Treatment of superficial bladder cancer with intravesical mitomycin C: Analysis of immediate and long-term response in 70 patients

A total of 70 patients received intravesical mitomycin C for treatment of superficial bladder cancer. The drug was instilled weekly for 8 weeks. Thirty-nine patients (56 per cent) had failed thiotepa therapy and 25 had high grade tumors. Of the patients 27 (39 per cent) had complete eradication of tumor at the initial 3-month evaluation and an additional 27 had a partial response. The response did not vary with initial tumor grade or stage. Followup averaged 28 months for the 70 patients. A muscle invasive tumor developed during followup in 7 per cent of the patients with an initial complete response, 15 per cent with a partial response and 25 per cent of the initial failures. To date 5 patients (7 per cent) have died of bladder cancer. Intravesical mitomycin C is an effective modality for treatment of superficial bladder cancer. Patients achieving a complete response are at little risk for progressive disease.