[Current status of the treatment of urothelial tumors]

Cancer of the urinary bladder, renal pelvis and ureter is usually transitional cell carcinoma. One third of cases of urethral cancer are also transitional cell carcinoma. In planning the treatment for these urothelial cancers, the anatomic stage (Ta-T4), the histologic grade (1-3), tumor multiplicity and tumor size are generally taken into account. Superficial and low-grade tumors can usually be treated by transurethral resection. However, such patients run the risk of subsequent tumor recurrence in the bladder. This risk may be reduced by intravesical administration of anti-neoplastic agents and BCG. Diffuse carcinoma in situ (CIS) should be treated intravesically before deciding on surgical extirpation of the bladder. Patients with tumors showing deep muscle invasion are usually managed by surgery. The role of adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy is currently under investigation. Patients with unresectable cancer and/or metastases are candidates for systemic chemotherapy. This form of therapy is now resulting in an increased number of complete and partial remissions. However, there is still no evidence that systemic chemotherapy prolongs the duration of survival, especially in patients showing partial remission.