Updated 09/2024
Patients with recurrent bladder cancer have cancer that has returned following initial treatment with surgery, radiation, chemotherapy or immunotherapy.
A variety of factors ultimately influence a patient’s decision to receive treatment of cancer. The purpose of receiving cancer treatment may be to improve symptoms through local control of the cancer, increase a patient’s chance of cure, or prolong a patient’s survival. The potential benefits of receiving cancer treatment must be carefully balanced with the potential risks of receiving cancer treatment.
Because the majority of patients with recurrent bladder cancer have disease that has already spread and cannot be removed with surgery, systemic treatment that can kill cancer cells throughout the body are necessary. Standard treatment consists of chemotherapy, immunotherapy with precision cancer medicines, and occasionally surgery and radiation. Participation in a clinical trial should be considered and may offer access to better treatments and advance the existing knowledge about treatment of bladder cancer.
The following is a general overview of the treatment of recurrent bladder cancer. Circumstances unique to your situation and prognostic factors of your cancer may ultimately influence how these general treatment principles are applied to your situation. The information on this Web site is intended to help educate you about your treatment options and to facilitate a mutual or shared decision-making process with your treating cancer physician.
Recurrent Superficial Bladder Cancer
Patients with a diagnosis of superficial bladder cancer have frequent recurrences of cancer throughout their lives. Most of the time, these recurrences are non-invasive and not life threatening. Treatment of recurrent superficial bladder cancer essentially uses the same treatment approaches as were initially offered. Go to Stage I to learn about treatment options. In some instances, partial or total bladder resection may be utilized to control recurrent superficial bladder cancers. To learn more, go to Surgery for Bladder Cancer.
Treatment of Patients with Superficial Bladder Cancer That Progress to Stage II-IV Bladder Cancer
Approximately 20-40% of all patients with superficial bladder cancer will ultimately progress to more advanced stages or muscle invasive bladder cancer. When this occurs, patients are treated based on new staging of the current more invasive bladder cancer. For treatment of patients with superficial bladder cancer who have progressed, select one of the following:
Patients who experience a recurrence after initial treatment for stage II-IV bladder cancer may be treated with cystectomy (if not performed previously), chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or enrollment in a clinical trial.
