Outcome of patients with grossly node positive bladder cancer after pelvic lymph node dissection and radical cystectomy

PURPOSE: Should the surgeon proceed with surgery when grossly positive nodes are found at cystectomy? To answer this question, we determine the outcome of patients after radical surgery alone for grossly node positive bladder cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 84 patients with grossly node positive (N2-3) bladder cancer found at cystectomy underwent extended pelvic lymph node dissection and have been followed for up to 10 years. The end point of study was disease specific survival. RESULTS: Of the 84 patients 20 (24%) survived and 64 (76%) died of disease. Median survival time was 19 months for all patients and 10 years for surviving patients. Of 53 patients with clinical stage T2 (organ confined) tumors 17 (32%) survived versus 3 of 31 (9.7%) with stage T3 (extravesical) tumors. CONCLUSIONS: A proportion of patients with grossly node positive bladder cancer can be cured with radical cystectomy and thorough pelvic lymph node dissection.