Combination chemotherapy with intra-arterial cisplatin and doxorubicin plus intravenous methotrexate and vincristine for locally advanced bladder cancer. Kyushu University Urological and Radiological Oncology Group.

Abstract

We evaluate the usefulness of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for bladder cancer. The usefulness of neoadjuvant, modified methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin and cisplatin chemotherapy was evaluated in 36 patients with locally advanced bladder cancer. Of 36 patients 12 achieved a clinical complete response and 17 had a partial response. Of the 12 patients who achieved a clinical complete response the bladder was preserved in 11 and all patients were disease-free at a median of 33 months. No significant toxicity was observed. This chemotherapy is useful for locally advanced bladder cancer and the feasibility of bladder preservation in patients with a clinical complete response was suggested.