Restaging transurethral resection of high risk superficial bladder cancer improves the initial response to bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy.

PURPOSE: This study was an evaluation of whether restaging transurethral resection (TUR) of superficial bladder cancer improves the early response to bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 347 patients with high risk superficial bladder cancer (high grade Ta and T1 tumors associated with carcinoma in situ) underwent a single transurethral resection (TUR, 132 patients) or restaging TUR (215 patients) before receiving 6 weekly intravesical BCG treatments. The patients were evaluated for response (presence or absence of tumor) at first followup cystoscopy, at 6 and 12 months after treatment, and evaluated for disease stage progression within 3 years of followup.

RESULTS: Of the 132 patients who underwent a single TUR before BCG therapy, 75 (57%) had residual or recurrent tumor at the first cystoscopy and 45 (34%) later had progression, compared with 62 of 215 patients (29%) who had residual or recurrent tumors and 16 (7%) who had progression after undergoing restaging TUR (p = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: Restaging TUR of high risk superficial bladder cancer improves the initial response rate to BCG therapy, reduces the frequency of subsequent tumor recurrence and appears to delay early tumor progression.