A recognition of prognostic factors in the treatment of patients with bladder cancer is important. Using a variety of clinical and histological parameters, we have performed monovariable and multivariable analyses on the survival rates of patients. Eighty three patients with bladder cancer who underwent total cystectomy were studied. Eleven factors were evaluated, i.e. age, sex, tumor form, number and size of the tumors, histological stage and grade, intramural infiltration pattern, presence of intramural lymphatic and venous invasion, and the use of adjuvant chemotherapy. Monovariable analysis of survival curves indicated that histological stage and grade, intramural lymphatic invasion, venous invasion, and infiltration pattern are important as prognostic factors. Multivariable analysis, which is more relevant than monovariable analysis, showed that histological stage, followed by age, histological grade, intramural lymphatic invasion and infiltration pattern, in order of decreasing value, were most important as prognostic factors.