[Clinical significance of macroscopic 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-inducer fluorescence in transurethral resection of non-invasive bladder cancer].

Macroscopic fluorescence which is induced with aminolevulinic acid (ALA) allows visualizing of small flat tumors, carcinoma in situ, true neoplasm margins and dysplasias of the bladder. Following ALA instillation, cystoscopy was performed under both standard and blue light illumination. In a prospective randomized multicenter study, 102 patients underwent TUR of bladder tumor(s) either with white light or ALA-fluorescence. Significant reduction in the number of residual tumours was detected in 59% (p = 0.005) after 8 weeks, 3 months--in 58% (p = 0.002) and 6 months in 38% (p = 0.01) respectively.