ABH-antigenicity of transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder in patients subjected to topical chemoprophylaxis

Abstract

Topical chemoprophylaxis with adriamycin
was administered to 49 patients with UICC-stages pTA
and PT1 (pathological stage 0 and A) of transitional cell
carcinoma of the urinary bladder. Tumor specimens obtained
prior to initiation of the instillation protocol were
evaluated with regard to ABH-antigenicity. ABH-antigens
were present in tumors of 19 patients and none of
these developed muscle-infiltrating recurrences during
or after intravesical chemoprophylaxis. The primary
lesions of 30 patients were deleted of antigens; only 5
(16%) developed a progressive recurrence. Compared to
a historical control group this is thought to be a true reduction
of invasive tumor recurrences in ABH-negative
tumors by adriamycin. We herein propose that ABHantigenicity
may serve as a valuable prescreening indicator
for or against topical chemoprophylaxis.