[Preventive chemotherapy of superficial tumors of the bladder]

A retrospective study of 135 patients with superficial transitional cancer of bladder (pTa - pT1) was conducted after follow-up for at least 3 years following treatment for 2 years at the "Instituto de Urología, Nefrología y Andrología (Fundación Puigvert)". Patients had been randomly allocated for treatment with: RTU alone, RTU + instillation of Thiotepa and RTU followed by instillations of Adriamycin. Chemotherapy was administered preventively. Recurrence after 3 years and possible progression towards infiltration during this period were evaluated, and the usefulness of this type of treatment questioned because of the cost/benefit ratio and small intergroup differences found.