Irradiation therapy with multiple small fractions per day in urinary bladder cancer

In a clinical trial 168 patients with carcinoma of the bladder, T2-T4, were randomized to one of two treatments; 1 Gy 3 times a day to a total of 84 Gy or 2 Gy once a day to a total of 64 Gy. Local eradication of the tumour in the bladder cystoscopically and cytologically at 6 months after completion of treatment and patient survival were analyzed. The results favoured significantly the patients treated with 84 Gy. All patients were followed 5-9 years. The survival was significantly improved in patients with T3 lesions treated with 84 Gy (p less than 0.01). Complications in the bowel requiring surgical treatment were not significantly different between the two groups of patients. The results indicate a therapeutic gain by hyperfractionated radiotherapy in comparison to conventional fractionated radiotherapy.