Systemic chemotherapy for muscle invasive bladder cancer

A total of 60 patients with muscle invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder were entered into the nonrandomized study. The 1st group consisted of 30 patients treated by M-VAC neo-adjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical cystectomy when a residual tumor had been detected by biopsy made after the treatment. The overall clinical response was 70%. Fifteen (50%) out of 30 patients achieved clinical complete response (cCR). Objective pathologic response was attained in 6 (66.7%) of 9 evaluable patients who underwent radical cystectomy, pathologic complete response (pCR) was observed in two (22.2%) patients. Ten (33.3%) patients are still alive at a median follow-up of 22+ months. There were three (10%) drug-related deaths. The 2nd group consisted of 30 patients treated by CMV (with carboplatin) neo-adjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical pathologic response was attained in 9 (47.4%) of 19 evaluable patients, with pCR in 6 (31.6%) patients. Twenty four (80%) patients are still alive at a median follow-up of 13+ months. There was one (3.3%) drug-related death. The authors recommend immediate radical cystectomy following neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in all patients if their total status it allows.