Prognostic significance of tumor location in high-grade non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer

• Published in: Medical oncology (Northwood, London, England) London, England), 2012-09, Vol.29 (3), p.1916-1920
• Main Authors: Vukomanovic, Ivana, Colovic, Vidosav, Soldatovic, Ivan, Hadzi-Djokic, Jovan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Carcinoma in Situ - pathology; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell - pathology; Female; Hematology; Humans; Internal Medicine; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Grading; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - epidemiology; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - pathology; Neoplasm Staging; Oncology; Original Paper; Pathology; Prognosis; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - pathology
• ISSN: 1357-0560; 1559-131X
• DOI: 10.1007/s12032-011-9999-4

The management of high-grade (HG) non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) continues to be a serious clinical problem. The role of many factors related to efficacy of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), which is the most useful intravesical agent for these tumors, is still unknown. This study investigated the prognostic value of tumor location in high-grade non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Seventy-four patients with HG non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, without carcinoma in situ (CIS), were treated by transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). Twenty-eight patients received adjuvant BCG therapy after TURBT. The relation between tumor location and the recurrence capacity was estimated using a Cox regression model. Our results suggest that tumor location is an important prognostic factor for BCG-therapy response in patients with high-grade non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Tumors in the bladder neck might have a higher risk of recurrence after intravesical immunotherapy. In addition, tumors in the lateral and posterior bladder walls might be at higher risk of recurrence when treated by TURBT alone.