Objective: To evaluate the effect of radiotherapy on ureteric obstruction due to muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
Patients and methods: Retrospective evaluation of the records of 574 patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer revealed 90 patients (16%) with ureteric obstruction; the obstruction was bilateral in 24%. The effect of radiotherapy was assessed in 55 patients with 68 obstructed kidneys. Six patients with eight obstructed kidneys required percutaneous nephrostomy or ureteric catheters in addition to radiotherapy.
Results: Drainage improved in 20% of kidneys and the diverting catheter was withdrawn permanently in one (17%) of the diverted patients. The median survival was 11 months. Irradiation was followed by significant complications in 37 patients (67%).
Conclusion: The results of this study raise doubts about the assumed beneficial effect of irradiation on ureteric obstruction due to muscle-invasive bladder cancer. The short median survival of 11 months confirms that ureteric obstruction is a poor prognostic factor in muscle-invasive bladder cancer.