Association between metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes mellitus and oncological outcomes of bladder cancer: a systematic review

Observational study of in-hospital mortality risk from bladder cancer: Five years of experience at a tertiary referral hospital in Indonesia

Bladder cancer (BC) is a neoplasm arising from the bladder. It requires appropriate management and its prognosis depends on many factors. This study aimed to analyze the factors that influence outcomes in BC management. This was a retrospective study. Data were collected at one of Indonesia's largest tertiary referral hospitals. All patients diagnosed with BC from January 2019 to December 2023 were included. The outcome measured was survival or death. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS version 26.0 software. The study included 219 patients with a median age of 57.97 years, of which 99 (45.2 %) patients died. In a bivariate analysis, sex, active smoking status, Karnofsky score, metastasis status, chronic kidney disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and alternative medicine were found to affect mortality status. Based on multivariate analysis, the route of admission (odds ratio [OR] 0.19), irregular visit (OR 6.21), metastasis (OR 3.58), radiotherapy (OR 21.12), and traditional medicine (OR 0.21) were independent factors of in-hospital mortality. The mortality rate for BC was considerably high. Irregular visits, metastasis, type 2 diabetes, and radiotherapy were independent risk factors for mortality.

Impact of diabetes mellitus on oncologic outcomes in patients receiving robot-assisted radical cystectomy for bladder cancer

PURPOSE

Aim of this study is to investigate the association between DM and oncological outcomes among patients with muscle-invasive (MI) or high-risk non-muscle invasive (NMI) bladder cancer (BC) who underwent robot-assisted radical cystectomy with intracorporeal urinary diversion (RARC).

METHODS

An IRB approved multi-institutional BC database was queried, including patients underwent RARC between January 2013 and June 2023. Patients were divided into two groups according to DM status. Baseline, clinical, perioperative, pathologic data were compared. Chi-square and Student t tests were performed to compare categorical and continuous variables, respectively. Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analyses were performed to assess the association between DM and oncologic outcomes.

RESULTS

Out of 547 consecutive patients, 97 (17.7%) had DM. The two cohorts showed similar preoperative features, except for ASA score (p = 0.01) and Hypertension rates (p < 0.001). No differences were detected for perioperative complications, pT stage, pN stages and surgical margins status (all p > 0.12). DM patients displayed significantly lower 5-yr disease-free survival (DFS) (44.6% vs. 63.3%, p = 0.007), 5-yr cancer-specific survival (CSS) (45.1% vs. 70.1%, p = 0.001) and 5-yr Overall survival (OS) (39.9% vs. 63.8%, p = 0.001). At Multivariable Cox-regression analyses DM status was identified as independent predictor of worse cancer-specific survival (CSS) (HR 2.1; p = 0.001) and overall survival (OS) (HR 2.05; p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Among BC patients who underwent RARC, DM patients showed worse oncologic outcomes than the non-DM patients, with DM status playing an independent negative predicting role in CSS and OS. Future prospective studies are awaited, stimulating basic and translational research to identify possible mechanisms of interaction between DM and BC.

Prevalence of diabetes and hospitalization due to poor glycemic control in people with bladder cancer or renal cell carcinoma in Sweden

BACKGROUND

Bladder cancer (BC) and Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are the most common urogenital cancers among both sexes, with a yearly global incidence of around 500 000 each. Both BC and RCC have been linked to diabetes. Poor glycemic control (malglycemia) is a serious consequence of diabetes and a possible consequence of systemic treatments used in BC and RCC. The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of diabetes and use of hospital-based care for malglycemia in people with BC or RCC.

METHODS

This Swedish retrospective population-based register study used national health-data registers for longitudinal data on cancer incidence covering 15 years, use of hospital-based health care, and filled prescriptions of outpatient medications. Study endpoints included co-prevalence of diabetes in individuals with BC/RCC, healthcare resource utilization due to malglycemia, use of systemic corticosteroids, and changes in diabetes management for people with concomitant type 2 diabetes.

RESULTS

We identified 36,620 and 15,581 individuals diagnosed with BC and RCC, respectively, between 2006 and 2019. The proportion of individuals registered with diabetes was 24% in BC and 23% in RCC. An association between BC/RCC and poor glycemic control was found, although the number of malglycemic events in hospital-based care were few (65/59 per 1000 individuals with diabetes and BC/RCC respectively with at least one event). An earlier switch to insulin-based diabetes management was observed in BC/RCC compared to matched individuals with type 2 diabetes but no cancer. The results also indicated an association between steroid treatment and poor glycemic control, and that systemic corticosteroids were more common among people with BC/RCC compared to diabetes controls.

CONCLUSION

The high prevalence of diabetes and increased use of systemic corticosteroid treatment observed in this large national study highlights the need for specific clinical management, risk-assessment, and monitoring of individuals with BC/RCC and diabetes.

Vesicoureteral reflux postoperative radical nephroureterectomy for upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma: A case report

Introduction

Primary Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is a rare subtype of urothelial carcinoma and has an unknown incidence and prevalence in Yemen. Radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) with bladder cuff removal is the standard treatment for UTUC.

Case presentation

We present a 67-year-old male patient who developed grade II vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) on the left side of the urinary tract after undergoing right-sided RNU for non-invasive UTUC. Follow-up examinations at one-, three-, and six-month post-surgery revealed no evidence of kidney diseases. The patient's recovery has been satisfactory, and ongoing regular follow-ups are being maintained.

Conclusion

Vigilant monitoring of VUR presence and effective management following RNU is crucial to minimize complications and preserve renal function. The underlying mechanisms linking VUR development and RNU remain unclear, necessitating further research.

Effectiveness of Trans-Theoretical Model-Based Health Education Intervention in the Promotion of Lifestyle Changes among Adults with Metabolic Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

Evidence revealed that, 60% of deaths in the underdeveloped nations are linked to adoption of unhealthy lifestyles. The Trans-theoretical Model (TTM) has been considered a useful interventional approach in smoking cessation, drug addiction and weight control. However, its effectiveness in improving changes in dietary pattern, physical activity and alcohol consumption has not been reported.

Purpose

The study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the TTM-based health education intervention in the promotion of lifestyle changes among adults with metabolic syndrome.

Methods

This was an experimental design where 352 participants with metabolic syndrome were allocated to intervention and control groups. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either standard CVD care or a TTM stage-based lifestyle modification intervention for 12-months. Lifestyle patterns were assessed at baseline and endpoint. The mean difference of the subtotal TTM concept scores between pre and post intervention was evaluated using paired t-test. The chi-square test of independence was used to detect between group differences in the categorical data.

Results

Most of the participants were in the pre-action stage of change for their dietary intake patterns and physical activity habits at the baseline assessment with no difference between the groups. The intervention group's total level of change toward adopting a healthy lifestyle was markedly (p < 0.001) improved than the control group at the endpoint. The mean scores for the intervention group's stage of change, self-efficacy, and pros and cons of decisional balance all improved significantly (p < 0.001) from the baseline. The mean scores for the control group's pros and cons of decisional balance and stage of change also considerably (p < 0.05) improved from baseline to the endpoint.

Conclusion

The TTM- based health education intervention was effective in improving the participants' lifestyles that includes diet and physical activity. Health care providers, particularly nurses should implement TTM staged-matched educational intervention for individuals who are at risk for cardiovascular diseases.

Familial Risk and Interaction With Smoking and Alcohol Consumption in Bladder Cancer: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Background

Although genetic factors are known to play a role in the pathogenesis of bladder cancer, population-level familial risk estimates are scarce. We aimed to quantify the familial risk of bladder cancer and analyze interactions between family history and smoking or alcohol consumption.

Methods

Using the National Health Insurance database, we constructed a cohort of 5,524,403 study subjects with first-degree relatives (FDRs) and their lifestyle risk factors from 2002 to 2019. Familial risk was calculated using hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) that compare the risk of individuals with and without affected FDRs. Interactions between family history and smoking or alcohol intake were assessed on an additive scale using the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI).

Results

Offspring with an affected parent had a 2.09-fold (95% CI: 1.41 - 3.08) increased risk of disease compared to those with unaffected parents. Familial risks of those with affected father and mother were 2.26 (95% CI: 1.51 - 3.39) and 1.10 (95% CI: 0.27 - 4.41), respectively. When adjusted for lifestyle factors, HR reduced slightly to 2.04 (95% CI: 1.38 - 3.01), suggesting that a genetic predisposition is the main driver in the familial aggregation. Smokers with a positive family history had a markedly increased risk of disease (HR: 3.60, 95% CI: 2.27 - 5.71), which exceeded the sum of their individual risks, with statistically significant interaction (RERI: 0.72, 95% CI: 0.31 - 1.13). For alcohol consumption, drinkers with a positive family history also had an increased risk of disease, although the interaction was not statistically significant (RERI: 0.05, 95% CI: -3.39 - 3.48).

Conclusion

Smokers and alcohol consumers with a positive family history of bladder cancer should be considered a high-risk group and be advised to undergo genetic counseling.

Trends and risk factors of global incidence, mortality, and disability of genitourinary cancers from 1990 to 2019: Systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019

Background

The incidence of kidney, bladder, and prostate cancer ranked ninth, sixth, and third in male cancers respectively, meanwhile, the incidence of testicular cancer also increased gradually in the past 30 years.

Objective

To study and present estimates of the incidence, mortality, and disability of kidney, bladder, prostate, and testicular cancer by location and age from 1990 to 2019 and reveal the mortality risk factors of them.

Materials

The Global Burden of Diseases Study 2019 was used to obtain data for this research. The prediction of cancer mortality and incidence was based on mortality-to-incidence ratios (MIRs). The MIR data was processed by logistic regression and adjusted by Gaussian process regression. The association between the socio-demographic index and the incidence or disease burden was determined by Spearman's rank order correlation.

Results

Globally in 2019, there were 371,700 kidney cancer cases with an age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) of 4.6 per 100,000, 524,300 bladder cancer cases, with an ASIR of 6.5 per 100,000, 1,410,500 prostate cancer cases with an ASIR of 4.6 per 100,000 and 109,300 testicular cancer incident cases with an ASIR of 1.4 per 100,000, the ASIR of these four cancers increased by 29.1, 4, 22, and 45.5% respectively. The incidence rate of the four cancers and the burden of kidney cancer were positively correlated with the socio-demographic index (SDI), regions with a higher SDI faced more of a burden attributable to these four cancers. High body-mass index has surpassed smoking to be the leading risk factor in the past thirty years for kidney cancer mortality. Smoking remained the leading risk factor for cancer-related mortality for bladder cancer and prostate cancer and the only risk factor for prostate cancer. However, the contribution of high fasting plasma glucose to bladder cancer mortality has been increasing.

Conclusion

The incidence of bladder, kidney, prostate, and testicular cancer is ever-increasing. High-income regions face a greater burden attributable to the four cancers. In addition to smoking, metabolic risk factors may need more attention.

Clinical features and predictive biomarkers for bladder cancer in patients with type 2 diabetes presenting with haematuria

AIMS

To identify clinical features and protein biomarkers associated with bladder cancer (BC) in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus presenting with haematuria.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data collected from the Haematuria Biomarker (HaBio) study was used in this analysis. A matched sub-cohort of patients with type 2 diabetes and patients without diabetes was created based on age, sex, and BC diagnosis, using approximately a 1:2 fixed ratio. Randox Biochip Array Technology and ELISA were applied for measurement of 66 candidate serum and urine protein biomarkers. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated by chi-squared and Wilcoxon rank sum test for clinical features and candidate protein biomarkers. Diagnostic protein biomarker models were identified using Lasso-based binominal regression analysis.

RESULTS

There was no difference in BC grade, stage, and severity between individuals with type 2 diabetes and matched controls. Incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) was significantly higher in patients with type 2 diabetes (p = 0.008), and CKD was significantly associated with BC in patients with type 2 diabetes (p = 0.032). A biomarker model, incorporating two serum (monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 and vascular endothelial growth factor) and three urine (interleukin 6, cytokeratin 18, and cytokeratin 8) proteins, predicted incidence of BC with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.84 in individuals with type 2 diabetes. In people without diabetes, the AUC was 0.66.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrate the potential clinical utility of a biomarker panel, which includes proteins related to BC pathogenesis and type 2 diabetes, for monitoring risk of BC in patients with type 2 diabetes. Earlier urology referral of patients with type 2 diabetes will improve outcomes for these patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN25823942.

Community-based lifestyle intervention improves metabolic syndrome and related markers among Kenyan adults

Purpose

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and type-2 diabetes. The study aimed to establish the efficacy of a community-based lifestyle intervention on MetS in Kenyan adults using randomized control trial involving a 15-months follow up.

Methods

A randomized controlled trial involving 352 (18-64 years old) adults with MetS spanning 15-months duration. Participants were recruited from a Nairobi based Mission-led outpatient clinic, randomly assigned equally into intervention and control groups. The intervention group was exposed to a community-based health education on lifestyle modification, while control group was subjected to hospital-led routine care involving treatment and general lifestyle advice. The study was structured into baseline, intervention and evaluation phases with inbuilt data collection in each phase. Physiologic, anthropometric, and clinical parameters as well lifestyle characteristics were measured at baseline, midline and end-line. The parameters were compared across the groups and between the time points during analyses using chi-square test, binary logistic, independent t-test and paired t-test.

Results

Proportion of participants with MetS declined significantly (p < 0.001) with marked (p < 0.05) improvement in markers of MetS (elevated BP, raised sugars, cholesterols, central obesity) in intervention compared to control group. The rates of consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and uptake of physical activity significantly (p < 0.05) improved in the intervention group. However, the intake of processed/fast foods, salt, sugar, and alcohol significantly (p < 0.05) declined in the intervention compared to controls by the end-line.

Conclusion

One in three adults under the community-based lifestyle intervention had improvement in physiologic, anthropometrics and clinical markers relevant to definition of MetS. Additionally, an improved adherence to the recommended dietary intake and increased uptake of physical activity in adults with MetS was observed. These findings underscore the feasibility, effectiveness and proof of concept for community-based lifestyle approach as a viable strategic intervention for addressing premorbid risk factors for cardiovascular CVDs and diabetes before evolving into full blown conditions in low-income settings.

Preoperative Metabolic Syndrome and HDL-C Level Predict the Prognosis of Patients Following Radical Cystectomy: A Propensity Score Matching Study

Objective

To investigate the prognostic significance of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components in patients with bladder cancer (BCa) treated with radical cystectomy (RC).

Methods

A total of 335 BCa patients who underwent RC between 2004 and 2019 at Peking University Third Hospital (PUTH) were analyzed retrospectively. The Kaplan-Meier method with the log-rank test was performed to assess overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were conducted to identify the prognostic factors of OS and PFS before and after propensity score matching (PSM).

Results

Enrolled patients were allocated into two groups according to the presence or absence of MetS (n=84 MetS vs n=251 non-MetS), and 82 new matched pairs were identified to balance the baseline characteristics after 1:1 PSM. In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, MetS was associated with better OS (P=0.031) than the group without MetS. In addition, a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 was associated with better OS (P=0.011) and PFS (P=0.031), while low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was associated with worse OS (P=0.033) and PFS (P=0.010). In all patients, multivariate Cox analysis showed that hemoglobin, pathologic tumor stage and lymph node status were identified as independent prognostic factors for both OS and PFS, while age, MetS and HDL-C were independent prognostic factors only for OS. Reproducible results of multivariate analysis can still be observed in propensity matched patients. The results of further subgroup analysis revealed that the association of MetS with increased OS (P=0.043) and BMI ≥25 with increased OS (P=0.015) and PFS (P=0.029) was observed in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients.

Conclusions

MetS was independently associated with better OS in BCa patients after RC, and HDL-C was the only component of MetS that was independently associated with worse OS. MetS and HDL-C may become reliable prognostic biomarkers of OS in BCa patients after RC to provide individualized prognostication and assist in the formulation of clinical treatment strategies.

Metabolic Syndrome is an Independent Risk Factor for Fuhrman Grade and TNM Stage of Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma

Background

More and more evidences show that metabolic syndrome (MS) is closely related to clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), but the impact of MS on Fuhrman grade and TNM stage of ccRCC is rarely reported.

Purpose

To explore the relationship between MS and its components of Fuhrman grade and TNM stage in ccRCC.

Objective

The clinical data of 247 patients with ccRCC diagnosed in our hospital from January 2016 to November 2020 were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Based on diagnostic criteria of MS, the patients were divided into MS and non-MS group. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the independent risk factors of ccRCC.

Results

The incidence of MS was 32.79% (81/247). There was no significant difference in age, gender, smoking and drinking between MS group and non-MS group (P > 0.05). In MS group, BMI ≥25kg/m², hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, tumor diameter, poorly differentiated renal cancer, high-stage renal cancer, triglyceride, fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, fasting insulin and homeostasis model assessment index were significantly higher than those in non-MS group (P < 0.001), while in high density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.005), islet beta cell secretory index (P < 0.001), well-differentiated renal cell carcinoma (P= 0.009), and low-stage renal cell carcinoma (P = 0.019) were significantly lower than that of non-MS group. Logistic regression analysis showed that hypertension (P = 0.005), diabetes (P = 0.012), hyperlipidemia (P = 0.021) are independent risk factors for Fuhrman grade of ccRCC, while diabetes (P = 0.002), hyperlipidemia (P = 0.007) are independent risk factors for TNM staging of ccRCC.

Conclusion

The patients with ccRCC and MS had higher Fuhrman grade and TNM stage. MS is an independent risk factor for Fuhrman grade and TNM stage of ccRCC.

The Sirenic Links between Diabetes, Obesity, and Bladder Cancer

There is considerable evidence of a positive association between the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity with bladder cancer (BCa), with the link between T2DM and obesity having already been established. There also appear to be potential associations between Pleckstrin homology domain containing S1 (PLEKHS1) and the Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF) axis. Seven literature searches were carried out to investigate the backgrounds of these potential links. PLEKHS1 is a candidate biomarker in BCa, with mutations that are easily detectable in urine and increased expression seemingly associated with worse disease states. PLEKHS1 has also been implicated as a potential mediator for the onset of T2DM in people with obesity. The substantial evidence of the involvement of IGF in BCa, the role of the IGF axis in obesity and T2DM, and the global prevalence of T2DM and obesity suggest there is scope for investigating the links between these components. Preliminary findings on the relationship between PLEKHS1 and the IGF axis signal possible associations with BCa progression. This indicates that PLEKHS1 plays a role in the pathogenesis of BCa that may be mediated by members of the IGF axis. Further detailed research is needed to establish the relationship between PLEKHS1 and the IGF axis in BCa and determine how these phenomena overlap with T2DM and obesity.

Validation of the COBRA nomogram for the prediction of cancer specific survival in patients treated with radical cystectomy for bladder cancer: An international wide cohort study

BACKGROUND

Recently, the Cancer of the Bladder Risk Assessment (COBRA) score has been introduced to estimate cancer specific survival (CSS) after radical cystectomy for bladder cancer.

OBJECTIVES

Aim of our study was to validate the COBRA score, assessing the effect of age, tumor stage and lymph-nodes status on CSS after cystectomy in patients with bladder cancer.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

A consecutive series of 2395 patients with primitive or recurrent bladder cancer treated with radical cystectomy in 4 centers were evaluated.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

The role of COBRA score as predictor of CSS was assessed using the Kaplan Meier and Cox proportional hazards analyses. Accuracy of COBRA score was evaluated by Harrell's C test.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

Median age was 66 (IQR 58/73) years. Overall, at a median follow-up of 48 (IQR 22/92) months, 642 patients (27%) died of bladder cancer. On Cox proportional hazards analyses, COBRA score was a significant predictor of CSS (HR 1.54, 95%CI 1.47-1.61) (Table 1). The predictive accuracy of the COBRA score was 0.71. A sub analysis including pooled COBRA score (0 vs 1-3 vs 4 vs 5-7) improved the clinical applicability with the same accuracy.

CONCLUSION

In our experience, the COBRA score is an excellent tool to predict cancer specific survival. The COBRA Score represents a practical and easy tool that may help urologists to classify the CSS of patients treated with radical cystectomy, to predict the oncological outcome and finally to counsel bladder cancer patients.

Association of NAFLD and Insulin Resistance with Non Metastatic Bladder Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Retrospective Study

Among risk factors (apart from smoking) likely involved in bladder cancer (BCa), metabolic syndrome (MS), obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been explored with contrasting results. In spite of these studies, there is little data on the association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), its main driver, i.e., insulin resistance (IR), and BCa. Implanting a cross-sectional retrospective study we tried to investigate both NAFLD and IR prevalence in a hospital based population of BCa patients. We studied laboratory data from 204 patients with histologically confirmed non metastatic BCa and 50 subjects with no BCa, but with bladder diseases (no Ca BD). We evaluated the presence of NAFLD by the triglycerides/glucose Index (TyG Index), using a cut-off of 0.59 and by the Aspartate Aminotransferase/Alanine Aminotransferase AST/ALT ratio. IR was assessed by the same TyG Index (cut-off 4.68) and the triglycerides/High-Density Lipoprotein HDL ratio (cut-off 2.197). The diagnosis of impaired fasting glucose (IFG), condition of prediabetes, as well as that of T2DM was assessed according to canonical guidelines. The TyG Index predicted NAFLD presence in both groups (p = 0.000), but the BCa group showed a major percentage of NAFLD cases with respect to no Ca BD group (59% versus 40%). A greater proportion of IR (47%) in BCa group than in no Ca BD one (37%) was evidenced by the TyG Index with its median value significantly different (p = 0.0092). This high rate of IR in the BCa group was confirmed by the triglycerides/HDL ratio (p = 0.02). Prediabetes and T2DM were more prevalent in the BCa group than no Ca BD group (p = 0.024). In this study a consistent NAFLD presence was found in BCa patients. This is an important comorbidity factor that deserves further consideration in prospective studies. The higher prevalence of NAFLD, IR, prediabetes and T2DM in the BCa group evidences the need that these disorders should be reckoned as adjunct factors that could impact on this cancerous disease.

Investigating the Adipose Tissue Secretome: A Protocol to Generate High-Quality Samples Appropriate for Comprehensive Proteomic Profiling

In this chapter we describe in detail how to prepare a sample containing the complete set of secretion products from primary adipocytes, which are suitable for comprehensive and sensitive secretome analysis. The underlying protocol should be seen as starting point guiding through critical steps of the complex workflow of preperation of secretomes. For diverse research questions and in the context of different sample types used, the protocol has to be carefully adjusted in order to approximate to the real secretome.

Impairment of autophagy may represent the molecular mechanism behind the relationship between obesity and inflammation in patients with BPH and LUTS

BACKGROUND

Aim of this study was to evaluate the roles of inflammation and autophagy in obese patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).

METHODS

We analyzed 150 surgical specimens from patients underwent transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for LUTS/BPH (Median age 70.3±8.1 years, median BMI 25.7±4.0 kg/m² and median PSA 6.0±5.4 ng/mL). All surgical specimens were investigated for the presence inflammatory infiltrates, according to the standardized classification of chronic prostatitis of the National Institute of Health. The inflammatory score (IS Score) was calculated. High IS score was defined as ≥7. Each sample was stained for anti-LC3B (cell signaling) and for anti-P62/SQSTM1 (MBL) according to manufacturer's suggestions and scored as follow: 0 (no dots); 1 (detectable dots in 5-25% of cells); 2 (readily detectable dots in 25-75% of cells); 3 (dots in >75% of cells). High percentage of p62 or LC3B was defined as >25%, whereas low percentage of p62 or LC3B was defined as <25% of cells with dots.

RESULTS

Overall 74/150 (49.3%) patients were overweight or obese (BMI >25 kg/m²). Obese patients presented a higher inflammatory score. Obese/overweight patients presented a lower percentage of LC3B (58/74; 78.4%) and higher of p62 (49/74; 66.2%) compared to those of normal weight, which it means a deactivated autophagy (P<0.05). At multivariate analysis LC3B (OR=0.22; CI: 0.069-0.70; P=0.01) percentage and BMI (OR=1.118; CI: 1.001-1.250; P=0.04) were independent risk factors of prostatic inflammation (IS≥7).

CONCLUSIONS

Here we confirm the association between obesity and prostatic inflammatory infiltrates and present the first evidence of autophagy deregulation in obese patients with LUTS/BPH. Further studies should better investigate this relationship and provide new possible therapeutic targets.

Mutational Landscape and Environmental Effects in Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is the most common cancer of the urinary tract. Although nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancers have a good prognosis, muscle-invasive bladder cancers promote metastases and have a poor prognosis. Comprehensive analyses using RNA sequence of clinical tumor samples in bladder cancer have been reported. These reports implicated the candidate genes and pathways that play important roles in carcinogenesis and/or progression of bladder cancer. Further investigations for the function of each mutation are warranted. There is suggestive evidence for several environmental factors as risk factors of bladder cancer. Environmental factors such as cigarette smoking, exposure to chemicals and gases, bladder inflammation due to microbial and parasitic infections, diet, and nutrition could induce several genetic mutations and alter the tumor microenvironment, such as immune cells and fibroblasts. The detailed mechanism of how these environmental factors induce carcinogenesis and/or progression of bladder cancer remains unclear. To identify the relationship between the mutations and the lifestyle could be useful for prevention and treatment of bladder cancer.

Association between metabolic syndrome and recurrence of nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer in older adults

BACKGROUND

Nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) disproportionately affects older adults who often have coexisting chronic conditions such as metabolic syndrome (MetS). Although prior research suggests that MetS is a risk factor for NMIBC, limited data exists on whether MetS is associated with NMIBC recurrence. Our objective was to evaluate the association between MetS and recurrence in older adults treated for NMIBC.

METHODS

We identified 1,485 older (age ≥60 years) NMIBC patients (American Joint Committee on Cancer Stage ≤1) from 2community-based health systems. Using data from the health systems' electronic medical record, MetS was defined as the presence of three of the following: diagnosis codes indicating hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, or body mass index >30. Follow up time was determined by date of the last follow up in the tumor registry and censored at 10 years. Cox proportional hazards regression of time to recurrence that accounts for the competing risk of death included adjustment for age, sex, smoking status, health system, NMIBC stage/grade, tumor size, and number of specimens with cancer.

RESULTS

Overall, 341 patients (23%) met MetS criteria. Median follow up was 5.9 years and 582 patients (39.2%) died. Patients with MetS were more frequently male (84.2%), and mostly current/former smokers (82.6%). By 10 years, 34.1% of the cohort had experienced a recurrence. After accounting for the competing risk of death, there was no association between MetS and time to recurrence (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.70-1.11, P = 0.28). Patients without MetS had more 0a/low grade recurrences (49.1% vs. 41.4%), though differences were not significant.

CONCLUSION

We found no association between MetS and risk of NMIBC recurrence in this large, multisite cohort of older adults with NMIBC. In order to design personalized care for older NMIBC patients, future research is needed to evaluate associations between common chronic conditions and a variety of oncologic outcomes.

Lifestyle associated factors and risk of urinary bladder cancer: A prospective cohort study from Norway

A number of lifestyle associated factors, such as high body mass index (BMI), low physical activity, and related metabolic disorders, are associated with increased risk of cancer at several sites. For urinary bladder cancer (BC), such studies show inconsistent results, which could result from inadequate adjustment for smoking and occupational exposure. In the population‐based Janus Cohort (n = 292 851), we investigated the independent and combined impact of BMI, physical activity, blood pressure, and blood lipids on the risk of BC, by thorough adjustment for smoking and potential occupational exposure. We used cox proportional hazard regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations between the lifestyle associated factors and BC risk. The associations observed were dependent on smoking status and gender. Among men, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (HR 1.07, 95% CI 1.02‐1.12) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) (HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01‐1.07) were positively associated with BC risk. Stratification by smoking status revealed a positive association between DBP and BC risk in never smokers (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.00‐1.30), while no association was seen for current and former smokers. A risk score, integrating information across the lifestyle factors was positively associated with BC risk in men (p_trend = 0.043). In women, physical activity was associated with a decreased BC risk, but only among never smokers (HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.45‐0.94). In conclusion, relations between lifestyle associated factors and BC risk were most evident in never smokers, suggesting that smoking dominates the relation in current smokers.

Resistin Activates p65 Pathway and Reduces Glycogen Content through Keratin 8

Resistin is associated with metabolic syndrome and inflammatory conditions. Many studies have suggested that resistin inhibits the accumulation of glycogen; however, the exact mechanisms of resistin-induced decrease in glycogen content remain unclear. Keratin 8 is a typical epithelial intermediate filament protein, but numerous studies suggest a vital role of K8 in glucose metabolism. However, it is still not known whether K8 participates in the mediation of resistin-induced reduction of cellular glycogen accumulation. In this study, we found that resistin upregulated expression of the p65 subunit of NF-κB, which led to the promotion of K8 transcriptional expression; in turn, the expression of K8 inhibited glycogen accumulation in HepG2 cells.

Association between occurrence of urinary bladder cancer and treatment with statin medication

OBJECTIVE

The incidence of urinary bladder cancer (UBC) has increased in Sweden despite decreased smoking, indicating that other factors might be associated. The increased use of statin medication for elevated blood lipids might be one such influencing factor. The aim of the present study was to assess whether statins are afflicted with an increased incidence of UBC.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Data from the Swedish National Register of Urinary Bladder Cancer, National Population Register, and Swedish Prescribed Drug Register were extracted. There were 22,936 patients with new diagnosed UBC between 2005 and 2014. Statin prescription was defined as any medication prescribed with the Anatomical Therapeutic Classification code C10A. For each patient, 10 control individuals were matched by age, gender, and living area, comprising 229,326 individuals. The Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel test was used to evaluate the hazards ratios.

RESULTS

Statins were more frequently used in patients with UBC (33.8%) than in controls (29.8%, p<0.0001). The use of statins was afflicted with a 23% increased odds ratio (OR) for UBC (OR 1.23 (1.19-1.27), p<0.001). Subgroup analyses showed that an increased OR was found in non-muscle invasive UBC only. There was a tendency that OR was stronger for men and for younger patients. Limitations include its retrospective register-based design and potential risk of bias of confounding factors, such as smoking and body mass index.

CONCLUSION

This nationwide register study suggests an association between the occurrence of UBC and patients using statins. The association was found in patients with non-muscle invasive disease only. Confounding factors, such as smoking, cannot be overruled.

Association of body mass index with bladder cancer risk in men depends on abdominal obesity

PURPOSE

The previous epidemiological studies about the associations between obesity and bladder cancer risk have reported inconsistent results. Therefore, we analyzed whether the abdominal obesity effected on the risk of developing bladder cancer according to body mass index (BMI) using nationally representative data from the National Health Insurance System (NHIS).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Among people who underwent at least one health examination from 2009 to 2012 in Korea, 11,823,876 men without a previous diagnosis of bladder cancer were followed up until December 2015. Multiple Cox regression analysis was conducted to determine the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for the association between bladder cancer and BMI or waist circumference (WC).

RESULTS

Significant upward trends in the risk of bladder cancer were observed with increasing BMI or WC according to the multivariate-adjusted model. However, the association between BMI and bladder cancer is influenced by the presence of abdominal obesity. In the group with WC < 90 cm, there was no significant change in the HRs for bladder cancer development beyond the reference BMI. In contrast, the HRs for bladder cancer showed statistically significant increase as the BMI increased beyond the reference BMI in the group with WC ≥ 90 cm.

CONCLUSION

This population-based study showed that increasing BMI and increasing WC were risk factors for developing bladder cancer in men, independent of confounding variables. However, there was a discrepancy in the trend of bladder cancer development according to BMI between the groups with abdominal obesity and without abdominal obesity.

Body mass index modifies bladder cancer risk associated with low estrogen exposure among Egyptian women after menopause

PURPOSE

Investigators have reported inconsistent findings regarding associations between body mass index (BMI) and bladder cancer risk, and they have postulated that sex steroids mediate such associations. We assessed the impact of BMI on the relationship between bladder cancer risk and combinations of age at first childbirth, parity, and age at menopause, among Egyptian women.

METHODS

We used data from our multicenter case-control study of 419 cases and 786 controls in logistic regression models to estimate adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of such associations.

RESULTS

Age > 18 years at first childbirth and parity ≤ 6 were significantly associated with bladder cancer risk, which was higher when both factors (AOR = 2.31, 95% CI = 1.55-3.43) and age at menopause < 45 years (AOR = 3.51, 95% CI = 1.88-6.55) were present. Early menopause was associated with higher bladder cancer risk in obese (AOR = 2.90, 95% CI = 1.40-5.98) but not normal weight women (AOR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.58-1.65; P_interaction = 0.11), and the risk was greatest when both first childbirth at age > 18 years and parity ≤ 6 were present (AOR = 7.60, 95% CI = 1.84-31.35); however, overweight and obesity were associated with significantly lower bladder cancer risk (AOR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.43-0.81, and AOR = 0.26, 95% CI = 0.18-0.38, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Body mass index appears to modify bladder cancer risk in Egyptian women after menopause by slightly enhancing the risk associated with low estrogen exposure among the obese only. Longitudinal studies of the BMI role in bladder malignancy in this distinctive population are required.

The association between metabolic syndrome and bladder cancer susceptibility and prognosis: an updated comprehensive evidence synthesis of 95 observational studies involving 97,795,299 subjects

Background

The association between metabolic syndrome (MS) and bladder cancer (BC) was not fully investigated, and most primary studies and pooled analyses were only focused on certain specific components.

Objective

To further investigate this issue and obtain more precise findings, we conducted this updated evidence synthesis of published studies, which involved not only MS components but also the MS in its entirety.

Materials and methods

We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases for observational studies on the association between BC susceptibility and/or mortality, and MS and its components. We extracted data from included studies, evaluated heterogeneity, and performed meta-analytic quantitative syntheses.

Results

A total of 95 studies with 97,795,299 subjects were included in the present study. According to the results, MS significantly increased the risk of BC (risk ratio [RR]=1.11, 95% CI=1.00–1.23); diabetes significantly increased the risk of BC (RR=1.29, 95% CI=1.19–1.39) and associated with poor survival (RR=1.24, 95% CI=1.08–1.43). Excessive body weight was associated with increased susceptibility (RR=1.07, 95% CI=1.02–1.12), recurrence (RR=1.46, 95% CI=1.18–1.81), and mortality (RR=1.17, 95% CI=1.00–1.37). As indicated by cumulative meta-analysis, sample size was inadequate for the association between BC susceptibility and MS, the association between BC recurrence and excessive body weight, and the association between BC survival and diabetes. The sample size of the meta-analysis was enough to reach a stable pooled effect for other associations.

Conclusion

Diabetes and excessive body weight as components of MS are associated with increased susceptibility and poor prognosis of BC. Uncertainty remains concerning the impact of overall MS, hypertension, and dyslipidemia on BC susceptibility and prognosis, for which further investigations are needed.

The long term effect of metabolic profile and microbiota status in early gastric cancer patients after subtotal gastrectomy

Long term effects of subtotal gastrectomy on gut microbiota modifications with subsequent metabolic profiles are limited. We aimed to investigate and compare long-term effects of metabolic profiles and microbiota status in early gastric cancer patients post curative subtotal gastrectomy to the controls. In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed type II diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome occurrence in two groups: 111 patients after curative subtotal gastrectomy with Billroth II (BII) anastomosis and Roux-en-Y gastrojejuno (RYGJ) anastomosis and 344 age-sex matched controls. Fecal samples from those with BII, RYGJ, and controls were analyzed by next-generation sequencing method. Metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes mellitus occurrences were significantly lower in patients after subtotal gastrectomy with RYGJ than in controls over the long term (> 8 years) follow-up (P < 0.05). The richness and diversity of gut microbiota significantly increased after subtotal gastrectomy with RYGJ (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the principal component analysis revealed significant differences in bacterial genera abundance after subtotal gastrectomy with BII and RYGJ (P < 0.001). Genera of Oscillospira, Prevotella, Coprococcus, Veillonella, Clostridium, Desulfovibrio, Anaerosinus, Slackia, Oxalobacter, Victivallis, Butyrivibrio, Sporobacter, and Campylobacter shared more abundant roles both in the RYGJ group and BII groups. Early gastric cancer patients after subtotal gastrectomy with RYGJ had a lower occurrence of metabolic syndrome and type II diabetes mellitus than the controls during long term follow-up. In parallel with the metabolic improvements, gut microbial richness and diversity also significantly increased after subtotal gastrectomy with RYGJ.

An increased body mass index is associated with a worse prognosis in patients administered BCG immunotherapy for T1 bladder cancer

PURPOSE

The body mass index (BMI) may be associated with an increased incidence and aggressiveness of urological cancers. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of the BMI on survival in patients with T1G3 non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).

METHODS

A total of 1155 T1G3 NMIBC patients from 13 academic institutions were retrospectively reviewed and patients administered adjuvant intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) immunotherapy with maintenance were included. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was performed to identify factors predictive of recurrence and progression.

RESULTS

After re-TURBT, 288 patients (27.53%) showed residual high-grade NMIBC, while 867 (82.89%) were negative. During follow-up, 678 (64.82%) suffered recurrence, and 303 (30%) progression, 150 (14.34%) died of all causes, and 77 (7.36%) died of bladder cancer. At multivariate analysis, tumor size (hazard ratio [HR]:1.3; p = 0.001), and multifocality (HR:1.24; p = 0.004) were significantly associated with recurrence (c-index for the model:55.98). Overweight (HR: 4; p < 0.001) and obesity (HR:5.33 p < 0.001) were significantly associated with an increased risk of recurrence. Addition of the BMI to a model that included standard clinicopathological factors increased the C-index by 9.9. For progression, we found that tumor size (HR:1.63; p < 0.001), multifocality (HR:1.31; p = 0.01) and concomitant CIS (HR: 2.07; p < 0.001) were significant prognostic factors at multivariate analysis (C-index 63.8). Overweight (HR: 2.52; p < 0.001) and obesity (HR: 2.521 p < 0.001) were significantly associated with an increased risk of progression. Addition of the BMI to a model that included standard clinicopathological factors increased the C-index by 1.9.

CONCLUSIONS

The BMI could have a relevant role in the clinical management of T1G3 NMIBC, if associated with bladder cancer recurrence and progression. In particular, this anthropometric factor should be taken into account at initial diagnosis and in therapeutic strategy decision making.

Assessing Information Needs Regarding Metabolic Syndrome Among Gynecological Cancer Survivors: A Concurrent Mixed Method

BACKGROUND

Cancer survivors have an increased risk of non-cancer-related deaths, particularly metabolic syndrome (MetS).

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to assess knowledge deficits regarding metabolism-related diseases among gynecological cancer survivors and the preferred source of health information.

METHODS

Using a mixed methods approach, 70 participants responded to a structured modified version of the MetS questionnaire. We conducted 28 semistructured interviews of gynecological cancer survivors with MetS. Responses were independently coded by 2 researchers, including MetS knowledge, behaviors for self-management, and preferred learning methods.

RESULTS

Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed in 17% of the participants. More than 50% of the participants wanted to learn about MetS and requested a consultation with healthcare providers, 70% reported that they had heard of MetS, and 61.4% reported that they had MetS-related knowledge (correct answer rate by MetS-related component, ~50%). The level of MetS-related knowledge was poor in both the quantitative and qualitative data. Most of the participants defined MetS-related self-management health behaviors as regular eating and exercise in their own words. Participants mostly wanted exercise management (29% of the participants), followed by dietary life management (27.4%), stress management (17.4%), weight management (13.7%), definition and diagnostic methods of MetS (9.1%), and smoking and drinking management (3.3%). Participants wished to use a handbook in small groups or receive counseling by healthcare providers.

CONCLUSION

We observed poor awareness and knowledge level and the need for information regarding MetS among gynecological cancer survivors.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

An educational handbook or counseling could effectively improve self-management of health-related behaviors.

Computational identification of microRNAs associated to both epithelial to mesenchymal transition and NGAL/MMP-9 pathways in bladder cancer

Bladder cancer is one of the leading cancer of the urinary tract. It is often diagnosed at advanced stage of the disease. To date, no specific and effective early detection biomarkers are available. Cancer development and progression are associated with the involvement of both epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and tumor microenvironment of which NGAL/MMP-9 complex represents the main player in bladder cancer. It is known that change in microRNAs (miRNAs) expression may result in gene modulation. Therefore, the identification of specific miRNAs associated with EMT pathway and NGAL/MMP-9 complex may be useful to detect the development of bladder cancer at early stages.

On this ground, the expression levels of miRNAs in public available datasets of bladder cancer containing data of non-coding RNA profiling was evaluated. This analysis revealed a group of 16 miRNAs differentially expressed between bladder cancer patients and related healthy controls. By miRNA prediction tool (mirDIP), the relationship between the identified miRNAs and the EMT genes was established. Using the DIANA-mirPath (v.2) software, miRNAs, able to modulate the expression of NGAL and MMP-9 genes, were recognized.

The results of this study provide evidence that the downregulated hsa-miR-145-5p and hsa-miR-214-3p may modulate the expression of both EMT and NGAL/MMP-9 pathways. Therefore, further validation analyses may confirm the usefulness of these selected miRNAs for predicting the development of bladder cancer at the early stage of the disease.

Estimating the impact of body mass index on bladder cancer risk: Stratification by smoking status

We estimated the impact of obesity on bladder cancer with stratification by smoking status using nationally representative data on the Korean population from the National Health Insurance System (NHIS). Of the 45,850,458 people who underwent at last one health examination from 2009 to 2012, 23,378,895 without bladder cancer were followed from the January 2009 to the December 2015. First, the HR for bladder cancer was lowest in people with a BMI < 18.5 (HR = 0.92) and highest for those with BMI ≥ 30 (HR = 1.17) in multiple Cox regression analyses. The positive association between bladder cancer and BMI showed an increasing trend beyond the reference BMI. Second, an analysis of HR for bladder cancer stratified by obesity across smoking status strata showed a significant trend of increasing HR for bladder cancer across obesity and smoking status in multivariate-adjusted models. Conclusively, this population-based study showed that increasing BMI was a risk factor for bladder cancer independent of confounding variables. When stratified by smoking status, there was still a positive association between bladder cancer and BMI (P for trend < 0.01).

Relationships between different types of physical activity and metabolic syndrome among Taiwanese workers

This study aimed to investigate the relationships between different types of physical activity (PA) and metabolic syndrome (MetS). In this cross-sectional study, 3,296 Taiwanese workers were enrolled. A self-reported questionnaire was used to assess nutritional health behavior and PA levels related to occupation, leisure time, and commuting. Anthropometric measures, blood pressure and biochemical determinations of the blood were also obtained. Multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) of MetS and its components associated with different types of PA. The prevalence of MetS was 16.6% in workers. Compared with a low level of leisure-time PA, a high level of leisure-time PA showed a significantly lower risk of high triglycerides (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.61-0.87) and MetS (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.62-0.95). Compared with a low level of occupational PA, a high level of occupational PA represented a significantly lower risk of both abdominal adiposity (OR 0.64, 95% CI 0.49-0.84) and high triglycerides (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.55-0.90). However, commuting PA levels were not significantly associated with MetS and its components. In conclusion, occupational PA as well as leisure-time PA could be important for the prevention of MetS.

Association between the TACC3 rs798766 Polymorphism and Risk of Urinary Bladder Cancer: A Synthesis Based on Current Evidence

Background

A possible association between the TACC3 rs798766 polymorphism and urinary bladder cancer risk has been indicated in published literature. We performed this meta-analysis as a synthesis of all relevant data to summarize currently available evidence and to provide estimation with increased precision.

Methods

EMBASE, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Wanfang Data were searched. “rs798766” and “urinary bladder cancer” were used as the search terms. A total of 6 eligible studies were identified, in which 8194 cases and 50,165 controls were investigated. Meta-analysis was performed using extracted data. Subgroup analysis by ethnicity was also performed. Population attributable risk (PAR) was calculated.

Results

We found a significant association between rs798766[T] and increased risk of bladder cancer, allelic[T] OR = 1.27, 95%CI = 1.20–1.33. Subgroup analysis by ethnicity revealed similar results, allelic[T] OR = 1.24, 95%CI = 1.17–1.32 in Caucasian subjects and allelic[T] OR = 1.33, 95%CI = 1.21–1.46 in Asian subjects. PAR based on pooled allelic ORs and the frequency of the risk allele in control subjects was 4.63% in the overall population and 3.92% in Asians and 4.36% in Caucasians.

Conclusion

rs798766 is associated with increased risk of bladder cancer, and no ethnic difference was found.

Bladder cancer

Bladder cancer is a highly prevalent disease and is associated with substantial morbidity, mortality and cost. Environmental or occupational exposures to carcinogens, especially tobacco, are the main risk factors for bladder cancer. Most bladder cancers are diagnosed after patients present with macroscopic haematuria, and cases are confirmed after transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT), which also serves as the first stage of treatment. Bladder cancer develops via two distinct pathways, giving rise to non-muscle-invasive papillary tumours and non-papillary (solid) muscle-invasive tumours. The two subtypes have unique pathological features and different molecular characteristics. Indeed, The Cancer Genome Atlas project identified genetic drivers of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) as well as subtypes of MIBC with distinct characteristics and therapeutic responses. For non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), intravesical therapies (primarily Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)) with maintenance are the main treatments to prevent recurrence and progression after initial TURBT; additional therapies are needed for those who do not respond to BCG. For localized MIBC, optimizing care and reducing morbidity following cystectomy are important goals. In metastatic disease, advances in our genetic understanding of bladder cancer and in immunotherapy are being translated into new therapies.

Age at diagnosis, obesity, smoking, and molecular subtypes in muscle-invasive bladder cancer

BACKGROUND

Heterogeneity of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) has been characterized using whole-genome mRNA expression data, showing distinct molecular and clinicopathological characteristics by subtypes. However, associations between risk factors and molecular subtypes have not been reported.

METHODS

Four previously published schemes were used to categorize molecular subtypes in 372 MIBC patients from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Data on gene expression (RNA-seq), demographic, and clinicopathological characteristics were retrieved through TCGA data portal. Polytomous logistic regression was used to estimate the associations of subtypes by different schemes with age at diagnosis, obesity, and smoking.

RESULTS

While some quantitative variation was evident, distinct molecular subtype schemes showed considerable consistency in the association with the risk factors. Generally, compared to patients with luminal-like tumors, patients with basal-like subtypes were more likely to be older (OR_{75 + yrs vs. <60 years} range = 1.32-2.89), obese (OR_{obese vs. normal} range = 1.30-3.05), and to start smoking at early age (OR_{<18 years vs. 25+ years} range = 1.11-4.57).

CONCLUSIONS

Different molecular subtypes of MIBC may have distinct risk profiles. Large population-based studies with detailed information on bladder cancer risk factors are needed to further define etiologic heterogeneity for bladder cancer.

Association between Metabolic Syndrome and Recurrence of Nonmuscle Invasive Bladder Cancer following bacillus Calmette-Guérin Treatment

Introduction

Intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy is the gold standard adjuvant treatment for patients with high-grade non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Despite the association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and bladder cancer, the association between MetS and BCG failure is unknown. The objective of this study was to characterize disease recurrence following BCG in patients with and without MetS.

Methods

We retrospectively evaluated the records of patients undergoing TURBT at our institution in 2012-2015 for NMIBC and identified those who received adjuvant BCG therapy. MetS was defined as having three of four components: diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, or body mass index (BMI)≥30kg/m². The primary outcome was recurrence or progression. Descriptive statistics, chi-squared analysis, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and Cox multivariable regression analyses were performed.

Results

High grade was present in 83/90 (92.2%) patients. MetS was present in 27/90 (30%) patients. Median follow-up was 20 months. On Kaplan-Meier analysis, patients with MetS had worse DFS compared with patient without MetS. On multivariable analysis, BMI≥30 kg/m² was a significant predictor of recurrence or progression (HR 2.94, 95% CI: 1.43-6.03). Presence of MetS did not significantly affect the type of BCG failure.

Conclusions

The association between MetS and failure to respond to BCG therapy is multifactorial but is in part associated with obesity. Elevated BMI is strongly associated with recurrence or progression. Further studies are warranted to investigate the relationship between increased adiposity and response to BCG, especially as other novel immunotherapeutic agents are likely to enter the NMIBC space.

Preoperative Metabolic Syndrome Is Predictive of Significant Gastric Cancer Mortality after Gastrectomy: The Fujian Prospective Investigation of Cancer (FIESTA) Study

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been shown to be associated with an increased risk of gastric cancer. However, the impact of MetS on gastric cancer mortality remains largely unknown. Here, we prospectively examined the prediction of preoperative MetS for gastric cancer mortality by analyzing a subset of data from the ongoing Fujian prospective investigation of cancer (FIESTA) study. This study was conducted among 3012 patients with gastric cancer who received radical gastrectomy between 2000 and 2010. The latest follow-up was completed in 2015. Blood/tissue specimens, demographic and clinicopathologic characteristics were collected at baseline. During 15-year follow-up, 1331 of 3012 patients died of gastric cancer. The median survival time (MST) of patients with MetS was 31.3months, which was significantly shorter than that of MetS-free patients (157.1months). The coexistence of MetS before surgery was associated with a 2.3-fold increased risk for gastric cancer mortality (P<0.001). The multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) were increased with invasion depth T1/T2 (HR=2.78, P<0.001), regional lymph node metastasis N0 (HR=2.65, P<0.001), positive distant metastasis (HR=2.53, P<0.001), TNM stage I/II (HR=3.00, P<0.001), intestinal type (HR=2.96, P<0.001), negative tumor embolus (HR=2.34, P<0.001), and tumor size ≤4.5cm (HR=2.49, P<0.001). Further survival tree analysis confirmed the top splitting role of TNM stage, followed by MetS or hyperglycemia with remarkable discrimination ability. In this large cohort study, preoperative MetS, especially hyperglycemia, was predictive of significant gastric cancer mortality in patients with radical gastrectomy, especially for early stage of gastric cancer.

Impact of diabetes mellitus on oncological outcomes after radical hysterectomy for early stage cervical cancer

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and oncological outcomes in early stage cervical cancer patients who underwent radical surgical resection.

METHODS

Patients with early stage cervical cancer diagnosed between 2001 and 2014 were retrospectively enrolled. We assessed the outcomes of 402 non-DM and 42 DM patients with cervical cancer. We tested the prognostic value of DM via Cox proportional hazard modeling.

RESULTS

Patients with DM were more likely to be older and overweight. In the DM group, 20 and 22 patients were and were not taking metformin, respectively. The 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) and 5-year overall survival (OS) rate for the whole study population were 88.49% and 96.34%, respectively. In the DM group, there was no evidence that metformin affected the RFS (p=0.553) or the OS (p=0.429). In multivariate analysis, age (p=0.007), histology (p=0.006), and deep stromal invasion (p=0.007) were independent adverse prognostic factors for RFS. There was a borderline significant association of increased RFS with DM (p=0.051). However, a time-varying-effect Cox model revealed that the DM was associated with a worse RFS (hazard ratio, 11.15; 95% CI, 2.00 to 62.08, p=0.022) after 5 years. DM (p=0.008), age (p=0.009), and node status (p=0.001) were the only 3 independent prognostic factors for OS.

CONCLUSION

Early stage cervical cancer patients with type 2 DM have a poorer oncological outcome than patients without DM.

Impact of acute kidney injury defined by CTCAE v4.0 during first course of cisplatin-based chemotherapy on treatment outcomes in advanced urothelial cancer patients

BACKGROUND

The Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes group (KDIGO) defined acute kidney injury (AKI) as an elevation of serum creatinine (sCR) exceeding 0.3 mg/dl within 48 h. The widely used adverse events criteria for chemotherapy, Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events Version 4.0 (CTCAE v4.0), also defined AKI as sCR exceeding 0.3 mg/dl, but with no provision of a time course. Here, we attempted to clarify the impact of AKI (CTCAE v4.0) during cisplatin-based chemotherapy on clinical outcome of patients with advanced urothelial cancer (UC).

METHODS

This multicenter retrospective study included 230 UC patients who received cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

RESULTS

During the first chemotherapy course, AKI (CTCAE v4.0) episodes were observed in 61 patients (26.5 %), whereas only four patients (1.5 %) experienced AKI (KDIGO) episodes. Both the pretreatment estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and creatinine clearance by Cockcroft-Gault formula were not efficient predictors for the development of AKI (CTCAE v4.0). AKI (CTCAE v4.0) impacted renal function: at the start of second-course chemotherapy, the average eGFR of the patients with AKI (CTCAE v4.0) was 54.1 ml/min/1.73 m², significantly lower than that of patients without AKI (CTCAE v4.0) (63.4 ml/min/1.73 m²). As a result, only 57.4 % of patients with AKI (CTCAE v4.0) received the planned treatment at the second course. The survival of the patients who developed AKI (CTCAE v4.0) was significantly worse than that of the patients who did not. The 3-year OSs were 10.3 and 21.4 %, respectively (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrated that AKI (CTCAE v4.0) during chemotherapy had a negative impact on both the intensity of subsequent chemotherapy and oncological outcomes.

Obesity, Physical Activity and Bladder Cancer

While smoking and exposure to certain chemicals are well-defined risk factors for bladder cancer, there is no consensus as to the roles of modifiable lifestyle factors, notably physical activity, and obesity. We evaluated associations of obesity and physical activity with bladder cancer risk by performing a system-wide search of PubMed for cohort and case-control studies focused on obesity, exercise, and bladder cancer. A total of 31 studies were identified that evaluated the associations of obesity and physical activity with bladder cancer risk: 20 focused on obesity, eight on physical activity, and three on both. There was marked heterogeneity in population composition and outcomes assessment. Fifteen (65%) of the obesity studies used prevalence or incidence as the primary outcome and seven (30%) used bladder cancer mortality. Ten (44%) observed positive and 13 (56%) null associations of obesity with bladder cancer. Three (100%) of three studies also noted strong positive associations of obesity with bladder cancer progression or recurrence. Ten (91%) of the physical activity studies analyzed prevalence or incidence and one (9%) mortality. One (9%) study observed positive, seven (64%) null, and three (27%) negative associations of physical activity with bladder cancer. Study heterogeneity precluded quantitative assessment of outcomes. Obesity is potentially associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer, particularly for progression, recurrence, or death. Further studies of physical activity and bladder cancer are needed to validate these observations and elucidate the associations of exercise with bladder cancer progression and mortality.

Metabolic syndrome and the risk of urothelial carcinoma of the bladder: a case-control study

BACKGROUND

The Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is an emerging condition worldwide, consistently associated with an increased risk of several cancers. Some information exists on urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) and MetS. This study aims at further evaluating the association between the MetS and UCB.

METHODS

Between 2003 and 2014 in Italy, we conducted a hospital-based case-control study, enrolling 690 incident UCB patients and 665 cancer-free matched patients. The MetS was defined as the presence of at least three of the four selected indicators: abdominal obesity, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, and diabetes. Odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) for MetS and its components were estimated through multiple logistic regression models, adjusting for potential confounders.

RESULTS

Patients with MetS were at a 2-fold higher risk of UCB (95 % CI:1.38-3.19), compared to those without the MetS. In particular, ORs for bladder cancer were 2.20 (95 % CI:1.42-3.38) for diabetes, 0.88 (95 % CI: 0.66-1.17) for hypertension, 1.16 (95 % CI: 0.80-1.67) for hypercholesterolemia, and 1.63 (95 % CI:1.22-2.19) for abdominal obesity. No heterogeneity in risks emerged across strata of sex, age, education, geographical area, and smoking habits. Overall, 8.1 % (95 % CI: 3.9-12.4 %) of UCB cases were attributable to the MetS.

CONCLUSIONS

This study supports a positive association between the MetS and bladder cancer risk.

Diabetes mellitus and the risk of bladder cancer: an Italian case–control study

BACKGROUND

Diabetes mellitus has been associated with an increased risk of bladder cancer, although the evidence is still open to discussion.

METHODS

We examined this association using data from a multicentre Italian case–control study, conducted between 2003 and 2014 on 690 bladder cancer cases and 665 frequency-matched hospital controls. Odds ratios (ORs) for diabetes were estimated by unconditional multiple logistic regression models, after allowance for major known risk factors for bladder cancer.

RESULTS

One hundred and twelve (16.2%) cases and 57 (8.6%) controls reported a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, corresponding to a multivariate OR of 2.09 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.46–3.01). Bladder cancer risk increased with duration of diabetes (OR 1.92 for 1– <5 years, 1.63 for 5– <10 years, 2.39 for 10– <15 years, and 2.58 for ≥15 years). The increased risk of bladder cancer was consistent in strata of age and education, whereas it was somewhat lower (although not significantly) in women (OR 1.18), in never (OR 1.31) and current (OR 1.42) smokers, and in subjects with a body mass index <25 kg m(-2) (OR 1.48).

CONCLUSION

The present study provides further support of a role of diabetes in bladder cancer aetiology, although some residual confounding by tobacco, body mass index, or other unmeasured covariates may partly explain the association observed.