SECOND RESECTION AND PROGNOSIS OF PRIMARY HIGH RISK SUPERFICIAL BLADDER CANCER: IS CYSTECTOMY OFTEN TOO EARLY?

Abstract

We evaluated the prognostic significance of a second transurethral resection in patients with moderately and poorly differentiated T1 bladder cancer. A total of 47 patients with primary T1 bladder cancer were evaluated. A second transurethral resection was performed in 42 patients in case of moderately or poorly differentiated T1 bladder tumor or concomitant carcinoma in situ in the first resection. Five patients underwent immediate cystectomy due to large, multifocal and moderately or poorly differentiated pT1 disease. Of the 42 patients who underwent repeat resection 15 (36%) had no tumors. Up staging and change of treatment strategy due to the result of the second resection occurred in 10 (24%) cases. Mean followup was 60 months. An R0 second resection correlated with a 33% recurrence rate at followup compared with 57%, 75% and 87.5% in patients with pTa, Tis and T1 residual tumor, respectively, in the second resection. The rate of organ preservation was also related to the result of the second resection with 100% organ preservation in patients with no tumor in the second procedure. After immediate radical cystectomy 3 of 5 patients died during followup due to disease progression. Of this group 2 patients survived without clinical or radiological signs of disease progression. To our knowledge residual tumor after the first transurethral resection is a fact in bladder cancer treatment. The second transurethral resection offers the possibility to preserve the bladder. Furthermore, residual disease can be detected and removed in due time. In case of up staging to muscle infiltrating tumor, cystectomy is the next therapeutic step.