Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41899563›Full record

ReviewCancers2026

Bladder Preservation with Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Following Complete Response to Induction Systemic Therapy in Patients with Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: A Review of the Existing Literature.

Georgios Nikiforos Ntoumas, Andromachi Kougioumtzopoulou, Dimitra Desse, Charalambos Fragkoulis, Georgios Papadopoulos, Efthymios Kostouros, Dimitra Michaletou, Vassileios Kouloulias, Anna Zygogianni, Ioannis Georgakopoulos

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Cancers, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Georgios Nikiforos NtoumasDepartment of Clinical Radiation Oncology, Medical School, ATTIKON University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0002-8770-7142
Andromachi KougioumtzopoulouDepartment of Clinical Radiation Oncology, Medical School, ATTIKON University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece.
Dimitra DesseDepartment of Clinical Radiation Oncology, Medical School, ATTIKON University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0002-9074-2395
Charalambos FragkoulisDepartment of Urology, General Hospital of Athens "G. Gennimatas", 115 27 Athens, Greece.
Georgios PapadopoulosDepartment of Urology, General Hospital of Athens "G. Gennimatas", 115 27 Athens, Greece.
Efthymios Kostouros3rd Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital of Athens "G. Gennimatas", 115 27 Athens, Greece.
Dimitra MichaletouDepartment of Clinical Radiation Oncology, Medical School, ATTIKON University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece.
Vassileios KoulouliasDepartment of Clinical Radiation Oncology, Medical School, ATTIKON University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0003-2082-7323
Anna ZygogianniDepartment of Clinical Radiation Oncology, Medical School, ATTIKON University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 124 62 Athens, Greece.
Ioannis GeorgakopoulosRadiotherapy Unit, 1st Department of Radiology, Medical School, Aretaieion University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 115 28 Athens, Greece.ORCID 0000-0002-6354-9805

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

objectivesThe standard surgical treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) comprises neoadjuvant systemic therapy followed by radical cystectomy (RC). However, a notable number of patients achieve a favorable response to neoadjuvant systemic therapy, a finding associated with improved outcomes, and questioning the necessity of RC in this subset of patients. The objective of this review is to summarize the available evidence regarding the feasibility, efficacy and toxicity of bladder-preserving chemoradiotherapy (CRT) following clinical response (CR) to neoadjuvant systemic therapy in patients with MIBC.

methodsA literature search was performed using the PubMed database to identify studies evaluating the use of CRT for bladder preservation in MIBC patients with CR following neoadjuvant therapy.

resultsClinical complete response (cCR) rates to neoadjuvant systemic treatment ranged from 31% to 87.5%, with subsequent CRT enabling 50-97% of responders to retain their bladder. Long-term outcomes were favorable for cCR patients, with 3- to 5-year overall survival (OS) ranging from 65% to 89%, disease-free survival (DFS) of 64-86%, and bladder-intact survival up to 80%. Achievement of cCR, T2 tumor stage, absence of concomitant carcinoma in situ or hydronephrosis, and complete transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURBT) were prognostic factors for improved oncologic outcomes. Treatment-related toxicity was generally acceptable, concerning mainly hematological and gastrointestinal events, while severe late toxicity was uncommon.

conclusionsBladder-preserving CRT is a promising, effective, and well-tolerated option for MIBC patients achieving CR to neoadjuvant systemic therapy. While further prospective validation and longer follow-up are required before it can universally replace radical cystectomy in this subset of patients, advances in neoadjuvant treatments, imaging and molecular biomarkers may improve response assessment and patient selection for bladder preservation.

Indexed as

bladder preservationchemoradiotherapycomplete responsemuscle-invasive bladder cancer

Identifiers

PMID41899563
PMCPMC13025384

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.