recurrence. Treatment of patients with local failure should use a multimodality approach that includes systemic chemotherapy with or without local radiation therapy or surgery. Although rare, long-term survival can be achieved in selected patients.