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Random bladder biopsies and the risk of recurrent superficial bladder cancer: a prospective study in 1026 patients

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Summary

We prospectively studied random bladder biopsies of normal-looking mucosa in 1026 unselected patients with primary superficial papillary transitional-cell carcinoma of the bladder. In a univariate analysis, the risk for recurrent disease was only slightly higher in patients with an abnormal biopsy result, the 2-year actuarial risk for recurrent disease being 47.5% in these subjects vs 44.5% in patients with a normal biopsy result (P=0.09, log-rank test). However, after correction for other prognostic factors using the Cox proportional-hazards model, an abnormal biopsy result had no prognostic value additional to that of conventional histo-pathology of the tumour with regard to the risk for recurrent disease. Additional therapy after transurethral resection of the tumour (P<0.001), tumour stage (P<0.001), the number of bladder areas affected by tumour (P<0.01) and tumour multiplicity (P=0.09) had significant prognostic value. We conclude that random biopsies of normal-looking mucosa during transurethral resection of superficial papillary bladder tumours are of little additional prognostic value with respect to the risk for recurrent disease.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Urology, University Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    J. A. Witjes & F. M. J. Debruyne

  2. Dept. of Epidemiology, University Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    L. A. L. M. Kiemeney & A. L. M. Verbeek

  3. Comprehensive Cancer Centre IKO, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    L. A. L. M. Kiemeney & A. L. M. Verbeek

  4. Dept. of Urology, District Hospital, Velp, The Netherlands

    R. P. Heijbroek

Authors
  1. J. A. Witjes
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  2. L. A. L. M. Kiemeney
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  3. A. L. M. Verbeek
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  4. R. P. Heijbroek
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  5. F. M. J. Debruyne
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Consortia

the Dutch South East Cooperative Urological Group

Additional information

This study was financially supported by three regional Dutch comprehensive cancer centres: IKO, IKZ, and IKA/stedendriehoek Twente

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Witjes, J.A., Kiemeney, L.A.L.M., Verbeek, A.L.M. et al. Random bladder biopsies and the risk of recurrent superficial bladder cancer: a prospective study in 1026 patients. World J Urol 10, 231–234 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00208916

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