Collaborative Review – Bladder CancerRecurrence and Progression of Disease in Non–Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: From Epidemiology to Treatment Strategy
Introduction
The global incidence of urinary bladder cancer (BCa) was approximately 357 000 cases in 2002 [1]. The vast majority of these cancers are urothelial carcinomas, and it is a disease of the elderly population. The highest incidence rates are observed in North America and Western Europe [1], [2], while the lowest incidence rates are found in the Asian countries (China, Japan, Korea) and central Africa [1], [3]. Variation in registration of pTa (low-grade) tumours may partly be the cause of these differences [4]. Apart from age, the most important risk factors are smoking, occupational exposure, certain medical treatments, and genetic predisposition [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11].
Table 1 shows the worldwide incidence, mortality, and prevalence of BCa for males and females and for more- and less-developed countries. Globally, BCa is the 7th most common cancer in men and the 17th in women [1]. In the United States, it is the 4th most common cancer in men and the 10th in women [2]. Most (75–85%) BCa incidences are non–muscle invasive at first diagnosis (pTa, pT1, carcinoma in situ [CIS]) [12]. In non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), approximately 70% of patients present as pTa, 20% as pT1, and 10% as CIS lesions [13]. Generally, the prognosis of NMIBC is good, although 30–80% of cases will recur and 1–45% of cases will progress to muscle invasion within 5 yr [12], [13], [14], [15], [16]. Consequently, NMIBC is a chronic disease with varying oncologic outcomes requiring frequent follow-up and repeated treatments, making the cost per patient from diagnosis to death the highest of all cancers [17], [18]. At any point in time, 2.7 million people in the world have a history of BCa [19].
Section snippets
Evidence acquisition
A literature search in English was performed using PubMed and the guidelines of the European Association of Urology (EAU) and the American Urological Association (AUA). Relevant papers on epidemiology, recurrence, progression, and management of NMIBC were selected. Next to clinical and pathologic variables for recurrence and progression, special attention has been paid to fluorescence cystoscopy (FC), the new World Health Organisation (WHO) 2004 classification system for grading, and the role
Clinical and pathologic factors of recurrence
Clinical and pathologic factors for NMIBC recurrence have been studied extensively over the years [15], [20], [21], [22], [23], [24], [25], [26]. Although studies vary in the number of patients included, duration of follow-up, variables analysed, and statistical analysis, the most important variables for prediction of recurrence in patients with NMIBC are multiplicity, prior recurrence rate, and tumour size [15], [20], [21], [22], [23], [24], [25], [26]. Sylvester reviewed potential prognostic
Conclusions
NMIBC is a frequent and heterogeneous disease with varying oncologic outcomes. FC is a valuable add-on to WLC, as FC allows a more complete TUR, resulting in lower recurrence rates. It is not clear yet whether FC also results in lower progression rates. Multiplicity, tumour size, and prior recurrence rate are the most important variables for recurrence. Grade, stage, and CIS are the most important variables for progression. The new WHO 2004 classification system for grade precludes a one-on-one
References (141)
- et al.
Epidemiology, staging, grading, and risk stratification of bladder cancer
Eur Urol Suppl
(2008) - et al.
NAT2 slow acetylation, GSTM1 null genotype, and risk of bladder cancer: results from the Spanish Bladder Cancer Study and meta-analyses
Lancet
(2005) - et al.
EAU guidelines on non-muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder
Eur Urol
(2008) - et al.
Bladder cancer: epidemiology, staging and grading, and diagnosis
Urology
(2005) - et al.
Predicting recurrence and progression in individual patients with stage Ta T1 bladder cancer using EORTC risk tables: a combined analysis of 2596 patients from seven EORTC trials
Eur Urol
(2006) - et al.
Guideline for the management of nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (stages Ta, T1, and Tis): 2007 update
J Urol
(2007) - et al.
Prognostic factors in patients with non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer treated with bacillus Calmette-Guérin: multivariate analysis of data from four randomized CUETO trials
Eur Urol
(2008) - et al.
Factors affecting recurrence and progression in superficial bladder tumours
Eur J Cancer
(1995) - et al.
Prognostic factors in non–muscle-invasive bladder tumors: I. Clinical prognostic factors: a review of the experience of the EORTC Genito-Urinary group II: biologic prognostic markers
Eur Urol Suppl
(2007) - et al.
Primary superficial bladder cancer risk groups according to progression, mortality and recurrence
J Urol
(2000)