Local adriamycin treatment for prevention of recurrence of superficial bladder tumours.

Forty-nine patients with superficial Ta-Tl, G1-G2 vesical tumours were subjected to local Adriamycin treatment. Following transurethral resection (TUR), 50 mg doses of Adriamycin in 50 ml physiological salt solution were instilled into the bladder 4 times at intervals of one week and then 12 times at intervals of one month (i.e. a total of 15 times). Upon exclusion of two patients who failed to appear at follow-ups and one more in whom treatment was discontinued because of side effects, the remaining 46 were followed up cystoscopically for 2 years at intervals of 3 months. The recurrence rates of 12% and 24% for the primary and secondary tumours, respectively, were found to be significantly lower than those found in the control group (37% and 65%).