Delay in Cystectomy for Bladder Cancer Can Compromise Outcomes
According to an article recently published in the Journal of Urology, delaying a cystectomy (surgical procedure to remove the bladder) by more than 3 months following diagnosis of bladder cancer can affect outcomes of a patient.
The bladder is a hollow organ in the lower abdomen. Its primary function is to store urine, the waste that is produced when the kidneys filter the blood. The bladder has a muscular wall that allows it to get larger and smaller as urine is stored or emptied.
Bladder cancer is diagnosed in 55,000-60,000 individuals annually in the US.
Patients with stage II (T2) bladder cancer have cancer that invades through the connective tissue into the muscle wall of the bladder, but has not spread outside the bladder wall or to local lymph nodes.
Standard treatment for stage II bladder cancer typically includes a cystectomy. Optimal timing of a cystectomy following diagnosis has not yet been clearly established. Due to the arbitrary timeline, busy surgical schedules, and obtaining a second opinion, cystectomies may not be performed for quite some time following diagnosis.
Researchers from the University of Michigan recently evaluated data including 214 patients with stage II bladder cancer. The researchers compared outcomes among patients who had undergone cystectomies at different time periods following their cancer diagnosis. The average follow-up was approximately 40 months.
Patients who underwent a cystectomy earlier had improved survival:
Overall survival was significantly improved among patients who underwent a cystectomy within 93 days (3.1 months) or less of their diagnosis.
A schedule delay was the most common factor contributing to a delay in undergoing a cystectomy; these delays occurred in 46% of the cases.
The researchers concluded that it appears that undergoing a cystectomy 3 months or less following diagnosis affects survival in patients with stage II bladder cancer. The authors state that “clinicians must strive to schedule patients efficiently and complete surgical treatment within this time frame.”
Patients diagnosed with stage II bladder cancer who are to undergo a cystectomy may wish to speak with their physician regarding the scheduling of their procedure.
The bladder is a hollow organ in the lower abdomen. Its primary function is to store urine, the waste that is produced when the kidneys filter the blood. The bladder has a muscular wall that allows it to get larger and smaller as urine is stored or emptied.
Bladder cancer is diagnosed in 55,000-60,000 individuals annually in the US.
Patients with stage II (T2) bladder cancer have cancer that invades through the connective tissue into the muscle wall of the bladder, but has not spread outside the bladder wall or to local lymph nodes.
Standard treatment for stage II bladder cancer typically includes a cystectomy. Optimal timing of a cystectomy following diagnosis has not yet been clearly established. Due to the arbitrary timeline, busy surgical schedules, and obtaining a second opinion, cystectomies may not be performed for quite some time following diagnosis.
Researchers from the University of Michigan recently evaluated data including 214 patients with stage II bladder cancer. The researchers compared outcomes among patients who had undergone cystectomies at different time periods following their cancer diagnosis. The average follow-up was approximately 40 months.
Patients who underwent a cystectomy earlier had improved survival:
Overall survival was significantly improved among patients who underwent a cystectomy within 93 days (3.1 months) or less of their diagnosis.
A schedule delay was the most common factor contributing to a delay in undergoing a cystectomy; these delays occurred in 46% of the cases.
The researchers concluded that it appears that undergoing a cystectomy 3 months or less following diagnosis affects survival in patients with stage II bladder cancer. The authors state that “clinicians must strive to schedule patients efficiently and complete surgical treatment within this time frame.”
Patients diagnosed with stage II bladder cancer who are to undergo a cystectomy may wish to speak with their physician regarding the scheduling of their procedure.
posted by TM at 7:08 AM
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