The Management of Invasive Bladder Cancer: A Review of Selected Australasian Studies in Radiotherapy, Chemotherapy and Cystectomy

Abstract

Since 1968, studies have been conducted in Australia and New Zealand to improve the results of treatment for invasive bladder cancer. The prognostic value of clinical stage and of ureteric obstruction has been confirmed. Radiotherapy has been established as appropriate treatment for the majority of patients with bladder cancer, most of whom are elderly and suffer from other health problems. There has been no additional benefit from radiosensitizers in increasing the effectiveness of radiotherapy such as hyperbaric oxygen or misonidazole, or from irradiation of the para‐aortic nodes, all of which can result in additional toxicity without increasing tumour control. Pre‐emptive chemotherapy with cisplatin has had no obvious impact on improving survival. Elective total cystectomy has shobn the prognostic value of tumour downstaging by pre‐operative pelvic radiotherapy. Although younger patients are usually selected for total cystectomy and urinary diversion, there is no evidence that, stage for stage, elective total cystectomy confers a survival advantage compared with radical pelvic radiotherapy.

Unconventional Fractionation for Palliative Radiotherapy of Urinary Bladder Cancer; A retrospective review of 94 patients

“…In the present series the patients who achieved local control had relatively good survival, with some of the patients alive more than 5 years after radiotherapy. The rate of local control was slightly inferior to the 42% reported earlier for similar treatment (19). The 5-years survival was in good agreement with the 5-15%) reported after conventional palliative radiotherapy (20,21).…”

Radical Cystectomy for Primary Bladder Malignancy: A 10 Year Review

“…2,8,9 Indeed, there are few published Australian results for the surgical management of this aggressive disease with the last report almost 15 years old, which primarily looked at results of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. 10 This study reports the last 10 years' experience and clinical outcomes from a general urological regional unit in Australia for patients treated with radical cystectomy for primary bladder malignancy.…”