Intravesical instillation of anti-cancer drug using mainly thio-TEPA has been attempted to prevent reccurrence after conservative therapy on seventy-five cases of superficial bladder tumor diagnosed as papillary tumor. The effect of intravesical instillation in preventing recurrence was studied by comparing the recurrence ratio with that in seventy-three cases of control group treated without instillation.
The results were as follows:
1) Recurrence was found in 44 out of 73 cases (60.3%) in the non-instillated group, while in 24 out of 75 cases (32%) in the instillated group.
2) Recurrence was found in 24 out of 44 cases (54.5%) 6 months after the operation and within 2 years over 80% of the cases in the non-instillated group. Recurrence was found in 2 out of 24 cases (8.3%) at 6 months postoperatively and within 3 years about 80% of total cases in the instillated group.
3) Recurrence in the primary part of the bladder within 6 months postoperatively was noticed in 19 out of 22 cases (86.4%) in the non-instillated group and in all of the instillated group. And the recurrence after 6 months or more was found in 10 out of 22 cases (45.5%) in the non-instillated group and in 8 out of 20 cases (40%) in the instillated group.
4) The frequency of recurrence is the same among different degrees of cytological abnormality in the non-instillated group. However, it was remarkably low in cases with low grade tumor in the instillated group.
5) The incidence of recurrence after partial cystectomy is the same among the two groups. However, the recurrence rate after TUC and TUR is lower in the instillated group than in the non-instillated group.
6) As shown by the actuarial method, the frequency of recurrence within the first postoperative year in the non-instillated and instillated group is 44.6 and 12.7per cent respectively. And within the secound postoperative year it is 21.8 and 10per cent, respectively. However, the anti-recurrence effect of this therapy after the 3rd year is not remarkable and the recurrence rate each year is about 10per cent.
7) The longer the period of anti-recurrence therapy, the lower the incidence of recurrence. However, the anti-recurrence effect was found for only one year after the treatment.
8) The same effect was found on the cases with recurrence one or more years after the anti-recurrence therapy, using more intensive (duration and frequency) anti-cancer therapy.
From the results above mentioned it was concluded that intravesical instillation of anti-cancer drug was most effective on the early (within postoperative 6 months) recurrent cases. The period of periodic intravesical instillation therapy was enough for one year postoperatively for the cases with early recurrence. However, much longer period of therapy was needed for the cases with late or frequent high grade recurrence.
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