Retrospective review and long-term follow-up of radical cystectomy in a developing country

To retrospectively review the clinical data from patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer, and to analyse the complications and survival rates associated with this operation in a developing country.

The study comprised 105 patients who underwent radical cystectomy from 1986 to 1993. Data were collected from retrospective reviews of hospital and physician's office records, and by contact with the patients. Metastatic status was evaluated before surgery and tumours staged using the Tumour-Nodes-Metastasis classification. The indication for surgery was histologically confirmed muscle invasion after transurethral resection biopsy, or endoscopically uncontrollable superficial disease. The data were analysed to assess the perioperative complications and long-term survival, with 5-year survival rates determined using Kaplan-Meier survival curves.

The complication rate was 27.6%; most of the complications were managed conservatively with good results and re-operation was required in only two patients. There were two deaths (1.9%) at 15-45 days after surgery, but none during surgery. Patients were divided into node-negative and node-positive groups for analysis and 5-year survival rates determined; for node-negative organ-confined disease (< or =pT3A) the survival was 68% and for nonorgan-confined disease (> or =pT3B) 25%. The 5-year survival rate in the presence of nodal metastases was 13% for N1 and none for N2 disease. Six patients developed urethral recurrence, detected on follow-up urethral-wash cytology. Five of these patients underwent urethrectomy, and four of the six survived for 5 years. Pelvic recurrence occurred in five patients (4.7%), none of whom survived for 5 years.

Radical cystectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection remains the mainstay of treatment in muscle-invasive bladder cancer. This is a relatively safe procedure with minimal morbidity and mortality; 68% of the present patients with organ-confined disease survived 5 years and 12 patients were alive at 10 years, indicating the effectiveness of this operation in selected cases. However, < 29% of patients with nonorgan-confined and nodal metastatic disease survived 5 years, thereby implying the need for more effective adjuvant therapy in these patients. Radical cystectomy is a viable option in developing countries, with 5-year survival rates comparable with most large published series.