Onkológia 6/2011

Therapy of muscle-invasive and metastatic bladder cancer from the point of view of the urologist

Optimal combination of treatment modalities for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MM) is not precisely defined till now. Radical cystectomy with bilateral lymphadenectomy and urinary diversion remains the "gold standard" of primary curative treatment. Bladder-sparing treatment modalities (transurethral resection of cancer - TUR, radiotherapy, chemotherapy) are also accepted. Despite the rigorous selection of patients, it is not possible to achieve therapeutic results comparable with the results of radical cystectomy in terms of long-term survival and local disease control using these treatment modalities. Evidence of benefit of neoadjuvant and adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy is still controversial and requires further study.

Keywords: muscle-invasive bladder cancer, radical cystectomy, lymphadenectomy, urinary diversion, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, follow up.