Bladder Adjuvant Radiotherapy: Phase III Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial of Adjuvant Radiotherapy or Observation for Postcystectomy Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

V Vedang Murthy (Tata Memorial Hospital and Advanced Center for Treatment Research and Education in Cancer Homi Bhabha National Institute Mumbai India) P Priyamvada Maitre (Department of Radiation Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India) M Mahendra Pal (Department of Surgery, Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India) A Amandeep Arora (Department of Surgery, Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India) R Reena Phurailatpam (Department of Medical Physics, Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India) R Rakesh Sharma D Deleep Gudipudi (Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, Hyderabad, India) S Senthil Rajappa (Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, Hyderabad, India) L Lincoln Pujari B Bhavesh Bandekar (Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & MPMMMC, Varanasi, India) D Deepa Joseph (All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh, India) S Sadhana Kannan (5Tata Memorial Centre, Department of Biostatistics, Mumbai, India) R Rahul Krishnatry (Department of Radiation Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India) A Ankit Misra (Department of Surgery, Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India) A Amit Joshi (Sr. Specialist, Department of Forensic Medicine, Government Medical College, Kota, Rajasthan, India) V Vanita Noronha (Kumar Prabhash, MD, DM, MBBS, Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India, Department of Medical Oncology, Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Muzaffarpur, India; Vanita Noronha, MD, DM, MBBS, Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India; Akash Pawar, MSc, Department of Statistics, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), Mumbai, India, Ankush Shetake, MSc, Department of Statistics, Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Muzaffarpur, India; and Rajendra Badwe, MS, Department of Surgical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India) K Kumar Prabhash (Department of Medical Oncology, Division of Adult Solid Tumor Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India) S Santosh Menon (Department of Pathology, Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India) G Ganesh Bakshi (Department of Surgery, Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India) G Gagan Prakash (Department of Surgery, Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India)

Abstract

PURPOSE To report the primary analysis of a multicenter, phase III randomized trial of adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) after chemotherapy and radical cystectomy (RC) in patients with high-risk muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). METHODS Patients with nonmetastatic urothelial MIBC at high risk after RC (any one of: T3-4, N1-3, margin positive, ≤10 nodes dissected) were randomly assigned 1:1 to adjuvant RT or observation (Obs), stratified by nodal involvement (yes/no) and chemotherapy (neoadjuvant/adjuvant/none). Stoma-sparing IG-IMRT 50.4Gy in 28 fractions was prescribed to the cystectomy bed and pelvic nodes. The primary end point was 2-year locoregional recurrence–free survival (LRFS), and the secondary end points were disease-free survival (DFS), bladder cancer–specific survival (BCSS), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS From June 2016 to May 2024, 153 patients were randomly assigned (Obs = 76, RT = 77), with 62% and 41% of patients having pT3-T4 and pN+ stages, respectively. Over 90% of the patients received systemic chemotherapy (71% neoadjuvant and 20% adjuvant), and none received immunotherapy. After a median follow-up of 47 months, the 2-year LRFS was significantly higher with adjuvant RT versus observation (87.1% v 76.0%, hazard ratio [HR], 0.43 [95% CI, 0.20 to 0.96], P = .04). The DFS was 71.6% versus 58.7% (HR, 0.62 [95% CI, 0.36 to 1.05]), BCSS was 79.6% versus 65.0% (HR, 0.59 [95% CI, 0.33 to 1.10]), and OS was 70.4% versus 57.4% (HR, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.49 to 1.26]) for RT and Obs, respectively. CONCLUSION Adjuvant pelvic IMRT after radical cystectomy and perioperative chemotherapy suggests an improvement in locoregional control in patients with high risk urothelial MIBC with no additional severe toxicity.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 44, Issue 19
Published July 01, 2026
Pages 1812-1821
ISSN 0732-183X
Publisher Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Journal Info

Journal of Clinical Oncology

Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

ISSN: 0732-183X Health Sciences

Authors (20)

V

Vedang Murthy

Tata Memorial Hospital and Advanced Center for Treatment Research and Education in Cancer Homi Bhabha National Institute Mumbai India

P

Priyamvada Maitre

Department of Radiation Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India

M

Mahendra Pal

Department of Surgery, Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India

A

Amandeep Arora

Department of Surgery, Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India

R

Reena Phurailatpam

Department of Medical Physics, Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India

R

Rakesh Sharma

D

Deleep Gudipudi

Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, Hyderabad, India

S

Senthil Rajappa

Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital and Research Institute, Hyderabad, India

L

Lincoln Pujari

B

Bhavesh Bandekar

Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & MPMMMC, Varanasi, India

D

Deepa Joseph

All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Rishikesh, India

S

Sadhana Kannan

5Tata Memorial Centre, Department of Biostatistics, Mumbai, India

R

Rahul Krishnatry

Department of Radiation Oncology, Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India

A

Ankit Misra

Department of Surgery, Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India

A

Amit Joshi

Sr. Specialist, Department of Forensic Medicine, Government Medical College, Kota, Rajasthan, India

V

Vanita Noronha

Kumar Prabhash, MD, DM, MBBS, Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India, Department of Medical Oncology, Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Muzaffarpur, India; Vanita Noronha, MD, DM, MBBS, Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India; Akash Pawar, MSc, Department of Statistics, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer, Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), Mumbai, India, Ankush Shetake, MSc, Department of Statistics, Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Muzaffarpur, India; and Rajendra Badwe, MS, Department of Surgical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India

K

Kumar Prabhash

Department of Medical Oncology, Division of Adult Solid Tumor Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, India

S

Santosh Menon

Department of Pathology, Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India

G

Ganesh Bakshi

Department of Surgery, Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India

G

Gagan Prakash

Department of Surgery, Tata Memorial Centre, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, India