NCCN Guidelines® Insights: Bladder Cancer, Version 2.2022

Prospective evaluation of comprehensive geriatric assessments in multidisciplinary bladder cancer care and implications for personalized vulnerability phenotyping

PURPOSE

Frailty predicts adverse outcomes in bladder cancer (BC). Current guidelines endorse completion of Comprehensive Geriatric Assessments (CGAs) in older adults prior to treatment election to objectively measure frailty, however, these are rarely performed in urologic practice due to inadequate resources. We hypothesized CGA implementation would be feasible and identify multifaceted vulnerabilities beyond standard risk assessments in a multidisciplinary BC clinic and developed a novel method to visualize "vulnerability phenotypes" to guide supportive interventions.

METHODS

Adults with BC were prospectively enrolled (June, 2020-July, 2021). Initially, patients underwent standard of care (SOC) risk assessment (N = 27). Subsequently, patients completed CGAs augmented with body composition assessments (N = 67). CGA completion time, rates, and patient-reported burden were assessed. Interdependence of CGA domains were quantified using Spearman correlation coefficients and compared decisional conflict and regret between arms. Vulnerability phenotypes were visualized using Spider Plots, generated in R. Clinical and survival associations with CGAs were evaluated using Cox proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

94 patients were enrolled with a median age of 72 years. Instrument completion in the CGA cohort was 79% to 100%. 91% of patients reported CGA completion was at most minimally burdensome. CGAs identified vulnerabilities including 31% vulnerable-to-moderately frail, 21% with mild-to-severe depression, 3% with mild-moderate dementia, and 40% at risk for malnutrition-malnourished. Frailty measures across instruments were weakly correlated (rho <0.4). In this heterogeneous cohort, vulnerability domains were not significantly associated with decisional conflict/regret, survival, nor complication rates after treatment. A novel Spider Plot tool is proposed to facilitate communication of the dominant vulnerability-driving individual risks.

CONCLUSIONS

CGAs can be successfully incorporated into uro-oncology practice with low perceived burden, identifying key vulnerabilities with implications for clinical care. Weak correlations across instruments support the value of gathering information across discrete domains. We present a novel approach to visually characterize personalized vulnerability phenotypes.

Critical care therapy and in-hospital mortality after radical nephroureterectomy for nonmetastatic upper urinary tract carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Use of critical care therapies (CCT), that include invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and other modalities are unknown after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for upper urinary tract carcinoma (UUTC). Their relationship with in-hospital mortality is also unknown.

METHODS

Within the National Inpatient Sample (2008-2019), we identified non-metastatic UUTC patients treated with RNU. Multivariable logistic regression models were used.

RESULTS

Of 8,995 patients, 375 (4.2%) received CCT and 82 (0.9%) experienced in-hospital mortality. Of CCT modalities, 215 (2.4%) received IMV and 139 (1.5%) TPN. Temporal CCT, IMV, and TPN trends very closely followed in-hospital mortality trends. Relative to historical UUTC patients (2008-2013), contemporary (2014-2019) patients exhibited lower CCT (Δ = 2.2%, P value < 0.0001), lower IMV (Δ = 1.4%, P < 0.0001), lower TPN (Δ = 2.2%, P < 0.0001), and lower in-hospital mortality (Δ = 0.4%, P = 0.03) rates. Of in-hospital mortalities, 52 out of 82 received CCT but 30 of 82 did not. Median age (> 72 years; odds ratio [OR] 1.4; P = 0.002) and Charlson comorbidity index ≥ 3 (OR 4.1; P < 0.001) and ≥ 1-2 (OR 1.7; P = 0.001) independently predicted overall higher CCT, IMV, TPN, and in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSION

After RNU, CCT rates parallels in-hospital mortality rates. CCT represents a 5 to 6-fold multiple of in-hospital mortality rate. In RNU patients, CCT rates are higher in older and sicker individuals. Lower CCT rates that are paralleled by lower in-hospital mortality may be interpreted as an indicator of improved quality of care. Ideally all in-hospital mortalities should be predated by CCT exposure.

Advances in bladder preservation therapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer

Bladder cancer is one of the most common genitourinary malignancies. Radical cystectomy (RC) and pelvic lymphadenectomy (PLND) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy have become the accepted gold standard for the treatment of resectable muscular invasive bladder cancer due to its ability to surgically remove tumor tissue as thoroughly as possible and reduce the risk of tumor recurrence and metastasis, thus improving patient survival. However, RC surgery is challenging and associated with many postoperative complications, requiring patients to have good physical condition to tolerate the procedure. Over the years, with the deepening of medical research and the accumulation of clinical practice, the disease spectrum of bladder cancer has changed significantly. At the same time, the treatment modalities for bladder cancer have also been continuously improved and updated, and bladder-preserving treatment programs have gradually emerged and demonstrated reliable efficacy. Bladder-sparing treatment aims to preserve the physiological function of the bladder while controlling tumor growth, thereby improving patients' quality of life. This approach has led an increasing number of MIBC patients to choose bladder-sparing treatment after considering their individual conditions. In this paper, we review the current methods of bladder-sparing treatment for MIBC patients and related studies to provide a reference for future research.

Plasma tsRNA Signatures Serve as a Novel Biomarker for Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer (BLCA) is one of the most common tumors of the urinary tract. The diagnosis of BLCA is mostly by invasive tests, which are damaging and unsuitable for early screening. Current non-invasive diagnostic modalities are insufficient in sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, novel diagnostic markers are urgently needed to facilitate early detection of bladder cancer. tRNA-derived small RNAs (tsRNAs) are considered to be novel and potentially biologically functional non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). tsRNAs have been used to help early diagnosis of a variety of tumors. However, whether tsRNAs in BLCA are altered or involved in BLCA progression or regulation remains unclear. Here, we identified a group of up-regulated tsRNAs in BLCA by sequencing tsRNAs in the plasma of BLCA patients and normal controls and further screened two highly correlated tsRNAs with BLCA in the training set and validation set, which were named as tRF-1:28-chrM.Ser-TGA and tiRNA-1:34-Glu-CTC-1-M2. ROC analyses of the expression profiles of these two tsRNAs by the validation set identified a high diagnostic value. We also found that circulating tRF-1:28-chrM.Ser-TGA and tiRNA-1:34-Glu-CTC-1-M2 were specifically expressed and released by BLCA cells and were positively correlated with the degree of disease malignancy. In vitro and in vivo experiments revealed that the two tsRNAs exacerbated BLCA progression and played a role in promoting tumor lipid metabolism. Our study screened two plasma tsRNAs that could serve as valuable early screening and diagnostic biomarkers for BLCA and is also expected to provide potential novel molecular targets for the treatment of BLCA.

Combined Molecular Subclass and Immune Phenotype Correlate to Atezolizumab Plus Radiation Therapy Response in Invasive Bladder Cancer: BPT-ART Phase 2 Study

PURPOSE

Bladder preservation therapy in combination with atezolizumab and radiation therapy trial, which was a multicenter, open-label, single-arm phase 2 study, showed a promisingly high interim clinical complete response (cCR) rate of 84.4% (38/45). In the present study, we aimed to identify potential tissue biomarkers for achieving cCR using bladder preservation therapy in combination with atezolizumab and radiation therapy.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

We used tumor tissue samples of the bladder and blood samples collected from patients at baseline to analyze the tumor immune microenvironment at baseline using an integrated approach of immunophenotyping, genomic, and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) profiling.

RESULTS

Immune phenotype analysis revealed that cCR rates of patients with the desert phenotype were as similarly high as patients with excluded/inflamed phenotypes (73.3% [11/15] vs 93.3% [14/15], P = .33) despite lower programmed death-ligand 1 expression levels in the desert phenotype. Genomic and TIL profiling then revealed that increased CD8+ and CD204+ TIL infiltration, high CD8:forkhead box protein P3 ratios in the stroma of the excluded/inflamed phenotypes, and gene alterations, such as CDK12, GNAS, NOTCH2, and AR1D1A, were associated with a high cCR rate (93.3%). Furthermore, the characteristics of these dual TILs, CD8-forkhead box protein P3 ratios, and gene alterations (especially FGFR3) bifurcated the desert phenotype into 2 subgroups with different cCR rates (100% [11/11] and 0% [0/4]).

CONCLUSIONS

These potential subgroups, defined by combined molecular subclass and immune phenotype, could lead to the identification of good responders to atezolizumab plus radiation therapy for invasive bladder cancer. However, given the small cohort size and limited number of tumor samples, these findings should be viewed as hypothesis-generating and require further validation in larger studies.

Combined neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy versus adjuvant therapy in high-risk upper tract urothelial carcinoma: a propensity matched multicenter analysis (ROBUUST 2.0 International Collaborative Group)

INTRODUCTION

The efficacy of combined neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy (CNAT) in upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) remains unclear despite its demonstrated potential in bladder urothelial carcinoma. High-risk features- clinical stage ≥ T3, node-positive disease, multifocality, high-grade pathology, hydronephrosis, and large tumor size - are associated with poor prognosis in UTUC. We investigated the oncological outcomes of CNAT versus adjuvant therapy (AT) alone in high-risk UTUC patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We analyzed perioperative data from 2433 patients with UTUC (2015-2023) across 17 centers in the US, Europe, and Asia. Propensity score matching was performed using preoperative clinical T and N stages. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models were used to evaluate overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and metastasis-free survival (MFS).

RESULTS

Among 285 high-risk UTUC patients, 76 matched patients (38 CNAT, 38 AT) were analyzed after matching, with a median follow-up of 15 months. CNAT and AT groups had comparable oncological outcomes: 2-year OS (72.9% vs. 71.8%; p = 0.89), CSS (76.7% vs. 75.3%; p = 0.92), RFS (30.1% vs. 39%; p = 0.97), or MFS (45.5% vs. 44.7%; p = 0.91), respectively. Cox regression showed no significant survival benefit of CNAT over AT after adjusting for clinical and pathological factors (HR for OS: 1.06; p = 0.9).

CONCLUSION

In this large multicenter international cohort, our findings suggest that CNAT does not provide a clear advantage over AT alone in patients with high-risk UTUC. Prospective randomized trials are needed to clarify the role of multimodal therapy in UTUC management.

Response to Systemic Therapies in Patient-Derived Cell Lines from Primary and Recurrent Adult Granulosa Cell Tumors

In patients with the rare adult-type granulosa cell tumor (aGCT), surgery is the primary treatment for both primary and recurrent disease. In cases of inoperable disease, systematic therapy is administered, but variable response rates and drug resistance complicate predicting the most effective therapy. Drug screen testing on patient-derived cell lines may offer a solution. In a national prospective study on aGCT, fresh tissue was cultured into 2D cell lines, testing 27 clinical and experimental drugs. Dose-response curves and synergy were calculated using GraphPad Prism and CompuSyn software. We established 34 patient-derived cell lines from tissue of 20 patients with aGCT. Of these, seven patients had a primary diagnosis of aGCT and 13 patients had recurrent disease. In eight patients, multiple tumor locations were cultured. On each cell line, 10 monotherapies and 17 combinations of drugs were tested. Carboplatin/gemcitabine showed efficacy and synergy in almost all patient-derived cell lines. Synergy could not be detected in the regular carboplatin/paclitaxel and carboplatin/etoposide combinations. Experimental combinations alpelisib/fulvestrant and alpelisib/gemcitabine showed efficacy of more than 75%. Drug screens on patient-derived tumor cell lines reflect the reality of the variable response of systemic therapy in patients with aGCT. In future research, this technique may be used to personalize the systemic treatment of patients with aGCT in a clinical study. The good response to carboplatin/gemcitabine in our patient-derived cell lines can then be confirmed in a clinical setting.

Novel Methods to Assess Tumor Burden and Minimal Residual Disease in Genitourinary Cancers

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Advances in molecular diagnostics have ushered in a new era for patients with prostate, renal, and urothelial cancers, with novel radiographic and molecular modalities for the assessment of disease burden and minimal residual disease (MRD). Conventional imaging has a limited threshold for disease detection and is often unable to discern clinically occult disease with varying risks of false-negative or false-positive findings depending on the disease state and type of imaging.

METHODS

We provide an overview of emerging radiographic and molecular tools in development within the genitourinary (GU) disease space. A literature review of contemporary basic, translational, and clinical research studies was performed, covering the timeframe of 1980-2024 through the MEDLINE (via PubMed) and Scopus databases. We highlight select examples of emerging technologies and biomarker-informed clinical trials, which aim to quantify disease at lower thresholds and have the potential for integrating MRD in clinical practice for GU patients.

KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS

The development of novel radiotracers, such as prostate-specific membrane antigen or carbonic anhydrase IX, is being evaluated in both clinical practice and trial setting, aiming to change the management of these tumors. Molecular tools including circulating tumor cells and byproducts such as plasma and urine cell-free circulating tumor DNA provide the opportunity for MRD detection. MRD capture on single-cell or cellular byproducts can serve as a conduit for genomic and transcriptomic analyses, providing insight into the molecular underpinnings and clonal evolution of disease.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

While the full potential for MRD applications has yet to be realized, we are witnessing the emergence of novel techniques aimed at MRD detection and the rapid development of elegantly designed studies implementing iterative detection of MRD as means to provide biological rationale and tailor therapeutic options in GU tumors.

Unlocking the mechanisms underlying the activity of pembrolizumab plus enfortumab vedotin in patients with urothelial carcinoma

INTRODUCTION

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is frequently associated with a poor prognosis in patients with advanced disease. A strong biological rationale supports the investigation of combining antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) with immunotherapy to overcome the occurrence of resistance and improve patient outcomes.

AREAS COVERED

In this review, we illustrate the mechanisms of action of pembrolizumab and enfortumab vedotin (EV) and the immune and biological rationales underlying their synergy in mUC patients.

EXPERT OPINION

The results of the combination of EV and pembrolizumab represent a ray of light in the therapeutic scenario of mUC patients. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying the synergistic effects of these agents will be crucial to reduce drug-resistance and further improve the outcome of mUC patients.

Mortality rates in radical cystectomy patients with bladder cancer after radiation therapy for prostate cancer

OBJECTIVE

To conduct a population-based study examining cancer-specific mortality (CSM) and other-cause mortality (OCM) differences in patients with radiation-induced secondary bladder cancer (RT-BCa) vs those with primary bladder cancer (pBCa) undergoing radical cystectomy (RC).

METHODS

Within the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (2004-2020), we identified patients with T2-4N0-3M0 bladder cancer treated with RC, who had previously been treated with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) or brachytherapy for prostate cancer, as well as patients with T2-4N0-3M0 pBCa treated with RC. Cumulative incidence plots and multivariable competing risks regression (CRR) models were used to assess CSM after additional adjustment for OCM. The same methodology was then repeated based on organ-confined (OC: T2N0M0) and non-organ-confined (NOC: T3-4 and/or N1-3) disease.

RESULTS

Of 9957 RC patients, RT-BCa was identified in 347 (3%) compared with 9610 (97%) who had pBCa. In multivariable CRR models, no CSM differences were recorded in the overall comparison (P = 0.8), nor in sub-groups based on OC and NOC disease (P = 0.8 and 0.7, respectively). Conversely, multivariable CRR models identified RT-BCa as an independent predictor of 1.3-fold higher OCM in the overall cohort and of 1.5-fold higher OCM in those with NOC disease. In a sensitivity analysis of patients with NOC disease, EBRT was associated with higher OCM rates (hazard ratio 1.5). By contrast, OCM rates were not different in those with OC disease (P = 0.8).

CONCLUSION

Our study showed that RC for RT-BCa was associated with similar CSM rates as RC for pBCa, regardless of disease stage. However, patients who had undergone EBRT exhibited significantly higher OCM in the NOC sub-group.

Perioperative cisplatin-based chemotherapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer: a decision analysis

PURPOSE

While meta-analyses of randomised studies suggest that neoadjuvant (NAC) or adjuvant (ACT) cisplatin-based chemotherapy improve overall survival in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), there are no trials comparing NAC against ACT in terms of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and costs. We aimed to evaluate the long-term QALYs, costs, and cost-effectiveness of different strategies for treating patients with MIBC.

METHODS

An individual-level state transition microsimulation model was developed for patients with urothelial non-metastatic MIBC eligible for surgery and NAC at diagnosis. Four treatment strategies were evaluated: (i) no treatment, (ii) radical cystectomy (RC) without perioperative chemotherapy, (iii) NAC followed by RC, and (iv) RC followed by ACT. Primary endpoints were QALYs and costs. Sensitivity analysis on the probability of being fit for ACT after surgery was conducted to account for the uncertainty of this parameter. The model was face-validated independently by two urologists.

RESULTS

Life-expectancy was 4.54 QALYs for ACT, 4.38 QALYs for NAC, 4.28 QALYs for RC without perioperative chemotherapy, and 2.84 QALYs for no treatment. Costs were lowest for ACT (US$45,805), compared to NAC (US$48,160), RC without perioperative chemotherapy (US$48,703), and no treatment (US$59,948). Sensitivity analysis suggested that NAC is associated with increased QALYs compared to ACT if the estimated probability of being fit for ACT is less than 38%. Limitations include the US-centric cost perspective.

CONCLUSIONS

In lack of comparative studies, simulated data suggests that ACT leads to increased QALYs and is cost-effective compared to NAC.

Bladder cuff excision at radical nephroureterectomy improved survival in upper tract urothelial carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To test for survival differences after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) in pT1-T3N0 upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) patients according to bladder cuff excision (BCE) status.

METHODS

Within the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (2004-2020), we identified RNU patients and documented BCE status. Prior and after propensity score matching (ratio 1:1), cumulative incidence plots and competing risk regression (CRR) models addressed cancer specific mortality (CSM) and other-cause mortality (OCM).

RESULTS

Of 4,426 RNU-treated patients, 3,186 (72%) patients underwent BCE and 1,240 (28%) did not. BCE rates significantly increased over time from 65.2 to 77.0% (EAPC: +1.0%, 95% CI +0.4 to +1.6%, P = 0.004) between 2004 and 2020. After 1:1 propensity score matching for T stage, 1,240 of 1,240 (100%) RNU patients without BCE and 1,240 of 3,186 (39%) RNU patients with BCE were included in subsequent analyses. Five-year CSM rates were 30% in RNU with BCE vs. 36% in RNU without BCE patients (Δ = 6%). In multivariable CRR, RNU with BCE independently predicted lower CSM (HR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.70-0.93; P < 0.001). Conversely, BCE status did not affect OCM (P = 0.4).

CONCLUSION

The rate of guideline recommended BCE at RNU increased over time. Additionally, RNU with BCE is associated with significantly lower CSM than RNU without BCE in pT1-T3N0 UTUC patients. In consequence, BCE should represent an integral part of a comprehensive RNU.

Repurposing ProTAME for Bladder Cancer: A Combined Therapeutic Approach Targeting Cell Migration and MMP Regulation

Bladder cancer, the fourth most common cancer type among men, remains a therapeutic challenge due to its heterogeneity and frequent development of chemoresistance. Cisplatin-based chemotherapy, often combined with gemcitabine, is the standard treatment, yet resistance and off-target effects in non-cancerous tissues limit its efficacy. This study evaluated the effects of cisplatin, gemcitabine, and the APC/C inhibitor proTAME, both individually and in combination, on cell migration and MMP2/MMP9 expression in RT4 bladder cancer and ARPE-19 normal epithelial cells. Molecular docking analyses were conducted to investigate the interactions of these compounds with MMP2 and MMP9. IC20 values for gemcitabine, cisplatin, and proTAME were applied in scratch-wound healing and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assays. Docking results predicted that proTAME may interact favorably with MMP2 (-9.2 kcal/mol) and MMP9 (-8.7 kcal/mol), showing high computational binding affinities and potential key hydrogen bonds; however, these interactions require further experimental validation. Scratch-wound healing and qRT-PCR assays demonstrated that proTAME-containing combinations were associated with reduced cell migration and decreased MMP2 and MMP9 expression in RT4 cells. Cisplatin combined with proTAME showed the most pronounced reduction in MMP expression and cell migration, with proTAME alone also exhibiting notable inhibitory effects. In ARPE-19 cells, gemcitabine and cisplatin upregulated MMP2 and MMP9 expression, suggesting a potential stress response, whereas proTAME mitigated this effect. These differential effects show the importance of tumor-specific responses in RT4 cells, where proTAME shows promise in enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapy by modulating MMP-related pathways involved in tumor migration and invasion. In conclusion, this study highlights the potential of proTAME as a repurposed agent in bladder cancer treatment due to its association with reduced cell migration and MMP downregulation. While these in vitro and in silico findings suggest a promising role for proTAME in combination therapies, further validation in advanced preclinical models is necessary to assess its therapeutic applicability and safety.

Integrated single-cell analysis reveals the regulatory network of disulfidptosis-related lncRNAs in bladder cancer: constructing a prognostic model and predicting treatment response

Background

Disulfidptosis is a newly discovered form of cell death, and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play a crucial role in tumor cell growth, migration, recurrence, and drug resistance, particularly in bladder cancer (BLCA). This study aims to investigate disulfidptosis-related lncRNAs (DRLs) as potential prognostic markers for BLCA patients.

Methods

Utilizing single-cell sequencing data, RNA sequencing data, and corresponding clinical information sourced from the GEO and TCGA databases, this study conducted cell annotation and intercellular communication analyses to identify differentially expressed disulfide death-related genes (DRGs). Subsequently, Pearson correlation and Cox regression analyses were employed to discern DRLs that correlate with overall survival. A prognostic model was constructed through LASSO regression analysis based on DRLs, complemented by multivariate Cox regression analysis. The performance of this model was rigorously evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and area under the ROC curve (AUC). Furthermore, this investigation delved into the potential signaling pathways, immune status, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and responses to anticancer therapies associated with varying prognoses in patients with BLCA.

Results

We identified twelve differentially expressed DRGs and elucidated their corresponding intercellular communication relationships. Notably, epithelial cells function as ligands, signaling to other cell types, with the interactions between epithelial cells and both monocytes and endothelial cells exhibiting the strongest connectivity. This study identified six DRLs in BLCA-namely, C1RL-AS1, GK-AS1, AC134349.1, AC104785.1, AC011092.3, and AC009951.6, and constructed a nomogram to improve the predictive accuracy of the model. The DRL features demonstrated significant associations with various clinical variables, diverse immune landscapes, and drug sensitivity profiles in BLCA patients. Furthermore, RT-qPCR validation confirmed the aberrant expression levels of these DRLs in BLCA tissues, affirming the potential of DRL characteristics as prognostic biomarkers.

Conclusion

We established a DRLs model that serves as a predictive tool for the prognosis of BLCA patients, as well as for assessing tumor mutation burden, immune cell infiltration, and responses to immunotherapy and targeted therapies. Collectively, this study contributes valuable insights toward advancing precision medicine within the context of BLCA.

Deep learning-based model for prediction of early recurrence and therapy response on whole slide images in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer: a retrospective, multicentre study

Background

Accurate prediction of early recurrence is essential for disease management of patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). We aimed to develop and validate a deep learning-based early recurrence predictive model (ERPM) and a treatment response predictive model (TRPM) on whole slide images to assist clinical decision making.

Methods

In this retrospective, multicentre study, we included consecutive patients with pathology-confirmed NMIBC who underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumour from five centres. Patients from one hospital (Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China) were assigned to training and internal validation cohorts, and patients from four other hospitals (the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, and Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China; Shenshan Medical Centre, Shanwei, China) were assigned to four independent external validation cohorts. Based on multi-instance and ensemble learning, the ERPM was developed to make predictions on haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and immunohistochemistry staining slides. Sharing the same architecture of the ERPM, the TRPM was trained and evaluated by cross validation on patients who received Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). The performance of the ERPM was mainly evaluated and compared with the clinical model, H&E-based model, and integrated model through the area under the curve. Survival analysis was performed to assess the prognostic capability of the ERPM.

Findings

Between January 1, 2017, and September 30, 2023, 4395 whole slide images of 1275 patients were included to train and validate the models. The ERPM was superior to the clinical and H&E-based model in predicting early recurrence in both internal validation cohort (area under the curve: 0.837 vs 0.645 vs 0.737) and external validation cohorts (area under the curve: 0.761-0.802 vs 0.626-0.682 vs 0.694-0.723) and was on par with the integrated model. It also stratified recurrence-free survival significantly (p < 0.0001) with a hazard ratio of 4.50 (95% CI 3.10-6.53). The TRPM performed well in predicting BCG-unresponsive NMIBC (accuracy 84.1%).

Interpretation

The ERPM showed promising performance in predicting early recurrence and recurrence-free survival of patients with NMIBC after surgery and with further validation and in combination with TRPM could be used to guide the management of NMIBC.

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Science and Technology Planning Project of Guangdong Province, the National Key Research and Development Programme of China, the Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Centre for Urological Diseases, and the Science and Technology Projects in Guangzhou.

The need for a second transurethral resection in high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer based on the Vesicle Imaging-Reporting and Data System

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of Vesical Imaging-Reporting and Data System (VI-RADS) for the second transurethral resection (TUR) has not been adequately validated. This study aimed to evaluate the utility of the VI-RADS for high-risk patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) who are candidates for a second TUR.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 116 patients who received magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) prior to an initial TUR and underwent a second TUR for a diagnosis of high-risk NMIBC at the initial TUR. MRI images were retrospectively classified according to VI-RADS. Second TUR outcomes and recurrence-free and progression-free survival rates were compared with VI-RADS scores.

RESULTS

Ninety-nine (91%) patients were diagnosed with T1 bladder cancer at the initial TUR. At the second TUR, residual cancer was found in 53 (49%) cases, including five (4.6%) cases of muscle invasion. With a median follow-up of 41 months, the 2-year bladder recurrence-free survival rate was 71% and the 2-year progression-free rate was 85%. By two radiologists' consensus, 30 (28%)/49 (45%)/16 (15%)/10 (9.2%)/4 (3.7%) cases were classified as VI-RADS 1/2/3/4/5, respectively. Of five pT2 upstage cases, three were VI-RADS 1, one was VI-RADS 2, and one was VI-RADS 3. There was no significant association between VI-RADS and cancer residual rate and pT2 upstage rate in second TUR outcomes, and recurrence-free and progression-free survival rates.

CONCLUSION

In high-risk NMIBCs, a certain number of residual cancers and pT2 upstage cases exist after the initial TUR, and a second TUR should be performed regardless of VI-RADS scores.

The tipping point: Key oncologic imaging findings resulting in critical changes in the management of malignant genitourinary and gynecological tumors

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this article is to review the staging systems for common malignant genitourinary and gynecological tumors, including renal cell carcinoma, urinary bladder carcinoma, as well as cervical, endometrial, and ovarian carcinoma, and to highlight the key imaging findings ("tipping points") that may alter patient management algorithms based on radiological staging.

CONCLUSION

There are identifiable imaging features for the common genitourinary and gynecological malignancies, including the size of the primary tumor, tumor extension, invasion of adjacent structures, lymph node involvement, and distant metastasis, which provide important prognostic information and determine patient management. Radiologists must be aware of these imaging findings ("tipping points") when interpreting staging examinations.

Prognostic and predictive role of circulating tumor DNA detection in patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

At present, there is no effective prognostic indicator for muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). A liquid biopsy method, plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) detection, was evaluated for use in predicting the prognosis of different cancers. This study aims to assess the prognostic value of ctDNA state for muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients.

METHODS

We comprehensively searched three public databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library) in December 2023 according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement. Studies investigating ctDNA and prognostic outcome indicators in patients with MIBC were included in our analysis. The hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were extracted to evaluate the association between ctDNA and the prognosis in patients with MIBC.

RESULTS

Eleven studies and 1,170 patients diagnosed with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, comprising a total of four retrospective cohort studies and eight prospective cohort studies, included in our meta-analysis, one of which had two different cohorts. The analysis revealed that a positive ctDNA state was associated with poor overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with MIBC (HR = 4.51, 95% CI: 2.64-7.69, P < 0.001; HR = 4.50, 95% CI: 2.77-7.30, P < 0.001; HR = 6.56, 95% CI: 4.18-10.30, P < 0.001), with significant prognostic effects both pre- and post-treatment. In addition, longitudinal ctDNA analysis proved to be effective in the monitoring of patients with MIBC receiving different treatments (HR = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.14-0.41, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

A positive ctDNA state was associated with poor OS, PFS, and RFS in patients with MIBC pre- and post-treatment. Meanwhile, clearance of ctDNA was associated with improved RFS in patients with MIBC. These findings suggest that the ctDNA state is a predictive and prognostic indicator for patients with MIBC, which can be used to monitor recurrence and guide treatment. Thus, ctDNA level detection shows potential for the treatment and prognosis of patients with MIBC.

Artificial intelligence algorithms enhance urine cytology reporting confidence in postoperative follow-up for upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma

PURPOSE

In Taiwan, the incidence of urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract (UTUC) is high and intravesical recurrence is approximately 22%-47%. Thus, postoperative cystoscopy and urine cytology follow-up, which require experienced cytologists, are needed. The AIxURO system aligns with The Paris System (TPS) guidelines for reporting urinary cytology. This study assessed the benefit of early detection of intravesical recurrence after nephroureterectomy using the AIxURO system.

METHODS

Urine cytology slides (n = 296) from 113 patients with UTUC were retrieved and patient data, pre-operative and postoperative cytology, pathology, and follow-up series for the intravesical recurrence group were collected. Cytology slides were digitized and independently assessed by the AIxURO system, and the results were compared to cytology reports.

RESULTS

From January 2022 to August 2023, 113 patients with UTUC underwent nephroureterectomy. Eighty-eight patients (88/113, 77.8%) received 1 or 2 cytology examinations pre-operatively, 44 slides (44/204, 21.5%) were positive and 34 patients (34/113, 30.1%) were diagnosed with UTUC. Postoperative intravesical recurrence was detected in 27 patients (27/113, 23%) at an average of 190.62 days. Thirty-four slides (34/56, 60.7%) were negative for UTUC. Eight patients (8/27, 29.6%) met the criteria for early diagnosis of intravesical recurrence. The AIxURO system identified two more patients (10/27, 37.0%) with early intravesical recurrence.

CONCLUSION

The AIxURO system enhanced postoperative urine cytology reporting confidence and could identify some underdiagnosed slides to enhance the early detection of UTUC with intravesical recurrence. AIxURO may be used for post-nephroureterectomy follow-up and reduce the necessity for cystoscopy.

Perioperative Complications and In-Hospital Mortality in Radical Nephroureterectomy Patients with Heart Valve Replacement

BACKGROUND

Perioperative complication rates and in-hospital mortality after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) in patients with a history of heart valve replacement are unknown.

METHODS

Within the National Inpatient Sample (2000-2019), we identified non-metastatic upper urinary tract carcinoma patients treated with RNU according to the presence or absence of a history of heart valve replacement. Propensity score matching (1:10 ratio) and multivariable logistic regression as well as Poisson regression models were used.

RESULTS

Of 15,423 RNU patients, 151 (1.0%) harbored heart valve replacement. This proportion increased over the study span from 0.5% to 1.4% (p = 0.02). Heart valve replacement patients were older (median 78 vs. 72 years; p < 0.001), more frequently male (73 vs. 60%; p = 0.002), and more frequently harbored a Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) ≥3 (36 vs. 27%; p = 0.002). After 1:10 propensity score matching for age, sex, and CCI, the patients exhibited higher rates of perioperative bleeding (7.4 vs. 2.4%; odds ratio [OR] 3.2; p < 0.001), blood transfusions (24.0 vs. 17.0%; OR 1.6; p = 0.02), and cardiac complications (24.0 vs. 14.0%; OR 2.1; p < 0.001). Conversely, heart valve replacement patients did not exhibit higher rates of critical care therapy (OR 1.06; p = 0.8), higher rates of in-hospital mortality (OR 0.8; p = 0.8), and longer length of stay (OR 1.4; p = 0.052) than their RNU counterparts without a history of heart valve replacement.

CONCLUSION

RNU patients with a history of heart valve replacement are at significantly increased risk of perioperative bleeding, blood transfusions, and cardiac complications; however, despite these increased risks, they neither exhibited higher critical care therapy rates or higher in-hospital mortality rates, nor did they require significantly longer hospital stay.

Real-world survival and economic burden among patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma in the United States

BACKGROUND

Given the changing treatment landscape for locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (la/mUC), this study aimed to describe real-world treatments, overall survival (OS), health care resource utilization (HCRU), and costs among US patients with la/mUC receiving first-line therapy.

METHODS

This retrospective study was conducted using 100% Medicare claims data (2015-2020). Patients with la/mUC were selected; initiation of first-line therapy was the index date. Treatments and OS were assessed during follow-up (index date to the earliest of end of data availability, health plan coverage, or death). All-cause HCRU and costs (2021 USD) were assessed during the first-line treatment period (index date to the earliest of first-line discontinuation, switch to second-line therapy, end of follow-up, or death). Outpatient pharmacy costs were not included. All-cause OS from start of first-line therapy was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier approach. The HCRU, cost, and OS analyses were stratified by 3 index treatment groups-platinum-based chemotherapy, non-platinum-based chemotherapy, and programmed cell death protein 1/ligand 1 (PD-1/L1) inhibitor monotherapy-and adjusted for baseline characteristics.

RESULTS

Of 9,939 patients included, 77.1% were men and mean age was 76 years. In total, 5,050 (50.8%) received platinum-based chemotherapy, 1,361 (13.7%) received non-platinum-based chemotherapy, and 3,242 (32.6%) received PD-1/L1 inhibitor monotherapy for first-line la/mUC. Median OS was 12.9, 12.9 (P = 0.960), and 9.0 months (P < 0.001) with platinum-based chemotherapy (reference), non-platinum-based chemotherapy, and PD-1/L1 inhibitor monotherapy, respectively. Most (> 99%) patients had ≥ 1 outpatient visit during the treatment period; mean number of visits per patient was 13.1 with platinum-based chemotherapy, 10.5 with non-platinum-based chemotherapy, and 18.3 with PD-1/L1 inhibitor monotherapy. In general, HCRU was significantly lower for patients receiving PD-1/L1 inhibitor monotherapy versus platinum-based chemotherapy. However, costs were significantly higher with PD-1/L1 inhibitor monotherapy versus platinum-based chemotherapy. Mean total monthly cost per patient was $10,285 for platinum-based chemotherapy, $8,982 for non-platinum-based chemotherapy, and $18,147 for PD-1/L1 inhibitor monotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

From 2015 to 2020, patients with la/mUC had substantial HCRU and costs and short survival, regardless of first-line treatment. More effective therapies were needed to prolong survival and reduce the economic burden of la/mUC.

The effectiveness and safety of RC48 alone or in combination with PD-1 inhibitors for locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma: a multicenter, real-world study

BACKGROUND

RC48 is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) specifically targeting HER2. Phase II and III clinical trials have proven its significant anti-tumor effect against locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (la/mUC). This study aims to further assess the effectiveness and safety of RC48 for patients with la/mUC and provide insights for further clinical practice.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis for 42 patients with la/mUC who underwent RC48 alone or in combination with PD-1 inhibitors therapy between 18 October 2022 and 1 May 2024 were conducted to assess effectiveness and safety of RC48. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize baseline characteristics, treatment-related adverse events, etc. Cox proportional risk model and the Kaplan-Meier method were applied to analyze patients' survival.

RESULTS

We observed a median progression-free survival (mPFS) of 6.2 months, although median overall survival (mOS) has not been reached so far. An objective response rate (ORR) of 54.8% and a disease control rate (DCR) of 83.3% was also observed. Patients with first-line therapy, second- or later-line therapy and neoadjuvant therapy were observed disease remission with ORRs of 47.7%, 40.0% and 100.0%, respectively. The most common treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) include hypoesthesia and elevated transaminases which affect over 90.0% of patients and mostly grade 1-2 in severity, and no treatment-related fatalities were found.

CONCLUSIONS

This multicenter, real-world study confirms that RC48 alone or in combination with PD-1 inhibitors exerted a promising effectiveness and manageable safety for first-line, second- and post-line, and neoadjuvant therapy with la/mUC.

Comparison of Remimazolam-Based Monitored Anesthesia Care and Inhalation-Based General Anesthesia in Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor: A Randomized-Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) is commonly performed in elderly patients and often requires repeated procedures. A high proportion of non-procedural time in TURBT affects operating room utilization, highlighting the need for a safe and efficient anesthesia method. This study aimed to compare remimazolam-based monitored anesthesia care (MAC) guided by analgesia nociception index (ANI) monitoring to inhalation-based general anesthesia (GA) for TURBT, focusing on induction and emergence time (IAET).

METHODS

Forty-six patients who underwent TURBT were randomly assigned into either the MAC group or GA group. The primary outcome was the IAET. The secondary outcomes included hospital and anesthesia charges, safety (intraoperative hypotension and desaturation), and feasibility (surgeon and patient satisfaction) of both anesthetic methods.

RESULTS

The MAC group demonstrated a significantly shorter IAET (14 vs. 25 min, p < 0.001) and lower anesthesia cost (USD 152 vs. USD 195, p < 0.001). The MAC group showed better hemodynamic stability with a lower incidence of hypotension (29% vs. 73%, p = 0.004). Seven patients (33%) in the MAC group experienced intraoperative desaturation; all patients recovered without complications through the jaw-thrust maneuver. Patient satisfaction was equally high in both groups, and surgeon satisfaction, though slightly lower with MAC (71% vs. 100% rating "excellent", p = 0.009), remained acceptable.

CONCLUSIONS

Remimazolam-based MAC, guided by ANI monitoring, offers significant advantages including shorter IAET, reduced costs, and improved safety for TURBT, particularly in patients with small tumors. These findings support MAC as a promising alternative to GA for TURBT, as it enhances perioperative outcomes and operating room efficiency.

Disitamab vedotin vs. gemcitabine-cisplatin regimen with immunotherapy: a comparative analysis of efficacy and safety in muscle-invasive bladder cancer

Introduction

Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is an aggressive bladder cancer characterized by invasion of the muscular bladder wall, often necessitating a multimodal treatment approach for optimal outcomes. This study aimed to compare the real-world efficacy and safety of disitamab vedotin (RC48), an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), combined immunotherapy targeting programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1), against the gemcitabine and cisplatin (GC) regimen with PD-1 immunotherapy in the treatment of MIBC.

Methods

This single-center, retrospective study was conducted at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University and included 38 patients with MIBC treated with either RC48 plus immunotherapy or GC regimen plus immunotherapy, between January 2022 and December 2023. Patients were divided into two groups: the RC48 with immunotherapy (ADC + PD-1) group and the GC regimen with immunotherapy (GC + PD-1) group. Efficacy was evaluated based on their pathological complete response rates (PCRR) and pathological downstaging rates (PDR). Adverse events (AEs) were assessed to compare safety profiles.

Results

Of the 38 patients, 17 were in the ADC + PD-1 group and 21 were in the GC + PD-1 group. The PCRR was significantly higher in the ADC + PD-1 group (82.35%, 14/17) compared to the GC + PD-1 group (47.62%, 10/21; P = 0.043). The PDR was also higher in the ADC + PD-1 group (94.12%, 16/17) than in the GC + PD-1 group (80.95%, 17/21), although the difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.355). No serious allergic reactions or fatal AEs were reported in either group. No Grade 4 AEs were reported, while Grade 3 AEs occurred at a rate of 5.71% in the ADC + PD-1 group and 12.20% in the GC + PD-1 group (P = 0.260).

Conclusion

RC48 combined with immunotherapy demonstrated a significantly higher PCRR compared to the GC regimen with immunotherapy, while maintaining a comparable safety profile. These findings highlight the potential of RC48 combined with immunotherapy as an effective treatment option for MIBC in clinical practice.

Clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic significance of HER2 status evaluation in patients with urothelial carcinoma: a retrospective single-center experience in China

Due to the lack of an in-depth evaluation of urothelial carcinoma (UC) HER2 expression in both primary and recurrent UC, we examined possible clinical and pathological variables associated with altered UC HER2 expression. The HER2 status and clinicopathological features of primary UCs and matched recurrences from 2015 to 2023 (n = 1352) were compared by evolution category (stable or altered). In 1352 UC patients, HER2 protein expression was linked with age, histological grade, and recurrence. HER2 was expressed in 794 UC patients (58.7%) (1 + , 2 + , and 3 +). High-level (HER2 scored 2 + and 3 +) HER2 expression does not correlate with gene amplification. Significant differences in HER2 expression exist between initial and recurrent tumors (p < 0.05), including a shift from positive to negative expression. Recurrent UC patients showed associations between HER2 expression, histological grade (p < 0.05), and time to surgical recurrence (p = 0.008). HER2 expression in high-grade UC correlated positively with PD-L1 expression in tumor cells (TC) (rs = 0.222, p = 0.047) and tumor-associated immune cells (IC) (rs = 0.238, p = 0.032), especially in recurrent patients (rs = 0.464, p = 0.022). HER2 expression was associated with the biological behavior and prognosis of UC patients. Increased HER2 expression in recurrent UC indicates a poorer prognosis. Consequently, retesting for HER2 is essential in cases of recurrent UC. The association between HER2 and PD-L1 expression in high-grade, recurrent UC suggests the potential for utilizing ADC alongside immunotherapy.

Comparative diagnostic performance of VI-RADS based on biparametric and multiparametric MRI in predicting muscle invasion in bladder cancer

BACKGROUND

Vesical Imaging-Reporting and Data System (VI-RADS) based on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mp-MRI) performed well in diagnosing muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). However, certain cases may present challenges in determining the final VI-RADS score using only T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences, especially in the absence of dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) imaging. This study aims to evaluates whether biparametric MRI (bp-MRI) achieve comparable diagnostic performance to mp-MRI for predicting MIBC and seeks to identify the most suitable bp-MRI criterion by establishing four specific conditions based on T2WI and DWI.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted on 447 patients who underwent preoperative mp-MRI. Images were evaluated according to the VI-RADS protocol by three independent readers. In the bp-DWI and bp-DWI Plus criteria, DWI was the primary sequence used for lesion assessment, while T2WI was the primary sequence for bp-T2WI and bp-T2WI Plus criteria. The Plus criteria (bp-DWI Plus and bp-T2WI Plus) assigned a final VI-RADS score of 4 when both T2WI and DWI scores were 3. The gold standard for diagnosis was histopathological evaluation after surgery. Diagnostic performance was evaluated by comparing the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, and inter-reader agreement using Cohen's kappa analysis.

RESULTS

Among 447 patients, 304 confirmed as NMIBC and 143 as MIBC. The kappa values were 0.876, 0.873, 0.873, 0.642, and 0.642 for mp-MRI, bp-DWI, bp-DWI Plus, bp-T2WI, and bp-T2WI Plus, respectively, when VI-RADS cutoff > 2. Similarly, when cutoff > 3, the kappa values were 0.848, 0.811, 0.873, 0.811, and 0.873. No significant differences were observed between mp-MRI and bp-DWI (AUC: 0.916 vs. 0.912, p = 0.498), but mp-MRI and bp-DWI had higher AUCs compared to bp-DWI Plus, bp-T2WI, and bp-T2WI Plus.

CONCLUSIONS

Both mp-MRI and bp-DWI demonstrate excellent performance in predicting MIBC, with bp-DWI being an alternative to mp-MRI.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

retrospectively.

Sex-related differences in response to neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy in urothelial carcinoma of urinary bladder treated with radical cystectomy

INTRODUCTION

It is unknown whether sex-related differences in response to neoadjuvant (NAC) or adjuvant chemotherapy (ADJ) exist in urothelial carcinoma patients treated with radical cystectomy (RC). We addressed these knowledge gaps.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Within the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (2007-2020), we identified NAC candidates (T2-T4N0M0) and ADJ candidates (T3-T4 and/or N1-3). We divided patients according to sex (male versus female). Subsequently, within NAC-candidate patients, survival analyses consisted of Kaplan-Meier plots and multivariable Cox regression models (MCR) addressing cancer-specific mortality (CSM) according to NAC-exposed versus RC alone. We repeated the same methodology in ADJ-candidate patients.

RESULTS

We identified 5,745 NAC candidates, of whom 1,278 were female (22%) and 4,467 were male (78%). Among these, NAC was administered in 247 (19%) females and 986 (22%) males. In females, NAC exposure independently predicted lower CSM rates relative to RC alone (HR: HR:0.73, P = 0.03). In males, NAC exposure also independently predicted lower CSM rates, but to greater extent (HR:0.65, P < 0.001). Similarly, we identified 7,283 ADJ candidates, of whom 1,659 (23%) were females versus 5,624 (77%) males. Among these, ADJ was administered in 365 females (22%) and 1,326 (24%) males. In females, ADJ exposure independently predicted lower CSM rates relative to RC alone (HR:0.81, P = 0.02). In males, ADJ exposure also independently predicted lower CSM rates, but to greater extent (HR:0.68, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Although both male and female patients benefit of improved survival with either NAC or ADJ, the magnitude of this benefit is significantly lower in female patients to that recorded in male counterparts.

Effectiveness and safety of PD-1/L1 inhibitors as first-line therapy for patients with advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma who are ineligible for platinum-based chemotherapy: a meta-analysis

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of programmed cell death protein 1 or its ligand (PD-1/L1) inhibitors as first-line therapy in advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) who are ineligible for platinum-based chemotherapy.

Method

A systematic search was conducted in four databases (Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library) to find articles that evaluate the effectiveness of first-line PD-1/L1 inhibitors for mUC, from the establishment of the databases to 22 November 2023. Meta-analyses were performed to evaluate the frequencies of progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), complete response (CR), partial response (PR), stable disease (SD), progressive disease (PD), objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and grade ≥ 3 treatment-related adverse events (trAEs).

Results

Totally six studies were included for meta-analysis. The CR, PR, SD, PD, ORR, DCR, and grade ≥ 3 trAEs rate were 0.06 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.04 to 0.07], 0.22 (95% CI, 0.16 to 0.30), 0.27 (95% CI, 0.23 to 0.31), 0.31 (95% CI, 0.20 to 0.44), 0.28 (95% CI, 0.21 to 0.37), 0.57 (95% CI, 0.47 to 0.67) and 0.26 (95% CI, 0.14 to 0.40), respectively. The median PFS and OS were 4.5 months and 13.7 months, respectively. Subgroup analysis showed that PD-1/L1 inhibitors monotherapy had an ORR rate of 0.25 (95% CI, 0.21 to 0.29) and a DCR rate of 0.50(95% CI, 0.44 to 0.56), while PD-1/L1 dual immunotherapy had a better ORR rate of 0.33 (95% CI, 0.15 to 0.52) and a DCR rate of 0.65 (95% CI, 0.49 to 0.80). However, there was no significant difference in PFS and OS between the two groups.

Conclusion

The findings indicated that PD-1/L1 inhibitors could be used as a safe and viable first-line treatment option for patients with advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma who were not suitable candidates for platinum-based chemotherapy. Specifically, the combination of Enfortumab vedotin (EV) and pembrolizumab (Pembro) showed more effectiveness in treating patients compared to trials using the current standard treatment, suggesting that it could be a promising alternative treatment option.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42024510152.

IVC treatment between primary and second TURBT may improve the prognosis of high-risk NMIBC patients receiving BCG treatment

To explore whether intravesical chemotherapy (IVC) between primary and second transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) affects the prognosis of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients receiving Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) treatment. NMIBC patients who underwent a second TURBT and subsequent BCG treatment between 2012 and 2023 at the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were divided into Group A, which received IVC between TURBT, and Group B, which did not. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) was compared among the different risk subgroups. A total of 292 NMIBC patients were included in this study. In the entire cohort, IVC treatment between the primary and second TURBT was associated with longer RFS (P = 0.009). When stratified by risk groups, in intermediate-risk patients, the difference in RFS between the groups was not statistically significant (P = 0.434). By contrast, for high-risk patients, the treated group exhibited a better prognosis compared to the non-treated group (85.6% vs. 77.6%, P = 0.007). In both univariate and multivariate COX regression analyses, after adjusting for clinical factors such as tumor stage and tumor grade, the IVC between the primary and second TURBT remained an independent prognostic factor for NMIBC patients (HR 0.571, 95% CI [0.380, 0.859], p = 0.007). IVC treatment administered between the primary and second TURBT has been demonstrated to enhance RFS of high-risk NMIBC patients undergoing BCG treatment, whereas it is not applicable to intermediate-risk patients.

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.

Cisplatin- or Carboplatin-Based Chemotherapy Plus Pembrolizumab in Advanced Urothelial Cancer: Exploratory Analysis From the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-361 Study

INTRODUCTION

KEYNOTE-361 evaluated first-line pembrolizumab with and without platinum-based chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone in advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma. The primary end points of progression-free survival (PFS) or overall survival (OS) were not met. Exploratory analysis of efficacy by platinum agent (cisplatin or carboplatin) is reported.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eligible patients were randomly assigned 1:1:1 to receive pembrolizumab 200 mg intravenously every 3 weeks for ≤35 cycles with or without chemotherapy (gemcitabine with investigator's choice of either cisplatin or carboplatin) or chemotherapy alone. This exploratory subset analysis evaluated PFS and objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST v1.1 by blinded independent central review and OS for cisplatin- or carboplatin-based chemotherapy with versus without pembrolizumab for patients assigned to chemotherapy-containing arms of KEYNOTE-361.

RESULTS

Of 1010 patients enrolled, 703 were assigned to receive a chemotherapy-containing regimen (n = 312 cisplatin based; n = 391 carboplatin based). Median follow-up was 31.3 months. For cisplatin-based arms, with versus without pembrolizumab, median OS was 20.1 versus 16.4 months (HR 0.88, 95% CI, 0.67-1.15) and median PFS was 8.5 versus 7.1 months (HR 0.67, 0.51-0.89). ORR was 64.1% versus 48.7%, respectively. For carboplatin-based arms, with versus without pembrolizumab, median OS was 15.5 versus 12.3 months (HR 0.84, 95% CI, 0.67-1.06) and median PFS was 8.0 versus 6.7 months (HR 0.86, 0.68-1.09). ORR was 47.2% versus 41.8%, respectively. Among patients in the cisplatin-based versus carboplatin-based chemotherapy alone arms, 55.8% versus 41.8% received a subsequent antiprogrammed cell death protein 1/ligand 1 therapy. The addition of pembrolizumab did not significantly increase the incidence of adverse events reported.

CONCLUSION

Results suggest trends toward OS and PFS improvements with the addition of pembrolizumab to gemcitabine-platinum doublet over gemcitabine-platinum alone regardless of whether cisplatin or carboplatin was the chosen platinum agent. OS may have been influenced by active subsequent therapies.

In-Hospital Outcomes after Robotic Vs Open Radical Nephroureterectomy

Objective: To test whether the contemporary robot-assisted nephroureterectomy (RNU) is associated with more favorable in-hospital outcomes than historical RNU, relative to the same endpoints in open NU (ONU). Methods: Within the National Inpatient Sample (2008-2019), we identified RNU and ONU patients. Multivariable logistic and Poisson regression models were fitted. Results: Of 8032 NU patients, historical (2008-2013) vs contemporary (2014-2019) proportions were 776 (41%) vs 1104 (59%) for RNU and 3719 (60%) vs 2433 (40%) for ONU. The rates of RNU have increased over time (2008-2019; Δ absolute: +18%; p < 0.001). Contemporary RNU patients exhibited significantly better in-hospital outcomes in 6 of 12 comparisons vs historical that ranged from -54% for genitourinary complications to -12% for median length of stay (LOS). Contemporary ONU patients also exhibited significantly better in-hospital outcomes in 11 of 12 comparisons vs historical that ranged from -67% for blood transfusions to -26% for gastrointestinal complications. When historical RNU was compared with historical ONU, RNU in-hospital outcomes were better in 7 of 12 comparisons that ranged from -61% for median LOS to -16% for postoperative complications. Conversely, when contemporary RNU was compared with contemporary ONU, RNU in-hospital outcomes were only better in 2 of 12 comparisons: -25% cardiac complications and -13% for median LOS. Conclusion: The magnitude of in-hospital outcomes categories improvement between historical vs contemporary was two-fold more pronounced in ONU (11 improved categories) than in RNU (6 improved categories). Few outcome benefits remained (two categories only) when contemporary RNU was compared with contemporary ONU.

Differential Role of NKG2A/HLA-E Interaction in the Outcomes of Bladder Cancer Patients Treated with M. bovis BCG or Other Therapies

Background: Immunotherapy is gaining great relevance in both non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), with the use of bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), and in muscle-invasive BC (MIBC) with anti-checkpoint therapies blocking PD-1/PD-L1, CTLA-4/CD80-CD86, and, more recently, NKG2A/HLA-E interactions. Biomarkers are necessary to optimize the use of these therapies. Methods: We evaluated killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and HLA-I genotyping and the expression of NK cell receptors in circulating T and NK lymphocytes at diagnosis in 325 consecutive BC patients (151 treated with BCG and 174 treated with other therapies), as well as in 648 patients with other cancers and 973 healthy donors as controls. The proliferation and production of cytokines and cytotoxicity were evaluated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, stimulated in vitro with anti-CD3/CD28 or BCG, from selected patients based on HLA-B -21M/T dimorphism (NKG2A ligands). Results: The HLA-B -21M/T genotype showed opposing results in BC patients treated with BCG or other therapies. The MM genotype, compared to MT and TT, was associated with a longer 75th-percentile overall survival (not reached vs. 68.0 ± 13.7 and 52.0 ± 8.3 months, p = 0.034) in BCG, but a shorter (8.0 ± 2.4 vs. 21.0 ± 3.4 and 19.0 ± 4.9 months, p = 0.131) survival in other treatments. The HLA-B -21M/T genotype was an independent predictive parameter of the progression-free survival (HR = 2.08, p = 0.01) and the OS (HR = 2.059, p = 0.039) of BC patients treated with BCG, together with age and tumor histopathologic characteristics. The MM genotype was associated with higher counts of circulating CD56bright, fewer KIR2DL1/L2+ NK cells, and lower NKG2A expression, but not with differential in vitro NK cell functionality. Conclusions: The HLA-B -21M/T is independently associated with BC patient outcomes and can help to optimize the use of new immunotherapies in these patients.

Varying the intensity of cystoscopic surveillance for high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer

OBJECTIVES

To compare the clinical, economic, and health utility outcomes associated with alternative cystoscopic surveillance regimens for high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (HRNMIBC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We performed real-world clinical data-driven microsimulations of a hypothetical cohort of 100 000 patients diagnosed with HRNMIBC at age 70 years. The cohort was simulated to undergo alternative surveillance regimens recommended by five guidelines, and two hypothetical regimens-surveillance intensity escalation and de-escalation-which had a surveillance intensity moderately higher and lower, respectively, than the guideline-recommended regimens. We evaluated the 10-year cumulative incidence of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), cancer-specific survival (CSS), overall survival (OS), and cost-effectiveness from a United States healthcare payer perspective.

RESULTS

The guideline-recommended surveillance regimens led to an estimated 10-year cumulative incidence of MIBC ranging from 11.0% to 11.6%, CSS 95.0% to 95.2%, and OS 69.7% to 69.8%. Surveillance intensity escalation resulted in a 10-year cumulative incidence of MIBC of 10.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 10.3-10.7%), CSS of 95.4% (95% CI 95.2-95.5%), and OS of 69.9% (95% CI 69.6-70.1%), vs 11.9% (95% CI 11.7-12.1%), 94.9% (95% CI 94.8-95.1%), and 69.6% (95% CI 69.3-69.9%), respectively, from surveillance intensity de-escalation. By increasing surveillance intensity, the number-needed-to-treat to prevent one additional MIBC progression over 10 years was ≥80, and ≥257 to avoid one additional cancer-related mortality. Compared to surveillance intensity de-escalation, higher-intensity regimens incurred an incremental cost of ≥$336 000 per incremental quality-adjusted life year gained, which well exceeded conventional willingness-to-pay thresholds, ≥$686 000 per additional MIBC progression prevented, and ≥$2.2 million per additional cancer-related mortality avoided.

CONCLUSION

In microsimulations testing a wide range of cystoscopic surveillance intensity for patients newly diagnosed with HRNMIBC, moderate surveillance de-escalation appears associated with an insignificant change in 10-year OS and furthermore is cost-effective vs higher-intensity surveillance regimens. These results suggest that moderate surveillance de-escalation can reduce costs of care without compromising life expectancy for many patients.

RRM2 Is a Putative Biomarker and Promotes Bladder Cancer Progression via PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway

Bladder cancer (BLCA) is the tenth most common cancer worldwide, characterized by its high recurrence and progression rates. Thus, identifying prognostic biomarkers and understanding its underlying mechanisms are imperative to enhance patient outcomes. In this study, we aimed to investigate the prognostic significance, expression, functional activity, and underlying mechanisms of RRM2 in BLCA. RRM2 expression and its association with pathological grading and survival were investigated in samples from TCGA dataset and BLCA tissue microarray. CCK8 assays, colony formation assays, wound healing, and transwell assays were performed to assess the role of RRM2 in BLCA cell proliferation and migration. Western blot was employed to investigate alterations in markers associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), apoptosis, and cell cycle regulation. Gene set enrichment analysis was performed to investigate the biological processes associated with RRM2, which were subsequently validated. The expression of RRM2 was significantly elevated in both BLCA tissues and cells. Our results also indicated a positive correlation between RRM2 expression and high tumor stage, high tumor grade, and poor survival. Knockdown of RRM2 inhibited cell proliferation and migration of BLCA. RRM2 knockdown significantly induced apoptosis and arrested the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase. Opposite results were observed in the RRM2 overexpression cells. Additionally, our study demonstrates that RRM2 promotes BLCA progression by activating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. RRM2 is remarkably correlated with poor prognosis in BLCA and facilitate its progression via PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. It is suggested that RRM2 might become an effective prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for BLCA.

Perioperative Complications and In-Hospital Mortality in Paraplegic Radical Cystectomy Patients

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to test for the association between paraplegia and perioperative complications as well as in-hospital mortality after radical cystectomy (RC) for non-metastatic bladder cancer.

METHODS

Perioperative complications and in-hospital mortality were tabulated in RC patients with or without paraplegia in the National Inpatient Sample (2000-2019).

RESULTS

Of 25,527 RC patients, 185 (0.7%) were paraplegic. Paraplegic RC patients were younger (≤70 years of age; 75 vs. 53%), more frequently female (28 vs. 19%), and more frequently harbored Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥3 (56 vs. 18%). Of paraplegic vs. non-paraplegic RC patients, 141 versus 15,112 (76 vs. 60%) experienced overall complications, 38 versus 2794 (21 vs. 11%) pulmonary complications, 36 versus 3525 (19 vs. 14%) genitourinary complications, 33 versus 3087 (18 vs. 12%) intraoperative complications, 21 versus 1035 (11 vs. 4%) infections, and 17 versus 1343 (9 vs. 5%) wound complications, while 62 versus 6267 (34 vs. 25%) received blood transfusions, 47 versus 3044 (25 vs. 12%) received critical care therapy (CCT), and intrahospital mortality was recorded in 13 versus 456 (7.0 vs. 1.8%) patients. In multivariable logistic regression models, paraplegic status independently predicted higher overall CCT use (odds ratio [OR] 2.1, p < 0.001) as well as fourfold higher in-hospital mortality (p < 0.001), higher infection rate (OR 2.5, p < 0.001), higher blood transfusion rate (OR 1.45, p = 0.009), and higher intraoperative (OR 1.56, p = 0.02), wound (OR 1.89, p = 0.01), and pulmonary (OR 1.72, p = 0.004) complication rates.

CONCLUSION

Paraplegic patients contemplating RC should be counseled about fourfold higher risk of in-hospital mortality and higher rates of other untoward effects.

Oncolytic immunotherapy with nivolumab in muscle-invasive bladder cancer: a phase 1b trial

There is a critical unmet need for safe and efficacious neoadjuvant treatment for cisplatin-ineligible patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Here we launched a phase 1b study using the combination of intravesical cretostimogene grenadenorepvec (oncolytic serotype 5 adenovirus encoding granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor) with systemic nivolumab in cisplatin-ineligible patients with cT2-4aN0-1M0 muscle-invasive bladder cancer. The primary objective was to measure safety, and the secondary objective was to assess the anti-tumor efficacy as measured by pathologic complete response along with 1-year recurrence-free survival. No dose-limiting toxicity was encountered in 21 patients enrolled and treated. Combination treatment achieved a pathologic complete response rate of 42.1% and a 1-year recurrence-free survival rate of 70.4%. Pathologic response was associated with baseline free E2F activity and tumor mutational burden but not PD-L1 status. Although T cell infiltration was broadly induced after intravesical oncolytic immunotherapy, the formation, enlargement and maturation of tertiary lymphoid structures was specifically associated with complete response, supporting the importance of coordinated humoral and cellular immune responses. Together, these results highlight the potential of this combination regimen to enhance therapeutic efficacy in cisplatin-ineligible patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, warranting additional study as a neoadjuvant therapeutic option. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04610671 .

Identifying optimal candidates for active surveillance in low-grade intermediate-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer

OBJECTIVE

The intermediate-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (IR-NMIBC) prognostic group is heterogeneous. Growing evidence supports the role of active surveillance (AS) for patients with low-risk NMIBC, however, no clear data exists considering IR-NMIBC. The aim of the study was to assess the risk of recurrence of patients eligible for AS based on the International Bladder Cancer Group (IBCG) stratification.

METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated 174 LG IR-NMIBC patients who underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumor (index TURBT) from 2012 to 2023 at a tertiary referral center and fulfilled the inclusion criteria for enrollment in AS protocols at the index TURBT (≤ 5 suspicious lesions, no macrohematuria, negative urine cytology, lesions ≤ 1 cm). Patients were then stratified according to the International Bladder Cancer Group (IBCG) risk factors: frequent recurrence, early recurrence, previous instillation, and multifocality. Kaplan Meier plots and multivariable Cox regression analysis (MVA) were used to assess the risk of any and high-grade (HG) recurrence according to the number of risk factors.

RESULTS

Overall, 168 (97%) patients had a Ta low grade bladder tumor. After a median follow-up of 36 months [Interquartile range (IQR) 20-54], 75 (43%) and 32 (18%) patients experienced any- and HG recurrence, respectively. The 3-year recurrence free-survival (RFS) was 86% [95% Confidence Interval (CI) 76-98%] for patients with 0, 76% (95% CI 68-84%) for those with 1-2, and 54% (95% CI 34-84%) for those with ≥ 3 risk factors. The 3-year HG-RFS was > 90% for patients with 0 and 1-2 risk factors, compared to 76% (95% CI 58-99%) for those with ≥ 3 risk factors. At MVA, the presence of ≥ 3 risk factors was associated with a higher risk of recurrence [hazard ratio: 4.74, 95% CI 1.75-12.8, p = 0.002].

CONCLUSION

Among patients with LG IR-NMIBC eligible for AS, those with more than 2 IBCG risk factors may not be suitable candidates due to a higher risk of developing HG recurrence. Randomized controlled trials with standardized AS protocols are necessary to validate these findings and optimize patient selection for AS in LG IR-NMIBC.

Precise vesical wall staging of bladder cancer in the era of precision medicine: has it been fulfilled?

Urinary bladder cancer is a global disease that poses medical and socioeconomic challenges to patients and healthcare systems. Predicting detrusor invasiveness and pathological grade of bladder cancer by the radiologist is imperative for informed decision-making and effective patient-tailored therapy. Cystoscopy and TURBT are the current gold standard for preoperative histologic diagnosis and local pathological staging but are compromised by their intrusiveness, under-sampling, and staging inaccuracies. Over the last few decades, incredible imaging technology advancements have enabled radiologists to progress in these grading and staging tasks. MRI has become widely accepted as a noninvasive alternative. It supplements morphologic data with functional insights into the tumor microenvironment, enhancing tumor characterization and predicting the detrusor's histologic grade and invasiveness status. Radiomics is a promising field that helps radiologists achieve higher accuracies in bladder cancer staging, re-staging, and direct treating teams to potential management readjustments. Such knowledge leaps hold promise for personalized management of bladder cancer in a precision medicine era.

A multimodal deep-learning model based on multichannel CT radiomics for predicting pathological grade of bladder cancer

OBJECTIVE

To construct a predictive model using deep-learning radiomics and clinical risk factors for assessing the preoperative histopathological grade of bladder cancer according to computed tomography (CT) images.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted involving 201 bladder cancer patients with definite pathological grading results after surgical excision at the organization between January 2019 and June 2023. The cohort was classified into a test set of 81 cases and a training set of 120 cases. Hand-crafted radiomics (HCR) and features derived from deep-learning (DL) were obtained from computed tomography (CT) images. The research builds a prediction model using 12 machine-learning classifiers, which integrate HCR, DL features, and clinical data. Model performance was estimated utilizing decision-curve analysis (DCA), the area under the curve (AUC), and calibration curves.

RESULTS

Among the classifiers tested, the logistic regression model that combined DL and HCR characteristics demonstrated the finest performance. The AUC values were 0.912 (training set) and 0.777 (test set). The AUC values of clinical model achieved 0.850 (training set) and 0.804 (test set). The AUC values of the combined model were 0.933 (training set) and 0.824 (test set), outperforming both the clinical and HCR-only models.

CONCLUSION

The CT-based combined model demonstrated considerable diagnostic capability in differentiating high-grade from low-grade bladder cancer, serving as a valuable noninvasive instrument for preoperative pathological evaluation.

Immunohistochemical Evaluation of Basal and Luminal Markers in Bladder Cancer: A Study from a Single Institution

BACKGROUND

Bladder cancer (BC) presents significant molecular diversity, which affects both prognosis and treatment results. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) facilitates the identification of molecular subtypes and their relationships with clinicopathological features.

METHODS

We performed an IHC analysis on tissue samples from 107 BC patients, evaluating the expression of markers GATA3, CD44, CK5/6, and CK20. We applied two methods to classify the tumor samples into basal and luminal subtypes. The relationships between these marker expressions, molecular subtypes, clinicopathological characteristics, and TILs were explored.

RESULTS

Most samples showed the expression of GATA3 and CD44, with notable correlations found between CD44 and CK5/6 as well as GATA3 and CK20. CD44 and CD20 expression were linked to a poorer prognosis. Additionally, the luminal and basal subtypes had distinct TIL patterns, which influenced overall survival. A poor prognosis was associated with the basal subtype with low TIL infiltration and the luminal subtype with high TIL infiltration.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study clarifies the molecular characteristics of BC, underlining the prognostic importance of CD44 expression and the role of TILs in influencing subtype-specific outcomes. IHC proves valuable in subtype identification and supports personalized treatment strategies.

Therapeutic efficacy and safety of biweekly administration of enfortumab vedotin for urothelial carcinoma

OBJECTIVES

Enfortumab vedotin (EV) is an established pharmacotherapy for metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC); however, its adverse events (AEs) cannot be overlooked. The study investigated the efficacy and safety of biweekly EV administration.

METHODS

Patients with mUC who received EV at our institution were included in the study. Eligible patients were classified into two groups as follows: those who received EV on a standard schedule (standard group) and those who received EV on a biweekly schedule (biweekly group); the treatment outcomes and AEs between the two groups were compared.

RESULTS

Nine and 19 patients were in the standard group and biweekly groups, respectively. The progression-free survival, overall survival, and overall response rate were not significantly different between the two groups. AEs following EV administration, such as decreased appetite (P < .01), pruritus (P < .01), rash maculopapular (P < .01), anemia (P = .04), and liver dysfunction (P = .04), were significantly more frequent in the standard group. Grade 3 or higher AEs, such as pruritus (P = .03) and rash maculopapular (P < .01), were significantly more frequent in the standard group. Furthermore, significantly more patients in the standard group had to be given a reduced dose due to adverse events (P = .02).

CONCLUSIONS

Biweekly administration of EV may be safer without compromising therapeutic efficacy than the standard schedule.

Nomograms to Appraise The Risk of Chronic Kidney Disease After Radical Cystectomy: Shifting The Focus to Prevention

INTRODUCTION

Our objectives were to analyse the incidence of changes in renal function after radical cystectomy (RC) and determine the factors responsible for those changes, as a basis for rethinking strategies to ensure early detection and development of a risk-adapted approach.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A single-centre retrospective study included 316 patients who underwent RC between 2010 and 2019. A competing risk Cox model, whereby death from any cause was treated as a censoring event, was used to establish nomograms to analyze the prognostic factors for CKD at 2 and 5 years. The nomograms were validated based on discrimination using the C-index, calibration plots and analysis of net benefit from decision curves.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 48.73 months (0.13-156.67), 138 patients (43.7%) developed CKD. The probability of CKD development at 2 and 5 years was 41.3% (95% CI, 35.8-47.2) and 48.5% (95% CI, 42.8-54.6), respectively. Hypertension (HR 1.69, 95% CI, 1.23-2.34), prior hydronephrosis (HR 1.62, 95% CI, 1.17-2.25), acute kidney injury (AKI) during the immediate postoperative period (HR 1.88, 95% CI, 1.35-2.61) and readmission due to urinary tract infection (HR 1.41, 95% CI, 1.01-1.96) were predictors of 2-year CKD. Hydronephrosis at follow-up computed tomography (HR 2.21, 95% CI, 1.60-3.07), prior hydronephrosis (HR 1.54, 95% CI, 1.09-2.15), AKI during the immediate postoperative period (HR 1.77, 95% CI, 1.27-2.46) and hypertension (HR 1.60, 95% CI, 1.16-2.21) were predictors for 5-year CKD. Prior eGFR ≥ 90 mL/min/1.73 m2 was a protective factor (HR 0.50, 95% CI, 0.32-0.80 and HR 0.48, 95% CI, 0.30-0.78 for 2- and 5-year CKD, respectively). The resulting nomograms were based on these prognostic factors.

CONCLUSION

Almost half of the patients had developed CKD at 5 years. Thus, it is crucial to identify patients at risk of developing CKD in order to initiate renal function-sparing measures and tailor follow-up protocols. The proposed nomograms effectively predicted CKD in these patients.

Precision medicine for urothelial carcinoma: An international perspective

The treatment landscape of urothelial cancers has evolved in the last decade with the approval of chemotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors, targeted therapies, and antibody drug conjugates. Although improvements in response and survival have been achieved with these strategies, in some scenarios their benefit is still questionable. Current efforts to identify prognostic and predictive biomarkers are crucial for better patient selection and treatment outcomes. In this paper we will review the most promising biomarkers under investigation, such as molecular classifiers, genomic alterations, programmed cell death ligand 1 expression, tumor mutational burden, circulating tumor DNA, urinary biomarkers among others, for muscle invasive bladder cancer and metastatic urothelial cancers. Deeper understanding of these biomarkers will aid clinical decision-making and help tailor treatment strategies.

Impact of multi-parameter images obtained from dual-energy CT on radiomics to predict pathological grading of bladder urothelial carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of radiomics models obtained from dual-energy CT (DECT) material decomposition images and virtual monoenergetic images (VMIs) in predicting the pathological grading of bladder urothelial carcinoma (BUC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis of preoperative DECT examination was conducted on 112 patients diagnosed with BUC. This cohort included 76 cases of high-grade urothelial carcinoma and 36 cases of low-grade urothelial carcinoma. DECT can provide material decomposition images of venous phase Iodine maps and Water maps based on the differences in attenuation of substances, as well as VMIs at 40 to 140 keV (interval 10 keV). A total of 13 image sets were obtained, and radiomics features were extracted and analyzed from each set to achieve preoperative prediction of BUC. The best features related to BUC were identified by recursive feature elimination (RFE), the Minimum Redundancy Maximum Relevance (mRMR), and the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) in order. A five-fold cross-validation method was used to divide the samples into training and testing sets, and models for pathological prediction of BUC grading were constructed by a random forest (RF) classifier. Receiver operating curves (ROC) were plotted to evaluate the performance of 13 models obtained from each image set.

RESULTS

Despite the notable differences in the best radiomics features chosen from each image set, all the features selected from 40 to 100 keV VMIs included the Dependence Variance of the GLDM feature set. There were no statistically significant differences in the area under the curve (AUC) between the training set and the testing set for all 13 models. In the testing set, the AUCs of the models established through 40 keV to 140 keV (interval of 10 keV) image sets were 0.895, 0.874, 0.855, 0.889, 0.841, 0.868, 0.852, 0.847, 0.889, 0.887 and 0.863 respectively. The AUCs for the models established using the Iodine maps and Water maps image sets were 0.873 and 0.852, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Despite the differences in the selected radiomic features from DECT multi-parameter images, the performance of radiomics models in predicting the pathological grading of BUC was not affected by the variations in the types of images used for model training.

Contemporary survival in metastatic bladder cancer patients: A population-based study

The overall survival (OS) improvement after the advent of several novel systemic therapies, designed for treatment of metastatic urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder (mUCUB), is not conclusively studied in either contemporary UCUB patients and/or non-UCUB patients. Within the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database, contemporary (2017-2020) and historical (2000-2016) systemic therapy-exposed metastatic UCUB and, subsequently, non-UCUB patients were identified. Separate Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox regression (CRM) analyses first addressed OS in mUCUB and, subsequently, in metastatic non-UCUB (mn-UCUB). Of 3443 systemic therapy-exposed patients, 2725 (79%) harbored mUCUB versus 709 (21%) harbored mn-UCUB. Of 2725 mUCUB patients, 582 (21%) were contemporary (2017-2020) versus 2143 (79%) were historical (2000-2016). In mUCUB, median OS was 11 months in contemporary versus 8 months in historical patients (Δ = 3 months; p < .0001). After multivariable CRM, contemporary membership status (2017-2020) independently predicted lower overall mortality (OM; hazard ratio [HR] = 0.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.60-0.76; p < .001). Of 709 mn-UCUB patients, 167 (24%) were contemporary (2017-2020) and 542 (76%) were historical (2000-2016). In mn-UCUB, median OS was 8 months in contemporary versus 7 months in historical patients (Δ = 1 month; p = .034). After multivariable CRM, contemporary membership status (2017-2020) was associated with HR of 0.81 (95% CI = 0.66-1.01; p = .06). In conclusion, contemporary systemic therapy-exposed metastatic patients exhibited better OS in UCUB. However, the magnitude of survival benefit was threefold higher in mUCUB and approximated the survival benefits recorded in prospective randomized trials of novel systemic therapies.

The Evolving Molecular Landscape and Actionable Alterations in Urologic Cancers

The genetic landscape of urologic cancers has evolved with the identification of actionable mutations that impact diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic strategies. This narrative review consolidates existing literature on genetic mutations across key urologic cancers, including bladder, renal, prostate, upper tract urothelial, testicular, and penile. The review highlights mutations in DNA damage repair genes, such as BRCA1/2 and PTEN, as well as pathway alterations like FGFR and PD-L1 overexpression. These mutations influence tumor behavior and therapeutic outcomes, emphasizing the need for precision oncology approaches. Molecular profiling, through tools like next-generation sequencing, has revolutionized patient care by enabling targeted treatment strategies, especially in cancers with distinct molecular subtypes such as luminal or basal bladder cancer and clear cell renal carcinoma. Emerging therapies, including FGFR inhibitors and immune checkpoint blockade, offer new treatment avenues, although resistance mechanisms remain a challenge. We also emphasize the importance of biomarker identification for personalized management, especially in metastatic settings where treatment intensification is often required. Future research is needed to further elucidate our understanding of the genetics affecting urologic cancers, which will help develop novel, individualized therapies to enhance oncologic outcomes.

Impact of pathologic re-review on grade, clinical stage, and risk stratification for patients with nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer

OBJECTIVES

Pathologic re-review of transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) specimen is a common practice at our tertiary care center, but its impact on disease risk stratification remains unknown. We sought to determine how pathologic re-review of specimen initially read at an outside institution changed grade, clinical T (cT) stage, and AUA non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) risk stratification.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

The laboratory information system was searched for patients who underwent TURBT from 2021 to 2022, yielding 561 records. 173 patients met inclusion criteria: 113 with

RESULTS

For

CONCLUSIONS

Re-review of TURBT pathology by a dedicated GU pathologist led to change in AUA NMIBC risk stratification in over one-fifth of patients, with potential for changing management.

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Key Words

• Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer
• Pathologic grade
• Risk stratification

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MESH Headings

• Humans
• Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/pathology
• Risk Assessment/methods
• Neoplasm Staging
• Male
• Neoplasm Grading
• Female
• Aged
• Neoplasm Invasiveness
• Middle Aged
• Retrospective Studies
• Aged, 80 and over

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Affiliation(s)

Rebecca A Campbell Glickman Urologic and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Andrew Wood Glickman Urologic and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Patrick D Michael Glickman Urologic and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
David Shin Glickman Urologic and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Nikhil Pramod Glickman Urologic and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Samuel C Haywood Glickman Urologic and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Mohamed Eltemamy Glickman Urologic and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Christopher Weight Glickman Urologic and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Georges-Pascal Haber Glickman Urologic and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Byron Lee Glickman Urologic and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Jonathan Myles Department of Anatomic Pathology, Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Jesse McKenney Department of Anatomic Pathology, Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Jane Nguyen Department of Anatomic Pathology, Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Sean R Williamson Department of Anatomic Pathology, Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Christopher Przybycin Department of Anatomic Pathology, Robert J. Tomsich Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Reza Alaghehbandan Glickman Urologic and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH
Nima Almassi Glickman Urologic and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH.

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Reliability of mpMRI in diagnosing cancer prostate following intravesical BCG for bladder cancer

Background

Detecting carcinoma prostate (CaP) after intravesical Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) immunotherapy for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) poses diagnostic challenges. Granulomatous prostatitis (GP) has an incidence of 0.8%-3.3% in post-intravesical BCG patients and 6% incidence in a PIRADS 5 lesion on multiparametric MRI (mpMRI). Patients with GP after intravesical BCG may have clinical, biochemical, and radiological features similar to CaP. In our study, we evaluate the reliability of mpMRI in diagnosing CaP after intravesical BCG therapy.

Materials and Methods

We reviewed the NMIBC patients treated with intravesical BCG therapy between 2017 and 2023 and investigated those who underwent mpMRI and MR fusion biopsy in suspicion of CaP. A total of 120 patients had intravesical BCG immunotherapy, and 10 patients met our selection criteria. We performed a descriptive analysis of these patients and assessed the sensitivity and specificity of mpMRI in diagnosing CaP.

Results

The sensitivity of mpMRI in detecting CaP was 100%, and the specificity was 28.6%. Similarly, the negative predictive value for detecting CaP was 100%, and the positive predictive value was 37.5%. Among patients evaluated with mpMRI, a PIRADS 4 or 5 lesion was seen in 8 (80%) patients, and there was no lesion in 2 (20%) patients. The mpMRI detected 1 lesion in 6 patients (60%) and 2 (20%) in 2 patients. The lesions had a PIRADS score of 4 and 5 in 6 (60%) and 2 (20%) patients, respectively. Among these lesions, 8 (80%) were in the peripheral zone and 2 (20%) in the transition zone. In the MR fusion biopsy of these 10 patients, 7 (70%) had granulomatous prostatitis, and 3 (30%) had CaP.

Conclusion

In our study on evaluating the reliability of mpMRI in diagnosing CaP among post-intravesical BCG patients, we noted that although PIRADS in mpMRI had high sensitivity in identifying prostate lesions, its specificity for detecting CaP is limited.

Comparison of prognosis after transurethral resection of bladder tumor between solitary and multiple bladder cancers

This study investigates the difference in overall survival rates after transurethral resection of bladder tumor between solitary and multiple bladder cancers, aiming to provide guidance for clinical practitioners. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 133 patients with bladder cancer who underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumor from April 2017 to October 2023, of which 112 patients had complete clinical and follow-up data. Clinical and follow-up data were collected, and the overall survival rates after surgery were compared between solitary and multiple bladder cancers. In this study, the recurrence rate after transurethral resection of bladder tumor was 23.21% (26/112), and the overall survival rate was 80.36% (90/112). The overall survival rate after transurethral resection of bladder tumor was 92.11% (35/38) in the solitary bladder cancer group and 74.32% (55/74) in the multiple bladder cancer group, with a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (P = .025). The proportion of high-grade pathology was 7.89% (3/38) in the solitary bladder cancer group and 25.68% (19/74) in the multiple bladder cancer group after transurethral resection of bladder tumor, with a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (P = .025). The mean tumor diameter after transurethral resection of bladder tumor was 2.76 ± 1.66 cm in the solitary bladder cancer group and 4.04 ± 3.17 cm in the multiple bladder cancer group, with a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (P = .023). Univariate and multivariate regression analyses revealed that the number of bladder tumors is a risk factor for overall survival after bladder cancer surgery (P = .004). Multiple bladder cancers have a higher pathological grade, larger tumor diameter, and poorer prognosis after transurethral resection of bladder tumor compared to solitary bladder cancers. The number of bladder tumors is an independent risk factor for overall survival after bladder cancer surgery.