Hypofractionated versus conventional radiotherapy for inoperable locally advanced bladder cancer

ABSTRACT

This randomized study included sixty patients with inoperable advanced transitional cell carcinoma [TCC] of the urinary bladder. At a follow up period of 18 months [range 2-22 months], the overall actuarial survival rate for the conventional group was 40% versus 27% for the hypofractionated group, while, the disease-free survival was 30% versus 21%, respectively, with no statistically significant difference. Acute complications induced by radiation therapy were observed more frequently among patients treated with conventional radiation, 40% versus 29%, in the hypofractionated group. However, the late morbidity was more common in patients treated with hypofractionation, 22% versus 11%, for those treated with conventional irradiation. It was concluded that for patients with low survival prospectives and poor prognostic factors where palliation is the aim, hypofractionation remains a valuable treatment option, however, for long survivors with good prognostic factors, hypofractionation deserves further investigation with special attention to long terms late side effects