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Lymph node dissection during radical cystectomy for bladder cancer treatment: considerations on relevance and extent

  • Urology – Review
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Abstract

Despite advances in the surgical and medical treatment for urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB), there have only been limited improvements in disease-specific mortality rates over the past decades. Lymph node dissection (LND) during radical cystectomy is an integral part of the treatment for muscle-invasive and high-risk UCB. LND may detect and remove lymph node (LN) metastasis and thus guide patient counseling and decision making regarding additional treatment decisions. In addition, LND may improve survival in patients both with and without LN metastasis. In this non-systematic review article, we discuss benefits and risks of LND, the role of limited versus extended LND and the dilemma of preoperative LN staging.

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Conflict of interest

The authors have nothing to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany

    Lars Weisbach, Roland Dahlem, Jens Hansen, Armin Soave, Oliver Engel, Felix K. Chun, Margit Fisch & Michael Rink

  2. Department of Urology, “Regina Elena” National Cancer Institute, Rome, Italy

    Giuseppe Simone

  3. Department of Urology, Medical University Hospital Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Shahrokh F. Shariat

Authors
  1. Lars Weisbach
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  2. Roland Dahlem
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  3. Giuseppe Simone
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  4. Jens Hansen
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  5. Armin Soave
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  6. Oliver Engel
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  7. Felix K. Chun
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  8. Shahrokh F. Shariat
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  9. Margit Fisch
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  10. Michael Rink
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael Rink.

Additional information

Lars Weisbach and Roland Dahlem are contributed equally to the manuscript.

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Weisbach, L., Dahlem, R., Simone, G. et al. Lymph node dissection during radical cystectomy for bladder cancer treatment: considerations on relevance and extent. Int Urol Nephrol 45, 1561–1567 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-013-0503-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11255-013-0503-2

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