OBJECTIVES: To analyze mortality and morbidity of octogenarians with newly diagnosed invasive transitional cell cancer (TCC) of the bladder who were managed without cystectomy. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of all patients with newly diagnosed invasive TCC (> or = pT1) in the period of 1997-2007, who were 80 years or older at diagnosis. RESULTS: A total of 71 patients (86 + 4 years, mean + standard deviation [SD], pT1: n = 29; > pT2: n = 42) entered this analysis. In this geriatric population, treatment regimens were highly individualized. After transurethral resection, 61% of pT1-patients received bacillus Calmette-Guerin and 62% of those with > pT2-tumors external beam radiation. Mean overall survival (OS) of the entire cohort (n = 71) was 22 + 26 months for pT1-patients 34 + 33 versus 14 + 15 months for those with > or = pT2-tumors (P = .001). Mean cancer-specific survival was 58 months for pT1-patients and 11 months for > or = pT2-patients (P <.001). OS was correlated to tumor stage and the degree of mobility, to a lesser extent to the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, and only marginally to chronologic age. Satisfactorily bladder function was preserved in 73%. pT1-patients spent 16% of their remaining life-span in the hospital compared with 23% for patients with > pT2-tumors. CONCLUSIONS: OS in TCC is dependent on tumor stage, age, mobility, and comorbidities, and a risk-stratified management is necessary. Patients with pT1G3 tumor and low ASA score have satisfying OS with bladder preservation, but in patients with > or = pT2 and ASA 3-4 the prognosis is very bad. It remains questionable whether patients with tumor stages > or = pT2 and ASA 1-2 despite high age would benefit from radical cystectomy. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
OBJECTIVES: To analyze mortality and morbidity of octogenarians with newly diagnosed invasive transitional cell cancer (TCC) of the bladder who were managed without cystectomy. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of all patients with newly diagnosed invasive TCC (> or = pT1) in the period of 1997-2007, who were 80 years or older at diagnosis. RESULTS: A total of 71 patients (86 + 4 years, mean + standard deviation [SD], pT1: n = 29; > pT2: n = 42) entered this analysis. In this geriatric population, treatment regimens were highly individualized. After transurethral resection, 61% of pT1-patients received bacillus Calmette-Guerin and 62% of those with > pT2-tumors external beam radiation. Mean overall survival (OS) of the entire cohort (n = 71) was 22 + 26 months for pT1-patients 34 + 33 versus 14 + 15 months for those with > or = pT2-tumors (P = .001). Mean cancer-specific survival was 58 months for pT1-patients and 11 months for > or = pT2-patients (P <.001). OS was correlated to tumor stage and the degree of mobility, to a lesser extent to the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, and only marginally to chronologic age. Satisfactorily bladder function was preserved in 73%. pT1-patients spent 16% of their remaining life-span in the hospital compared with 23% for patients with > pT2-tumors. CONCLUSIONS: OS in TCC is dependent on tumor stage, age, mobility, and comorbidities, and a risk-stratified management is necessary. Patients with pT1G3 tumor and low ASA score have satisfying OS with bladder preservation, but in patients with > or = pT2 and ASA 3-4 the prognosis is very bad. It remains questionable whether patients with tumor stages > or = pT2 and ASA 1-2 despite high age would benefit from radical cystectomy. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.