Combination of intravesical chemotherapy and hyperthermia for the treatment of superficial bladder cancer: preliminary clinical experience

• Published in: Critical reviews in oncology/hematology Vol. 47; no. 2; pp. 127 - 139
• Main Authors: Colombo, R., Salonia, A, Da Pozzo, L.F, Naspro, R, Freschi, M, Paroni, R, Pavone-Macaluso, M, Rigatti, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.08.2003
• Subjects: Administration, Intravesical; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents - administration & dosage; Bladder cancer; Chemotherapy; Combined Modality Therapy - adverse effects; Combined Modality Therapy - methods; Humans; Hyperthermia, Induced - methods; Hyperthermia, Induced - trends; Local hyperthermia; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - prevention & control; Treatment Outcome; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - complications; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - therapy; Bladder cancer; Chemotherapy; Local hyperthermia
• ISSN: 1040-8428; 1879-0461
• DOI: 10.1016/S1040-8428(03)00076-3

The prevalence of superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder (STCCB) is still increasing in spite of improved adjuvant chemotherapic and/or immunoprophylaxis approaches. Thus, there is certainly an urgent need to improve our ability to control this disease. Local hyperthermia has a therapeutical potential for the treatment of many solid tumors, especially when used in combination with other treatments, such as radiation and chemotherapy. In particular, a synergistic or, at least, supra-additive anti-tumor cell killing effect was documented when local hyperthermia was administered in combination with selected cytostatic drugs. Recently, advances in miniaturized technology have allowed the development of a system specifically designed for delivering an endovesical thermo-chemotherapy regimen in humans. In preliminary clinical experiences, insofar mainly carried out as mono-institutional investigations, the combined treatment using this system was demonstrated to be feasible, minimally invasive and safe when performed on out-patient basis. Moreover, the anti-tumoral efficacy seemed to be significantly enhanced when compared with that obtained using intravesical chemotherapy alone for both adjuvant (prophylaxis) and neo-adjuvant (ablative) approaches to superficial bladder cancer.