Discrepancies between cytology, cystoscopy and biopsy in bladder cancer detection after Bacille Calmette-Guerin intravesical therapy

Objectives: To evaluate discrepancies in the detection of Bacille Calmette‐Guerin (BCG)‐resistant bladder cancer by cystoscopy, bladder biopsy and urinary cytology. Methods: Between January 1992 and August 2006, 127 bladder cancer patients underwent a cycle of eight weekly BCG instillations. Four weeks after the last BCG instillation, urinary cytological analysis and cystoscopy with targeted biopsy in addition to eight–nine selected‐site biopsies were performed. Results: Biopsy‐proven cancer was found in 11/27 (40.7%), 5/42 (11.9%), and 11/58 (19.0%) of positive, suspicious, and negative cytology cases, respectively. Abnormal and normal cystoscopic findings correlated with a biopsy‐proven cancer in 13/53 (24.5%) and 14/74 (18.9%) cases, respectively. The combination of a macroscopic cystoscopic suspicion and a positive cytology missed malignant cases in 15.9% of the cases. In 100 cases without biopsy‐proven cancer, the rates of denuded urothelium at biopsy in the cases with positive and non‐positive cytology were 7/16 (43.8%) and 16/84 (19.0%), respectively Conclusions: According to our study, routine biopsy is recommended in the evaluation of BCG treatment, even if the timing, limitations and disadvantages of the procedure should be taken into account.