Limited versus extended pelvic lymphadenectomy in patients with bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy: Survival results from a prospective, randomized trial (LEA AUO AB 25/02).

4503Background: The extent of pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) in bladder cancer patients (pts.) undergoing radical cystectomy may affect survival according to retrospective studies. The German Urologic Oncology Group (AUO) reports mature data of the first prospective, randomized clinical trial to evaluate the impact of a limited versus an extended PLND. Methods: Pts. with high-grade T1 or invasive urothelial bladder cancer (cT2-T4a) from 16 German centers were randomized 1:1 to receive a limited versus an extended PLND at the time of radical cystectomy. Limited PLND included 6 fields (bilateral obturator, internal and external iliac nodes) and extended PLND defined 14 fields (in addition bilateral deep obturator fossa, presacral, paracaval, interaortocaval and paraaortal nodes up to the inferior mesenteric artery). Pts. with neoadjuvant chemo- or radiotherapy were excluded, adjuvant chemotherapy was allowed. The primary endpoint was recurrence-free survival (RFS). Cancer-specific survival (CSS) was a ...