Radical cystectomy for urothelial bladder cancer: Prognostic impact of lymph node metastasis and soft tissue surgical margins

Purpose. - To assess the association of soft tissue surgical margins (STSM) and/or lymph node metatstasis (pN+) with characteristics and outcomes of patients treated with radical cystectomy (RC) for urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB). Materials and methods. - We retrospectively collected the data of 242 patients treated with RC and pelvic lymphadenectomy for UCB between January 2005 and June 2009. Different parameters were studied: age, PSAt, pathological stage of cystectomy specimen (PT and pN), tumor grade, number (nb) of nodes (N) in lymphadenectomy, nb of metastatic nodes (nb N+), bigger diameter of N+, ganglionic density, nb of N with capsular ruptur, associated CIS, associated prostate cancer, follow-up, global and specific survival, date and etiology of death. Results. - Positive STSM were identified in 22 patients (9.1%) and lymph node metastasis in 59 (24.4%). pN+ status was significantly associated with lower global (GS) and specific survival (SS) (P<0.003). So was it for patients with positive STSM R+ with actuarial 3-year GS and SS respectively of 5% and 25% versus 35% and 43.9% no STSM (P < 0.001). Conclusions. - Positive soft tissue surgical margin and/or lymph node metatstasis on cystectomy specimen is a strong predictor of GS and SS from urothelial carcinoma of the bladder. So it is for capsular rupture, ganglionic density greater or equal to 0.10 and nb of N in lymphadenectomy less than 14 for pN+ patients. (C) 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.