A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocol of Chemoablation vs. Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor in Patients With Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

Hydrogel: a new material for intravesical drug delivery after bladder cancer surgery

The standard treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT). However, this procedure may miss small lesions or incompletely remove them, resulting in cancer recurrence or progression. As a result, intravesical instillation of chemotherapy or immunotherapy drugs is often used as an adjunctive treatment after TURBT to prevent cancer recurrence. In the traditional method, drugs are instilled into the patient's bladder through a urinary catheter under sterile conditions. However, this treatment exposes the bladder mucosa to the drug directly, leading to potential side effects like chemical cystitis. Furthermore, this treatment has several limitations, including a short drug retention period, susceptibility to urine dilution, low drug permeability, lack of targeted effect, and limited long-term clinical efficacy. Hydrogel, a polymer material with a high-water content, possesses solid elasticity and liquid fluidity, making it compatible with tissues and environmentally friendly. It exhibits great potential in various applications. One emerging use of hydrogels is in intravesical instillation. By employing hydrogels, drug dilution is minimized, and drug absorption, retention, and persistence in the bladder are enhanced due to the mucus-adhesive and flotation properties of hydrogel materials. Furthermore, hydrogels can improve drug permeability and offer targeting capabilities. This article critically examines the current applications and future prospects of hydrogels in the treatment of bladder cancer.

Taraxasterol enhanced bladder cancer cells radiosensitivity via inhibiting the COX-2/PGE2/JAK2/STAT3/MMP pathway

PURPOSE

Radiotherapy with bladder preservation is highly acceptable among patients bearing bladder cancer (BCa), but the occurrence of secondary tolerance (ARR) during treatment is one of the important reasons for the failure of clinical radiotherapy. COX-2 has been frequently reported to be highly expressed and associated with radio-resistance in various cancers. In this study, the feasibility of Taraxasterol (Tara) as a radiosensitizer was investigated, and the target effect of Tara on COX-2 and its underlying mechanism were explored.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

The toxicity of Tara toward BCa cells was detected with the MTT method and cells in response to IR or Tara + IR were compared by clone formation assay. Next, a small RNA interference system (siRNA) was employed to decrease endogenous COX-2 expression in BCa cells, and the stem cell-like features and motion abilities of BCa cells under different treatments were investigated using microsphere formation and transwell chamber assay, respectively. Meanwhile, the expression of a series of inflammation-related molecules and stem cell characteristic molecules was determined by qRT-PCR, western blot and ELISA method. In vivo studies, BCa cells were subcutaneously injected into the right flank of each male mouse. Those mice were then grouped and exposed to different treatment: Tara, IR, IR + Tara and untreated control. The volumes of each tumor were measured every two days and target proteins were detected with immunohistochemical (IHC) staining.

RESULTS

The results show that COX-2 decline, due to COX-2 knocking-down or Tara treatment, could greatly enhance BCa cells' radiosensitivity and significantly decrease their migration, invasion and microsphere formation abilities, companied with the reduce of JAK2, phos-STAT3, MMP2 and MMP9 expression. However, Tara could not further reduce the expression of an above molecule of cells in COX-2-deficient BCa cells. Correspondingly, Tara treatment could not further enhance those siCOX-2 BCa cells response to IR.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data support that Tara can improve the radiosensitivity of BCa cells by targeting COX-2/PGE2. The mechanism may involve regulating STAT3 phosphorylation, DNA damage response protein activation, and expression of MMP2/MMP9.

Lymphocyte-to-Monocyte Ratio (LMR) During Induction Is a Better Predictor Than Preoperative LMR in Patients Receiving Intravesical Bacillus Calmette -Guerin for Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

The prognostic value of the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio during induction (ILMR) remains unclear in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients receiving Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). We aimed to determine and compare the prognostic value of the ILMR, preoperative lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (PLMR) and their dynamic changes (PILMR). This study collected the data from NMIBC patients receiving BCG treatment in our institution. The prognostic value of the PLMR, ILMR and PILMR was analyzed by the Kaplan−Meier method and Cox proportional hazard regression models. The concordance index and receiver operating characteristic curve analysis were employed to compare the prognostic value of these three factors. Our study enrolled 197 patients. These patients included 170 male patients, and the mean age was 64.17 years. During the follow-up time, 85 patients experienced recurrence, and 55 patients experienced progression. According to the results of COX multivariable analysis, PLMR (P=0.011) and ILMR (P<0.001) could independently predict the recurrence of NMIBC patients receiving BCG. Meanwhile, ILMR (P=0.001) and PILMR (P=0.036) were also the independent prognostic factors of progression. Compared with PLMR and PILMR, ILMR was associated with better accuracy for NMIBC patients receiving BCG. This study first found that the ILMR could independently predict the prognosis of NMIBC patients receiving BCG. Furthermore, we also identified that ILMR was associated with higher prognostic value than PLMR and PILMR, which might help to select an optimal treatment schedule for patients with NMIBC.