Background: Nonbilharzial squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the bladder is a rare entity in the Western hemisphere. To further understanding of its natural history, a contemporary experience with management and outcome of this disease was reviewed.
Methods: Between 1988 and 2003, 27 patients with pure SCC were treated at the center. Charts were reviewed to assess impact of therapy on survival and patterns of recurrence in those that died of disease.
Results: The 2-year overall survival and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were 47.6% and 32.8%, respectively, with a median follow-up of 15.3 months in survivors. Eight patients received initial chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy with the intent of performing surgical consolidation. In 5 of these patients surgical consolidation was not performed due to rapid progression of disease and death. Of the 3 patients who were treated with neoadjuvant therapy (1 with chemotherapy, 1 with radiation, and 1 with chemoradiation) and had surgical consolidation, 2 (67%) were downstaged at cystectomy and remain disease-free. In 10 of 20 patients who underwent radical cystectomy the disease recurred after a median duration of 5.1 months and 7 died: 3 of local recurrence, 1 of distant recurrence, and 3 of both. History of superficial transitional cell carcinoma that differentiated into pure SCC (P = .035; hazards ratio [HR] of 3.73) and treatment by radical cystectomy (P = .002; HR of 0.19) were associated with RFS.
Conclusions: In select patients with resectable disease, radical cystectomy remains the mainstay of therapy for pure SCC of the bladder. Locoregional recurrence is the primary cause of death in the majority of patients. The role for neoadjuvant therapy is unclear.