LOCAL MICROWAVE HYPERTHERMIA AND INTRAVESICAL CHEMOTHERAPY AS BLADDER SPARING TREATMENT FOR SELECT MULTIFOCAL AND UNRESECTABLE SUPERFICIAL BLADDER TUMORS

Purpose: The role of a combined regimen of local hyperthermia and topical chemotherapy in patients with multifocal and recurrent superficial bladder tumors not curable by transurethral resection was evaluated in a neodjuvant organ sparing clinical study. Materials and Methods: A total of 19 patients with multifocal, superficial grades 1 to 3 bladder tumors that recurred after intravesical chemoprophylaxis or immunoprophylaxis underwent local combined administration of microwave induced hyperthermia and intravesical chemotherapy as a debulking approach. Due to extensive superficial involvement of the bladder walls complete transurethral resection of all tumors seemed technically unfeasible i…