Does induction chemoradiotherapy compromise subsequent radical cystectomy? A single-institutional comparative study on perioperative complications according to the Clavien-Dindo classification.

Abstract

284 Background: Recently, bladder-sparing protocols incorporating TUR + chemoradiotherapy (CRT) have been developed. Patients who achieve CR after CRT are subjects for bladder preservation treatment and those who with non-CR undergo radical cystectomy (RC). However, early studies suggest that RC following pelvic irradiation associates with a higher mortality. To validate the impact of induction CRT on perioperative morbidity of RC, we compared complications of RC in patients treated with or without induction CRT at a single university hospital. Methods: Records of consecutive 193 patients who underwent RC for bladder cancer between April 1989 and May 2010 were reviewed. Induction CRT consists of radiation at 40 Gy to the small pelvis and 2 cycles of concurrent cisplatin at 20 mg/d for 5 days. Any complications occurred within 30 days after RC were graded according to the Clavien-Dindo classification system. Complications of grade I or II were classified as minor and complications of grade III or greater were classified as major. Results: Eighty-seven patients underwent induction CRT (CRT group) while 106 did not (control group). Patients of CRT group had significantly more advanced disease. No patient died within 90 days. Twenty one (11%) patients experienced at least one major complications; there was no significant difference in the incidence of major complications between CRT and control group (14% vs. 8%, p = 0.26). The details were as follows; infectious (3.5% vs. 3.8%, p = 1.0), gastrointestinal (4.6% vs. 0.9%, p = 0.18), surgical (6.9% vs. 3.8%, p = 0.35), cardiovascular (1.2% vs. 0.9%, p = 1.0). There was no significant difference between the incidence of minor complications (61% vs. 51%, p = 0.19). Conclusions: Induction CRT at 40 Gy is unlikely to compromise subsequent RC. No significant financial relationships to disclose.