The Impact of Chronic Kidney Disease on Postoperative Outcomes in Patients With Bladder Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Bladder cancer (BC) is a common malignancy, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) is an increasingly prevalent comorbidity that may adversely affect oncological outcomes. However, the prognostic impact of CKD in patients with BC remains unclear. We investigated the association between CKD and postoperative outcomes in patients with BC.

This study was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420261417895). A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library was conducted from database inception up to June 8, 2026. The investigation concentrated on two primary keywords: BC and CKD. Stata SE 18 and R 4.5 were used for data analysis.

Seven studies involving 2756 patients were included in this meta-analysis. CKD was significantly associated with increased risks of progression (OR = 2.23, 95% CI: 1.34-3.73, P < 0.05), recurrence (OR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.53-2.18, P < 0.05), and poorer cancer-specific survival (CSS) (OR = 3.39, 95% CI: 1.45-7.94, P < 0.05). Conversely, no significant association was observed between CKD and overall survival (OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 0.65-2.69, P = 0.45).

CKD correlated with unfavorable postoperative outcomes in patients with BC, particularly progression, recurrence, and CSS. These findings suggest that CKD may represent a clinically relevant prognostic factor that could aid risk stratification and postoperative surveillance. Further prospective studies are warranted to validate these findings.