Radical cystectomy in the treatment of advanced bladder cancer.

: Thirty-two cases of advanced bladder cancer (pT3b-pT4) undergoing radical cystectomy are compared with other similar series of patients of the same stages submitted to different treatments (radiotherapy, chemotherapy and combined treatments) reported in the literature. Survival rates at 3 and 5 years are analyzed in relation to the anatomopathological stage, cellular grading, lymph node infiltration, surgical risk and relative mortality. The results confirm that radical cystectomy is presently the most effective treatment.