Dr. Wright on the Underutilization of Bladder Preservation in Localized Bladder Cancer

Jonathan L. Wright, MD, MS, FACS, medical director of the University of Washington Medical Center Urology Clinic, associate professor of Urology at University of Washington, and affiliate investigator at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, discusses the underutilization of bladder preservation in patients with localized bladder cancer.

Urologists acknowledge that bladder preservation is greatly underutilized in appropriate patients, says Wright. Bladder preservation consists of a combination of chemotherapy and radiation. Although the majority of patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer are not good candidates for the procedure, there are a select few who may qualify, he explains.

For example, a patient with a solitary small lesion that can be completely resected may be a candidate for bladder preservation. In addition, those with no evidence of extensive carcinoma in situ, those without hydronephrosis, and those without significant bladder symptoms, could also be potential candidates for this approach.