Cystectomy and substitution enterocystoplasty: alternative primary treatment for T2/3 bladder cancer

The optimal treatment for invasive bladder cancer remains controversial. Although external beam radiotherapy is able to eradicate the disease in a number of patients, the difficulty is selecting those who will respond. Those who do develop a local recurrence will require a salvage cystectomy combined with urinary diversion. The results of performing cystectomy and bladder reconstruction as a primary procedure are presented and the concept of combining this with chemotherapy as an alternative strategy for the management of bladder cancer is discussed.