An iridium-based compound could play a key role in providing bladder cancer patients with an alternative to radical cystectomy, it emerged on Friday (18th September).

A group of researchers from the University Medical Centre Utrecht in The Netherlands conducted tests on 11 patients displaying solitary T1-T2 tumours (5cm or less).

They were treated with external beam radiotherapy before undergoing a bout of brachytherapy that featured iridium-192, administered at a dose of 40 Gy.

The results, which were published in the European Urology journal, were particularly encouraging, with 75 patients still alive with no signs of the disease at the last follow-up.

In addition, the team found that 17 had died with no evidence of or connection to the condition, while 19 died from bladder cancer with a mean follow-up of 2.9 years.

The overall survival rate was 70 per cent, 55 per cent and 51 per cent at five, ten and 15 years respectively, while bladder function was preserved in 89 per cent of cases.

Five patients possessing T3 tumours - who were among nine to undergo a partial cystectomy - were found to be 20 times more likely to die from bladder cancer.

Iridium is the world's second-densest metal after osmium and is also the most resistant to corrosion, even at temperatures approaching 2,000C.

Source:

An Alternative to Radical Cystectomy (18/09/09)

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