Prognostic significance of tumor location in high-grade non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer

The management of high-grade (HG) non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) continues to be a serious clinical problem. The role of many factors related to efficacy of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), which is the most useful intravesical agent for these tumors, is still unknown. This study investigated the prognostic value of tumor location in high-grade non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Seventy-four patients with HG non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, without carcinoma in situ (CIS), were treated by transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). Twenty-eight patients received adjuvant BCG therapy after TURBT. The relation between tumor location and the recurrence capacity was estimated using a Cox regression model. Our results suggest that tumor location is an important prognostic factor for BCG-therapy response in patients with high-grade non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Tumors in the bladder neck might have a higher risk of recurrence after intravesical immunotherapy. In addition, tumors in the lateral and posterior bladder walls might be at higher risk of recurrence when treated by TURBT alone.