Abstract No.: 16147
Citation: J Clin Oncol 26: 2008 (May 20 suppl; abstr 16147)
Author(s): I. N. Nabil, F. Elkarak, A. Flechon, J. Droz
Background: Small cell bladder carcinoma is an uncommon tumour. In this retrospective study we report our experience dealing with this disease at Léon-Bérard Cancer Center.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed various characteristics of small cell bladder carcinoma: patient demographics, histological diagnosis, disease stage, treatment effects and outcome, in 14 non metastatic small cell bladder carcinoma patients treated at our institution between 1995 and 2006.
Results: The mean age at diagnosis was 60 years (range, 45 - 77). All patients were male. Seventy-five percent were smokers. All had locally advanced disease. Ten patients (71.4%) were treated by cystoprostatectomy and bilateral pelvic lymph node resection, one by cystoprostatectomy alone. Two patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy and four received adjuvant chemotherapy. One patient was treated by radiotherapy with concomitant cisplatin after transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT). One patient refused surgery and was treated by chemotherapy alone. One patient was lost to follow-up after TURBT. After 49-month median follow up, 12 patients had relapsed. Disease-free survival was 5.7 months. The most frequent sites of relapse were the retroperitoneal lymph node (7 patients) and the liver (3 patients). Nine patients died of metastasis. Median overall survival was 29.5 months. Survival probability at 2 years was 58%. Mean overall survival was 27.2 months for all patients and 38.6 months for patients treated with cystectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy.
Conclusions: To date, the optimal treatment for locally advanced small cell bladder carcinoma is not clear. Cystectomy with neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy appears as a viable option.