Radical Cystectomy without Radiation Therapy for Carcinoma of the Bladder

Abstract

A review of a 20 yr experience of radical cystectomy identified 90 patients who had not undergone preoperative radiation therapy. The 5 yr survival rate of patients with clinical high stage lesions (T3, T4a) was 40%. Life-table analyses showed that survival rate in this group was comparable with that reported for other groups receiving preoperative radiation therapy. The pelvic recurrence rate was 9% and was frequently related to either urethral or nodal disease. Unquantifiable patient selection factors may well limit the reliability of these results.