Bladder cancer treatment; non-muscle invasive (superficial) cancer

Patient information: Bladder cancer treatment; non-muscle invasive (superficial) cancer

Author
Michael A O’Donnell, MD, FACS
Section Editor
Seth P Lerner, MD
Deputy Editor
Don S Dizon, MD, FACP

Disclosures

BLADDER CANCER OVERVIEW — The optimal treatment for urothelial bladder cancer depends upon the cancer’s stage and grade.

Approximately 70 percent of all new cases of bladder cancer are classified as non-muscle invasive, also called superficial bladder cancer. The initial treatment for this stage of bladder cancer is surgical removal of the tumor through a cystoscope (called TURBT). This is often followed by adjuvant (additional) therapy, which reduces the chances of the cancer recurring. (See ‘Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT)’ below.)

Of these, approximately 20 to 25 percent of initially non-muscle invasive cancers will progress to invasive types during the person’s lifetime.
The remaining 30 percent of bladder cancers are muscle invasive, and generally require surgery to remove the bladder (cystectomy) and the surrounding organs. (See “Patient information: Bladder cancer treatment; invasive cancer”.)
This article has facts about the treatment of non-muscle invasive urothelial bladder cancer. The diagnosis and staging of bladder cancer are discussed separately. (See “Patient information: Bladder cancer diagnosis and staging”.)

INITIAL BLADDER CANCER TREATMENT — The most common first treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer is surgery to remove any abnormal appearing areas inside the bladder; this is called transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT).

Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) — Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) is a procedure in which a physician uses a cystoscope to see inside the bladder and remove any abnormal-appearing areas. A cystoscope is a long thin tube that contains a light and a camera.

In most cases, this procedure is done in an operating room while the person is under anesthesia. After the procedure, you can usually go home, sometimes with a catheter for a few days.

In certain cases, usually in people with more aggressive microinvasive cancers, a second TURBT will be performed several weeks after the first to be sure that no tumor was missed during the original cystoscopy. If there are new areas that appear abnormal, they will be removed. If there are no new abnormal-appearing areas, you will begin adjuvant therapy.

ADJUVANT BLADDER CANCER THERAPY — Even in people who have their bladder tumor completely removed with TURBT, up to 50 percent of people will have a recurrence of their cancer within 12 months. Because of this high recurrence rate, adjuvant (additional) therapy is usually recommended. The type of adjuvant therapy recommended depends upon your risk of recurrence:

Some people who are at low risk of recurrence will be advised to have a single dose of intravesical chemotherapy at the time of the initial TURBT. (See ‘Intravesical chemotherapy’ below.)

Intravesical” means that the treatment is put inside of the bladder, usually through a catheter (a flexible tube passed through the urethra, where urine exits). This allows a high concentration of the treatment to be applied directly to the areas where tumor cells could remain, potentially destroying these cells and preventing them from reemerging in the bladder and forming new tumors.
Some people who are at intermediate risk of recurrence will be advised to have either a full six-week course of intravesical chemotherapy, most commonly mitomycin, (see ‘Intravesical chemotherapy’ below) or intravesical immunotherapy with BCG (see ‘Intravesical BCG’ below).
People at high risk of recurrence or worsening will be advised to start intravesical BCG, usually within two to six weeks of the first treatment. This is most commonly followed by additional booster treatments (maintenance therapy) once a complete response is obtained. Occasionally, however, patients are advised to consider bladder removal (cystectomy) especially if the disease is extensive.
The risk of recurrence is discussed separately. (See “Patient information: Bladder cancer diagnosis and staging”.)

Intravesical chemotherapy — Chemotherapy refers to the use of medicines to stop or slow the growth of cancer cells. The most commonly used intravesical chemotherapy for bladder cancer is mitomycin. This is put inside the bladder in one of two ways:

One regimen involves giving the mitomycin once, immediately after TURBT. The solution is left in the bladder for 30 to 60 minutes, then allowed to drain out through a catheter.
Alternately, the mitomycin can be given on a weekly basis for six weeks. With this regimen, the bladder is filled with mitomycin with a catheter, the solution is left for one to two hours, then the person urinates. A maintenance treatment may be given once per month for up to one year.
Side effects — Mitomycin often causes temporary irritation of the bladder, including the need to urinate frequently and urgently and pain with urination. Mitomycin can also cause a skin rash on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, and genitals. If this rash occurs, treatment with mitomycin is stopped and should not be restarted. A different chemotherapy drug or even BCG might be substituted in this situation. Rarely, mitomycin can cause the bladder to shrink down so that it holds less urine.

Intravesical BCG — Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is a live bacterium related to cow tuberculosis. It is a common treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, particularly for cancers that have a risk of worsening over time. BCG is believed to work by triggering the body’s immune system to destroy any cancer cells that remain in the bladder after TURBT.

BCG is in a liquid solution that is put into the bladder with a catheter. The person then holds the solution in the bladder for two hours before they urinate. The treatment is usually given once per week for six weeks, starting approximately two to three weeks after the last TURBT. Further booster (maintenance) treatments can extend the benefit of BCG. (See ‘Maintenance BCG’ below.)

Benefits of intravesical BCG — Intravesical BCG, in combination with TURBT, is the most effective treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. BCG therapy has been shown to delay (although not necessarily prevent) tumor growth to a more advanced stage, decrease the need for surgical removal of the bladder at a later time, and improve overall survival [1].

Side effects of BCG — Most people who are treated with intravesical BCG have some side effects; the most common of these include the need to urinate frequently, pain with urination, fever, blood in the urine, and body aches. These symptoms usually begin within two to four hours of treatment and resolve within 48 hours.

Anyone who develops a fever (temperature greater than 100.4ºF or 38ºC) and drenching night sweats 48 hours or more after treatment with BCG should contact their healthcare provider. These may be signs of less common but more serious side effects, including bodywide infection.

TESTING AFTER INITIAL BLADDER CANCER TREATMENT — Tests are usually performed about three months after the start of intravesical treatment to be sure that the cancer has not recurred. If there are no signs of recurrence, maintenance BCG treatment may be recommended. (See ‘Maintenance BCG’ below.)

If there are signs of cancer recurrence, any abnormal areas will be biopsied and removed with TURBT. Treatment after TURBT will depend upon the tumor’s stage at recurrence and the amount of time that has passed since the first course of BCG was given. In general, there are two options: repeat a six-week course of weekly intravesical BCG or undergo surgical removal of the bladder (cystectomy). (See “Patient information: Bladder cancer treatment; invasive cancer”.)

Maintenance BCG — Maintenance intravesical BCG treatment is generally recommended for patients with high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. (See “Patient information: Bladder cancer diagnosis and staging”.) The benefit of maintenance treatment is that it may further delay a recurrence of the cancer.

Although the optimal duration of maintenance treatment is debated, several expert groups recommend that it be given for at least one year. Maintenance BCG is given once per week for three weeks at three, six, and 12 months after the initial BCG treatment. In some cases, maintenance BCG will be recommended for an extended period of time (at 18, 24, 30, and 36 months).

SURVEILLANCE AFTER BLADDER CANCER TREATMENT — Even in people who are treated appropriately, bladder cancer often recurs. Recurrent cancer can develop anywhere along the urinary tract, including the lining of the kidneys, ureters, urethra, and bladder. Close follow up after treatment is required to monitor for recurrence.

Cystoscopy and urine cytology — Repeat cystoscopy and urine cytology testing are recommended for surveillance, beginning three months after treatment ends. If there are no signs of recurrence, cystoscopy and urine testing are usually recommended every three to six months for four years, and then once per year.

If there are signs of recurrent bladder cancer, the next step depends upon several factors, including the person’s age and underlying medical problems, the tumor’s stage and grade at recurrence, previous treatments used, and the amount of time that has passed since the last course of treatment. In general, the options include a second course of intravesical BCG or surgical removal of the bladder (cystectomy). (See “Patient information: Bladder cancer treatment; invasive cancer”.)

Imaging tests — The upper urinary tract (eg, kidneys, ureters) is lined with the same cells as the bladder. The tumors that develop in the bladder can develop in the upper urinary tract as well. As a result, an imaging test, such as a CT scan, is recommended after the initial course of treatment. This type of test is usually done every one to two years for all patients, except those with very low-risk disease.

CT scanning and other types of imaging tests are described separately. (See “Patient information: Bladder cancer diagnosis and staging”.)

WHERE TO GET MORE INFORMATION — Your healthcare provider is the best source of information for questions and concerns related to your medical problem.

 

Related topics for patients, as well as selected articles written for healthcare professionals, are also available. Some of the most relevant are listed below.

Patient Level Information:

Patient information: Bladder cancer treatment; invasive cancer
Patient information: Bladder cancer diagnosis and staging

Professional Level Information:

Adjuvant chemotherapy for urothelial (transitional cell) carcinoma of the bladder
Chemoprevention of bladder cancer
Clinical presentation, diagnosis, and staging of bladder cancer
Epidemiology and etiology of urothelial (transitional cell) carcinoma of the bladder
Etiology and evaluation of hematuria in adults
Experimental systemic therapy of metastatic bladder cancer
Laparoscopic radical cystectomy
Multimodality approaches for bladder preservation in invasive bladder cancer
Neoadjuvant chemotherapy for urothelial (transitional cell) bladder cancer
Nonurothelial bladder cancer
Pathology of bladder neoplasms
Radical cystectomy and bladder-sparing treatments for urothelial (transitional cell) bladder cancer
Screening for bladder cancer
Treatment of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer
Urinary diversion and reconstruction following cystectomy

The following organizations also provide reliable health information.

National Cancer Institute
(www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/bladder)

The National Library of Medicine
(www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/bladdercancer.html)

American Society of Clinical Oncology
(www.cancer.net/portal/site/patient)

Raghavan, D, Tuthill, K. Bladder Cancer — A Cleveland Clinic Guide for Patients, Cleveland Clinic Press/Kaplan Press, Cleveland 2008.
American Cancer Society
(www.cancer.org/)

Patient Support — There are a number of online forums where patients can find information and support from other people with similar conditions.

About.com Cancer Forum
(file://cancer.about.com/forum)

REFERENCES
Shelley MD, Court JB, Kynaston H, et al. Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin in Ta and T1 Bladder Cancer. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2000; :CD001986.
Smith JA Jr, Labasky RF, Cockett AT, et al. Bladder cancer clinical guidelines panel summary report on the management of nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (stages Ta, T1 and TIS). The American Urological Association. J Urol 1999; 162:1697.
Sylvester RJ, van der MEIJDEN AP, Lamm DL. Intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin reduces the risk of progression in patients with superficial bladder cancer: a meta-analysis of the published results of randomized clinical trials. J Urol 2002; 168:1964.
Mariappan P, Smith G, Lamb AD, et al. Pattern of recurrence changes in noninvasive bladder tumors observed during 2 decades. J Urol 2007; 177:867.