Purpose: We studied the relationship between long-term survival and treatment of stages T2, T3 and T4 bladder carcinoma in an unselected patient population.
Materials and methods: A total of 680 patients with the initial diagnosis of bladder carcinoma in 1987 to 1988 in Western Sweden was prospectively registered and followed until 1994. Of these patients 107 had stage T2 to T3 and 41 had stage T4 disease.
Results: Of the patients with stage T2 to T3 disease 30 (mean age 66) underwent radical cystectomy, 33 (mean age 75) full dose radiotherapy and 44 (mean age 81) nonradical therapy (mainly transurethral resection of the bladder). The 5-year crude survival rates were 33, 15 and 14%, respectively. Of the patients with stage T4 disease 6 (mean age 61) underwent radical cystectomy, 9 (mean age 73) full dose radiotherapy and 26 (mean age 81) nonradical therapy (mainly transurethral resection of the bladder). All except 1 patient died of disease within 4 years.
Conclusions: More than 60% of the patients in the cohort were considered unsuitable for radical cystectomy and their survival was poor, whether treated with full dose radiotherapy or transurethral resection of the bladder alone.