Benefit of Adjuvant Chemotherapy and Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection in pT3 and Node Positive Bladder Cancer Patients Treated with Radical Cystectomy

Background: Benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) and extent of pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) in radical cystectomy (RC) are debated. Results from randomized trials are still expected. Objective: To analyze the effects of AC and PLND in two academic centers with opposite policies regarding their use. Methods: 581 bladder cancer patients who underwent RC without neoadjuvant chemotherapy, from Toronto (University Health Network), Canada, and Turku University Hospital, Finland were included. Disease specific survival (DSS) and failure patterns were assessed. Results: Centers differed in PLND rate (93% and 36% in Toronto and Turku respectively, p < 0.001), PLND extent (≥10 removed nodes, 58% vs. 8%, p < 0.001) and AC rate (21% vs. 2%, p < 0.001). Survival between centers among pT≤1 or pT4 patients was similar. pT3 patients in Toronto had an improved 10 year DSS (43% vs. 22%, p = 0.025). Distant failures were less common after AC (HR 0.56, 95% CI 0.33–0.98, p < 0.042). In node positive (N+) patients, mortality was significantly higher in Turku (HR 2.19, 95% CI 1.44–3.34, p < 0.001) and lower in patients receiving AC (HR 0.60, 95% CI 0.37–0.99, p = 0.044). 41% DSS at 10 years was observed in N+ Toronto patients. Limitations included the non-randomized retrospective design and absence of propensity score analysis. Conclusion: Combining AC and PLND to RC is associated with improved survival in pT3 and N+ patients. PLND did not affect survival independently but helps in selecting patients for AC. Our data adds to the growing body of evidence supporting the usefulness of AC in addition to PLND in high risk patients operated by cystectomy.