Factors predicting recurrence in non-muscle invasive bladder cancers

Introduction Bladder cancer is the 7th most common cancer among men and 11th among women in the world. The annual incidence of bladder cancer is 9/100,000 in males and 2.2/100,000 in females (1). Every year, 110,500 new cases in men and 70,000 new cases in women are diagnosed (2). Approximately 75% of the cases are non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) at diagnosis (2). As an imaging method, ultrasonography is used with high sensitivity and specificity, and cystoscopy is still the gold standard (3,4). Owing to the high incidence of the disease and thereby of NMIBC, a precise algorithm is needed in diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of this disease. Up to 50-70% of NMIBC subsequently recur mostly within two years following the initial interventions and 10-20% of them progress to muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) (5). In order to prevent the recurrence and progression, patients are followed up at short intervals of cystoscopy and administered adjuvant intravesical chemotherapy or immunotherapy when necessary (6). Intra vesical chemotherapy/immunotherapy applications reduce recurrence and progression but cause some local and systemic side effects (7). Prediction of tumor recurrence is crucial in the follow-up period of this disease. Factors including DOI: 10.4274/gulhane.galenos.2021.1472 ORIGINAL ARTICLE