Concepts of lines of therapy in cancer treatment: findings from an expert interview-based study.

OBJECTIVE: The concept of lines of therapy (LOT) in cancer treatment is often considered for decision making in tumor boards and clinical management, but lacks a common definition across medical specialties. The complexity and heterogeneity of malignancies and treatment modalities contribute to an inconsistent understanding of LOT among physicians. This study assesses the heterogeneity of understandings of the LOT concept, its major dimensions, and criteria from the perspective of physicians of different specialties with an oncological focus in Germany. Semi-structured expert interviews with nine physicians were conducted and evaluated using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: Most interviewees agreed that there is no single definition for LOT and found it difficult to explicate their understanding. A majority of experts stated that they had already encountered misunderstandings with colleagues regarding LOT and that they had problems with deciphering LOT from the medical records of their patients. Disagreement emerged about the roles of the following within the LOT concept: maintenance therapy, treatment intention, different therapy modalities, changing pharmaceutical agents, and therapy breaks. Respondents predominantly considered the same criteria as decisive for the definition of LOT as for a change in LOT (e.g., the occurrence of a progression event or tumor recurrence).

Impact of PSA nadir, PSA response and time to PSA nadir on overall survival in real-world setting of metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the impact of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) nadir, PSA response and time to PSA nadir (TTN) in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) patients on overall survival (OS) in the era of combination therapies. METHODS: Different PSA nadir cut-offs (including ultra-low PSA) were tested for OS analyses. Additionally, PSA response ≥99% was evaluated, as well as TTN categorized as <3 versus 3-6 versus 6-12 versus >12 months. Multivariable Cox regression models predicted the value of PSA nadir cut-offs, PSA response and TTN on OS. Sensitivity analyses were performed in de novo and high volume mHSPC patients. RESULTS: Of 238 eligible patients, PSA cut-offs of <0.2 versus 0.2-4.0 versus >4.0 ng/mL differed significantly regarding median OS (96 vs. 56 vs. 44 months, p < 0.01), as well as in subgroup analyses of de novo mHSPC patients and multivariable Cox regression models. A more stringent PSA cut-off of <0.02 versus 0.02-0.2 versus >0.2 ng/mL also yielded significant median OS differences (not reached vs. 96 vs. 50 months, p < 0.01), even after additional multivariable adjustment. A PSA response ≥99% was also significantly associated with better OS than counterparty with <99% response, even after multivariable adjustment (both p < 0.02). When TTN groups were compared, patients with longer TTN harbored more extended OS than those with short TTN (<3 vs. 3-6 vs. 6-12 vs. >12 months: 34 vs. 50 vs. 67 vs. 96 months, p < 0.01). Virtually similar results were observed in sensitivity analyses for high volume mHSPC patients. CONCLUSIONS: In times of combination therapies for mHSPC, a PSA nadir of respectively, <0.2 and <0.02 ng/mL are associated with best OS rates. Moreover, a relative PSA response ≥99% and a longer TTN are clinical important proxies for favorable OS estimates.

[Rare tumors and tumor types of the urinary system in the 5th edition of the WHO classification 2022]. / Seltenere Tumoren und Tumortypen des ableitenden Harnsystems in der 5. Aufl. der WHO-Klassifikation 2022.

The 5th edition of the World Health Organization (WHO) classification of tumors of the urinary tract and male genital organs introduced both general and specific changes in structure, classification, and nomenclature. This also applies to rarer tumors and tumor subtypes of the urinary system. Knowledge of these changes is relevant for routine histopathological work. This article provides an overview of the main new features of the rarer tumors and tumor subtypes of the urinary system in the new edition of the WHO classification.

Feasibility of Next-generation Sequencing of Liquid Biopsy (Circulating Tumor DNA) Samples and Tumor Tissue from Patients with Metastatic Prostate Cancer in a Real-world Clinical Setting in Germany.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: With European Medicines Agency approval of PARP inhibitors in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and ongoing trials in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, detection of genetic alterations in BRCA1/2 and other homologous recombination repair genes has gained an important role. Our aim was to investigate the feasibility and comparability of comprehensive next-generation sequencing (NGS) of liquid biopsy (LB; circulating tumor DNA) and tumor tissue (TT) samples in a real-world clinical setting. METHODS: The study cohort consisted of 50 patients with metastatic prostate cancer (mPC) who had TT NGS performed for BRCA1/2 alterations and consent for additional LB NGS. The Oncomine Comprehensive Assay v3 (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA) was used for TT NGS. The Guardant360 83-gene assay (Guardant Health, Palo Alto, CA, USA) was used for LB NGS, including all types of somatic alterations, microsatellite instability, and blood tumor mutational burden. We calculated BRCA1/2 alteration rates and the negative percentage agreement (NPA) and positive percentage agreement (PPA) between TT and LB results. KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS: TT NGS was successful in 44/50 patients (88%), with pathogenic BRCA1/2 alterations detected in four (9%). LB NGS was successful in all 50 patients (100%), with BRCA1/2 alterations detected in ten (20%). In a subgroup analysis for the 44 patients with successful TT NGS, NPA was 85% and PPA was 50%. The median time between TT sample collection and blood sampling for NGS was 132 wk (IQR 94-186). The limited sample size and differences in the time of NGS assessment are limitations. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: LB NGS resulted in a higher detection rate for BRCA1/2 alterations in comparison to conventional TT NGS (20% vs 9%). Ideally, BRCA1/2 testing should be based on both approaches to identify all patients with mPC eligible for PARP inhibitor therapy. PATIENT SUMMARY: Our study shows that genetic tests for both tumor tissue and blood samples results in higher rates of detection of BRCA1/2 gene alterations in patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

Real-world evidence of tumor and patient characteristics and survival with avelumab maintenance after chemotherapy for advanced and metastatic urothelial carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Despite the prospective randomized controlled JAVELIN Bladder 100 trial, no real-world evidence exists regarding tumor characteristics, adverse events (AE) and survival of avelumab maintenance (AVM) treated patients with partial/complete response or stable disease after previous platinum-based chemotherapy for advanced/metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC). METHODS: We relied on our institutional database to identify mUC patients who received AVM between 01/2021-12/2023. The main outcomes consisted of overall (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) and were computed by Kaplan-Meier estimates. Stratification was performed according to PD-L1 status. RESULTS: Overall, 24 AVM patients were identified at a median age of 71 (interquartile range [IQR]: 67-76) years of which 67% were males. Of these, 63%, 21% and 17% received AVM therapy for bladder cancer and upper tract urothelial carcinoma or both, respectively. PD-L1 status was positive in 45% of patients. During AVM treatment, AEs were observed in 33% of patients, however, were limited to ≤2 grade AEs. At a median follow-up of eight (IQR 4-20) months, 71% of patients had progressed under AVM with median PFS of 6.2 months (CI: 3.2-18.2). Median OS was 13.4 (CI: 6.9-not reached [NR]) months. One-year OS after AVM was 52%. In PD-L1 positive patients, median PFS and OS were 6.4 (CI: 2.7 - NR) months and 13.4 (CI: 7.7 months - NR), respectively. CONCLUSION: AVM is associated with moderate AE rates. Despite similarities in baseline characteristics compared to trial-selected JAVELIN Bladder 100 mUC patients, AVM resulted in longer/similar PFS but significantly shorter OS in in real-world setting.

[Histomolecular classification of urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder : From histological phenotype to genotype and back]. / Histomolekulare Klassifikation des Urothelkarzinoms der Harnblase : Vom histologischen Phänotyp zum Genotyp und zurück.

BACKGROUND: Of all urothelial carcinomas (UCs), 25% are muscle invasive and associated with a 5-year overall survival rate of 50%. Findings regarding the molecular classification of muscle-invasive urothelial carcinomas (MIUCs) have not yet found their way into clinical practice. OBJECTIVES: Prediction of molecular consensus subtypes in MIUCs with artificial intelligence (AI) based on histologic hematoxylin-eosin (HE) sections. METHODS: Pathologic review and annotation of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Bladder Cancer (BLCA) Cohort (N = 412) and the Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology (SIP) BLCA Cohort (N = 181). An AI model for the prediction of molecular subtypes based on annotated histomorphology was trained. RESULTS: For a five-fold cross-validation with TCGA cases (N = 274), an internal TCGA test set (N = 18) and an external SIP test set (N = 27), we reached mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) scores of 0.73, 0.8 and 0.75 for the classification of the used molecular subtypes "luminal", "basal/squamous" and "stroma-rich". By training on correlations to individual molecular subtypes, rather than training on one subtype assignment per case, the AI prediction of subtypes could be significantly improved. DISCUSSION: Follow-up studies with RNA extraction from various areas of AI-predicted molecular heterogeneity may improve molecular classifications and thereby AI algorithms trained on these classifications.

Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Urinary Bladder: Urgent Call for New Therapies.

BACKGROUND: Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the urinary bladder is the most common non-urothelial variant histology. Currently, upfront radical cystectomy is the gold standard for non-metastatic SCC of the bladder. However, several studies have shown that SCC of the bladder is associated with higher aggressiveness and worse survival outcomes, such as progression-free and cancer-specific survival, relative to the urothelial histological subtype. Moreover, metastatic SCC seems to poorly respond to systemic treatments and/or radiotherapy. SUMMARY: This review summarizes the current knowledge and medical evidence regarding local and systematic treatment of mSCC of the bladder, including a case series of four initially locally advanced and later metastatic SCC patients of our tertiary care hospital. KEY MESSAGES: Despite being the second most common variant histology of bladder cancer, current therapies for SCC do not provide satisfactory therapeutic responses.

Impact of consensus molecular subtypes on survival with and without adjuvant chemotherapy in muscle-invasive urothelial bladder cancer.

AIMS: Adjuvant chemotherapy after radical cystectomy can reduce the risk of recurrence and death in advanced muscle-invasive urothelial bladder cancer (MIBC). Molecular subtypes have been shown to be associated with survival. However, their predictive value to guide treatment decisions is controversial and data to use subtypes as guidance for adjuvant chemotherapy is sparse. We aimed to assess survival rates based on MIBC consensus molecular subtypes with and without adjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: Gene expression profiles of 143 patients with MIBC undergoing radical cystectomy were determined from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimen to assign consensus molecular subtypes. Expression of programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) and immune cell infiltration were determined using multiplex immunofluorescence. Matched-pair analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy on overall survival (OS) for molecular subtypes applying Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression survival analyses. RESULTS: Samples were luminal papillary: 9.1% (n=13), luminal non-specified: 6.3% (n=9), luminal unstable: 4.9% (n=7), stroma-rich: 27.9% (n=40), basal/squamous (Ba/Sq): 48.9% (n=70) and neuroendocrine-like (NE-like): 2.8% (n=4). Ba/Sq tumours had the highest concentration of PD-L1+ tumour and immune cells. Patients with luminal subtypes had better OS than those with NE-like (HR 0.2, 95% CI 0.1 to 0.7, p<0.05) and Ba/Sq (HR 0.5, 95% CI 0.2 to 0.9, p<0.05). No survival benefit with adjuvant chemotherapy was observed for luminal tumours, whereas Ba/Sq had significantly improved survival rates with adjuvant chemotherapy. Retrospective design and sample size are the main limitations. CONCLUSION: Consensus molecular subtypes can be used to stratify patients with MIBC. Luminal tumours have the best prognosis and less benefit when receiving adjuvant chemotherapy compared with Ba/Sq tumours.

Differences in long-term continence rates between prostate cancer patients with extraprostatic vs. organ-confined disease undergoing robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy: An observational studys.

OBJECTIVES: Within the tertiary-case database, the authors tested for differences in long-term continence rates (≥ 12 months) between prostate cancer patients with extraprostatic vs. organ-confined disease who underwent Robotic-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy (RARP). METHOD: In the institutional tertiary-care database the authors identified prostate cancer patients who underwent RARP between 01/2014 and 01/2021. The cohort was divided into two groups based on tumor extension in the final RARP specimen: patients with extraprostatic (pT3/4) vs. organ-confined (pT2) disease. Additionally, the authors conducted subgroup analyses within both the extraprostatic and organ-confined disease groups to compare continence rates before and after the implementation of the new surgical technique, which included Full Functional-Length Urethra preservation (FFLU) and Neurovascular Structure-Adjacent Frozen-Section Examination (NeuroSAFE). Multivariable logistic regression models addressing long-term continence were used. RESULTS: Overall, the authors identified 201 study patients of whom 75 (37 %) exhibited extraprostatic and 126 (63 %) organ-confined disease. There was no significant difference in long-term continence rates between patients with extraprostatic and organ-confined disease (77 vs. 83 %; p = 0.3). Following the implementation of FFLU+ NeuroSAFE, there was an overall improvement in continence from 67 % to 89 % (Δ = 22 %; p < 0.001). No difference in the magnitude of improved continence rates between extraprostatic vs. organ-confined disease was observed (Δ = 22 % vs. Δ = 20 %). In multivariable logistic regression models, no difference between extraprostatic vs. organ-confined disease in long-term continence was observed (Odds Ratio: 0.91; p = 0.85). CONCLUSION: In this tertiary-based institutional study, patients with extraprostatic and organ-confined prostate cancer exhibited comparable long-term continence rates.

Does experience change the role of systematic biopsy during MRI-fusion biopsy of the prostate?

PURPOSE: To determine the role of biopsy experience regarding a potential benefit of additional systematic biopsies and fusion failures during MRI-targeted biopsy of the prostate. SUBJECTS/PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 576 men undergoing transrectal (MRI)-targeted biopsy of the prostate by seven residents in urology between November 2019 and March 2022. Benefit of systematic biopsies (detection of ISUP ≥ 2 PCa (clinically significant PCa (csPCa)) solely in systematic biopsies) and fusion failure (detection of csPCa during systematic biopsies in the area of a reported MRI-lesion and no detection of csPCa in targeted biopsy) were compared by growing biopsy experience levels. Multivariable regression analyses were calculated to investigate the association with benefit of systematic biopsies and fusion failure. RESULTS: The overall PCa detection rate was 72% (413/576). A benefit of systematic biopsies was observed in 11% (63/576); of those, fusion failure was seen in 76% (48/63). Benefit of systematic biopsies and fusion failure were more common among residents with very low experience compared to highly experienced residents (18% versus 4%, p = 0.026; 13% versus 3%, p = 0.015, respectively). Increasing biopsy experience was associated with less benefit from systematic biopsies (OR: 0.98, 95% CI 0.97-0.99) and less fusion failure (OR: 0.98, 95% CI 0.97-0.99). CONCLUSIONS: The benefit of systematic biopsies following targeted biopsy decreases with growing biopsy experience. The higher risk of fusion failure among inexperienced residents necessitates systematic biopsies to ensure the detection of csPCa. Further prospective trials are warranted before a targeted only approach can be recommended in routine clinical practice.

Real-world evidence of outcomes of oligometastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer patients treated with metastasis-directed therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate characteristics and outcomes of oligometastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) patients undergoing metastases-directed therapy (MDT) with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We relied on an institutional tertiary-care database to identify mHSPC patients who underwent EBRT as MDT between 12/2019 and 12/2022. Main outcomes consisted of progression to metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and overall mortality (OM). Oligometastatic was defined as ≤3 metastases and bone and/or lymph node deposits were treated with conventional doses up to 54 Gy or with hypofractionated stereotactic regimes of median 24 Gy (20-27 Gy). RESULTS: Overall, 37 patients treated with EBRT as MDT were identified. The median follow-up was 13 months. Median age at MDT was 71 years and 84% exhibited ECOG performance status 0. The median baseline PSA at diagnosis was 10 ng/mL. Overall, primary local therapy consisted of radical prostatectomy (65%), followed by external beam radiation therapy to the prostate (11%), focal therapy (8%), and palliative transurethral resection of the prostate (5%). Overall, 32% exhibited de novo oligometastatic mHSPC. Bone metastases were present in 78% versus 19% lymph node metastases versus 3% both. The distribution of targeted oligo-metastases was 62% versus 38% for respectively one metastasis versus more than one metastasis. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) was combined with MDT in 84%. Moreover, 19% received combination therapy with apalutamide/enzalutamide and 12% with abiraterone or docetaxel. The median time to mCRPC was 50 months. In incidence analyses, 13% developed mCRPC after 24 months. OM after 24 months was 15% in mHSPC patients receiving MDT. Significant OM differences were observed after stratification into targeted metastatic burden (<0.05). No high-grade adverse events were recorded during MDT. CONCLUSION: Our real-world data suggest that MDT represents a safe treatment option for well-selected oligometastatic mHSPC patients.

Optimizing identification of consensus molecular subtypes in muscle-invasive bladder cancer: a comparison of two sequencing methods and gene sets using FFPE specimens.

BACKGROUND: Molecular subtypes predict prognosis in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and are explored as predictive markers. To provide a common base for molecular subtyping and facilitate clinical applications, a consensus classification has been developed. However, methods to determine consensus molecular subtypes require validation, particularly when FFPE specimens are used. Here, we aimed to evaluate two gene expression analysis methods on FFPE samples and to compare reduced gene sets to classify tumors into molecular subtypes. METHODS: RNA was isolated from FFPE blocks of 15 MIBC patients. Massive analysis of 3' cDNA ends (MACE) and the HTG transcriptome panel (HTP) were used to retrieve gene expression. We used normalized, log2-transformed data to call consensus and TCGA subtypes with the consensusMIBC package for R using all available genes, a 68-gene panel (ESSEN1), and a 48-gene panel (ESSEN2). RESULTS: Fifteen MACE-samples and 14 HTP-samples were available for molecular subtyping. The 14 samples were classified as Ba/Sq in 7 (50%), LumP in 2 (14.3%), LumU in 1 (7.1%), LumNS in 1 (7.1%), stroma-rich in 2 (14.3%) and NE-like in 1 (7.1%) case based on MACE- or HTP-derived transcriptome data. Consensus subtypes were concordant in 71% (10/14) of cases when comparing MACE with HTP data. Four cases with aberrant subtypes had a stroma-rich molecular subtype with either method. The overlap of the molecular consensus subtypes with the reduced ESSEN1 and ESSEN2 panels were 86% and 100%, respectively, with HTP data and 86% with MACE data. CONCLUSION: Determination of consensus molecular subtypes of MIBC from FFPE samples is feasible using various RNA sequencing methods. Inconsistent classification mainly involves the stroma-rich molecular subtype, which may be the consequence of sample heterogeneity with (stroma)-cell sampling bias and highlights the limitations of bulk RNA-based subclassification. Classification is still reliable when analysis is reduced to selected genes.

Overexpression of KMT9α Is Associated with Aggressive Basal-like Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer.

Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is associated with limited response rates to systemic therapy leading to a significant risk of recurrence and death. A recently discovered histone methyltransferase KMT9, acts as an epigenetic regulator of carcinogenesis in different tumor entities. In this study, we investigated the presence and association of histological and molecular subtypes and their impact on the survival of KMT9α in MIBC. We performed an immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of KMT9α in 135 MIBC patients undergoing radical cystectomy. KMT9α was significantly overexpressed in the nucleus in MIBC compared to normal urothelium and low-grade urothelial cancer. Using the HTG transcriptome panel, we assessed mRNA expression profiles to determine molecular subtypes and identify differentially expressed genes. Patients with higher nuclear and nucleolar KMT9α expression showed basal/squamous urothelial cancer characteristics confirmed by IHC and differentially upregulated KRT14 expression. We identified a subset of patients with nucleolar expression of KMT9α, which was associated with an increased risk of death in uni- and multivariate analyses (HR 2.28, 95%CI 1.28-4.03, p = 0.005). In conclusion, basal-like MIBC and the squamous histological subtype are associated with high nuclear KMT9α expression. The association with poor survival makes it a potential target for the treatment of bladder cancer.

Tumor-associated macrophages and Tregs influence and represent immune cell infiltration of muscle-invasive bladder cancer and predict prognosis.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Muscle-invasive urothelial bladder cancer (MIBC) is associated with limited response rates to systemic therapy, risk of recurrence and death. Tumor infiltrating immune cells have been associated with outcome and response to chemo-and immunotherapy in MIBC. We aimed to profile the immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME) to predict prognosis in MIBC and responses to adjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: We performed multiplex immunohistochemistry (IHC) profiling and quantification of immune and stromal cells (CD3, CD4, CD8, CD163, FoxP3, PD-1, and CD45, Vimentin, αSMA, PD-L1, Pan-Cytokeratin, Ki67) in 101 patients with MIBC receiving radical cystectomy. We used uni- and multivariate survival analyses to identify cell types predicting prognosis. Samples were subdivided using K-means clustering for Treg and macrophage infiltration resulting in 3 clusters, Cluster 1: Treg high, cluster 2: macrophage high, cluster 3: Treg and macrophage low. Routine CD68 and CD163 IHC were analyzed with QuPath in an extended cohort of 141 MIBC. RESULTS: High concentrations of macrophages were associated with increased risk of death (HR 10.9, 95% CI 2.8-40.5; p < 0.001) and high concentrations of Tregs were associated with decreased risk of death (HR 0.1, 95% CI 0.01-0.7; p = 0.03) in the multivariate Cox-regression model adjusting for adjuvant chemotherapy, tumor and lymph node stage. Patients in the macrophage rich cluster (2) showed the worst OS with and without adjuvant chemotherapy. The Treg rich cluster (1) showed high levels of effector and proliferating immune cells and had the best survival. Cluster 1 and 2 both were rich in PD-1 and PD-L1 expression on tumor and immune cells. CONCLUSION: Treg and macrophage concentrations in MIBC are independent predictors of prognosis and are important players in the TME. Standard IHC with CD163 for macrophages is feasible to predict prognosis but validation to use immune-cell infiltration, especially to predict response to systemic therapies, is required.

Combination of radiation and immunotherapy in the treatment of genitourinary malignancies: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Due to possible synergistic effects, the combination of radiation therapy (RT) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) represents an interesting therapeutic option. An increasing number of clinical trials are ongoing to investigate this combination in genitourinary malignancies and the first results are available. OBJECTIVES: To review and summarize available data on the combination of RT and ICI in genitourinary malignancies and update the evidence for this potential therapeutic approach. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A study protocol was registered in the PROSPERO-Database. Terms of search were prostate cancer, bladder cancer, renal cell carcinoma, penile cancer, testicular cancer, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy in multiple literature databases and study registers. Clinical studies reporting on the combination treatment of RT and ICI were included. A systematic review of ongoing trials according to the PRISMA statement and a meta-analysis of available trials were performed. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Overall, 43 studies met the inclusion criteria examining the therapeutic effect of combined RT and ICI. For bladder cancer, renal cell carcinoma, prostate cancer, and penile cancer 28, 9, 5, and 1 trial could be identified, respectively. No study was found for testicular cancer. Three phases III trials were identified, all other trials were phase I or II. Twelve studies have been completed so far. The meta-analysis of available data indicates comparable toxicity of RT plus ICI vs. ICI alone for grade 3/4 AEs. Mature efficacy data is limited with interesting early results. CONCLUSION: This article reviews the clinical trial landscape investigating RT and ICI in genitourinary malignancies. It provides an overview of ongoing trials and discusses available results. Actual data regarding efficacy is limited, while toxicities seem comparable to ICI alone. Especially in bladder and kidney cancer, further trial results might impact on the clinical use of the combination therapy.

Differences in long-term continence rates between prostate cancer patients with extraprostatic vs. organ-confined disease undergoing robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy: An observational studys

ABSTRACT Objectives: Within the tertiary-case database, the authors tested for differences in long-term continence rates (≥ 12 months) between prostate cancer patients with extraprostatic vs. organ-confined disease who underwent Robotic-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy (RARP). Method: In the institutional tertiary-care database the authors identified prostate cancer patients who underwent RARP between 01/2014 and 01/2021. The cohort was divided into two groups based on tumor extension in the final RARP specimen: patients with extraprostatic (pT3/4) vs. organ-confined (pT2) disease. Additionally, the authors conducted subgroup analyses within both the extraprostatic and organ-confined disease groups to compare continence rates before and after the implementation of the new surgical technique, which included Full Functional-Length Urethra preservation (FFLU) and Neurovascular Structure-Adjacent Frozen-Section Examination (NeuroSAFE). Multivariable logistic regression models addressing long-term continence were used. Results: Overall, the authors identified 201 study patients of whom 75 (37 %) exhibited extraprostatic and 126 (63 %) organ-confined disease. There was no significant difference in long-term continence rates between patients with extraprostatic and organ-confined disease (77 vs. 83 %; p = 0.3). Following the implementation of FFLU+ NeuroSAFE, there was an overall improvement in continence from 67 % to 89 % (Δ = 22 %; p < 0.001). No difference in the magnitude of improved continence rates between extraprostatic vs. organ-confined disease was observed (Δ = 22 % vs. Δ = 20 %). In multivariable logistic regression models, no difference between extraprostatic vs. organ-confined disease in long-term continence was observed (Odds Ratio: 0.91; p = 0.85). Conclusion: In this tertiary-based institutional study, patients with extraprostatic and organ-confined prostate cancer exhibited comparable long-term continence rates.

The Oncolytic Adenovirus XVir-N-31, in Combination with the Blockade of the PD-1/PD-L1 Axis, Conveys Abscopal Effects in a Humanized Glioblastoma Mouse Model.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is an obligatory lethal brain tumor with a median survival, even with the best standard of care therapy, of less than 20 months. In light of this fact, the evaluation of new GBM treatment approaches such as oncolytic virotherapy (OVT) is urgently needed. Based on our preliminary preclinical data, the YB-1 dependent oncolytic adenovirus (OAV) XVir-N-31 represents a promising therapeutic agent to treat, in particular, therapy resistant GBM. Preclinical studies have shown that XVir-N-31 prolonged the survival of GBM bearing mice. Now using an immunohumanized mouse model, we examined the immunostimulatory effects of XVir-N-31 in comparison to the wildtype adenovirus (Ad-WT). Additionally, we combined OVT with the inhibition of immune checkpoint proteins by using XVir-N-31 in combination with nivolumab, or by using a derivate of XVir-N-31 that expresses a PD-L1 neutralizing antibody. Although in vitro cell killing was higher for Ad-WT, XVir-N-31 induced a much stronger immunogenic cell death that was further elevated by blocking PD-1 or PD-L1. In vivo, an intratumoral injection of XVir-N-31 increased tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and NK cells significantly more than Ad-WT not only in the virus-injected tumors, but also in the untreated tumors growing in the contralateral hemisphere. This suggests that for an effective treatment of GBM, immune activating properties by OAVs seem to be of greater importance than their oncolytic capacity. Furthermore, the addition of immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) to OVT further induced lymphocyte infiltration. Consequently, a significant reduction in contralateral non-virus-injected tumors was only visible if OVT was combined with ICI. This strongly indicates that for an effective eradication of GBM cells that cannot be directly targeted by an intratumoral OV injection, additional ICI therapy is required.

CK5/6 and GATA3 Defined Phenotypes of Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: Impact in Adjuvant Chemotherapy and Molecular Subtyping of Negative Cases.

Introduction and Objective: Identifying patients that benefit from cisplatin-based adjuvant chemotherapy is a major issue in the management of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). The purpose of this study is to correlate "luminal" and "basal" type protein expression with histological subtypes, to investigate the prognostic impact on survival after adjuvant chemotherapy and to define molecular consensus subtypes of "double negative" patients (i.e., without expression of CK5/6 or GATA3). Materials and Methods: We performed immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of CK5/6 and GATA3 for surrogate molecular subtyping in 181 MIBC samples. The mRNA expression profiles for molecular consensus classification were determined in CK5/6 and GATA3 (double) negative cases using a transcriptome panel with 19.398 mRNA targets (HTG Molecular Diagnostics). Data of 110 patients undergoing radical cystectomy were available for survival analysis. Results: The expression of CK5/6 correlated with squamous histological subtype (96%) and expression of GATA3 was associated with micropapillary histology (100%). In the multivariate Cox-regression model, patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy had a significant survival benefit (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.19 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.1-0.4, p < 0.001) and double-negative cases had decreased OS (HR: 4.07; 95% CI: 1.5-10.9, p = 0.005). Double negative cases were classified as NE-like (30%), stroma-rich (30%), and Ba/Sq (40%) consensus molecular subtypes and displaying different histological subtypes. Conclusion: Immunohistochemical-based classification was associated with histological subtypes of urothelial MIBC. IHC markers like CK5/6 and GATA3 that are used in pathological routine could help to identify patients with basal and luminal tumor characteristics. However, a two-sided classification system might not sufficiently reflect the heterogeneity of bladder cancer to make treatment decisions. Especially the group of IHC-double negative cases, as further analyzed by mRNA expression profiling, are a heterogeneous group with different implications for therapy.

Evaluation of Pre-operative Biopsy, Surgical Procedures and Oncologic Outcomes in Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma (UTUC).

Purpose: Discordance between pre-operative biopsy and final pathology for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma (UTUC) is high and optimal management remains controversial. The aim of this study is to evaluate the accuracy of pre-operative biopsy, to identify prognostic factors and to evaluate the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy on survival and oncologic outcome in UTUC. Methods: We analyzed records of patients receiving surgical treatment for UTUC. Pathology of pre-operative biopsy was compared to surgical specimen. We used Kaplan-Meier method to estimate survival probabilities and Cox's proportional hazards models to estimate the association between covariates and event times. Primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). A matched-pair analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy. Results: 151 patients underwent surgical treatment (28% open, 36% laparoscopic, 17% robotic radical nephroureterectomy; 14% segmental ureteral resections and 5% palliative nephrectomy) for UTUC and were included in the analysis. Upstaging from

Clinical Practice Guidelines for Bladder Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Using the AGREE II Instrument.

CONTEXT: Numerous health care organizations have established guidelines on diagnosis and treatment of bladder cancer. However, the lack of a standardized guideline development approach results in considerable differences of the guidelines' methodological quality. OBJECTIVE: To assess the methodological quality of all relevant clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for urinary bladder cancer and provide a reference for clinicians in choosing guidelines of high methodological quality. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A systematic literature search was conducted in Medline via PubMed, 4 CPG databases, and 7 databases of interdisciplinary organizations. CPGs for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) with the topics screening, pathology, diagnosis, treatment, and aftercare published in English language between 2012 and 2018 were included. The CPG quality was analyzed using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: A total of 16 CPGs were included for the quality appraisal. Because of predefined criteria, 5 CPGs were "strongly recommended" (American Urological Association NMIBC, European Association of Urology [EAU] NMIBC, EAU MIBC, National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, and National Comprehensive Cancer Network), 4 CPGs were "weakly recommended" and 7 CPGs were "not recommended." CONCLUSIONS: The methodological quality of bladder cancer guidelines is diverse. Considering the rapid development of new therapies (e.g., immune checkpoint inhibitors), "living guidelines" of high methodological quality, such as the EAU NMIBC or MIBC guideline, will become more relevant in the future guideline's landscape.