The time from diagnosis of bladder cancer to radical cystectomy in Polish urological centres – results of CysTiming Poland study

INTRODUCTION: The aim of the study was to assess the waiting time, from establishing the indications for radical cystectomy to surgery, in patients with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder at different Polish urological centres and to determine its influencing factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of data was performed on all consecutive radical cystectomies, performed in 2008–2012, at 10 Polish urological centres. The waiting time of patients from establishing the indications for radical cystectomy to surgery, as well as factors potentially influencing this time, were assessed. University (3), provincial (3) and regional (4) hospitals were defined as the 3(rd), 2(nd) and 1(st) level referral hospitals, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 575 patients qualified for radical cystectomy due to muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (MIBC, 68% of cases) or failure of previous treatment of non–muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (NMIBC, 32%) were included in the analysis. The average time after the establishment of indications to surgery was 73.4 days, with a median of 56 days. In the case of 121 patients (22.1%), the waiting time exceeded 90 days. Significant differences in waiting time were found when the hospital referral levels were taken into consideration. In the 3(rd) level referral hospitals the median time for cystectomy was 61.5 days (p = 0.035), in the 2(nd) level referral hospitals – 45 days (p = 0.000) and, in the 1(st) level referral hospitals – 58 days (p = 0.051). CONCLUSIONS: The waiting time from establishing the indications for radical cystectomy to surgery for most cases in Poland does not exceed 90 days.