Impact of tumour grade, stage, number and size, smoking habits and sex on the recurrence rate and disease-free interval in patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

The recurrence rate and the time interval until the first recurrence were analysed in 169 consecutive conservatively treated patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder, in relation to initial tumour grade, number, size and stage, sex and smoking habits, at least five years after the diagnosis of the disease. The recurrence rate was higher among patients with more than three tumours and among patients with an invasive disease, while tumour size, histological grade and sex had no effect on the recurrence rate. The time until the first recurrence was found to be shorter among patients with an invasive disease and those with more than three tumours, and also among females. Smoking did not have any impact on the disease-free interval or on recurrence. We suggest that patients with multiple tumours are at great risk of recurrent disease. If invasion into muscle is found, the risk of recurrences will be high, and transurethral electroresection might not be an adequate form of therapy.