Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto Univeersity
Abstract
The prevention of recurrences of bladder cancer was attempted in 80 patients (33 patients of our department and 47 patients of affiliated hospitals in the Hokuriku area) by means of the combined intravesical instillation of thio-TEPA and urokinase and in 28 patients of our department by the instillation of thio-TEPA alone. The recurrence rates of both therapies for the postoperative 36 months were 7.3 and 32.6 per cent in patients in our department, respectively, indicating a significant drop in the recurrence rate in the group subjected to the combined therapy. The recurrence rate of the group of 80 patients was 18.5 per cent. Leucopenia was found in 17 of 80 patients receiving the combined instillation therapy. However, this was not attributable to the use of urokinase. To clarify the mechanism involved in the action of urokinase in combined therapy, further physio-pathological and biochemical studies as well as long-term clinical follow-up studies are needed
