Prognosis of patients with T1 bladder cancer after en bloc transurethral resection of bladder tumor stratified by invasion to the level of the muscularis mucosa.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the prognosis of patients with pT1 bladder cancer who underwent en bloc resection of bladder tumors (ERBTs), stratified by invasion to the muscularis mucosa (MM) level. METHODS: Among 64 specimens obtained by ERBT with bipolar energy from patients with pT1 bladder cancer, MM was detected in 61 specimens. Thus, 61 specimens were included in this retrospective study. Patients were stratified by invasion to the MM level (pT1a, invasion above the MM level; pT1b, invasion within the MM level; and pT1c, invasion beyond the MM level). In specimens with discontinuous MM, invasion to the MM level was predicted from the dispersed MM in the specimen. The primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). RESULTS: Progression occurred in 2/39 patients with pT1a (5.1%), 1/6 patients with pT1b (16.7%), and 6/16 patients with pT1c cancer (37.5%). Cancer death occurred in 1/39 patients with pT1a (2.6%), 0/7 patients with pT1b, and 3/16 patients with pT1c cancer (18.8%). Patients with pT1a or pT1b cancer had a significantly better prognosis than those with pT1c cancer. On univariate analysis, tumor size ≥ 3 cm and pT1c were significantly associated with shorter PFS. On multivariate analysis, only pT1c was independently associated with shorter PFS. CONCLUSION: This is the first study evaluating the prognosis by T1 substaging based on invasion to the MM level using ERBT specimens. ERBT provided high-quality specimens for diagnosing the MM and showed poor prognosis in pT1c bladder cancer. ERBT could be an appropriate surgical approach for an accurate diagnosis and prognosis of the T1 bladder cancer substage.

Prediction of Time to Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Using Bone Scan Index in Men with Metastatic Hormone-Sensitive Prostate Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: We evaluated bone scan index (BSI) as a predictive biomarker for time to castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) in patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified 85 consecutive mHSPC patients treated with first-line androgen deprivation therapy. We analyzed the correlations between time to CRPC and clinicopathological characteristics, including age, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, Gleason score, clinical TNM stage, hemoglobin, lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, and BSI. RESULTS: The median BSI was 2.7%. Progression to CRPC occurred in 55 (64.7%) patients and the median time to CRPC was 12.9 months. In multivariate analysis, 3 significant risk factors for time to CRPC were identified: age (>73 vs. ≤73 years; hazard ratio [HR] 0.53), p = 0.038, PSA level (>270 vs. ≤270 ng/mL; HR 0.53, p = 0.038), and BSI (>2.7 vs. ≤2.7%; HR 2.97, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Age, PSA level, and BSI were found to be significant predictive factors for time to CRPC in patients with mHSPC.

Prognostic Value of Automated Bone Scan Index in Men With Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer Treated With Enzalutamide or Abiraterone Acetate.

PURPOSE: Bone scan index (BSI) is an objective tool for quantifying bone metastasis load. We assessed its prognostic usefulness in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) treated with enzalutamide (ENZ) or abiraterone acetate (AA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed 40 patients who received ENZ or AA treatment (ENZ/AA) for metastatic CRPC. The Cox proportional hazards model and a C-index were used to investigate associations between overall survival (OS) and BSI, and patient age, prostate-specific antigen, time to CRPC, previous docetaxel use, and pain. RESULTS: Median OS after ENZ/AA was 17.8 months. All patient deaths (n = 19; 47.5%) were from prostate cancer. In multivariate analysis, decreased BSI was an independent predictor for longer OS (hazard ratio, 8.97; P = .011). Inclusion of BSI improved the C-index from 0.721 to 0.792 in predicting OS after ENZ/AA. CONCLUSIONS: Decreased BSI after ENZ/AA independently predicts longer OS.

Predictors of poor response to secondary alternative antiandrogen therapy with flutamide in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE: In Japan, flutamide had been commonly used as second-line alternative antiandrogen hormonal therapy for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer that relapses after initial hormone therapy before new androgen pathway inhibitors became available. In this study, we attempted to identify predictive factors for efficacy of alternative antiandrogen as second-line hormone therapy. METHODS: We identified consecutive 65 patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer who were treated with alternative antiandrogen as second-line hormonal therapy (bicalutamide to flutamide). All patients were treated with combined androgen blockade initially. We analyzed correlations between progression-free survival of alternative antiandrogen and clinicopathological characteristics, including patients' ages, initial prostate-specific antigen levels, prostate-specific antigen levels at flutamide induction, Gleason scores, T stage, N stage, extent of disease grades on bone scan and previous duration of prostate cancer response to combined androgen blockade. RESULTS: In univariate analysis, T stage, N stage and previous duration of response to combined androgen blockade were correlated with shorter progression-free survival. We found four significant risk factors for shorter progression-free survival in multivariate analysis: initial prostate-specific antigen level, clinical N stage, extent of disease grades and previous duration of response to combined androgen blockade. CONCLUSIONS: Initial prostate-specific antigen, N stage, extent of disease grades on bone scan and previous duration of response to combined androgen blockade were the significant predictors for efficacy of alternative antiandrogen as second-line hormone therapy in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. These findings might support that decision-making of when to start the new androgen receptor pathway inhibitors.

[Usefulness of extension of disease as a prognostic factor in relapsed prostate cancer patients of stage D].

OBJECTIVE: The prognosis of prostate cancer has been evaluated by clinical stage or pathological grade. PSA parameters including PSA density and PSA doubling time have not always precisely reflected the prognosis of prostate cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate PSA parameters and extension of disease (EOD) grade as prognostic factors for relapsed prostate cancer. METHODS: The relationship between PSA parameters or EOD grade, and survival of 29 stage D patients with relapsed prostate cancer after initial hormone therapy was examined. RESULTS: Only EOD grade was an independent prognostic factor, even for cause-specific survival period and survival period after relapse. CONCLUSION: EOD grade was a significant prognostic factor, and in particular, very useful as a prognostic factor for patients with bone metastasis. PSA value was not always associated with tumor volume, and therefore it is not an independent prognostic factor.