Combined radiation and chemotherapy for locally advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder

A prospective study was performed on 22 patients with locally advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder to evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of an integrated treatment with cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (1.6 mg/kg body weight every 3 weeks for four cycles) and 60 G cobalt 60 or 18 MEV photons. Local and systemic toxicity caused by this treatment schedule was minor. Late sequelae consisted of contracted bladder in three patients. The rate of tumor-free bladders after a mean follow-up of 14 months was 17 of 22. Distant metastases occurred in three patients. Local recurrence of superficial tumor elsewhere in the bladder was observed in two patients. Six patients died 4 to 10 months after initiation of the integrated therapy, three of these without evidence of disease.