Treatment of advanced bladder carcinoma with irradiation and concomitant 5-fluorouracil infusion

Nineteen patients with locally advanced bladder cancer were treated with irradiation and concomitant 5-fluorouracil intravenous infusion with or without bolus mitomycin. Eighteen of the 19 patients were evaluated for local response. Eleven of the 18 patients (61%) obtained a complete local response within 3 to 6 months. An additional five patients (28%) showed tumor regression to a superficial state controlled by local transurethral resection and intravesical chemotherapy making the overall local clearance rate 16/18 (89%). The remaining two patients (11%) required salvage cystectomy for persistent disease and presently show no evidence of disease. Nine patients have died. Two patients died of intercurrent disease, six patients died of metastatic disease, and one patient who died from regional disease showed no evidence of local bladder tumor at the time of death. Berkson-Gage life-table analysis yields an adjusted survival of 62.5% at 5 years. Late complications included five patients with hemorrhagic cystitis, two patients with a contracted bladder, and one patient with a hemorrhagic radiation proctitis.