Impact of smoking on outcomes after intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy for urothelial carcinoma not invading muscle of the bladder

OBJECTIVE To determine the influence of smoking on the outcomes of patient with urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) not invading muscle treated with BCG therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective chart review was conducted on 623 consecutive patients treated with BCG therapy for high-grade Ta (n= 219; 35.2%), T1 (n= 215; 34.5%) and/or carcinoma in situ (n= 189; 30.3%). Cigarette smoking status was categorized as (smokers vs non-smokers) and as (current smokers vs past smokers vs never smokers). In addition, we analyzed the time since smoking cessation as a continuous and categorical variable (smoking cessation after diagnosis vs 0.1-10 years before diagnosis vs more than 10 years before diagnosis). Association with outcomes was examined by univariate and multivariable analyses, adjusting for the effects of age, gender, stage and grade. RESULTS The study cohort consisted of 423 males (67.9%) and 200 females (32.1%). Overall, 386 patients (62.0%) were past smokers, 97 (15.6%) were current smokers and 140 (22.5%) had never smoked. In both univariate and multivariable analyses, smoking status by any definition was not associated with the response to BCG therapy, disease recurrence, progression, all-cause mortality or UCB-specific mortality. TUR grade was significantly associated with disease progression. TUR stage and BCG response at 6 months were significantly associated with disease recurrence, progression, all-cause mortality and UCB-specific mortality. CONCLUSIONS Smoking does not appear to affect the response to BCG therapy or long-term oncological outcomes.