Managing noninvasive recurrences after definitive treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer or high-grade upper tract urothelial carcinoma

Patterns of Failure After Definitive Trimodality Therapy for Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

BACKGROUND

Real-world outcomes, especially patterns of failure, are limited for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) treated with trimodality therapy (TMT). We aim to evaluate patterns of failure after TMT for MIBC in a typical heterogeneous population.

METHODS

In the national Veterans Affairs database, patients with urothelial histology, MIBC (T2-4a/N0-3/M0) who underwent definitive intent TMT between 2000-2018. Successful TMT was defined as ≥ 50% definitive radiation dose and ≥ 1 cycle chemotherapy. Endpoints of any recurrence, metastatic (nonbladder) recurrence (MR), and local (bladder) recurrence (LR) evaluated in multivariable Fine-Gray models. Times to recurrence calculated from radiation start date.

RESULTS

In 347 patients with MIBC treated with TMT, 65% of patients were deemed ineligible for surgery while 35% were surgically eligible but elected for TMT. Median follow-up time was 77 months. Median overall survival was 32.4 months (95% CI: 28.2-36.7). 154 (44%) patients had no recurrence. 130 (37%) patients developed MR, median time 9.9 months. 117 (34%) patients developed LR, median time 8.7 months. In multivariable models, lymph node positive (LN+) disease (HR:3.31, 95% CI: 1.45-7.55, P < .01) and pretreatment hydronephrosis (HR:1.62, 95% CI:1.11-2.36, P = .01) were associated with higher rates of MR. No patient, tumor, or treatment variables were associated with LR.

CONCLUSIONS

Across a multi-institutional and heterogeneous population, TMT is an effective treatment for many real-world patients with MIBC. However, a notable proportion of patients develop MR and/or LR which emphasizes the need for post-treatment surveillance and improved treatment pathways. Identified high risk features (LN+ disease, pretreatment hydronephrosis) and other markers should be further investigated to delineate the patients at high risk of TMT failure who therefore may potentially benefit from augmented treatment, such as additional systemic therapy.

Treatment approaches for FGFR-altered urothelial carcinoma: targeted therapies and immunotherapy

The treatment of metastatic urothelial carcinoma has dramatically changed over the past decade with the approval of several therapies from multiple drug classes including immune checkpoint inhibitors, targeted therapies, and antibody drug conjugates. Although next generation sequencing of urothelial carcinoma has revealed multiple recurring mutations, only one targeted therapy has been developed and approved to date. Erdafitinib, a pan-fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) inhibitor, has been approved for treating patients with select FGFR2 and FGFR3 alterations and fusions since 2019. Since then, emerging data has demonstrated efficacy of combining erdafitinib with immunotherapy in treating FGFR-altered urothelial carcinoma. Ongoing trials are evaluating the use of erdafitinib in non-muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma as well as in combination with enfortumab vedotin in the metastatic setting, while other FGFR targeted agents such as infigratinib, AZD4547, rogaratinib and pemigatinib continue to be in development. Future challenges will include strategies to overcome FGFR acquired resistance and efficacy and safety of combination therapies with erdafitinib and other FGFR targeted agents.

Intravesical Recurrence After Radical Nephroureterectomy of Upper Urinary Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: A Large Population-Based Investigation of Clinicopathologic Characteristics and Survival Outcomes

Background: Of patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), 22–47% developed bladder recurrence after radical nephroureterectomy. Furthermore, the effect of surgery for UTUC-bladder cancer (BC) has not been well validated. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of standard primary BC surgical strategy on survival of patients diagnosed with UTUC-BC.

Patients and Methods: A total of 676 UTUC-BC patients and 197,753 primary BC patients diagnosed from 2004 to 2016, were identified based on the SEER database. The Kaplan-Meier method and the Fine and Gray competing risks analysis were performed to assess overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific mortality (CSM). Multivariate Cox regression model and competing risks regression model were used to identify independent risk factors. Propensity score matching (PSM) was also performed to adjust potential confounding factors.

Results: The baseline characteristics and survival outcomes of the two BC patient cohorts are quite different. For UTUC-BC patients, no significant difference in OS (NMIBC: p = 0.88; MIBC: p = 0.98) or cumulative incidence of CSM (NMIBC: p = 0.12; MIBC: p = 0.96) were noted for various surgical procedures. Local tumor treatment and partial cystectomy for UTUC-NMIBC patients produced lower 1-year (6.1%) and 3-year CSM (16.2%). Radical cystectomy for UTUC-MIBC patients produced lower 1-year (11.8%) but higher 3-year CSM (62.7%). After PSM for covariates, UTUC-BC patients still had a worse prognosis after surgery compared with primary BC patients. Based on regression models, older age, advanced T stage, N positive disease, M positive disease, and shorter interval between UTUC and BC were identified as independent risk factors for UTUC-BC patients.

Conclusion: Standard primary BC surgical strategy did not provide significant survival benefit for UTUC-BC patients. Compared with primary BC patients, UTUC-BC patients had a worse prognosis after surgery, suggesting that current primary BC surgical guidelines are not entirely appropriate for UTUC-BC patients. Our findings underscore the continued importance and need for better prognosis and improved guidelines for management of UTUC-BC patients.