A prospective randomized study on neodymium-YAG laser irradiation versus TUR in the treatment of urinary bladder cancer.

122 patients with urinary bladder cancer of stage T-1 and T-2 were randomized for Neodymium-YAG laser irradiation (n = 62) or TUR (n = 60). Follow-up was carried out every 3 months for 2 years. Recurrence of tumor in treated area was seen in 3 patients (4.8%) in the laser group and in 19 patients (31.6%) in the TUR group. New tumors in non-treated areas occurred in 12 patients in the laser group and in 13 patients in the TUR group. It is to conclude that Neodymium-YAG laser irradiation is a safe and efficient treatment of bladder tumors of stage T-1 and superior to TUR except in very small tumors which can be completely removed in one piece without resecting into tumor tissue. In muscle invasive tumors of stage T-2, combined treatment with TUR and laser irradiation is superior to TUR alone. Occurrence of new tumors in non-treated areas is independent of treatment modality.