Impact of Cytoreductive Nephrectomy in the Management of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

In this study, we aimed to determine the utility of cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) in real-world clinical practice and investigate whether CN contributes to improved oncological outcomes in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). This retrospective multicenter cohort study enrolled patients with mRCC who received systemic therapy at six institutions between May 2005 and May 2023. The patients were divided into those who did not undergo CN (Group I) and those who underwent CN (Group II). The primary endpoints were oncological outcomes, including cancer-specific survival (CSS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Altogether, 137 patients with mRCC were included in this study. The median CSS was 14 months in Group I and 32 months in Group II (p < 0.001). Additionally, the median PFS in Groups I and II was 5 and 13 months, respectively (p = 0.006). A multivariate analysis showed that CN was an independent prognostic factor for CSS and PFS. Hence, CN is a potential treatment modality that can improve oncological outcomes in patients with mRCC.

Effects of low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave on bladder and urethral dysfunction in spinal cord injured rats.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave therapy (LiESWT) on bladder and urethral dysfunction with detrusor overactivity and detrusor sphincter dyssynergia (DSD) resulting from spinal cord injury (SCI). METHODS: At 3 weeks after Th9 spinal cord transection, LiESWT was performed on the bladder and urethra of adult female Sprague Dawley rats with 300 shots of 2 Hz and an energy flux density of 0.12 mJ/mm2, repeated four times every 3 days, totaling 1200 shots. Six weeks postoperatively, a single cystometrogram (CMG) and an external urethral sphincter electromyogram (EUS-EMG) were simultaneously recorded in awake animals, followed by histological evaluation. RESULTS: Voiding efficiency significantly improved in the LiESWT group (71.2%) compared to that in the control group (51.8%). The reduced EUS activity ratio during voiding (duration of reduced EUS activity during voiding/EUS contraction duration with voiding + duration of reduced EUS activity during voiding) was significantly higher in the LiESWT group (66.9%) compared to the control group (46.3%). Immunohistochemical examination revealed that fibrosis in the urethral muscle layer was reduced, and S-100 stained-positive area, a Schwann cell marker, was significantly increased in the urethra of the LiESWT group. CONCLUSION: LiESWT targeting the urethra after SCI can restore the EUS-EMG tonic activity during voiding, thereby partially ameliorating DSD. Therefore, LiESWT is a promising approach for treating bladder and urethral dysfunction following SCI.

Discrepancy in the Location of Prostate Cancer Indicated on Biparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Pathologically Diagnosed Using Surgical Specimens.

Accurate diagnosis of the localization of prostate cancer (PCa) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) remains a challenge. We aimed to assess discrepancy between the location of PCa pathologically diagnosed using surgical specimens and lesions indicated as possible PCa by the Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System on MRI. The primary endpoint was the concordance rate between the site of probable clinically significant PCa (csPCa) identified using biparametric MRI (bpMRI) and location of PCa in the surgical specimen obtained using robot-assisted total prostatectomy. Among 85 lesions identified in 30 patients; 42 (49.4%) were identified as possible PCa on MRI. The 85 PCa lesions were divided into positive and negative groups based on the bpMRI results. None of the patients had missed csPCa. Although the diagnostic accuracy of bpMRI was relatively high for PCas located in the middle of the prostate (p = 0.029), it was relatively low for PCa located at the base of the prostate, all of which were csPCas. Although current modalities can accurately diagnose PCa, the possibility that PCa is present with multiple lesions in the prostate should be considered, even if MRI does not detect PCa.

Utility and safety of robot-assisted radical cystectomy in older patients with bladder cancer.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) in older patients with bladder cancer (BCa).Material and methods: We reviewed the clinical and pathological records of 110 patients with BCa who underwent RARC at Gifu University Hospital between February 2019 and January 2023. Older patients were defined as those with BCa aged ≥ 75 years. The enrolled patients were divided into two groups: those aged < 75 years (Group I) and those aged ≥ 75 years (Group II). Oncological outcomes, including overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS), were the primary endpoints of the study; the secondary endpoints were the surgical and pathological outcomes.Results: A shorter console time, less blood loss, and reduced time to postoperative fluid and food intake in Group II may be attributed to the fact that more patients opted for ureterocutaneostomy in Group II than in Group I. In all patients, the three-year OS and RFS rates were 84.7% and 88.5%, respectively. There were no significant differences in OS or RFS between the two groups. (p = .403, p = .963, respectively).Conclusions: RARC appears to be a safe and useful treatment option for older patients with BCa.

Biochemical recurrence after chemohormonal therapy followed by robot-assisted radical prostatectomy in very-high-risk prostate cancer patients.

Robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) has become one of the standard radical treatments for prostate cancer (PCa). A retrospective single-center cohort study was conducted on patients with PCa who underwent RARP at Gifu University Hospital between September 2017 and September 2022. In this study, patients were classified into three groups based on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network risk classification: low/intermediate-risk, high-risk, and very-high-risk groups. Patients with high- and very-high-risk PCa who were registered in the study received neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy prior to RARP. Biochemical recurrence-free survival (BRFS) after RARP in patients with PCa was the primary endpoint of this study. The secondary endpoint was the relationship between biochemical recurrence (BCR) and clinical covariates. We enrolled 230 patients with PCa in our study, with a median follow-up of 17.0 months. When the time of follow-up was over, 19 patients (8.3%) had BCR, and the 2 years BRFS rate for the enrolled patients was 90.9%. Although there was no significant difference in BRFS between the low- and intermediate-risk group and the high/very-high-risk group, the 2 years BRFS rate was 100% in the high-risk group and 68.3% in the very-high-risk group (P = 0.0029). Multivariate analysis showed that positive surgical margins were a significant predictor of BCR in patients with PCa treated with RARP. Multimodal therapies may be necessary to improve the BCR in patients with very-high-risk PCa.

[A Case of Refractory Lymphatic Leakage after Robot-Assisted Radical Cystectomy].

A 78-year-old male visited the referring hospital because of asymptomatic gross hematuria. The patient was diagnosed with bladder cancer, clinical stage T3aN2M0, after multiple tumors were found in the bladder by cystoscopy and bilateral obturator lymph node metastases were found by contrast-enhanced thoracoabdominal-pelvic computed tomography. After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the patient underwent robot-assisted radical cystectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection, followed by bilateral ureterocutaneostomy for urinary diversion. Postoperatively, the drainage volume from the pelvic drain ranged from 1,000 to 3,000 ml/day. We suspected lymphatic leakage based on the results of biochemical tests of the drainage fluid. Lymphangiography was conducted to confirm the diagnosis of lymphatic leakage, and lymphatic embolization was performed simultaneously. The patient underwent lymphangiography four times, but the lymphatic leakage persisted. Surgical treatment was considered, and lymphangioscintigraphy was conducted to search for areas of lymphatic leakage that could not be delineated by lymphangiography. Ascites decreased significantly after lymphangioscintigraphy.

Efficacy and Safety of Neoadjuvant Luteinizing Hormone-Releasing Hormone Antagonist and Tegafur-Uracil Chemohormonal Therapy for High-Risk Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND: This retrospective single-center cohort study evaluated the efficacy and safety of a combination of neoadjuvant luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) antagonist and tegafur-uracil (UFT) therapy (NCHT) and investigated the medical records of patients with high-risk PCa who underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). The therapy was followed by RARP for high-risk PCa. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The enrolled patients were divided into two groups: low-intermediate-risk PCa patients who underwent RARP without neoadjuvant therapy (non-high-risk) and those who underwent NCHT followed by RARP (high-risk group). This study enrolled 227 patients (126: non-high-risk and 101: high-risk group). Patients in the high-risk-group had high-grade cancer compared to those in the non-high-risk-group. RESULTS: At the median follow-up period of 12.0 months, there were no PCa deaths; two patients (0.9%) died of other causes. Twenty patients developed biochemical recurrence (BCR); the median time until BCR was 9.9 months after surgery. The 2-year biochemical recurrence-free survival rates were 94.2% and 91.1% in the non-high-risk and high-risk-group, respectively (p = 0.465). Grade ≥3 NCHT-related adverse events developed in nine patients (8.9%). CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that combining neoadjuvant LHRH antagonists and UFT followed by RARP may improve oncological outcomes in patients with high-risk PCa.

Prognostic value of various nutritional risk markers in patients hospitalized for the treatment of genitourinary cancer: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Because malnutrition adversely affects the prognosis of patients with cancer, accurate nutritional status assessment is important. Therefore, this study aimed to verify the prognostic value of various nutritional assessment tools and compare their predictability. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled 200 patients hospitalized for genitourinary cancer between April 2018 and December 2021. Four nutritional risk markers, namely, Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) score, Mini-Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) score, Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score, and Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), were measured at admission. The endpoint was all-cause mortality. RESULTS: SGA, MNA-SF, CONUT, and GNRI values were all independent predictors of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 7.72, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.75-34.1, P = 0.007; HR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.75-0.93, P = 0.001; HR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.16-1.43, P < 0.001; and HR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.93-0.98, P < 0.001, respectively) even after adjustment for age, sex, cancer stage, and surgery or medication. However, in the model discrimination analysis, the net reclassification improvement of the CONUT model (vs. SGA: 0.420, P = 0.006 and vs. MNA-SF: 0.57, P < 0.001) and GNRI model (vs. SGA: 0.59, P < 0.001 and vs. MNA-SF: 0.671, P < 0.001) were significantly improved compared to the SGA and MNA-SF models, respectively. The combination of CONUT and GNRI models also had the highest predictability (C-index = 0.892). CONCLUSIONS: Objective nutritional assessment tools were superior to subjective nutritional tools in predicting all-cause mortality in inpatients with genitourinary cancer. Measurement of both the CONUT score and GNRI might contribute to a more accurate prediction.

Direct Comparison of Two Different Definitions with Biochemical Recurrence after Low-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy for Prostate Cancer.

We aimed to determine whether biochemical recurrence-free survival (BRFS) of patients with prostate cancer (PCa) who received low-dose-rate brachytherapy (LDR-BT) differed according to the definition of biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP) and the definition given by the Japanese Prostate Cancer Outcome Study of Permanent Iodine-125 Seed Implantation (J-POPS). We reviewed the clinical records of 476 consecutive patients with PCa who received LDR-BT at the Gifu University Hospital. The primary endpoint of this study was the difference in BRFS between the two aforementioned definitions. When the follow-up period ended, 74 (15.5%) and 20 (4.2%) patients had BCR according to the RP and J-POPS definitions, respectively. The 5-year BRFS rates were 85.0% and 96.9% for the RP and J-POPS definitions, respectively (p < 0.005). According to the RP definition, the 5-year BRFS rates were 80.6% in the group aged <63 years and 86.6% in those aged ≥63 years (p = 0.050). According to the J-POPS definition, the 5-year BRFS rates were 94.1% and 97.8% in the groups aged <63 years and ≥63 years, respectively (p = 0.005). The definition of recurrence in LDR-BT may need to be reconsidered.

The Efficacy and Safety of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor and Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Combination Therapy for Advanced or Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Multicenter Retrospective Real-World Cohort Study.

We evaluated the efficacy and safety of combination therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) as first-line therapy for patients diagnosed as having advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). We enrolled 51 patients to receive ICI+TKI therapy for mRCC at 9 Japanese institutions. The overall survival (OS) of the patients treated with ICI+TKI was the primary endpoint., and the secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and disease control rate (DCR). Furthermore, we analyzed the clinical prognostic and predictive factors in patients with mRCC treated with ICI+TKI therapy. Seven months was the median follow-up period. The OS rates at 6, 12, and 18 months were 93.1, 82.5, and 68.8%, respectively. The median PFS for patients who received ICI+TKI was 19.0 months, ORR was 68.6%, and DCR was 88.2%. ICI+TKI-related adverse events occurred in 43 patients (84.3%) with any grade and in 22 patients (43.1%) with grade ≥3. Treatment selection with poor prognostic factors may be prudent, even though ICI+TKI is an efficacious and safe first-line treatment in patients with mRCC.

Endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery for renal allograft lithiasis using "sheath-connection technique": A case report.

A 66-year-old man was diagnosed with renal allograft lithiasis. Although retrograde intrarenal surgery was attempted, a ureteral access sheath (UAS) was difficult to insert. Subsequently, we planned the endoscopic combined intrarenal surgery (ECIRS) using the "Sheath-connection technique." We indwelled the two UAS anterogradely and retrogradely, unified them at the bladder and the junction of the two UAS was passed through the ureterovesical junction. We successfully performed ECIRS.

Efficacy and Safety of Cabozantinib in Patients with Advanced or Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study.

A multicenter retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cabozantinib in patients with advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). We enrolled 53 patients with mRCC who received cabozantinib at eight institutions in Japan. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). The secondary endpoints were objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and progression-free survival (PFS). In addition, we analyzed prognostic factors in patients with mRCC treated with cabozantinib. The median follow-up period was 8 months, and the median OS was 20.0 months. The ORR and DCR were 39.6% and 83.0%, respectively. The median PFS was 11.0 months. PFS was significantly shorter in patients previously treated with at least two tyrosine kinase inhibitors and in those with C-reactive protein (CRP) ≥ 1.27 mg/dL (p = 0.021 and p = 0.029, respectively). Adverse events of any grade and grades ≥3 occurred in 42 (79.2%) and 10 (18.9%) patients, respectively. Cabozantinib is a useful treatment option for patients with mRCC and may benefit from earlier use. In this study, CRP ≥ 1.27 mg/dL is a poor prognostic factor in patients treated with cabozantinib, and careful follow-up may be required in treating patients with high CRP.

Patient age as a predictive factor in biochemical recurrence following brachytherapy: Oncological outcomes at a single center.

Background: Iodine-125 low-dose-rate brachytherapy (LDR-BT) is a treatment modality utilized in both localized and advanced prostate cancer (PCa). We aimed to evaluate the long-term oncological outcomes in patients with PCa who underwent LDR-BT, at a single institution in Japan. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of 340 consecutive patients with localized PCa who underwent LDR-BT between August 2004 and December 2014 at our institution. Patients with low-risk PCa who had a pretreatment prostate volume >50 mL received neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for at least 3 months before LDR-BT. Patients with intermediate-risk PCa were treated with a combination of LDR-BT and/or external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and/or ADT for 9 months. Patients with high-risk PCa underwent LDR-BT, EBRT, and ADT for 24 months. The endpoints of this study were biochemical recurrence-free survival (BRFS) and overall survival (OS). Additionally, the association between biochemical recurrence (BCR) and clinical/pathological covariates was analyzed. Results: At the end of the follow-up period, nine patients (2.6%) showed BCR, and six patients (1.8%) developed secondary cancers after LDR-BT. The 5-year and 10-year BRFS rates were 99.4% and 95.3%, respectively. Factoring in the patients' ages, the 5-year and 10-year BRFS rates were 99.1% and 99.1%, respectively, in patients aged >63 years. The rates were 100% and 89.4% in those aged ≤63 years, respectively. In the multivariate analysis, age ≤63 years was identified as a significant independent predictor of BCR after LDR-BT. Conclusion: Age ≤63 years was a significant predictor of BCR following LDR-BT. Although the risk of secondary malignant neoplasms should be considered when opting for LDR-BT in younger patients with PCa, the prevalence of them in these patients is relatively low. Therefore, clinicians should weigh the risks and benefits of definitive therapy in PCa, particularly in younger patients.

Efficacy and Safety of the "Trisection Method" Training System for Robot-Assisted Radical Cystectomy at a Single Institution in Japan.

To maintain a surgeon's concentration, reduce fatigue, and train young surgeons, surgical procedures for bladder cancer are divided into the following parts: robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC), bowel reconstruction, and totally intracorporeal urinary diversion (ICUD) (RARC+ICUD). Each part is performed by a different surgeon (Trisection method). We retrospectively evaluated the efficacy and safety of this approach at a single institution in Japan. One hundred consecutive patients who underwent RARC+ICUD at Gifu University Hospital between November 2018 and August 2022 were included in this study. The patient background, surgical outcomes, and postoperative complications were compared between surgeries by first-, second-, and third-generation surgeons. The overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were compared between surgeries by each generation. Of the 100 patients, 19, 38, and 43 RARCs were performed by first-, second-, and third-generation surgeons, respectively. There were 35, 25, and 39 patients who underwent ileal conduit, neobladder, and ureterocutaneostomy, respectively. No significant differences were found among the patients respective to the type of ICUDs. Although the first-generation surgeon had a significantly shorter operative time with RARC, the surgical time for bowel reconstruction, length of hospital stays, and incidence of postoperative complications were not significantly different among the groups. Additionally, OS and RFS did not differ significantly among the generations. The "Trisection method" is an effective and safe concept with no difference in outcomes between the generations of surgeons.

CALN1 hypomethylation as a biomarker for high-risk bladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: DNA methylation in cancer is considered a diagnostic and predictive biomarker. We investigated the usefulness of the methylation status of CALN1 as a biomarker for bladder cancer using methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme (MSRE)-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). METHODS: Eighty-two bladder cancer fresh samples were collected via transurethral resection of bladder tumors. Genomic DNA was extracted from the samples, and MSRE-qPCR was performed to determine the CALN1 methylation percentage. Reverse transcription-qPCR was performed to assess the correlation between CALN1 methylation and mRNA expression. The association between CALN1 methylation percentage and clinicopathological variables of all cases and intravesical recurrence of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (non-MIBC) cases were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 82 patients, nine had MIBC and 71 had non-MIBC who had not undergone total cystectomy. The median CALN1 methylation percentage was 79.5% (interquartile range: 51.1-92.6%). The CALN1 methylation percentage had a negative relationship with CALN1 mRNA expression (Spearman's ρ = - 0.563 and P = 0.012). Hypomethylation of CALN1 was associated with advanced tumor stage (P = 0.0007) and histologically high grade (P = 0.018). Furthermore, multivariate analysis revealed that CALN1 hypomethylation was an independent risk factor for intravesical recurrence in non-MIBC patients (hazard ratio 3.83, 95% confidence interval; 1.14-13.0, P = 0.031). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that CALN1 methylation percentage could be a useful molecular biomarker for bladder cancer.

Clinical Predictors of Grade Group Upgrading for Radical Prostatectomy Specimens Compared to Those of Preoperative Needle Biopsy Specimens.

BACKGROUND: Decision-making and selection of treatment modalities for newly diagnosed prostate cancer (PCa) are often determined by risk stratification using grade group (GG), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and clinical stage. The discrepancies between needle biopsy (NB) and radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens often occur because of the sampling errors in NB or multifocal features of PCa. Thus, we aimed to estimate the preoperative clinical factors for predicting GG upgrading after robot-assisted RP (RARP). METHODS: In this retrospective study, we reviewed the clinical and pathological records of patients who underwent RARP at Gifu University Hospital. We focused on patients with organ-confined PCa who had not received neoadjuvant therapy prior to RARP. The primary endpoint was identified as the predictive factor of GG upgrading for RARP specimens compared to those of NB specimens. RESULTS: Eighty-one patients were included in this study. The enrolled patients were divided into two groups: those who had GG upgrading for RARP specimens (the NB upgrade group) or those who did not have GG upgrading (the no upgrade group). The median age of all patients was 70 years, and the median body mass index (BMI) was 22.9 kg/m2. The median neutrophil count was 3720/µL, lymphocyte count was 1543/µL, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was 2.24. In univariate analysis, BMI, PSA, neutrophil count, and NLR were significantly associated with GG upgrading in RARP specimens compared to NB specimens. BMI and NLR were identified as strong predictive factors for GG upgrading in RARP specimens in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Although this study's small number of enrolled patients was a vital weakness, BMI and NLR might have been significantly correlated with GG upgrading for RP specimens compared with NB specimens. Therefore, BMI and NLR may have potential benefits for newly diagnosed patients with PCa in terms of decision-making and the selection of treatment modalities.

Diabetes Mellitus as a Predictive Factor for Urinary Tract Infection for Patients Treated with Kidney Transplantation.

Background and Objectives: We aimed to investigate the rate of incidence and risk factors of post-transplant urinary tract infection (UTI) in patients receiving kidney transplantation (KT) at our institution. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was carried out on patients who underwent KT for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) from January 2008 to December 2021 at Gifu University Hospital. UTI was defined as the existence of bacterial and/or fungal infection in urine with ≥105 colony-forming units/mL, with or without urinary and/or systemic symptoms of UTI. Patients were divided into two groups: those with UTI after KT (UTI group) and those without UTI (non-UTI group). The primary endpoint of this study was the relationship between covariates and UTI after KT. Results: Two hundred and forty patients with ESKD received KT at Gifu University Hospital. Thirty-four participants developed UTI after surgery, and the most common pathogen was Escherichia coli. At the end of the follow-up, graft loss was observed in six patients (2.5%), independent of UTI episodes. In the multivariate analysis, diabetes mellitus (DM) was statistically associated with post-transplant UTI in kidney transplant recipients. Conclusions: Preoperative serum glucose control in patients with DM may have a crucial role in preventing UTI and preserving renal function after KT.

Oncological Outcomes in Patients with Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma after Discontinuing Pembrolizumab as a Second-Line Treatment: A Retrospective Multicenter Real-World Cohort Study.

The treatment options are currently limited, and the oncological outcomes remain unclear, for patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) with or without third-line systemic therapy. We aimed to evaluate the oncological outcomes in real-world daily clinical practice after platinum-based chemotherapy followed by pembrolizumab for mUC. This retrospective, multicenter cohort study included patients with mUC who received second-line pembrolizumab in Japan. The patients were divided into the treatment group (those who received third-line treatment) and the BSC group (those who did not receive other treatments). The primary endpoint of this study was to evaluate the oncological outcomes. Of 126 patients enrolled in this study, 40 received third-line therapy. The median follow-up period was 8.0 months. The median overall survival (OS) times were nine months in the BSC group and 17 months in the treatment group (p < 0.001). The median progression-free survival (PFS) times were 4 months in the BSC group and 14 months in the treatment group (p < 0.001). In the multivariate analysis, performance status and liver metastasis were significantly associated with OS. Third-line therapy may have clinical potential advantages for improving the oncological outcomes in patients with mUC.

Clinical Lymph Node Involvement as a Predictor for Cancer-Specific Survival in Patients with Penile Squamous Cell Cancer.

We aimed to identify prognostic predictive factors of patients with penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC). This retrospective study reviewed the clinical and pathological data of patients with PSCC at 10 institutions in Japan between January 2008 and December 2019. The primary endpoint was cancer-specific survival (CSS). We also identified useful predictive factors for CSS in patients with PSCC. In total, 64 patients with PSCC were enrolled. At the end of the follow-up period, 15 patients (23.4%) died owing to PSCC and six (9.4%) died owing to other causes. The 2- and 3-year CSS rates were 78.9% and 76.6%, respectively. Using the Kaplan−Meier method, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0, serum albumin levels ≥4.2 g/dL, hemoglobin levels ≥13.2 g/dL, C-reactive protein levels <0.21 mg/dL, clinical T stage ≤2, clinically negative lymph node (LN) status, and tumor size <30 mm were associated with a significantly better CSS. In the multivariate analysis, the clinically positive LN status was a significant predictive factor for CSS in patients with PSCC. Further prospective large-scale and long-term studies are required to validate our findings.

The Impact of Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte Ratio after Two Courses of Pembrolizumab for Oncological Outcomes in Patients with Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma.

We focused on the therapeutic effect of pembrolizumab for metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) and evaluated predictive factors for improving clinical outcomes. We conducted a retrospective multicenter cohort study of patients with mUC who received pembrolizumab. The endpoint was to evaluate the association between clinicopathological features and oncological outcomes. A total of 160 patients were enrolled in this study and were divided into two groups: the responder and the non-responder group, according to the best response. They were followed up for a median period of 10 months. The median overall (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in this study were 17 and 4 months, respectively. The responder group did not achieve median OS and it was 10 months in the non-responder group (p < 0.001). Similarly, the responder group did not achieve PFS, and it was 2 months in the non-responder group (p < 0.001). Regarding the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) after two courses of administration of pembrolizumab, patients with NLR < 3.24 had significantly better oncological outcomes than those with NLR ≥ 3.24. Multivariate analysis showed a significant association between NLR after two courses of pembrolizumab and OS. Therefore, the absolute value of NLR after two courses of pembrolizumab was a significant predictive factor for oncological outcomes.