Utility of One-month Follow-up Cystoscopy after Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumour in Non-muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer: A Prospective Study

Abstract

Aim: This study evaluated the utility of one-month follow-up cystoscopy after transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) in patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), focusing on residual disease detection and early management decisions. Study Design: Prospective observational study. Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in the Department of Surgery, Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, from July 2024 to December 2025. Methodology: A total of 52 patients with histologically confirmed non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, including Ta, T1, and carcinoma in situ, who underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumour were included. Baseline demographic, clinical, radiological, cystoscopic, and histopathological variables were recorded. All patients underwent follow-up cystoscopic evaluation approximately one month after surgery. Residual disease, early recurrence at three months, changes in stage or grade, and subsequent treatment modifications were assessed. Statistical analysis was performed using appropriate tests for continuous and categorical variables, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: The mean age of the study population was 65.23 ± 6.36 years, and 69.2% of patients were male. Haematuria was the most common presenting symptom. Residual disease at one month was identified in 24 patients (46.2%) and was significantly associated with higher primary tumour stage (p = 0.012) and tumour multiplicity (p = 0.001). Early recurrence at three months occurred in 20 patients (38.5%) and was significantly associated with high-grade tumours (p < 0.001), tumour size ≥3 cm (p < 0.001), larger mean tumour size (p = 0.001), and older age (p = 0.015). One-month cystoscopy resulted in a change in clinical management in 40 patients (76.9%), including intravesical therapy or repeat transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT). Conclusion: One-month follow-up cystoscopy after transurethral resection of bladder tumour may help identify residual disease and guide early management decisions in selected patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, particularly those with higher-risk clinicopathological features.