Thermo-chemotherapy for intermediate or high-risk recurrent superficial bladder cancer patients

Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of combined local hyperthermia and intravesical mitomycin-C (MMC) in a selected group of patients with intermediate or high-risk recurrent transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of bladder. Patients and methods Forty-seven patients with multiple or recurrent Ta or T1 TCC of the bladder were treated with intravesical MMC and local hyperthermia of the bladder wall. Patients were treated with either a prophylactic protocol (40 mg MMC) after complete transurethral resection of all tumours or with an ablative protocol (80 mg MMC) in patients with viable tumours. Results Thirty-two patients were eligible for analysis. The prophylactic protocol was administered to 22 patients. After a mean follow-up of 289 days, 20 patients (91%) were recurrence free. Two patients (9%) had tumour recurrence after a mean period of 431 days. The ablative protocol was administered to 10 patients. Complete tumour ablation was achieved in eight patients (80%) after a mean follow up of 104.5 days. Conclusions Our efficacy and safety results confirm those reported in previously published studies, suggesting the promising value of this combined treatment modality for both prophylactic and ablative patients. The ablative protocol offers an alternative therapy for a selected patient population for whom no other treatment option exists.