Radiation therapy reduces risk of pelvic relapse in bladder cancer patients: study

Mumbai, Sep 30 (PTI) Radiation therapy after surgery safely reduces the risk of `pelvic relapse' in patients with locally advanced, muscle-invasive bladder cancer, Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) Mumbai said on Tuesday.

Pelvic relapse refers to the return or progression of cancer within the pelvic area after a patient has initially responded to treatment or achieved remission.

A research study led from India, the `Bladder Adjuvant Radiotherapy (BART) trial', is the largest randomized trial in the world to evaluate the role of radiation therapy after bladder cancer surgery, the TMC said.

For the first time, this study has been selected for the Plenary Session of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting, the world's largest radiation oncology conference, an official release said.

The BART trial offers compelling evidence supporting adjuvant radiotherapy as a standard option for high-risk cases following cystectomy, it said.

"This is a proud moment for Indian cancer research as work led from India is being showcased on the biggest international stage in radiation oncology. It shows that discoveries made here can benefit patients not just in our country, but across the world," Tata Memorial Centre Director Dr Sudeep Gupta said.

Bladder cancer is a major health challenge, with thousands of new cases coming to light in India every year.

Despite advances in surgery and chemotherapy, one in three patients develops a painful pelvic recurrence within a few years, which is often difficult to treat and greatly affects quality of life.

"Our findings show that modern radiation techniques can prevent many recurrences and improve the quality of life for patients with bladder cancer," said Dr Vedang Murthy, Professor of Radiation Oncology at TMC and Principal Investigator of the trial.

The ART trial was supported by Tata Memorial Centre and conducted in collaboration with partner hospitals across India. PTI SM KRK