Organ Preservation in Patients with Invasive Bladder Cancer: Initial Results of an Intensified Protocol of Transurethral Surgery and Radiation Therapy Plus Concurrent Cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil

Purpose: To assess safety, tolerance, and disease control of transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURB) plus concurrent cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), and radiation therapy (RT) with selective organ preservation in patients with bladder cancer.

Patients And Methods: Forty-five patients with muscle-invading or high-risk T1 (G3, associated carcinoma in situ, multifocality, >5 cm) bladder cancer were entered into a protocol of TURB followed by concurrent cisplatin (20 mg/m(2)/day, 20-min infusion) and 5-FU (600 mg/m(2)/day, 120-hour continuous infusion), administered on Day 1-5 and 29-33 of RT (single dose 1.8 Gy, total dose to the bladder 54-59.4 Gy). Response was evaluated by restaging TURB 6 weeks later. In case of invasive residual or recurrent tumor, salvage cystectomy was recommended. Median follow-up was 35 months (range: 8-80 months).

Results: Thirty-nine patients (87%) had no detectable tumor at restaging TURB; 29 patients (64%) have been continuously free of tumor in their bladders. A superficial relapse occurred in 4 patients, a muscle-invasive relapse in 6 patients. Overall survival and survival with preserved bladder was 67% and 54%, respectively, at 5 years. Hematologic Grade 3/4 toxicity occurred in 10%/4%; Grade 3 diarrhea occurred in 9%. Thirty-four patients (76%) completed the protocol as scheduled or with only minor deviations. One patient required salvage cystectomy because of a shrinking bladder.

Conclusion: This protocol of concurrent cisplatin/5-FU and RT has been associated with acceptable toxicity. The complete response rate of 87% and the 5-year survival with intact bladder of 54% are encouraging and compare favorably with our historical control series using RT with carboplatin and cisplatin alone.