Objective: The objective was to evaluate response and survival, as well as efficacy of subsequent supplementary treatment and follow-up strategy in patients with locally advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder following combination chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin (GC).
Methods: A total of 84 patients with locally advanced (T4b, Nx, M0 or Tx, N2-3, M0) received GC. After chemotherapy, the strategy was close surveillance in patients with complete response, and supplementary radical cystectomy or radiotherapy whenever possible in patients with partial response.
Results: A total of 25 patients (29.8%) with complete response to chemotherapy were followed by close surveillance. This group achieved a median overall survival of 47.6 mo. Another 25 patients had partial response to chemotherapy. Of these patients, 16 had supplementary treatment, with 10 achieving "no evidence of disease" (NED). Thus, a total of 35 patients achieved NED with a median overall survival of 48.7 mo versus 10.2 mo in patients not achieving NED (hazard ratio=0.10; 95%CI, 0.05-0.20; p<0.0001). The rate of NED was higher in the group of patients who had a cystectomy compared with the group who received radiotherapy as supplementary treatment.
Conclusions: In patients with locally advanced bladder cancer, NED following chemotherapy alone or chemotherapy plus supplementary cystectomy or radiotherapy is essential to achieve long-term survival. Patients with a partial response should be offered radical cystectomy whenever possible, which seems to be superior to radiotherapy. Close surveillance may be an alternative to immediate cystectomy in patients with complete response following chemotherapy.