Bladder carcinoma. Long-term survival and late recurrence.

The records of 115 patients with bladder carcinoma and five years or longer post-diagnosis survival were surveyed after reclassification of the histologic specimens according to UICC. Late recurrence, 5-10 years after the initial diagnosis, was found in 39 patients (34%). Fourteen patients (12%) had died of bladder carcinoma during the observation period, generally as a consequence of transformation to higher tumour stage.