A significant number of patients with high risk superficial bladder cancer has progression to invasive disease. No consensus exists regarding the optimal treatment to decrease the recurrence and progression rate. The aim of this research is to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of adjuvant intravesical gemcitabine vs. BCG in the treatment of high-risk superficial bladder cancer
This was a prospective, randomized study conducted from 2004 to 2006 at a single tertiary urban teaching University Urological Department regarding sixty-four patients with high-risk superficial bladder cancer (pT1, and/or G3 and/or CIS), who were assigned to interventions (gemcitabine or BCG) by using random allocation 1:1. Group A, 32 patients, were treated weekly (6 weekly instillations) with BCG dose 5 x 108 CFU and then maintenance therapy at 3-6-12-18-24-30-36 months; Group B, 32 patients, received gemcitabine 2 gr/instillation on a weekly basis (6 weekly instillations), followed by maintenance therapy at 3-6-12-18-24-30-36 months.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
64
6 weekly instillations of Tice-strain BCG (Organon Teknika Corp.) as induction chemotherapy, with a dose of 5 x 108 CFU diluted in 50 mL of saline held in the bladder for 2 hours.
14 days after II look-TURB the patients received 6 weekly instillations of Gemcitabine (Gemzar, Eli Lilly SpA), using a dose of 2000 mg diluted in 50 mL of saline held in the bladder for 2 hours
1. Department of Medical-Surgical Specialties and Public Health, Section of Urology and Andrology, University of Perugia - Italy
Perugia, Italy
The primary outcome measure consists of evaluation of recurrence and progression rates as they were detected by follow-up tools. Interval before recurrence and progression were also considered primary end-points
Secondary endpoints were tolerability, as detected by number of patients who dropped out the study, and safety as the recording of adverse events.
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