Early complications and survival following short-term palliative radiotherapy in invasive bladder carcinoma

Purpose: We studied the early side effects and survival rates after short-term radiotherapy (7 Gy. 3 times or 5 Gy. 4 times) in patients with muscle invasive bladder carcinoma. Materials and Methods: Between 1981 and 1992, 96 patients (median age 80 years) were treated. Followup was complete until 1994 or death. Results: Early side effects caused the hospitalization of 22 patients and may have contributed to the death of 5 elderly patients. Median survival for patients with stages T2MO, T3MO, T4MO and T2 to 4M+ disease was 27 months, 6.3 months, 5.6 months and 2.9 months, respectively. Conclusions: Short-term radiotherapy is of doubtful benefit to elderly patients with advanced bladder carcinoma and may even be harmful.