Post-Operative Single Immediate Intravesical Instillation Chemotherapy as Prophylaxis for Reccurence after Transurethral Resection of Low Risk Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

Abstract

We evaluated the efficacy of single-dose instillation of pirarubicine hydrochloride (THP) in the chemoprophylaxis of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer(NMIBC). In a retrospective study, 135 evaluable patients were assigned to three groups after transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT). In group 1, patients received no adjuvant therapy after TURBT. In group 2, patients received a single-dose of 30 mg THP in 30 ml normal saline immediately after TURBT. In group 3, patients received 30 mg THP in 30 ml normal saline 2 weeks after TURBT , and the instillations were repeated for 4 weeks, then every other week twice and successively monthly for 6 months. Patients were followed with cystoscopy and urine cytology every 3 months for the first 2 years and every 6 months thereafter. The 3- and 5-year non-recurrence rates were 66.9%, and 66.0%, respectively, in group 1, 85.6%, and 85.6%, respectively, in group 2, and 93.6%, and 77.9%, respectively, in group 3. There was a significant difference only between group 1 and group2 (P ＝0.048). With respect to the recurrence per month, there was a significant difference between the 3 groups (P＝0.014) for the first 2 years. However, there was no significant difference thereafter. Limitations of our study are its retrospective and nonrandomized nature with a limited number of patients.