Neoadjuvant cisplatin, methotrexate and vinblastine for muscle-invasive bladder cancer: long-term followup

A total of 26 patients with locally advanced bladder cancer received chemotherapy consisting of cisplatin, methotrexate and vinblastine. Radical cystectomy was performed in 24 of 26 patients (92%) receiving neoadjuvant therapy, with a pathological complete response in 6 (23%) and pathological partial response in 1 (4%) for an overall response rate of 35% (95% confidence limits 17 to 56%). The overall median survival time is currently undefined. Of the patients 15 (58%) are alive with a median followup of 48.6 months. Response rates from this neoadjuvant chemotherapy appear to be similar to those reported with methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin and cisplatin, and may represent a therapeutically equivalent regimen but neither may be curative in the majority of the patients.