Does radical cystectomy outperform other bladder preservative treatments in elderly patients with advanced bladder cancer?

J Chin Med Assoc. 2015 Aug;78(8):469-74. doi: 10.1016/j.jcma.2015.05.003.

Abstract

Background: To assess the impacts of age, performance status, and clinical stage on advanced urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) in patients treated with different treatment modalities.

Methods: This retrospective study included 160 patients who underwent radical cystectomy (RC) with/without neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemoradiotherapy, palliative chemotherapy/radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy (CRT), and transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) monotherapy for advanced UCB in one institution from 2000 to 2010. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to calculate the survival distributions of overall survival (OS). The quality of life of the patients was also analyzed.

Results: The median age of the patients was 74.0 years, and the mean survival interval was 31.5 months. The 2-year OS was significantly different among the three modalities [RC > TURBT monotherapy, odds ratio (OR): 1.86, 95% CI: 1.17-2.96, p = 0.009; CRT > TURBT monotherapy, OR: 1.65, 95% CI: 1.06-2.57, p = 0.026]. There were no significant differences in the 5- and 10-year OS rates between the three treatment modalities. Those younger than 76 years receiving RC had a significantly better 2-year OS than those undergoing CRT and TURBT monotherapy (RC > TURBT monotherapy, OR: 2.38; 95% CI: 1.30-4.33, p = 0.005). The number and duration of re-hospitalizations were highest in the CRT group and lowest in the TURBT group.

Conclusion: The short- and long-term OS rates of the three modalities were similar in those older than 76 years. Therefore, patients younger than age 76 years are likely to have a better outcome undergoing radical cystectomy for advanced UCB.

Keywords: advanced bladder tumor; chemoradiotherapy; old age; radical cystectomy; transurethral resection of bladder tumor.

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Cystectomy / methods*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Urinary Bladder / surgery*
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / mortality
  • Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / surgery*