Quality of life in patients with advanced bladder cancer treated by tumorectomy and systemic adjuvant polychemotherapy (M-VAC) . our experience in 14 cases
Valente, R.; Marini, F.; Signori, G.B.; Martino, F.
Archivos Espanoles de Urologia 42(1): 87-89
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-0614 PMID: 2712609 Document Number: 339444
Fourteen patients with advanced bladder cancer T3 to T4, N1 to N2 positive, were treated with reductive surgery (tumorectomy) and systemic adjuvant polychemotherapy (M-VAC: methotrexate 30 mg/m2, vinblastine 3 mg/m2, adriamycin 30 mg/m2 and cis-platin 70 mg/m2) in the period from December 1985 to December 1987. The aim of this combination was to preserve detrusor function in order to give tha patients a better "quality of life". After a follow-up varying from 12-24 months, complete clinical remission for 18 months was observed in 2 patients, the remainder showed an improvement of the performance status compared with those treated by conventional therapy (radical cystectomy and/or radiotherapy) but no changes in overall survival was achieved.