Intravesical therapy for non-muscle invasive bladder tumours with doxorubicin. An update of the standard of care in urological practices

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the current quality-of-care in newly diagnosed non-muscle invasive bladder cancer patients with regard to immediate postoperative and adjuvant intravesical instillation therapy. Using a standardised questionnaire, we collected clinical and follow-up data from 250 patients with newly diagnosed urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) between February 2008 and October 2012 from urological health-care practitioners. Since diagnostic and therapeutic decisions were not influenced by a specific protocol, these findings are representative of current practice patterns. 250 patients were available for analysis. Immediate postoperative instillation chemotherapy was performed in 82 (44.8%) of 183 evaluable patients. Only seldom did clinics give therapeutic advice on adjuvant therapy. Patients -received in the mean 10.5 instillations. Administration of adjuvant intravesical therapy was associated no side effects in 95%, and was completed according to protocol in 87% of the patients. Our descriptive study presents current findings and practice patterns in patients with newly diagnosed UCB. Rates of immediate postoperative instillation chemotherapy were lower than expected. Bladder instillation therapy was well tolerated. In most of the patients therapy was completed according to the protocol. There are still differences in urological practice patterns as compared to the relevant guidelines.