OBJECTIVES: I. Determine whether ciprofloxacin improves the recurrence-free survival of patients with superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder treated with a transurethral tumor resection.
OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Patients are stratified according to disease status (first occurrence vs recurrent disease). Patients are randomized to receive either oral ciprofloxacin or oral cephalexin 2 times a day for 3 days starting the night before resection. Patients who are allergic to penicillin or a cephalosporin receive oral co-trimoxazole 2 times a day for 3 days. All patients undergo complete resection of all bladder tumors. Patients are followed every 3 months for the first 2 years, every 6 months for the next 2 years, and at the end of the fifth year.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 900 patients will be accrued for this study over 3 years.
