Prognostic significance of pelvic lymphadenectomy in patients with bladder cancer

Objective: To evaluate the prognostic significance of standard pelvic lymphadenectomy on the disease-free survival (DFS) rate of bladder cancer patients undergoing radical cystectomy (RC) and to discuss the influencing factors of lymph node positivity and the relationship between positive lymph nodes and lymphadenectasis. Methods: This prospective analysis includes 120 cases of bladder cancer treated with pelvic lymphadenectomy and RC in Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital between 2008 and 2013. The cases were divided into two groups, namely, the standard pelvic lymphadenectomy group (Group A) and the nonstandard pelvic lymphadenectomy group (Group B). The relationships among positive lymph nodes, lymphadenectasis, tumor stage, and patho- logical grade were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates of 120 patients were 84%, 69.9%, and 57.9%, respectively. Group A was significantly correlated with a better 3-year overall survival rate than Group B, i.e., 78.4% vs. 46.2% (P<0.05). Lymphadenectasis influenced the DFS rate of bladder cancer patients after RC with pelvic lymphadenectomy, i.e., 50.0% vs. 86.4% (χ 2 =9.303, P<0.05). Meanwhile, lymphadenectasis was positively correlated with lymph node positivity (P<0.001). Tumor stage, histological subtype (urothelial carcinoma and non-urothelial carcinoma), and age were the prognostic factors for bladder cancer (P<0.05). Conclusion: Intraoperative lymphadenectasis is the influencing factor of lymph node positivity. This study determined that standard pel- vic lymphadenectomy and lymphadenectasis may influence the DFS rate after RC and are the independent risk factors for the prognosis of bladder cancer. Creating evidence-based guidelines of standardized lymphadenectomy for further improvement of the surgical quali- ty and survival of bladder cancer patients is essential.