Prognostic risk stratification of pathological stage T2N0 bladder cancer after radical cystectomy

• To stratify risk of pathological (p) T2N0 urothelial carcinoma of the bladder after radical cystectomy (RC) based on pathological factors to facilitate the development of adjuvant therapy trials for high-risk patients.

• The study comprised 707 patients from a database of patients with pT2N0 urothelial carcinoma of the bladder who had undergone RC and not received perioperative chemotherapy. • The effect of residual pT-stage at RC, age, grade, lymphovascular invasion and number of lymph nodes removed on recurrence-free survival was evaluated using Cox regression analyses. A weighted prognostic model was devised with significant variables.

• The median follow up was 60.9 months. In multivariable analyses, residual disease at RC (pT2a: hazard ratio (HR) 1.740, P = 0.03; for pT2b: HR 3.075, P < 0.001; both compared with

• A prognostic risk model for patients with pT2N0 bladder cancer undergoing RC with generally adequate lymph node dissection was constructed based on residual pathological stage at RC, grade and lymphovascular invasion. • These data warrant validation and may enable the selection of patients with high-risk pT2N0 urothelial carcinoma of the bladder for adjuvant therapy trials.