✦ Bladder Cancer Treatment

TURBT (Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumour)

Q: Is TURBT a cure for bladder cancer?

TURBT is curative for superficial (non-muscle-invasive) tumours; muscle-invasive disease requires radical cystectomy or chemoradiotherapy. Your consultant will provide specific guidance based on your individual clinical situation and recovery.

Q: Do bladder tumours come back after TURBT?

NMIBC recurs in 50–70% of cases; surveillance cystoscopies and intravesical BCG/chemotherapy are used to detect and prevent recurrence. Your consultant will provide specific guidance based on your individual clinical situation and recovery.

Q: When is Re-TURBT needed?

Re-TURBT is recommended within 2–6 weeks for T1 high-grade tumours, absence of muscle in the specimen, or incomplete initial resection.

Endoscopic Resection of Bladder Tumours for Diagnosis and Treatment

30–90 min PROCEDURE

1–2 Days HOSPITAL STAY

>90% SUCCESS RATE

1–2 Weeks RECOVERY

What is TURBT (Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumour)?

TURBT is the cornerstone procedure for diagnosing and treating bladder cancer. Using a resectoscope passed through the urethra, the bladder tumour is resected along with underlying detrusor muscle under direct vision. TURBT simultaneously achieves complete tumour removal for staging, allows pathological assessment including muscle invasion, and is curative for superficial (non-muscle-invasive) bladder cancers. The procedure is performed under general or spinal anaesthesia with a hospital stay of 1–2 Days. Success rates reach >90% in appropriately selected patients at experienced centres.

All patients with newly diagnosed bladder tumours, those requiring staging of muscle invasion, and patients needing surveillance resection for recurrent NMIBC. Patients must be adequately fit for anaesthesia and free from active systemic infection before proceeding.

How the Procedure Works

Scope Insertion & Inspection

Under general or spinal anaesthesia with the patient in lithotomy, a continuous-flow resectoscope is passed and the entire bladder carefully inspected.

Tumour Resection

The resection includes the tumour, a 1–2 cm margin of surrounding normal-appearing urothelium, and deep detrusor muscle chips for staging accuracy.

Deep Muscle Sampling

Muscle-invasive tumours require deep resection into the perivesical fat to achieve an adequate sample for staging; muscle in the specimen is mandatory.

Random Cold-Cup Biopsies

Random cold-cup biopsies of normal-appearing urothelium taken from four distant sites to detect carcinoma in situ (CIS).

Haemostasis & Catheter

Haemostasis secured throughout using coagulation mode; three-way catheter placed; single dose intravesical mitomycin C considered immediately post-operatively.

Outcomes

30–90 minDURATION

1–2 DaysHOSPITAL STAY

>90%SUCCESS RATE

1–2 WeeksFULL RECOVERY

Who Needs This Treatment?

→TURBT is both diagnostic and therapeutic — the single most important quality indicator is detrusor muscle in the specimen.
→All patients with newly diagnosed bladder tumours visible on cystoscopy or imaging.
→Those requiring staging of muscle invasion before deciding between BCG and radical cystectomy.
→Patients with recurrent NMIBC requiring surveillance resection and mapping biopsies.
→Intravesical mitomycin C given immediately after TURBT reduces recurrence rates in low-risk disease.
→Follow-up after TURBT for low-risk NMIBC uses flexible cystoscopy at regular intervals.

"TURBT is the foundation of bladder cancer management. Performed meticulously with adequate detrusor sampling, it gives us the information we need to make all subsequent treatment decisions."

— — Dr. Vipin Reddy, Consultant Urologist, Andrologist & Renal Transplant Surgeon

Common Questions

Frequently Asked

Is TURBT a cure for bladder cancer?+

Do bladder tumours come back after TURBT?+

When is Re-TURBT needed?+

Not sure which treatment is right for you?

Book a consultation with Dr. Vipin Reddy and get a personalised treatment plan.

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