Objective To compare intra-arterial chemotherapy combined with intravesical chemotherapy with intravesical chemotherapy alone in the treatment of high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (HRBC) after thulium laser resection of a bladder tumor (TmLRBT).
Materials and methods: From January 2009 to December 2013, 283 patients with HRBC were randomly assigned to the combined group (group A, n = 141) or intravesical chemotherapy-alone group (group B, n = 142) after TmLRBT. Intra-arterial chemotherapy was administered after initial TmLRBT, with 3 courses at 4-week intervals. Each course consisted of cisplatin (50 mg/m2) and epirubicin (30 mg/m2). Intravesical chemotherapy was administered in both groups, including an immediate 50 mg of epirubicin instillation after TmLRBT and weekly maintenance for 8 weeks, followed by monthly maintenance for 1 year.
Results: The recurrence rate was 29.1% (41/141) in group A and 42.9% (61/142) in group B, with a significant difference (p = 0.01). The progression rate was 15.6% (22/141) in group A and 25.3% (36/142) in group B, with a significant difference (p = 0.039). Patients with concomitant carcinoma in situ (CIS) also had a lower recurrence rate and progression rate in group A compared to those in group B (p = 0.006 and p = 0.03, respectively). On univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses, patients with low-grade histology had a higher reccurrence-free rate. Multivariate COX analysis of tumor-related factors suggested that concomitant CIS was the only significant prognostic factor associated with poorer recurrence-free survival and progression-free survival.
Conclusions: Intra-arterial chemotherapy combined with intravesical chemotherapy could reduce the risk of recurrence and progression compared to intravesical chemotherapy alone in HRBC.
Keywords: High-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer; Intra-arterial chemotherapy; Intravesical chemotherapy; Thulium laser.