| Abstract [eng] |
The standard for the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) has long been the transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT). This method is practical and feasible. However, there are also some concerns regarding this resection method. Conventional TURBT does not respect standard oncological surgery principles, meaning it does not avoid unnecessary handling of the tumor and causes fragmentation of the tumor, which can lead to tumor cell seeding and, in turn, increases the likelihood of recurrence or metastases. To address this problem, surgeons have developed a procedure for the en bloc resection of bladder tumors (ERBT). This method can avoid unnecessary tumor fragmentation and has been reported to provide improved quality specimens, thus aiding in the staging and subsequent treatment of the NMIBC. Following a search of the PubMed database, reviews, RCTs, trials, and meta-analyses were chosen to provide insight into the current application of ERBT, including its surgical safety, feasibility, the quality of the specimens it provides for histopathological staging, and recurrence and progression rates. Different energy sources used in ERBT were compared with each other and with conventional TURBT (cTURBT). The findings reveal a significant superiority of ERBT regarding resection quality, thus also improving the staging of NMIBC. ERBT is a safe and feasible procedure with lower complication rates, improved subsequent treatment, and better quality of life. The rate of recurrence and progression was similar or superior in ERBT versus conventional TURBT. However, there is a lack of studies focusing on the long-term follow-up of their patients, warranting additional research on this specific aspect. |
