Immediate Chemotherapy Following Resection for High-Risk Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

Overview

Residual tumors after transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT) range from 17-70%, and floating tumor cells from traditional segmental resection may lead to recurrence if they re-implant in the bladder wall. Immediate systemic chemotherapy post-surgery aims to eliminate microlesions promptly and minimize recurrence risk, yet its safety and efficacy require further exploration. This prospective, single-arm study delves into evaluating the efficacy and safety of immediate postoperative systemic chemotherapy in patients with suspected high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer ranks as the ninth most prevalent cancer globally, with urothelial carcinoma being the primary form, leading to over 220,000 deaths annually. While 70-75% of bladder cancer cases initially present as non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) with favorable prognoses, the recurrence rate can reach 78% within five years post-standard treatment. The primary objective of transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT) is to accurately diagnose and completely eliminate all visible lesions, as the quality of resection significantly impacts prognosis. However, a systematic review reveals a notable risk of residual tumor post-initial resection. For individuals with high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), EAU guidelines recommend a follow-up resection 2-6 weeks later. Clinical trials have demonstrated that administering a single chemotherapy session within 24 hours of the initial resection can lower recurrence rates. This approach may work by eradicating floating tumor cells, ablating residual tumor cells, and addressing overlooked small tumors. Gemcitabine and cisplatin (GC) have good efficacy and tolerance in patients with bladder cancer and have become the most commonly used regimen in the neoadjuvant treatment of bladder cancer. There is currently a lack of strong evidence that GC chemotherapy 24 hours after surgery can safely and effectively reduce the risk of recurrence in suspected high-risk NMIBC cases. Our goal is to conduct a prospective clinical trial to investigate the feasibility of this treatment method by evaluating the incidence of adverse events and recurrence-free survival in this group of patients by administering systemic chemotherapy 24 hours after TURBT for patients with suspected high-recurrence bladder cancer.