10-year survival rate in 92 patients with invasive bladder carcinoma treated by bladder sparing methods

The 10-year survival rate was evaluated in 92 patients with invasive bladder cancer (stages T 2 to 4) who were treated between 1966 and 1985 using bladder-sparing methods such as intravesical instillation of antineoplastic agents, transurethral resection, partial cystectomy, arterial infusion chemotherapy, radiation and embolization of the internal iliac artery. The overall 5-year and 10-year survival rates were 68.1% and 53.9% respectively at a median follow-up period of 60 months. The 10-year survival rate for patients with clinical stage T 2, T3a, T3b and T 4 were 83.7%, 58.9%, 50.8% and 0%, respectively. Our data were comparable or superior to those following radical cystectomy combined with pre- and post-operative radiation or chemotherapy. In conclusion, our bladder-sparing conservative method is thought to be an alternative treatment for advanced bladder cancer and provides a favorable survival rate as well as an improved quality of life with preservation of bladder function.