Pre-first-line chemotherapy risk stratification for overall survival in advanced urothelial carcinoma in sequential therapy era.

PURPOSE: To explore pre-treatment risk factors for overall survival (OS) in advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC) patients treated with first-line (1L) chemotherapy in sequential therapy (ST) era. Additionally, to evaluate the proportion of patients who were not able to undergo subsequent immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy according to the subgroups stratified by the risk factors. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective study was conducted. Metastatic or locally advanced UC patients treated between 2017 and 2022 were included. The Kaplan-Meier method with the log-rank test and multivariate Cox regression models were used to address OS. RESULTS: Three hundred and fourteen patients treated with 1L chemotherapy were included in the study and 57 (18.2%) patients were not able to proceed to subsequent ICI therapy. Pre-chemotherapy risk factors for OS in 314 patients were ECOG-PS 1 or more, having no primary site resection, C-reactive protein (CRP) level of 3 mg/dL or more, and non-cisplatin-based regimen. Patients having 3 or 4 risk factors had higher risk for not being able to receive ST (Mann-Whitney U test, P < 0.001). As risk factors for OS in 230 patients who were able to receive ST, having no primary site resection, a neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio of 3 or more, and the presence of liver metastasis were identified. CONCLUSION: We reported the risk factors for OS in advanced UC patients treated with 1L chemotherapy in ST era. Patients with high risk for OS may not be able to proceed to subsequent ICI therapy even in the ST era.

Prevention of local symptoms in muscle invasive bladder cancer patients: clinical significance of local radiation therapy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the significance of local radiation therapy (LRT) for prevention of local symptoms (LSs) caused by muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 133 patients from 13 hospitals. MIBC patients with or without metastases who were treated with LRT alone from January 2015 through December 2020 were enrolled. Exclusion criteria were urinary diversion (UD) prior to LRT, non-MIBC, or lack of clinical information. LSs were defined as hematuria requiring invasive treatment or transfusion, UD after LRT, bladder tamponade, and opioid use for bladder pain. RESULTS: One hundred fourteen patients were finally enrolled in the study. During the median follow-up period of 13.5 months, 30 patients (26.3%) had LSs. Risk factors of LSs in multivariate analysis were a prior history of non-MIBC (NMIBC) (hazard ratio [HR] 2.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.36 to 6.56; P < 0.01), radiation dose of less than 50 Gray (Gy) (HR 3.99; 95% CI, 1.80 to 8.82; P < 0.01), and tumor stage 3 or more (HR 2.43; 95% CI, 1.14 to 5.21; P = 0.02). Risk factors of overall survival (OS) in multivariate analysis were being female (HR 3.32; 95% CI, 1.68 to 6.58; P < 0.01), an age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity index of 6 or more (HR 2.19; 95% CI, 1.18 to 4.10; P = 0.01), distant metastases (HR 3.20; 95% CI, 1.39 to 6.58; P < 0.01), and tumor size of 40 mm or more (HR 2.38; 95% CI, 1.34 to 4.52; P < 0.01). Toxicity (all grades) occurred in 40.4% of the patients, 4.8% with grade 3 or more and 95.2% with lower grades. CONCLUSIONS: We determined the risk factors for LSs in MIBC patients treated with LRT alone. An escalated-dose of 50 Gy or more may contribute to prevention of LSs caused by MIBC. Thus, dose-escalated LRT for MIBC patients who can expect favorable survival may be a good option to avoid future annoying LSs.

Are there differences in the characteristics of patients who respond to gemcitabine plus cisplatin chemotherapy and those who respond to pembrolizumab therapy for metastatic urothelial carcinoma? Multicenter retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate factors to predict overall survival of metastatic urothelial carcinoma patients treated with gemcitabine plus cisplatin chemotherapy or pembrolizumab therapy. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated two metastatic urothelial carcinoma cohorts treated with (i) gemcitabine plus cisplatin or (ii) pembrolizumab. The gemcitabine plus cisplatin cohort was treated from December 2005 through December 2014 while the pembrolizumab cohort was treated from January 2018 through December 2020. Using multivariate analyses, we evaluated the risk factors for overall survival in each cohort and compared them. None of the gemcitabine plus cisplatin cohort patients were treated with pembrolizumab. All patients in the pembrolizumab cohort were treated with prior platinum-based chemotherapy. RESULTS: There were 184 patients in the gemcitabine plus cisplatin cohort and 91 in the pembrolizumab cohort. The mean follow-up periods were 714 and 284 days, respectively. In multivariate analysis, the risk factors for overall survival in the gemcitabine plus cisplatin cohort were liver metastasis, worse Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (1 or more), no primary site resection, and a high prognostic index (1 or more). In the pembrolizumab cohort, liver metastasis, bone metastasis, and worse Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group-performance status (1 or more), and high prognostic index (1 or more) were the risk factors for overall survival. In the pembrolizumab cohort, patients with a complete response or partial response during prior platinum-based chemotherapy had better overall survival with the following pembrolizumab treatment than those with stable or progressive disease (P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Considering the similarity of these risk factors in two sequential treatments, it may be possible to predict the response to pembrolizumab according to the response to prior chemotherapy.

Therapeutic options to reduce intravesical recurrence in newly diagnosed Ta high-grade bladder cancer according to risk stratification: A multicenter retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the risk factors for intravesical recurrence in patients with newly diagnosed Ta high-grade non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer and the optimal management to reduce the risk of recurrence. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated Ta high-grade bladder cancer in patients who were newly diagnosed by transurethral resection from January 2007 through October 2018. Using multivariate analyses, we evaluated the risk factors and therapeutic options affecting intravesical recurrence and stratified the patients according to the risk numbers. RESULTS: We included 390 patients and the median follow-up period was 31 months after the initial transurethral resection. According to multivariate analysis, having a previous history of upper urinary tract carcinoma, and multiple and sessile tumors were risk factors for intravesical recurrence (P = 0.001, P = 0.02 and P = 0.01, respectively). Risk groups were stratified according to these risk factors into favorable, intermediate and poor. In the entire cohort, induction and immediate intravesical instillation therapy were treatment options to reduce intravesical recurrence (P < 0.01 and P = 0.02, respectively). Analyses in each risk group showed that a second transurethral resection was the only therapeutic option to reduce intravesical recurrence in the favorable group (P = 0.048), whereas induction intravesical instillation therapy was effective in the intermediate and poor risk groups (P = 0.01 and P < 0.01, respectively), as was immediate intravesical instillation for the poor risk group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Sessile, multiple tumors and a history of upper urinary tract carcinoma are risk factors for intravesical recurrence in Ta high-grade bladder cancer patients.

[Fever after Gemcitabine Administration is a Poor Prognostic Factor in Patients with Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma : Multicenter Retrospective Study].

Gemcitabine (GEM) is currently a standard chemotherapeutic agent for metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC). Fever isknown to be an adverse effect of GEM ; however, itsincidence, etiology and clinical significance have not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to elucidate the characteristics and clinical significance of fever associated with GEM in patients with mUC receiving GEM plus cisplatin (GC) chemotherapy. Between 2005 and 2014, 184 patientswith mUC who received first-line GC therapy at 10 institutions were enrolled. GEM-associated fever (GEMAF) was defined as a body temperature ≥37.5ºC within 96 hours after administration of GEM with no evidence of specific conditions causing fever including infection. Clinical parametersbefore GC therapy were evaluated to determine predictorsof GEMAF. Furthermore, the impact of GEMAF on clinical outcomeswasals o evaluated. The median age was70 years and median follow-up was14.2 months. GEMAF wasobs erved in 44 patients (23.9%). In multivariate analysis, elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) before chemotherapy was an independent predictive factor for GEMAF (oddsratio 2.450, p＝0.041). There was a significant difference in progression-free survival (median 6.7 vs 8.0 months, p＝0.031) and cancer-specific survival (median 12.0 vs 15.8 months, p＝0.045) between patients with and without GEMAF. Results of this study suggest that GEMAF is a common adverse event of GC therapy for mUC and can be a poor prognostic factor. GEMAF may be associated with systemic inflammatory response induced by the tumor in patients with mUC.

Lewis y Expressed in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Attenuates Malignant Properties via Down-regulation of EGF Signaling.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Lewis y is expressed in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells and tumors. Previously, we reported that Lewis y was not expressed in invasion areas, and attenuation of proliferation and invasion in OSCC cells was caused by over-expression of Lewis y. However, the roles of Lewis y in the attenuation of malignant properties have not been clarified. In this study, we investigated the roles of Lewis y in OSCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The levels of Lewis y on EGFR and the phosphorylation levels of EGFR in OSCC cells were analyzed by immunoprecipitation and western blot. EGFR cross-linking and binding kinetics of EGF were performed. RESULTS: Upon EGF stimulation, phosphorylation and dimer formation of EGFR were more prominent in Lewis y- cells. EGF binding kinetics showed reduced binding sites in Lewis y+ cells. CONCLUSION: Lewis y reduced EGF binding to EGFR, leading to suppression of malignant properties through suppression of EGF signaling.

Antiresorptive agent-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (ARONJ) in urological malignancies: a multi-center retrospective study.

INTRODUCTION: We evaluated the incidence and risk factors for antiresorptive agent-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (ARONJ) in prostate and kidney cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 547 patients from 13 hospitals. Prostate and kidney cancer patients with bone metastases who were treated with a bone-modifying agent (BMA) between January 2012 and February 2019 were enrolled. Exclusion criteria were BMA use for hypercalcemia, a lack of clinical data, a follow-up period of less than 28 days and a lack of evaluation by dentists before BMA administration. The diagnosis and staging of ARONJ were done by dentists. RESULTS: Two-hundred eighteen patients were finally enrolled in the study, including 168 prostate cancer patients and 50 kidney cancer patients. Of them, 49 (29%) prostate cancer patients and 18 (36%) kidney cancer patients needed tooth extraction prior to BMA initiation. The mean follow-up period after BMA initiation was 552.9 ± 424.7 days (mean ± SD). In the cohort, 23% of the patients were diagnosed with ARONJ in the follow-up period. The 1-year cumulative incidences of ARONJ were 9.4% and 15.4% in prostate and kidney cancer patients, respectively. Multivariate analysis indicated that kidney cancer, tooth extraction before BMA and a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2 were significant predictors for ARONJ. CONCLUSION: ARONJ is not a rare adverse event in urological malignancies. Especially, kidney cancer, high BMI patients and who needed tooth extraction before BMA were high risk for developing ARONJ.

Dynamic changes of bone metastasis predict bone-predominant status to benefit from radium-223 dichloride for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: To best employ radium-223 dichloride (Ra-223) for patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) and bone metastasis, we investigated the bone-predominant status in patients treated with Ra-223. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 127 CRPC patients who underwent treatment with Ra-223. The patients were divided into three groups based on the types of dynamic changes of bone metastasis between diagnosis and just before Ra-223: (a) only known lesions; (b) de novo lesions; (c) new progressive lesions. We developed the risk assessment using predictive factors based on progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 10.4 months, the median PFS in the only known lesions group was 11.3 months compared to 8.1 months in the de novo lesions group and 5.1 months in the new progressive lesions group (P < .001). In multivariate analysis, the type of the new progressive lesions in bone metastasis (HR 1.45, 95% CI 1.13-1.66, P = .003), performance status of >1 (HR 1.74, 95% CI 1.04-2.89, P = .034), PSA value of >100 ng/mL (HR 1.59, 95% CI 1.02-2.50, P = .043), and PSA doubling time (PSADT) of <3 months (HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.11-2.03, P = .007) were independent unfavorable predictive factors for PFS. The risk assessment for PFS was highlighted when the type of dynamic changes of bone metastasis was combined with PSADT just before Ra-223 treatment. This was associated with non-bone metastasis progression, especially visceral metastasis, and overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Risk assessment in combination with dynamic changes of bone metastasis and PSADT determines the bone-predominant metastasis type to benefit from Ra-223.

SSEA-3 and 4 are not essential for the induction or properties of mouse iPS cells.

Stage-specific embryonic antigens (SSEA-1, 3, and 4) are carbohydrate antigens that have been used as markers of embryonic stem (ES) cells. However, the roles of these antigens in the establishment and maintenance of stemness of ES and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are still poorly understood. This study investigated the biological and functional significance of globo-series glycolipids such as SSEA-3 and 4 in mouse iPS cells induced from tail-tip fibroblasts (TTFs) of α1,4Gal-T-knockout mice (lacking SSEA-3 and 4). These iPS cells were induced by retroviral transduction of four factors (Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc) into TTFs, and colonies were picked up. Morphologically, the colonies resembled ES cells and were positive for alkaline phosphatase and ES cell markers. Furthermore, in vitro-differentiated induction experiments after embryoid body formation revealed that some colonies derived from α1, 4Gal-T knockout mice were able to differentiate into three germ layers. Three germ layers were also observed in teratomas from iPS cells derived from α1,4Gal-T-knockout mice. These results suggest that SSEA-3 and 4 are not essential, at least for the establishment and maintenance of stemness of mouse iPS cells.

Incidence and risk factors of postoperative delirium in elderly patients undergoing urological surgery: A multi-institutional prospective study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the incidence and risk factors of postoperative delirium among patients aged ≥65 years undergoing elective urological surgery. METHODS: From April 2015 through December 2016, 1023 consecutive patients aged ≥65 years who received transurethral, laparoscopic (with or without robot assistance) or open surgery in eight institutions were enrolled in this prospective observational study. Their preoperative cognitive status was assessed with the Hasegawa Dementia Scale-Revised score. The treating physician or nurse assessed delirium using the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine predictive factors for postoperative delirium. RESULTS: We analyzed 946 patients whose median age was 74 years (range 65-95 years). Postoperative delirium was observed in 32 patients (3.4%). Multivariate analysis showed that a history of cerebrovascular disease (odds ratio 5.24, 95% confidence interval 2.05-13.40), low Hasegawa Dementia Scale-Revised score <20 points (odds ratio 3.50, 95% confidence interval 1.36-9.02), low serum albumin level <3.5 g/dL (odds ratio 3.12, 95% confidence interval 1.25-7.83) and long surgery duration >4 h (odds ratio 4.94, 95% confidence interval 2.20-11.10) were independent risk factors for the development of postoperative delirium. CONCLUSIONS: The preoperative medical history, cognitive status, low serum albumin level and operative duration were associated with the development of postoperative delirium, although the incidence was just 3.4% in elective urological surgery. The present results suggest that the Hasegawa Dementia Scale-Revised is a useful tool for assessment of the risk for delirium.

Serum testosterone level is a useful biomarker for determining the optimal treatment for castration-resistant prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to evaluate the usefulness of serum testosterone to guide treatment decision for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 115 patients with CRPC treated with either abiraterone (n = 43) or enzalutamide (n = 72). A serum testosterone level was measured at time of starting of abiraterone or enzalutamide. We determined whether serum testosterone influenced the outcomes of androgen receptor (AR)-targeted therapy. RESULTS: In the very-low testosterone group (<5 ng/dl), the rate of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response was significantly higher among patients treated with abiraterone compared to enzalutamide (62 vs. 32%, respectively; P = 0.033), with no difference in the low testosterone group (5-<50 ng/dl) (93 vs. 81%, respectively; P = 0.429). During the median follow-up of 26 months, PSA progression-free survival was significantly longer in the low testosterone group than in the very-low testosterone group (12.2 vs. 4.5 months, P<0.001). In the very-low testosterone group, enzalutamide use (HR 3.07, 95% CI 1.36-6.94; P = 0.007), primary androgen deprivation therapy <12 months (HR 2.50, 95% CI 1.23-5.08; P = 0.011) and bone metastases (HR 2.60, 95% CI 1.20-5.64; P = 0.015) were significantly associated with PSA progression. CONCLUSION: Patients with a serum testosterone level ≥5 ng/dl were more likely to receive therapeutic benefits from AR-targeted therapy compared to those with serum testosterone levels <5 ng/dl. However, even for those with a very low serum testosterone level, the efficacy of abiraterone was slightly higher than that of enzalutamide. Therefore, serum testosterone level is a useful biomarker for informing treatment selection for CRPC.

Selective culture of Escherichia coli to prevent infective complications of transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy: Clinical efficacy and analysis of characteristics of quinolone-resistant Escherichia coli.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate a regimen of targeted prophylaxis using rectal swab culture in patients undergoing transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy, and to investigate the characteristics of isolated fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli. METHODS: A prospective study was carried out from June 2013 through December 2014. Rectal swabs were cultured on agar plates containing either 2 µg/mL levofloxacin or 1 µg/mL sitafloxacin before transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy. Patients with susceptible organisms received levofloxacin or sitafloxacin, whereas those with resistant organisms received directed antimicrobial prophylaxis according to the results of the antimicrobial susceptibility test. Patients with infectious complications after prostate biopsy were identified, and characteristics of patients carrying fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 397 men underwent transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy. Of these patients, 74 (18.6%) had fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli. All fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli were susceptible to amikacin and meropenem. The risk factor for possible fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli was age of ≥73 years. Three (0.7%) patients who received appropriate antimicrobial prophylaxis had high-grade fever after the prostate biopsy. However, the pathogens were not fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli. CONCLUSIONS: Targeted antimicrobial prophylaxis in patients undergoing transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy can be associated with reducing severe infectious complications caused by fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli.

[A Case of Sarcomatoid Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Penis].

A 74-year-old man presented to our hospital with the swelling of penis in May 2016. Physical examination revealed a goose egg-sized lump at the tip of the penis under foreskin. After dorsal skin incision we confirmed the 7 cm tumor on the inner preputial skin and then resected the tumor with circumcision. Histopathological examination revealed sarcomatoid squamous cell carcinoma of the penis. Computed tomography (CT) revealed swelling of bilateral inguinal lymph nodes, and we performed partial penectomy with bilateral superficial inguinal lymph node dissection in July 2016. Because of the positive surgical margin 2 cm away from the tumor we performed a total penectomy 2 weeks after the previous operation. Histopathological examination revealed no residual tumor and negative inguinal lymph nodes. In about 3 months postoperatively, he presented with a complaint of dyspnea and a CT scan showed right, pleural effusion and multiple lung metastases. He died of cancer 4 months postoperatively.

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma following intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy for nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer: Results from a multi-institutional retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to clarify the prognostic indicators for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) following intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy for nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). METHODS: Data from 402 patients who received intravesical BCG therapy between January 1990 and November 2011 were collected from 10 institutes. The median follow-up interval from transurethral resection of the bladder tumor (TURBT) followed by BCG treatment was 50.0 months (IQR: 31.8-77.0). Of these patients, 186 (46.3%) had intravesical recurrence during the follow-up period after BCG therapy. RESULTS: Thirty patients (7.5%) were diagnosed with UTUC after BCG therapy. The 10-year recurrence-free survival rates for UTUC (RFS-UTUC) was 87.5%. In univariate and multivariate analyses, the independent predicting factors for UTUC were intravesical recurrence (P = 0.016) and tumor morphology at TURBT before BCG (P = 0.045). The 10-year RFS-UTUC of patients with intravesical recurrence and others, were 80.6% and 95.0%, respectively. The 10-year RFS-UTUC of patients with papillary pedunculated tumors and nonpapillary or nonpedunculated were 96.1% and 84.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of UTUC in patients with NMIBC after BCG therapy is not negligible. Two independent predicting factors (intravesical recurrence and nonpapillary nonpedunculated at TURBT before BCG) were identified for UTUC. These results might be useful to predict UTUC after BCG therapy for NMIBC.

Complications within 90 days after radical cystectomy for bladder cancer: results of a multicenter prospective study in Japan.

PURPOSE: We prospectively evaluated the 90-day postoperative mortality and morbidity of open radical cystectomy by using a standardized reporting methodology. Additionally, we assessed the preoperative characteristics to determine risk factors for major complications. METHODS: This multicenter prospective study included 185 consecutive patients undergoing open radical cystectomy from October 2010 through March 2014. Postoperative complications within 90 days were recorded and graded according to the modified Clavien-Dindo classification. RESULTS: Totally, 328 postoperative complications were observed in 149 patients (80.5%). Of these events, 73 (22.2%) were high grade (≥ Grade III), and developed in 46 patients (24.9%). Three patients (1.6%) died postoperatively. Urinary tract infection, wound complications, and paralytic ileus were common complications that occurred in 55 (29.7%), 42 (22.7%) and 41 (22.2%) patients, respectively. Ureteroenteric stricture was diagnosed in 13 of the 151 patients (8.6%) undergoing intestinal urinary diversion. Emergency room visits were required for 13 patients (7.0%) and readmission after discharge was needed for 36 (19.5%). A body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2, smoking history and Charlson Comorbidity Index ≥ 2 were independent risk factors for high-grade complications, and their odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) were 2.357 (1.123-4.948), 2.843 (1.225-6.596) and 3.025 (1.390-6.596), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Open radical cystectomy is associated with a high incidence of postoperative complications. Most, however, are of low grade. Our results suggest that obesity, a smoking history, and increasing comorbidity are risk factors for major complications.

Molecular-targeted Therapy and Surgery May Prolong Survival of Renal Cell Carcinoma Patients with Bone Metastasis: A Multi-institutional Retrospective Study in Japan.

AIM: To determine prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients with bone metastasis in the targeted-therapy era. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective multi-institutional review of the medical records of 149 RCC patients with bone metastasis. Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were performed to identify independent factors associated with OS. RESULTS: The median OS was 13.4 months. In multivariate analysis, molecular-targeted therapy, nephrectomy and surgery for bone metastasis were independent prognostic factors. Bone-modifying agents (BMAs) were not associated with OS. The median OS of patients receiving molecular-targeted therapy after diagnosis of bone metastasis was significantly better than that of those who did not receive targeted therapy. CONCLUSION: Molecular-targeted therapy, nephrectomy and surgery for bone metastasis should be considered for RCC patients with metastasis in the bones.

[Prognostic factors and efficacy of molecular targeted therapy for metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma].

We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma who received molecular targeted therapy between 2005 and 2011. Cancer-specific survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Predictors of cancer-specific survival were analyzed using the Cox regression hazards model. A total of 89 patients, consisting of 50 first line patients and 39 patients receiving prior cytokine were included in the analysis. The two-year cancer-specific survival rate of the firstlinegroup was 60.2% and that of theprior cytokinethe rapy group was 62.1%. In univariateanalysis, Karnofsky performance status (KPS)＜80%, time from diagnosis to treatment less than one year, bone metastasis and C-reactive protein (CRP)＞1.3 mg/dl in were statistically significant prognostic factors (p＜0.05). In multivariate analysis, time from diagnosis to treatment less than one year (HR 2.46, 95%CI 1.11-5.82, p＝0.025) and CRP (HR 4.92, 95%CI 2.23-11.3, p＜0.001) were independent prognostic factors. Time from diagnosis to treatment less than one year and CRP were independent prognostic factors in patients who received molecular targeted therapy.

Palonosetron with aprepitant plus dexamethasone to prevent chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting during gemcitabine/cisplatin in urothelial cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the appearance of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, and to compare the antiemetic efficacy of the triple combination of palonosetron, aprepitant and dexamethasone with that of our old regimen using first-generation 5-hydroxytryptamine 3-receptor antagonists and dexamethasone during gemcitabine and cisplatin chemotherapy in patients with advanced urothelial cancer. METHODS: We carried out a multi-institutional study including 122 patients who received gemcitabine and cisplatin for advanced urothelial cancer between February 2005 and January 2012. Uncontrolled chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting events were identified through records of nausea and vomiting, additional infusion, rescue medications, and/or records of food intake. RESULTS: First-generation 5-hydroxytryptamine 3-receptor antagonists (ondansetron or granisetron) plus dexamethasone were used for 75 patients (cohort 1), and palonosetron with dexamethasone plus aprepitant for 47 patients (cohort 2). Patients in cohort 2 had significantly higher complete response (defined as no emetic episodes and no rescue medication use) rates than those in cohort 1 during the overall phase in the first cycle (85.7% vs 65.3%, P = 0.012), and all cycles (78.7% vs 50.7%, P = 0.0019) of gemcitabine and cisplatin. Patients in cohort 2 were more likely to achieve more favorable chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting control; that is, a lower grade of nausea, vomiting or anorexia, lower incidence of rescue therapy required, and shorter time to become chemotherapy-induced nausea- and vomiting-free than patients in cohort 1. CONCLUSIONS: The present results show that palonosetron in combination with aprepitant and dexamethasone is more effective to prevent chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting in urothelial cancer patients treated with gemcitabine and cisplatin than first-generation 5-hydroxytryptamine 3-receptor antagonists plus dexamethasone.

Construction of predictive models for cancer-specific survival of patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer treated with bacillus Calmette-Guérin: results from a multicenter retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to clarify the prognostic factors and to validate the bacillus Calmette-Guérin failure classification advocated by Nieder et al. in patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer who had intravesical recurrence after bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy. METHODS: Data from 402 patients who received intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy between January 1990 and November 2011 were collected from 10 institutes. Among these patients, 187 with bacillus Calmette-Guérin failure were analyzed for this study. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients (15.5%) were diagnosed with progression at the first recurrence after bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy. Eighteen (62.1%) of them died of bladder cancer. A total of 158 patients were diagnosed with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer at the first recurrence after bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy. Of them, 23 (14.6%) underwent radical cystectomy. No patients who underwent radical cystectomy died of bladder cancer during the follow-up. On multivariate analysis of the 135 patients with bladder preservation, the independent prognostic factors for cancer-specific survival were age (≥70 [P = 0.002]), tumor size (≥3 cm [P = 0.015]) and the Nieder classification (bacillus Calmette-Guérin refractory [P < 0.001]). In a subgroup analysis, the estimated 5-year cancer-specific survival rates in the groups with no positive, one positive and two to three positive factors were 100, 93.4 and 56.8%, respectively (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with stage progression at the first recurrence after bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy had poor prognoses. Three prognostic factors for predicting survival were identified and used to categorize patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer treated with bacillus Calmette-Guérin into three risk groups based on the number of prognostic factors in each one.

[Case of infected renal cyst in polycystic kidney disease].

A 56-year-old woman with polycystic kidney disease (PKD) presented with high fever and left back pain. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan showed multiple renal cysts, left hydronephrosis and a left ureteral stone. Her condition could not be managed with antibiotic therapy and indwelling left ureteral stent. Infected of left renal cysts was suspected, we performed diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Diffusion-weighted MRI showed higher signal intensity in one renal cyst than in other renal cysts. CT-guided percutaneous puncture of an infected cyst was performed. Her symptoms and fever resolved following the procedure. Identification of an infected renal cyst in PKD is often difficult on either ultrasonography or CT. Diffusion-weighted MRI allowed exact localization of the infected cyst among many cysts in PKD.