Long-term morbidity after curative radiotherapy for carcinoma of the bladder. A retrospective study

48 patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer were asked by a mailed questionnaire concerning post-radiotherapy functional status, urological and intestinal complaints. All patients had received curative pelvic irradiation (greater than or equal to 1750 reu) nine to 133 months prior to the investigation. Eleven patients had recurrent or persistent disease and four (36%) of these patients had severe hematuria. The urinary morbidity of the 37 patients without evidence of disease varied between 24 and 38%, but only 3 to 8% of these patients experienced severe disturbances. Four patients (9%) had to undergo bowl resection due to severe radiation damage in the intestines. In conclusion, slight morbidity after curative radiation treatment is to be expected in about 30% of patients surviving more than six months. Severe complications may be expected in 10% of the patients. Serious complaints from the urologic tract, especially hematuria, indicate recurrent or persistent disease rather than a late radiation effect.