Lower urinary tract function after intra-arterial chemotherapy with concurrent pelvic radiotherapy for invasive bladder cancer

Abstract

Background: Intra-arterial chemotherapy with concurrent pelvic radiotherapy as a bladder-sparing regimen for invasive bladder cancer is highly promising for selected patients. However, lower urinary tract function after this treatment has not been fully investigated. Methods: The urodynamic effects of intra-arterial chemothrapy with concurrent pelvic radiotherapy were retrospectively evaluated in 14 patients with organ-confined invasive bladder cancer. The post-treatment urodynamic findings were compared with the pretreatment ones (n = 7), and a comparison was made between the serial urodynamic findings after the treatment in another seven patients who were able to undergo the pretreatment urodynamic study (UDS). Results: The median follow-up period up to the latest UDS was 34 months. Of the 14 patients, the latest UDS revealed some storage dysfunctions in 11 (79%) and some emptying dysfunctions in three (23%). Uninhibited detrusor contraction and decreased bladder compliance were recorded in 29 and 43% at the pretreatment UDS and approximately 50-60 and 20-60% in the serial follow-up studies, respectively (n = 7). Impaired detrusor contractility lasted in one patient. In the seven patients without the pretreatment UDS, decreased maximum cystometric capacity and decreased compliance were recorded in approximately 50-60 and 20-60% at the serial UDS, respectively. Detrusor contractility was aggravated in one patient and completely lost in one with time. Conclusions: The urodynamic findings indicate that the bladder-sparing regimen might result in perpetuating the lower urinary tract dysfunctions due to invasive bladder cancer itself and/or transurethral surgery and might injure the infrasacral autonomic nerves and the bladder itself. © 1999 Foundation for Promotion of Cancer Research.