Intravesical epirubicin in the prophylaxis of superficial bladder cancer

Forty-five patients who underwent transurethral resection (TUR) for Ta-Tl superficial bladder cancer were included in the study. Fourteen patients who had TUR alone were assigned to the control group. Epirubicin therapy was started two weeks after complete TUR of the tumour. Epirubicin in a dose of 50 mg diluted in 50 ml saline was instilled weekly for 8 weeks in the epirubicin group. The mean follow-up was 24 months. Although recurrence rate was higher in the control group (64.2% versus 32.2%), it was not found to be statistically significant (p=0.0914, chi-square test). Tumour-free intervals in patients with recurrent disease were significantly longer in the epirubicin group (p<0.05, Mann-Whitney U-test). In conclusion: intravesical epirubicin therapy, which both reduces recurrence rate and prolongs time to recurrence, was found to be effective in the prophylaxis of superficial bladder cancer.