[Radical cystectomy for superficial tumors in the BCG era]

To analyze the indications and outcome of cystectomy for superficial bladder cancer since the introduction of BCG therapy.

From June 1990 to December 1996, 384 patients underwent cystectomy for transitional cell bladder tumor. A retrospective study was carried out on 43 cases (11.1%) that underwent cystectomy for Tis, Ta, T1 tumors. The characteristics of patients with superficial bladder cancer, correlation between the clinical stage (determined after TUR) and pathological findings (cystectomy specimen) and outcome were analyzed.

36 patients were male and 7 were female; mean age 63 years (range 39-79). Mean follow-up was 48 months (8-120). Twenty-nine patients received BCG therapy prior to surgery. No response to BCG was the main indication for cystectomy. By clinical stage, 79% were high grade, 65% T1 and 65% CIS. A correlation between the clinical stage and the pathological findings was found in 32.5%, overstaging in 28% and understaging in 39.5%. The increase in stage after analysis of the surgical specimen in 13 patients (30%) was due to progression of the superficial bladder tumor to infiltrating or metastatic tumor. Urinary tract tumor was found during follow-up in 8 patients (18.6%). Eleven patients died of bladder cancer, 3 of other causes and 29 (67%) are free of disease. Seven of the 13 patients (53%) that were clinically understaged and had infiltrating tumor or metastasis died.

No response to BCG therapy was the main indication for cystectomy. Before starting conservative treatment for high risk superficial bladder cancer, the possibility of endoscopic understaging should be taken into account. Patients undergoing cystectomy for superficial bladder cancer have a high risk of developing urinary tract tumor.