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.