The combination of cis-platin based chemotherapy and radiation in the treatment of muscle-invading transitional cell cancer of the bladder

Abstract

Radical cystectomy is the standard of care for patients with muscle-invading transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. More limited surgery is only useful in highly selected patients and radiation therapy alone gives overall local-control rates under 40%. Phase II studies have shown that when radiation and trans-urethral surgery are combined with cis-platin based chemotherapy local-control rates increase such that the majority of patients preserve a tumor-free functional bladder. Up to 85% of patients selected for bladder sparing therapy on the basis of their initial response to chemo-radiation may keep their bladders. This figure could increase further when other powerful prognostic factors such as the presence of hydronephrosis, the presence of carcinoma in situ, and DNA ploidy are also taken into account in initial patient selection. The activity of cisplatin combinations in metastatic disease is not in doubt with up to 50% response rates generally reported. The hope that this will translate into the eradication of micrometastatic disease (known to be present in up to 40% of patients at diagnosis) has yet to be borne out. Those randomized trials so far reported have not shown any survival advantage when combined-modality therapy is compared to radiation alone. The adition of combination chemotherapy to radiation does not increase bladder morbidity but carries a considerable systemic penalty. Thus, despite promising Phase II studies, until local control and survival benefit is proven in a randomized trial it should continue to be regarded as experimental.