OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between local recurrence and distant metastasis or disease-specific survival and identify independent factor predictors for local recurrence. METHODS: We identified a study population of 146 consecutive patients treated surgically for invasive bladder cancer at our institution between 1987 and 2003. We clarified the relationship among local recurrence, distant metastasis and disease-specific survival and identified significant predictors for local recurrence. RESULTS: Local recurrence developed in 26 (17.8%) of the 146 patients at a median of 10 months (range, 1-73 months) after cystectomy. It was independently associated with distant metastasis in addition to the number of retrieved lymph nodes. The 2- and 5-year metastasis-free rates were 86.7 and 76.5% in patients without local recurrence and 26.5 and 0% in those with local recurrence (P < 0.001), respectively. The presence or absence of local recurrence and tumor grade were independent predictors of disease-specific survival. The 2- and 5-year disease-specific survival rates were 93.5 and 88.3% in patients without local recurrence and 55.1 and 35.4% in those with local recurrence (P < 0.001). The presence of concomitant adenocarcinoma component, pathological nodal involvement and the number of retrieved lymph nodes were independent predictors of local recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Local recurrence was independently associated with distant metastasis and disease-specific survival. Patients who have the predictive factors described above may benefit from integrated surgical therapies with post-operative adjuvant chemotherapy.