Prognostic significance of vascular invasion in patients with bladder cancer who underwent radical cystectomy

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine whether vascular invasion (i.e. lymphatic and blood vessel invasion) could be a useful prognostic predictor in patients with locally invasive transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder who underwent radical cystectomy. METHODS: This series included 114 consecutive patients undergoing radical cystectomy for primary TCC of the bladder between November 1989 and July 2003. Several clinicopathological characteristics of these patients were analyzed, focusing on the association between vascular invasion and disease recurrence after radical cystectomy. RESULTS: Lymphatic and blood vessel invasions were detected in 55 (48.2%) and 33 (29.8%) specimens, respectively. Lymphatic invasion was significantly associated with pathological stage, tumor grade, lymph node metastasis, blood vessel invasion and disease recurrence, whereas blood vessel invasion was significantly related to pathological stage, lymph node metastasis, lymphatic invasion and disease recurrence. Recurrence-free survival in patients with lymphatic invasion was significantly lower than that in those without lymphatic invasion, and a similar significant difference in recurrence-free survival was observed between patients with and without blood vessel invasion. However, multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model showed that only pathological stage and lymph node metastasis could be used as independent predictors for disease recurrence after radical cystectomy. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a significant association between several prognostic parameters, vascular invasion was not an independent predictor of disease recurrence; therefore, if there are other conventional parameters available, there might not be any additional advantage to considering the presence of vascular invasion when predicting the prognosis of patients undergoing radical cystectomy for TCC of the bladder.     

Clinical analysis of bladder cancer patients undergoing radical cystectomy

A retrospective clinicopathological study was performed on 96 bladder cancer patients who underwent radical cystectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy at Aichi Cancer Center between April 1994 and July 2004. The follow-up period ranged from 4 to 109 months, with a mean of 39.1 months. The overall cancer-specific survival rates at 3, 5 and 7 years were 81.7%, 71.2% and 71.2%, respectively. The 5-year survival rate according to pathological stage was 97.3% for pT1 or lower, 66.4% for pT2, 47.6% for pT3, and 25.4% for pT4. Univariate analysis demonstrated the prognostic significance of pathological stage (p < 0.001), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.001), venous invasion (p < 0.001), lymphatic invasion (p = 0.010), preoperative creatinine clearance (p = 0.001) and preoperative hydronephrosis (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed strong independent correlations of venous invasion (p = 0.040) and preoperative hydronephrosis (p = 0.016) with prognosis.     

Impact of marital status in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer

Purpose  Married (vs. unmarried) individuals have improved health status and longer life expectancies in a variety of benign and malignant disease states, including prostate, breast, head/neck, and lung cancers. We sought to evaluate a cohort of patients undergoing cystectomy for bladder cancer to evaluate the impact of marital status on demographic, peri-operative, and pathological outcomes in order to better understand the factors which may contribute to the survival differences observed. Methods  Two-hundred and two patients underwent radical cystectomy and urinary diversion for bladder cancer. Patients were categorized based on marital status as either married or unmarried (widowed, divorced, never married). Correlations were made to demographic factors (age, race, gender, BMI, tobacco use, alcohol use), perioperative factors (pre-op renal function (creatinine), hematocrit, EBL, hospital stay, choice of diversion), and pathological outcomes (organ-confined status, LN positivity). Results  Of the 202 patients, 74% were married. Married individuals (vs. unmarried) were more often male (84 vs. 62%) and had a higher BMI (28.1 vs. 25.9). Married persons had a significantly lower pre-op creatinine (1.1 vs. 1.4) and higher hematocrit (39 vs. 34). Hospital stay was shorter in married patients by a mean of 1.6 days. Regarding operative pathology, married patients had a higher rate of organ-confined disease (59 vs. 47%) (P = 0.05, 0.08 on multivariate) and trended towards a lower rate of LN positivity (15 vs. 21%; P = 0.10, 0.12 multivariate). Conclusions  In patients undergoing cystectomy for bladder cancer, married individuals appear to have improved pre-operative laboratory variables, shorter hospitalization, and improved pathological outcomes versus unmarried patients in our case series. These findings may support the evidence (observed in other tumor types and other disease states) that married persons present earlier than unmarried individuals, and this may help explain the improved survival outcomes that have been observed in married patients with bladder cancer.     

Prognostic significance of lymphovascular invasion of bladder cancer treated with radical cystectomy

PURPOSE: We determined the prognostic significance of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in patients treated for invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder with radical cystectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From August 1971 to June 2004, 2,005 patients underwent radical cystectomy for primary bladder cancer with intent to cure. All patients with nontransitional cell carcinoma histology, palliative procedures, unknown lymphovascular status, less than pT1 pathological stage, or any neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy/radiation therapy were excluded, leaving 702 comprising the study cohort. Of the 702 patients 249 (36%) had LVI. RESULTS: Median followup was 11.0 years (range 8 days to 23.2 years). Overall 5 and 10-year survival was 51% and 34%, while 5 and 10-year recurrence-free survival was 66% and 64%, respectively. Ten-year recurrence-free survival in patients without LVI was 74% compared with 42% in those with LVI (p <0.0001). Similarly 10-year overall survival was 43% in patients without LVI compared with 18% in those with LVI (p <0.0001). In the organ confined/lymph node negative and lymph node positive pathological subgroups survival outcomes were significantly worse if LVI was present. Although a trend was observed, LVI status was not statistically significant in patients with extravesical node negative disease. Stepwise Cox regression analysis revealed that pathological subgroup (organ confined, extravesical and lymph node positive) (p <0.0001) and LVI status (p = 0.0004) were independent prognostic variables for recurrence-free and overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Lymphovascular invasion appears to be an important and independent prognostic variable in patients with invasive bladder cancer treated with radical cystectomy. LVI status should be determined in cystectomy specimens, which may provide further risk stratification in patients following radical cystectomy.     

Enhanced recovery after surgery of patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer

Radical cystectomy (RC) is the standard treatment for patients diagnosed with muscle invasive bladder cancer, but is associated with significant morbidity and long hospital stays. Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) is based on a variety of interventions during the peri-treatment stage. It is designed to improve morbidity, enhance recovery, and reduce hospital stays after RC. The study provides an overview of the key elements of the ERAS protocol recommended for patients undergoing RC and directions for further research. We have analyzed the rationale for 15 key elements related to the ERAS protocol: preoperative patient counseling and education, preoperative medical optimization and nutrition, mechanical bowel preparation, preoperative fasting and carbohydrate loading, pre-anesthetic medication, thromboembolic prophylaxis, minimally invasive surgical approach, resection-site drainage, preventing intraoperative hypothermia, perioperative fluid management, perioperative analgesia, urinary drainage, prevention of postoperative ileus, nausea and vomiting, early oral feeding, and early mobilization. Several studies have shown that ERAS improves the recovery of RC patients. Evidence suggests that ERAS facilitates the recovery of RC patients. However, additional randomized controlled studies or large prospective studies are needed to demonstrate the effectiveness of ERAS in RC patients.     

Prognostic significance of adjuvant cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy following radical cystectomy in patients with invasive bladder cancer

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to retrospectively examine the outcomes of adjuvant cisplatin‐based combination chemotherapy following radical cystectomy in patients with invasive bladder cancer in order to identify parameters predicting the prognosis of these patients. Methods: This study included a total of 51 patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer who underwent radical cystectomy between January 1995 and December 2004, and subsequently received at least two cycles of either MVAC (methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin and cisplatin) or MVP‐CAB (methotrexate, doxorubicin, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, bleomycin and cisplatin) chemotherapy in an adjuvant setting because of the presence of diseases corresponding to pT3/4 and/or pN1/2 without clinical evidence of metastasis. The significance of several clinicopathological factors as predictors of disease recurrence and cancer‐specific death was evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: During the observation period of this study (median, 26.5 months), disease‐recurrence and cancer‐specific death were observed in 21 and 16 patients, respectively. The 5‐year recurrence‐free and cancer‐specific survival rates were 48.6% and 54.1%, respectively. Among several factors examined in this series, lymph node metastasis and concomitant carcinoma in situ (CIS) were identified as significant predictors of both disease‐recurrence and cancer‐specific death, and these were also independently associated with disease‐recurrence and cancer‐specific death. Conclusions: Adjuvant cisplatin‐based combination chemotherapy for patients with extravesically extended bladder cancer following radical cystectomy resulted in comparatively unsatisfactory outcome concerning cancer‐control; accordingly, it would be necessary to develop a more efficacious therapeutic strategy for such patients, particularly for those with lymph node metastasis and/or concomitant CIS.     

Prognostic significance of vascular and perineural invasion in urothelial bladder cancer treated with radical cystectomy

PURPOSE: Data on the prognostic significance of tumor invading lymphatic and blood vessels in bladder cancer are controversial, while little is known about perineural invasion in this tumor. We determined the prognostic value of these parameters in radical cystectomy specimens. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Slides of 283 radical cystectomy specimens obtained from 1986 to 1997 were examined retrospectively with respect to tumor invasion in lymphatic and blood vessels, and perineural spaces. This review was performed while blinded to lymph node tumor involvement or the postoperative disease course. The Kaplan-Meier probability analysis of tumor-free survival and the log rank test were used to determine the prognostic effects of vascular and perineural invasion. Multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazards model was also performed. RESULTS: Lymphatic, blood vessel and perineural tumor invasion were present in 54.1%, 13.1% and 47.7% of specimens, respectively. Tumor progressed in 46.3% of patients. On univariate analysis all 3 factors showed strong prognostic significance. However, on multivariate analysis only blood vessel invasion, invasion depth and regional lymph node status were independent prognostic factors (p <0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Lymph node metastases, pT classification and blood vessel invasion are independent prognostic parameters of tumor-free survival that should be used to guide patient treatment after radical cystectomy. Invasion of the blood and lymphatic vessels should be commented on separately in the pathology report.     

Prognostic factors in a recent series of patients treated with radical cystectomy for bladder cancer

OBJECTIVE: To identify the clinical and pathological prognostic factors in a homogeneous series of patients with bladder cancer who had undergone radical cystectomy in the late 1990s. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 156 patients who had undergone radical cystectomy and iliac-obturator lymphadenectomy for bladder carcinoma at our department between 1995 and 2001. RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 39.71 +/- 26.2 months. The 5-year overall and cancer-specific survival rates were 47.2 and 54.7%, respectively. Upper urinary tract obstruction (p = 0.03), clinical stage of both the primary tumor (p = 0.0001) and loco-regional lymph nodes (p = 0.04), pathological stage (2002 TNM) of the primary tumor (p < 0.0001), pathological loco-regional lymph node involvement (p < 0.0001), and vascular embolization (p = 0.005) were significant on univariate analysis. Pathological lymph node involvement (p = 0.001) and both pathological (p = 0.022) and clinical stages of the primary tumor (p = 0.002) turned out to be independent predictors of cancer-specific survival. CONCLUSION: Pathological lymph node involvement, clinical and pathological stage of the primary tumor were the cancer-specific, survival-independent, predictors in our series. Our multivariate analysis data identified pT3-4 and pN+ patients as those with the worst prognosis.     

Nutrition risk and assessment process in patients with bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy

Malnutrition and depleted muscle stores adversely affect bladder cancer patients and contribute to poorer outcomes. These nutrition-related problems are often not addressed, in part because they are not being identified with screening and assessment tools. In this essay, we discuss validated nutrition screening and assessment tools such as the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment; however, each healthcare team must decide on the one which will work best for their clinic. Patients with bladder cancer may be at risk for specific nutrient deficiencies which should be monitored and corrected to improve outcomes and overall health.     

术前白蛋白碱性磷酸酶比值对根治性膀胱切除术后总体生存期的影响

目的探讨术前白蛋白碱性磷酸酶比值(AAPR)与根治性膀胱切除术后患者总体生存期(OS)的关系。方法回顾性分析2007年1月至2015年12月青岛大学附属医院收治的166例膀胱癌患者的临床病理资料。男148例,女18例。年龄(65.1±9.4)岁。伴高血压病31例、糖尿病14例。体质指数(BMI)(24.00±3.32)kg/m^2。肿瘤单发92例,多发74例。肿瘤直径<3 cm者43例,≥3 cm者123例。合并肾积水33例,无肾积水133例。术前AAPR(0.62±0.23)。根据AAPR的三分位点将患者分为低AAPR组55例,AAPR(0.42±0.09);中AAPR组55例,AAPR(0.58±0.05);高AAPR组56例,AAPR(0.86±0.21)。美国麻醉医师协会(ASA)分级1级4例,2级65例,3级86例,4级11例。根治术前患者均行经尿道膀胱肿瘤切除术,病理诊断均为膀胱癌,高级别144例,低级别22例。166例均行根治性膀胱切除术,其中腹腔镜手术140例,开放手术26例。术中行输尿管皮肤造口55例,回肠代膀胱96例,回肠原位新膀胱15例。将AAPR连续性变量和AAPR分组作为原始模型,调整年龄、肿瘤大小、pT分期、pN分期、肾积水、ASA分级、辅助化疗的数据作为校准模型1,在校准模型1基础上增加BMI、肿瘤数目、病理等级的数据作为校准模型2。采用趋势性检验检测不同AAPR组间危险比(HR)变化趋势。分析不同因素分层的AAPR与OS的关系。采用Kaplan-Meier法绘制生存曲线。采用基于广义相加模型的曲线拟合表示AAPR与OS的关系。结果本组166例中位随访63个月,生存95例,死亡71例。3年生存率为61%,5年生存率为50%。术后病理分期:T1期27例,T2期82例,T3期48例,T4期9例;N0期145例,N1期14例,N2期6例,N3期1例。术后52例行辅助化疗。单因素Cox回归分析结果显示,AAPR(HR=0.09,95%CI 0.022~0.391,P=0.001)、高AAPR组(HR=0.40,95%CI 0.216~0.742,P=0.003)、年龄(HR=2.42,95%CI 1.294~4.531,P=0.006)、肿瘤大小(HR=2.11,95%CI 1.112~4.014,P=0.023)、肿瘤数目(HR=0.62,95%CI 0.378~1.022,P=0.061)、pT3期(HR=8.93,95%CI 3.173~25.114,P<0.001)、pT4期(HR=10.39,95%CI 3.110~34.707,P<0.001)、N1期(HR=2.80,95%CI 1.422~5.531,P=0.003)、N3期(HR=17.06,95%CI 2.192~132.863,P=0.007)、病理分级(HR=0.30,95%CI 0.113~0.817,P=0.019)、肾积水(HR=2.36,95%CI 1.406~3.939,P=0.001)、术后辅助化疗(HR=2.66,95%CI 1.674~4.247,P<0.001)均与术后OS相关。调整年龄、肿瘤大小、pT分期、pN分期、肾积水、ASA分级、辅助化疗、BMI、肿瘤数目、病理分级后,Cox回归分析结果显示,与低AAPR组相比,高AAPR组的死亡风险降低约59%(HR=0.406,95%CI 0.200~0.822,P=0.012),AAPR每升高1个单位,死亡风险下降约80%(HR=0.199,95%CI 0.051~0.779,P=0.020)。趋势性检验结果显示,原始模型和校准模型中,AAPR不同分组间OS的HR下降趋势均有统计学意义(P=0.016),提示两者呈线性关系。调整年龄、肿瘤大小、pT分期、pN分期、肾积水、ASA分级、辅助化疗、BMI、肿瘤数目、病理分级后,曲线拟合图显示,AAPR与OS呈线性相关,随AAPR升高,术后死亡风险下降,OS延长。结论AAPR与膀胱肿瘤患者根治性膀胱切除术后的OS成线性相关,随AAPR升高,患者术后死亡风险下降,OS延长。     

膀胱癌合并上尿路积水患者行根治术的预后分析

目的 探讨术前合并上尿路积水对根治性膀胱切除患者预后的影响.方法 回顾性分析从2003年1月至2010年5月期间126例行根治性膀胱切除术患者的资料,上尿路积水39例(31.0%),单因素分析上尿路积水对膀胱癌患者术后无复发生存率的影响,多因素分析上尿路积水、病理T分期和盆腔淋巴结转移情况等因素对膀胱癌根治术患者术后预...     

中性粒细胞/淋巴细胞比值在肌层浸润性膀胱癌预后评估中的价值

目的探讨术前外周血中性粒细胞与淋巴细胞比值(NLR)是否可以作为肌层浸润性膀胱癌(MIBC)患者术后的预后评价指标。方法回顾性分析2008年1月至2011年12月行膀胱癌根治术的214例MIBC患者的临床资料,根据患者术前外周血NLR大小分为低NLR组(NLR<3,92例)和高NLR组(NLR≥3,122例),比较两组患者的5年生存率并进行预后危险因素分析。结果低NLR组和高NLR组MIBC患者5年生存率分别为70.9%和55.8%(P<0.01)。单因素分析显示,术前NLR、吸烟史、病理T分期、肿瘤分级、围手术期输血、淋巴结转移、淋巴结密度及切缘阳性与MIBC患者预后有关(P<0.05);Cox回归分析证实,NLR是影响MIBC患者预后的独立危险因素(HR=2.142,95%CI:1.212~3.786,P<0.01)。结论术前NLR是影响MIBC患者术后生存时间的独立危险因素,可作为MIBC患者的预后指标。     

Management of the urethra in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder carcinoma

Computerized data on 174 male patients who underwent radical cystectomy for bladder carcinoma were studied in relationship to the incidence of urethral involvement. Simultaneous or delayed urethrectomies were done on 32 patients, 7 of whom had overt urethral carcinoma (4 per cent of the total number of male patients) and 10 of whom had carcinoma in situ (5.7 per cent of the total number of male patients). The low incidence of these 2 phenomena leads us to the conclusion that routine urethrectomy need not be done on patients undergoing radical cystectomy unless overt urethral carcinoma or positive margins are found at cystectomy. We believe that the use of urethral cytologies is crucial to the routine followup of patients who have undergone radical cystectomy for bladder cancer and should be combined with clinical followup to establish the indication for urethrectomy.     

Management of the urethra in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder carcinoma

Urethral carcinoma recurrence after radical cystectomy for bladder carcinoma is a rare but devastating condition. Among 140 male patients submitted to radical cystectomy, urethral carcinoma recurrence occurred in 11. Nine of whom died. Nine other patients underwent urethrectomy at the time of cystectomy or shortly afterwards. Five are alive with no evidence of disease, 4 died of local recurrence or distant metastasis. Prophylactic urethrectomy should be performed in the presence of carcinoma in situ in the prostatic urethra or involvement of the prostatic urethra from the bladder tumor. These criteria should be considered as an absolute contraindication for substitution enteroplasty.     

Assessment of QOL and survival for patients undergoing radical cystectomy or bladder preservation for invasive bladder cancer]

PURPOSE: In this study, we have retrospectively compared patient backgrounds, prognosis and QOL (quality of life) in patients with invasive bladder cancer treated by radical cystectomy or by bladder preservation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study enrolled recent 30 cases from each institutions, totally 120 cases from four institutions. All patients were diagnosed with invasive bladder cancer in stage T 2 or T 3, N 0, M 0. The patients planned for preserving the bladder were treated with a combination of intra-arterial chemotherapy and radiation as an induction therapy. The questionnaire used to assess QOL was the EORTC QLQ-C 30 (Japanese-language edition). RESULTS: Radical cystectomy was selected as the initial treatment in 60 cases (the planned radical cystectomy group). Bladder preservation was planned but the presence of residual tumors after induction therapy underwent radical cystectomy in 18 cases (the preservation-radical cystectomy group). Bladder preservation was achieved in 42 cases (the preservation group). In a comparison of background factors, histologically grade 3 tumor and cases with histology other than transitional cell carcinoma, were significantly common in the planned radical cystectomy group. Because this study is not an randomized test, it is difficult to compare the outcomes between the patients treated by radical cystectomy or by bladder preservation. However, it is indicated that the candidates for bladder preservation therapy exist among the patients with T 2 or T 3, N 0, M 0 bladder cancer. Quality of life, as evaluated from global QL and from physical, cognitive, and emotional function, tended to be better in the patients with their bladder, although no difference was noted among the groups with regard to life role or social function. Symptoms such as sleep disturbance and diarrhea were common in the radical cystectomy groups, and financial impact, constipation, appetite loss, and dyspnea also tended to more frequently affect patients in these groups. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that bladder preservation treatment using an induction therapy is one of option of the treatment for clinically T 2 or T 3, N 0, M 0 bladder cancer. We need a prospective randomized study with a long-term follow-up to elucidate true candidates for this treatment.     

Prognostic accuracy of an artificial neural network in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer: a comparison with logistic regression analysis

OBJECTIVE: To compare the prognostic performance of an artificial neural network (ANN) with that of standard logistic regression (LR), in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From February 1982 to February 1994, 369 evaluable patients with non-metastatic bladder cancer had pelvic lymph node dissection and radical cystectomy for either stage Ta-T1 (any grade) tumour not responding to intravesical therapy, with or with no carcinoma in situ, or stage T2-T4 tumour. LR analysis based on 12 variables was used to identify predictors of overall 5-year survival, and the ANN model was developed to predict the same outcome. The LR analysis, based on statistically significant predictors, and the ANN model were the compared for their accuracy in predicting survival. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 63 years, and overall 201 of them died. The tumour stage and nodal involvement (both P<0.001) were the only statistically independent predictors of overall 5-year survival on LR analysis. Based on these variables, LR had a sensitivity and specificity for predicting survival of 68.4% and 82.8%, respectively; corresponding values for the ANN were 62.7% and 86.1%. For LR and ANN, the positive predictive values were 78.6% and 76.2%, and the negative predictive values were 73.9% and 76.5%, respectively. The index of diagnostic accuracy was 75.9% for LR and 76.4% for ANN. CONCLUSIONS: The ANN accurately predicted the survival of patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer and had a prognostic performance comparable with that of LR. As ANNs are based on easy-to-use software that can identify nonlinear interactions between variables, they might become the preferred tool for predicting outcome.