Improving outcomes with radical cystectomy for high-grade invasive bladder cancer.

It is clear that the optimal clinical outcomes in bladder cancer patients requiring radical cystectomy are related to standard histopathologic variables of tumor grade, stage and lymph node status. However, other less well defined variables are also critical to the successful outcomes of these patients. Patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer and treating physicians should avoid unnecessary and significant treatment delays. In addition, hospital and surgeon-volume/experience are thought to be factors that may too be important components that relate to the clinical outcomes of patients following surgery. Lastly, there is a growing body of literature to support the concept of an appropriate lymphadenectomy at the time of surgery, for both node-positive and node-negative bladder cancer patients. It is becoming more obvious that there are multiple variables involved in the clinical success and outcomes of patients with bladder cancer following radical cystectomy. As treating physicians and surgeons we must be aware of these components to ensure the best outcomes for our patients.