A RANDOMISED STUDY EVALUATING MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE IN EARLY ADJUVANT CHEMOTHERAPY FOR INTERMEDIATE RISK NON-MUSCLE-INVASIVE BLADDER CANCER

ABSTRACT Introduction and Objective: Adjuvant intravesical chemotherapy or BCG immunotherapy after transurethral resection (TUR) is a standard treatment for non–muscle-invasive transitional cell cancer of the bladder (NMI TCCB) at intermediate risk. Although the clinical value of early intravesical adjuvant chemotherapy is well established, the optimal schedule regimen and the role of maintenance is still debated. Methods: Between May 2002 and August 2003, 577 patients, undergoing TUR for NMI TCCB, were recruited. All patients underwent TUR and early (within 6 hours) intravesical chemotherapy with epirubicin at the dose of 80 mg diluted in 60 ml of saline solution. When histology was availa…