[Combined radio-/chemotherapy of invasive bladder cancer]

In a prospective study, 19 patients with advanced transitional carcinoma of the bladder (stages T.3 and T.4) were treated by combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy. A total of 450 mg cis-platinum or 1.6 mg/kg body weight were given in four treatment periods with three-week intervals. At the same time, the total dose of 60 Gy was given to the tumour over two periods (telecobalt or high-energy photons). There were few systemic or toxic side effects. Recurrence-free survival during the next 36 months was 76%, which compares with a control group treated by irradiation only, who had a survival of 48%.