A Multicenter Randomized Trial of Radical Radiotherapy With Carbogen in the Radical Treatment of Locally Advanced Bladder Cancer

OBJECTIVES:

• Compare the 6-month cystoscopic response in patients with locally advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder treated with radical radiotherapy with or without radiosensitization with carbogen and niacinamide.
• Compare the local failure-free and overall disease-specific survival of patients treated with these regimens.
• Compare the treatment-related morbidity, in particular acute and chronic bowel and bladder symptoms, in patients treated with these regimens.
• Compare the quality of life of patients treated with these regimens.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms.

• Arm I: Patients receive radical radiotherapy once daily, 5 days a week, for 4-6.4 weeks. Patients also receive oral niacinamide once daily 1.5-2 hours before initiation of each radiotherapy dose and carbogen through a closed breathing system (face mask with a tight air seal or a mouthpiece with nasal clip) once daily beginning 5 minutes before initiation and continuing until completion of each radiotherapy dose.
• Arm II: Patients receive radiotherapy as in arm I. Quality of life is assessed at baseline; at 4 weeks; at 3, 6, and 12 months; and then annually for 4 years.

Patients are followed at 8 and 12 weeks; at 6, 9, and 12 months; and then every 6 months for 4 years.