Early vs delayed radical cystectomy for ‘high-risk’ carcinoma not invading bladder muscle: delay of cystectomy reduces cancer-specific survival

Abstract

•To analyze the impact of a delayed radical cystectomy (rCx) and clinical variables on cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients presenting 'high-risk' carcinoma not invading bladder muscle (nmiBCA). •Between 1989 and 2006, 278 patients who presented 'high-risk' nmiBCA finally underwent rCx in our institution. •CSS was correlated with clinical variables such as the number of transurethral resections of the bladder (TURBs), interval between first TURB and rCx, adjuvant therapies, tumour upstaging at rCx, tumour stage and lymph node (LN) status. •The overall 5- and 10-year CSS was 82% and 76%, respectively. Significant correlations were found between the 5-year CSS and categorized number of TURBs (≤2 vs >2: 88% vs 71%; P= 0.001), interval between first TURB and rCx (≤4 months vs >4 months: 86% vs 77%; P= 0.04), adjuvant therapies (no vs yes: 86% vs 66%; P= 0.001), tumour upstaging at rCx (no vs yes: 89% vs 67%; P < 0.001), tumour stage at rCx (bladder confined vs non-confined: 88% vs 56%; P < 0.001) and LN status (no vs yes: 88% vs 36%; P < 0.001). •Multivariate analysis identified categorized number of TURBs (hazard ratio, HR, 0.14; 95% CI, 0.07-0.44; P < 0.001), categorized interval between first TURB and rCx (HR, 3.27; 95% CI, 1.24-8.59; P= 0.017), LN status (HR, 0.13; 95% CI, 0.06-0.26; P < 0.001) and tumour stage at rCx (HR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.26-0.92; P= 0.03) as independent risk factors for CSS. •Delay of rCx in 'high-risk' nmiBCA deteriorates CSS and should be avoided. The number of TURBs and the interval between first TURB and rCx are causative factors for delayed rCx and are independently correlated with CSS.