Urinary diversion after cystectomy for bladder cancer: a population-based study in Sweden.

Objective: To investigate the type of urinary diversion performed after cystectomy in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer in Sweden, using data from a population-based national register.

Material And Methods: Since 1997, the Swedish Bladder Cancer Register has included more than 90% of all patients with newly diagnosed bladder cancer. The different types of urinary diversion performed in 1997-2003 were analysed, comparing non-continent diversion (ileal conduit) with continent reconstruction (bladder substitution or continent cutaneous diversion).

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin is superior to a combination of epirubicin and interferon-alpha2b in the intravesical treatment of patients with stage T1 urinary bladder cancer. A prospective, randomized, Nordic study.

Background: Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) instillation is regarded as the most effective bladder-sparing treatment for patients with high-grade T1 tumours and carcinoma in situ (CIS). The major problem with this therapy is the side-effects, making maintenance therapy difficult, even impossible, in a proportion of patients. Thus, alternative schedules and drugs have been proposed.

A population-based study of patterns of care for muscle-invasive bladder cancer in Sweden.

Objective: To analyse the management of muscle-invasive bladder cancer in a population-based national register, and specifically to investigate the role of curative therapy (i.e. cystectomy or radiotherapy) in relation to patient, tumour and hospital characteristics.

Analysis of clinical characteristics, management and survival of patients with Ta T1 bladder tumours in Sweden between 1997 and 2001.

Objective: To analyse the management and outcome of patients with Ta T1 urinary bladder cancer in a population-based national database.

Material And Methods: Between 1997 and 2001, 94% of all newly diagnosed cases of urinary bladder cancer were registered in the Swedish National Bladder Cancer Register. Data were analysed regarding gender, healthcare region, stage and grade for patients with Ta T1 tumours.

Results of second-look resection after primary resection of T1 tumour of the urinary bladder.

Objective: To study residual tumours at second-look resection in patients resected 4-8 weeks earlier for T1 tumours of the urinary bladder.

Material And Methods: All patients randomized in the ongoing Nordic T1G2-G3 Bladder Sparing Study with monitored data available were included in the study. Data on residual tumours at second-look resection were compared to basic patient and tumour characteristics.

T1 G1 urinary bladder carcinoma: fact or fiction?

Objectives: To record the occurrence of well-differentiated bladder carcinoma reported as T1 G1 to the Swedish Urinary Bladder Cancer Registry, to review the staging and grading of the carcinomas and to scrutinize the validity of the data on T1 G1 tumours reported to the registry during the period 1997-2000.

Material And Methods: The primary histopathological diagnoses of 98 cases of well-differentiated bladder carcinoma reported to the Registry were compared with the data delivered by the local urologists. Also, the histopathology slides were obtained from the local laboratories and re-examined.

A systematic overview of radiation therapy effects in urinary bladder cancer.

A systematic review of radiation therapy trials in several tumour types was performed by The Swedish Council of Technology Assessment in Health Care (SBU). The procedures for evaluation of the scientific literature are described separately (Acta Oncol 2003; 42: 357-365). This synthesis of the literature on radiation therapy for urinary bladder cancer is based on data from 3 meta-analyses and 33 randomized trials.

Alternating mitomycin C and BCG instillations versus BCG alone in treatment of carcinoma in situ of the urinary bladder: a nordic study.

Objectives: To evaluate whether, in patients with carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the urinary bladder, alternating instillation therapy with mitomycin C (MMC) and bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) was more effective and less toxic than conventional BCG monotherapy.

Methods: Patients were stratified prospectively for primary, secondary, and concomitant CIS and randomized to one of two regimens. Patients in the alternating group received six weekly intravesical instillations of MMC 40 mg, followed by alternating monthly instillations of BCG 120 mg and MMC for one year.