Are EORTC risk tables suitable for Chinese patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer?

Objective: To evaluate the applicability of using EORTC risk tables in Chinese patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Material And Methods: Between October 2000 and July 2009, 301 patients with NMIBC who underwent transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURBT) at our hospital were followed up. The probability of recurrence and progression at 1 year and 5 years post-operatively was calculated along with the 95% confidence intervals. We then compared the actual probabilities in our center to those obtained through the application of the EORTC risk tables.

Results: Median patient age was 67 years (range, 21-92 years), and the median follow-up duration was 46 months (range, 2-151 months). The probability of recurrence at 1 year ranged from 2% to 58%, and the probability of progression ranged from less than 1.2% to 30%. At 5 years, the probability of recurrence ranged from 12% to 85%, and the probability of progression ranged from less than 2.9% to 50%. An overlapping of the confidence intervals of the probability between our series and the EORTC group is detected.

Conclusions: Although the immediate instillation of intravesical chemotherapy may reduce the risk of recurrence, EORTC risk tables could predict recurrence and progression in Chinese patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.