Risultati a lungo termine della chemioterapia adiuvante con Cisplatino e Methotrexate nel carcinoma infiltrante della vescica dopo cistectomia

From January 1985, 28 patients affected by locally advanced bladder cancer (pT2-pT4a, pNx-N0-N1-2, MO) underwent 4 planned cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy with cisplatin (70 mg/m² on day 1) and methotrexate (40 mg/m² on days 8 and 15) after cystectomy. Gastrointestinal toxicity and agranulocytosis were so severe that only 50% of the patients completed the four planned cycles. After a median follow-up of 36 months (range 9-89 months), the overall 5-year disease-free survival rate of 26 evaluable patients was 32%. None of the patients with pathological evidence of lymph node metastases survived longer than 5 years, while the 5-year disease-free survival rate of the patients without nodal involvement was 55%. Seventy-five percent of progressions (12/16) were identified within 24 months. Only 28% of the patients submitted to salvage chemotherapy with an M-VAC regimen after progression showed a partial response of short duration to chemotherapy.