Prophylactic oral UFT therapy for superficial bladder cancer

Abstract

Background. A randomized prospective trial was performed to determine whether long‐term oral UFT (a 1:4 mixture of tegafur and uracil) (Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Tokyo, Japan) therapy was effective in preventing the intravesical recurrence of superficial bladder cancer. Methods. A total of 112 patients with newly diagnosed superficial transitional cell carcinoma of bladder (Ta, T1 and G1 or G2) were randomized into a UFT‐treated group (300–400 mg/d for 2 years) and a control group. Results. After a median follow‐up period of 24.5 months, the recurrence rate was 25.7% for the UFT group and 43.3% for the control group (P = 0.015, logrank test). Side effects of UFT administration were acceptably low. Conclusions. These results suggest that long‐term UFT administration after transurethral resection is effective in preventing the recurrence of superficial bladder cancer. Copyright © 1993 American Cancer Society