Brachytherapy for organ-preserving treatment of bladder cancer

Abstract

Bladder cancer is the 9th most common malignant tumor worldwide. Muscle-invasive bladder cancer is an aggressive malignant neoplasm with a tendency for early metastases. The main approach for muscle-invasive bladder cancer treatment is radical cystectomy with lymph node dissection and polychemotherapy. In recent decades, organ-preserving conservative therapy has been actively investigated. Currently, the most studied approach to organ-preserving treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer is the trimodality therapy which includes transurethral resection of the bladder wall with the tumor, chemotherapy, and external beam radiotherapy. The article presents an approach which additionally includes intratumoral radiation therapy. In our study, we have investigated the current state of brachytherapy in bladder cancer treatment and its development.