Long-term follow-up of intravesical Epodyl therapy for superficial bladder cancer.

The records of 111 patients with multiple superficial grade 1-2 transitional cell tumours of the bladder treated with intravesical Epodyl and followed up for a mean period of 6.4 years were retrospectively analysed. The study showed that 65% of patients responded completely after 12 weekly instillations and 46% of these remained continuously free of disease for 5 years. An initial complete response to therapy and lower pathological grade seemed to indicate a long-term successful response to treatment. In patients who failed to respond by 1 year, further therapy was of no benefit. Clearance of bladder disease by 1 year carried a 14% risk of subsequent tumour invasion by 5 years. This risk increased to 75% in those who failed to respond by 1 year.