Bladder cancer
Follow-up surveillance regimes to consider for (very) high-risk NMIBC and MIBC

Carl (64 years old)

Carl, a 64-year-old IT analyst, develops videogames as a hobby. His latest game is about a gnome who has to collect as many carrots as possible in a post-apocalyptic world where rabbits dominate the world.

He presented with episodes of macroscopic haematuria evolving for 1 year.

Assessment summary:

  • Medical history:
    • Diabetes, treated with metformin
    • Hypertension, treated with ramipril
    • Former smoker (30 years)
  • Family history: sister with breast cancer, uncle with colon cancer
  • Creatinine level: 55 µmol/l, estimated GFR (eGFR): 105 ml/min
  • MRI: bladder polyp
  • CT urogram: no concomitant upper tract tumour
  • Transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT):
    • Tumour close to a ureteral orifice
    • Muscle in specimen
    • pT1 high-grade (HG) urothelial carcinoma (UCa) + carcinoma in situ (CIS)
  • Second TURBT:
    • 3 papillary tumours
    • Muscle in specimen
    • pT1b HG UCa + CIS
  • Third TURBT: no residual disease

The patient refused radical cystectomy (RC). Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) instillations for up to 3 years are planned.

In addition to regular follow-up with cystoscopy and cytology, which surveillance option would you choose for this patient?