Intravesical CDDP therapy compared with combined CDDP and external radiation in noninvasive bladder cancer Monitored with quantitative fluorescence cytology

Abstract Results of intravesical CDDP or CDDP combined with external beam radiation are compared in a group of 13 patients with low-stage bladder cancer. Six patients with low-stage bladder cancer received 4 or 12 treatments of CDDP intravesically with an initial complete response in 3 patients. Within six months, recurrent disease developed in 2 of 3 patients. Seven patients received the combination therapy of 400 rad (weekly for six weeks) followed two hours later with 50 mg of intravesical CDDP. A positive response was observed initially in all 7 patients as determined by pathology, PAP cytology, fluorescence cytology, and quantitative nuclear fluorescence determinations. Therapy was discontinued in 1 patient in each group because of irritative symptoms. The results indicate combination therapy is of tolerable toxicity, and quantitative fluorescence cytology is a useful adjuvant for guiding future treatments in patients with low- and high-grade bladder tumors.