HAL fluorescence cystoscopy and TURB one year of Romanian experience

• Published in: Journal of medicine and life 2009-04, Vol.2 (2), p.185-190
• Main Authors: Geavlete, B, Mulţescu, R, Georgescu, D, Jecu, M, Geavlete, P
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cystoscopy - methods; False Positive Reactions; Humans; Microscopy, Fluorescence - methods; Reproducibility of Results; Romania; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - diagnosis; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - pathology; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - surgery; Urologic Surgical Procedures - methods; Urothelium - pathology; Urothelium - surgery
• ISSN: 1844-122X

Hexaminolevulinate blue light cystoscopy (HAL-BLC) represents an increasingly acknowledged method in bladder cancer diagnostic. We aimed to evaluate the importance of this procedure in cases of non-invasive bladder tumors (NIBT), to compare it with standard white light cystoscopy (WLC), and to establish the efficiency of blue light transurethral bladder resection (BL-TURB). Between December 2007 and December 2008, WLC and BLC were performed in 70 cases. WL-TURB was performed for all lesions visible in WL, and BL-TURB for those only detected in BL. Patients diagnosed with NIBT were followed-up after an average period of 5 months (between 18 and 22 weeks) by WLC and BLC. The control group included the same number of consecutive cases of NIBT, which underwent only WLC and WL-TURB, as well as the same follow-up protocol as the study group. WLC correctly identified 115 tumors, and BLC, 157 tumors. The detection rate was 68.8% for WLC, with a 9.4% rate of false-positive results, and 94% for BLC, with a 14.6% rate of false-positive results. The diagnostic accuracy in CIS lesions was 57.3% for WLC and 95% for BLC, while in pTa tumors; it was 68.8% for WLC and 94% for BLC. 62 cases of the study group diagnosed with NIBT emphasized a recurrence rate of 6.4% after 5 months. The control group described a recurrence rate of 24.2%. HAL fluorescence cystoscopy is a valuable diagnostic method for patients with NIBT, with considerably improved accuracy by comparison to WLC, and a significant impact upon the short-term recurrence rate.