Intravesical therapy of low stage bladder carcinoma with mitomycin C: comparison of results in untreated and previously treated patients.

There were 28 patients with superficial bladder carcinoma (Ta, Tl or TIS) entered into protocols for intravesical therapy with mitomycin C. Of the 28 patients 16 had failed previously on thio-tepa (group A), 7 had responded successfully to thio-tepa (group B) and 5 had never received thio-tepa (group C). There were 5 complete responses and 9 failures to mitomycin C therapy in group A. There were 5 and 4 complete responses to mitomycin C therapy in groups B and C, respectively. The treatment plan consisted of the instillation of 40 mg. mitomycin C in 40 cc water weekly for 8 weeks. Because of severe local irritative symptoms 3 of the 28 patients did not complete the course of therapy. In another patient a diffuse body rash developed after the third instillation. Mitomycin C seems effective in ablating low stage bladder carcinoma, although it is less effective in patients who have failed prior thio-tepa therapy.