Prophylactic long-term treatment of bladder tumors with oral chemotherapy (tegafur)

A total of 107 patients with bladder tumor (from Ta to T2) was studied. Patients were treated with or without prophylactic intravesical chemotherapy using mitomycin C or doxorubicin hydrochloride (Adriamycin) after the excision of tumor. After the preliminary treatment, 55 patients were given tegafur 600 mg p.o. daily (study group), and the other 52 patients (control group) were treated without tegafur. Both groups were followed up with periodic cystoscopy every three months. Actuarial nonrecurrence rate of the two groups were examined statistically. The results revealed that tegafur was a good prophylaxis against recurrence of the bladder tumor, significant differences at P from less than 0.001 to 0.025 were noted at every observation period except at six months. A significant difference at P less than 0.005 was also recognized from an overall comparison between two nonrecurrence curves.