[Prophylactic intra-arterial chemotherapy for CR patients with invasive bladder cancer after induction therapy]

Thirteen patients with invasive bladder cancer treated by induction intra-arterial chemotherapy in combination with radiotherapy achieved a complete response (CR). All of them were treated by prophylactic intra-arterial chemotherapy using pirarubicin (10), epirubicin (2) and carboplatin (1). The treatment was given once a month for 2 years. In the followup period from 14 to 43 months (median; 22.5 months), only one of the 13 patients had an invasive recurrence of bladder cancer and died of it. Ten of the 13 patients are now disease-free and alive with functional bladder. The complications of this therapy were mild and tolerable. The results suggest that prophylactic intra-arterial chemotherapy is a useful regimen for CR patients with invasive bladder cancer after induction therapy.