The quality of 5-aminolevulinic acid-induced photodynamic diagnosis and transurethral resection of bladder tumors: does the urologist play a role?

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to evaluate the quality of photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) and transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBT) among different urologists.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: The selected data consists of 194 patients, 268 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-induced PDD procedures and 934 biopsies. Tumors were resected and biopsies were taken from suspicious areas under guidance of white light endoscopy and 5-ALA-induced fluorescence cystoscopy. The quality of PDD was determined by evaluating the mean number of tumors resected by 5 urologists and, thereafter, assessing the time to recurrence between groups.

RESULTS: Urologist 1 took 37% more biopsies (p < 0.001) and diagnosed 42% more tumors (p = 0.005) and 46% more false positives (p < 0.001) from bladders compared to urologists 2, 3, 4 and 5 together. The mean time to bladder cancer recurrence for all recurrences within 0-18 months was 11.0 months for operator 1 and 8.3 months for the other urologists (p = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: The resecting urologist appears to be an important factor for the quality of standard and PDD-assisted TURBT. Learning curve programs may be required with experienced surgeons accompanying those with less experience.