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Serretta V. BCG and bladder cancer. Forty-eight years after Morales report. Urologia 2024; 91:459-467. [PMID: 38757638 DOI: 10.1177/03915603241252909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
Although BCG use as an anticancer drug was nearly abandoned due to the poor results in most tumors, in 1976 Morales reported a relevant reduction in recurrence with intravesical BCG in few patients affected by NMIBC. Since then BCG was globally accepted as an empirical and effective therapy in treating Tis and preventing recurrence of intermediate and high risk NMIBC. Forty-eight years after Morales' report, although some open questions remain object of debate, we have been able to find answers to many doubts improving BCG activity and toxicity. We better select patients undergoing BCG and many trials have indicated the best dosage and schedule. Moreover, we are able to better identify the patient unresponsive to BCG who might benefit of a timely radical cystectomy. We are also aware of the difficulties and toxicities that can be encountered with BCG use in every-day clinical practice. Research is ongoing to obtain genetically modified BCG to increase its efficacy and reduce toxicity. Moreover, the combination of BCG with other immunotherapeutic drugs given intravesically or systemically, first immune checkpoint inhibitors, is under study to obtain a response in patients unresponsive or intolerant to BCG. Almost 50 years after Morales publication, intravesical BCG remains an inalienable tool against NMIBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Serretta
- Urology Unit, Candela Clinic, Palermo, Italy
- III Level Oncologic Department "La Maddalena" Palermo, Italy
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2
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Lamm DL, Morales A. A BCG success story: From prevention of tuberculosis to optimal bladder cancer treatment. Vaccine 2021; 39:7308-7318. [PMID: 34417051 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BCG remains the most important vaccine for tuberculosis 100 years after its first use, and over the past 4 decades it has become the most widely accepted, effective drug used in the treatment of aggressive localized bladder cancer. This review chronicles the narrow path that led to approval and world-wide acceptance of BCG immunotherapy for bladder cancer while immunotherapy trials in other malignancies were abandoned. Six intravesical instillations of 5x10^8 CFU of BCG weekly after bladder tumor resection, first reported in 1976, is superior to resection alone and resection plus intravesical chemotherapy. Maintenance of effective immune stimulation is surprisingly difficult, but 3 weekly treatments 3, 6, and 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months after induction produces further significant reduction in tumor recurrence. This 3 week BCG maintenance schedule alone has reduced disease progression and mortality in multicenter randomized clinical trials. In the new age of immuno-oncology patients with many types of cancer now benefit from immunotherapy, but currently these modern agents are prohibitively expensive for most of the world. In contrast, the low cost and therefore low profitability of BCG has resulted in recurrent shortages that threaten both bladder cancer patients and children at risk for tuberculosis and other serious infections. Humanity has greatly benefited from early 20th century science that developed BCG and the benevolence of doctors Calmette and Guerin who put people over profit and widely shared cultures of the vaccine. The 21st century is bringing new immunotherapies and greatly expanding the types of malignancies that can be treated. Recombinant technology is expected to improve both the efficacy and production of BCG, hopefully expanding the availability of BCG and relieving the recurring supply shortage for both vaccination and cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald L Lamm
- Department of Surgery, University of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
| | - Alvaro Morales
- Department of Urology, Queen's University. Kingston. Ontario, Canada
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3
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Ślusarczyk A, Garbas K, Zapała P, Zapała Ł, Radziszewski P. Oncological outcomes of high-grade T1 non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer treatment in octogenarians. Int Urol Nephrol 2021; 53:1591-1597. [PMID: 33900566 PMCID: PMC8072304 DOI: 10.1007/s11255-021-02870-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE To evaluate the outcomes of high-grade T1 non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer treatment (NMIBC) in elderly patients over 80 years of age. METHODS This is a retrospective single tertiary-centre study. Medical records of patients with T1 high-grade NMIBC treated with transurethral resection of the bladder tumour (TURBT) were reviewed. Among 269 patients with high-grade T1 NMIBC, 74 individuals were over 80 years of age at the time of surgery. Finally, 67 patients met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS Only 47.8% of patients (N = 32) received at least five of the six instillations of the BCG immunotherapy induction course. Oncological outcomes were compared between patients who received at least the induction course of BCG and non-BCG-treated patients matched to each other based on age and Charlson comorbidity index. Thirty case-control pairs were included in the final analysis. Rates of disease recurrence (80% vs. 53%) and cancer-specific mortality (40% vs. 10%) were significantly higher in the group of patients who did not receive BCG. BCG therapy, Charlson comorbidity index, haemoglobin concentration and the number of tumours > 3 in TURBT constituted independent prognostic factors for cancer-specific survival (CSS). CONCLUSION BCG should be strongly recommended to patients with T1HG NMIBC despite advanced age and comorbidities. Already BCG induction improves CSS and reduces the recurrence rate in octogenarians with T1HG bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksander Ślusarczyk
- Department of General, Oncological and Functional Urology, Medical University of Warsaw, Lindleya 4, 02-005, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karolina Garbas
- Department of General, Oncological and Functional Urology, Medical University of Warsaw, Lindleya 4, 02-005, Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Piotr Zapała
- Department of General, Oncological and Functional Urology, Medical University of Warsaw, Lindleya 4, 02-005, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Łukasz Zapała
- Department of General, Oncological and Functional Urology, Medical University of Warsaw, Lindleya 4, 02-005, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Radziszewski
- Department of General, Oncological and Functional Urology, Medical University of Warsaw, Lindleya 4, 02-005, Warsaw, Poland
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4
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Plouvier SD, Bonnal JL, Machuron F, Colin P, Vankemmel O, Leroy X, Duhamel A, Villers A, Saint F, Pasquier D. Impact of age on bladder cancer management practices: a general population study. Acta Oncol 2020; 59:462-466. [PMID: 32043407 DOI: 10.1080/0284186x.2020.1723164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jean-Louis Bonnal
- Service d’Urologie, Groupement des hôpitaux de l’Institut Catholique de Lille, Université nord de France
| | - François Machuron
- Univ. Lille, CHU Lille, ULR 2694 - METRICS: Évaluation des technologies de santé et des pratiques médicales, Lille, France
| | - Pierre Colin
- Service d'urologie, Hôpital privé La Louvière, Lille, France
| | | | - Xavier Leroy
- Department of Pathology, University of Lille, CHU Lille, Lille, France
| | - Alain Duhamel
- Univ. Lille, CHU Lille, ULR 2694 - METRICS: Évaluation des technologies de santé et des pratiques médicales, Lille, France
| | - Arnauld Villers
- Department of Urology, University of Lille, CHU Lille, Lille, France
| | - Fabien Saint
- Department of Urology, University of Lille, CHU Lille, Lille, France
| | - David Pasquier
- Academic department of radiation oncology, Centre Oscar Lambret, Lille, France
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5
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Danielsson G, Malmström PU, Jahnson S, Wijkström H, Nyberg T, Thulin H. Bladder health in patients treated with BCG instillations for T1G2-G3 bladder cancer - a follow-up five years after the start of treatment. Scand J Urol 2019; 52:377-384. [PMID: 30616479 DOI: 10.1080/21681805.2018.1538162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Investigate symptoms and how they affect daily life in patients with Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC) treated with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) instillations. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients treated with BCG were included. After an initial transurethral resection (TURB) followed by a second-look resection, the patients were given an induction course with BCG for 6 weeks followed by maintenance therapy for 2 years. The patients answered a questionnaire before, during and after the treatment. The questionnaire contained questions about specific symptoms combined with bother questions on how each symptom affected patients' life. RESULTS In total, 113 of 116 patients responded to the first questionnaire. Thirty per cent of all patients were bothered by disease-specific symptoms before the start of BCG. Few patients reported fever, haematuria, illness or urinary tract symptoms. No difference in symptoms was found between patients with or without concomitant CIS (carcinoma in situ). Patients younger than 65 years of age reported a greater worry about the symptom burden in the future than those who were older. Patients younger than 65 years reported a decreased level of mental well-being. CONCLUSION Patients with bladder cancer T1G2-G3 had disease-specific symptoms present already before the start of the BCG. The burden of symptoms was reduced over time and showed that the bladder might recover. BCG instillations had side-effects that negatively affected the patient's well-being. It is important to record the patients' baseline bladder and voiding status before as well as during the BCG-instillation period in order to understand symptoms caused by the treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gun Danielsson
- a Cancer Theme, Patient Area Pelvic Cancer , Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden.,b Department of Clinical Science , Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | | | - Staffan Jahnson
- e Clinical Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Oncology-Pathology , Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Hans Wijkström
- a Cancer Theme, Patient Area Pelvic Cancer , Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden.,b Department of Clinical Science , Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
| | - Tommy Nyberg
- d Department of Urology , IKE, Linköping University Hospital , Linköping , Sweden.,f Centre for Cancer Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Public Health and Primary Care , University of Cambridge , Cambridge , UK
| | - Helena Thulin
- a Cancer Theme, Patient Area Pelvic Cancer , Karolinska University Hospital , Stockholm , Sweden.,b Department of Clinical Science , Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet , Stockholm , Sweden
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6
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Mari A, Kimura S, Foerster B, Abufaraj M, D'Andrea D, Hassler M, Minervini A, Rouprêt M, Babjuk M, Shariat SF. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of lymphovascular invasion in bladder cancer transurethral resection specimens. BJU Int 2018; 123:11-21. [PMID: 29807387 PMCID: PMC7379926 DOI: 10.1111/bju.14417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the present review was to assess the prognostic impact of lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in transurethral resection (TUR) of bladder cancer (BCa) specimens on clinical outcomes. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the available literature from the past 10 years was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane library in August 2017. The protocol for this systematic review was registered on PROSPERO (Central Registration Depository: CRD42018084876) and is available in full on the University of York website. Overall, 33 studies (including 6194 patients) evaluating the presence of LVI at TUR were retrieved. LVI was detected in 17.3% of TUR specimens. In 19 studies, including 2941 patients with ≤cT1 stage only, LVI was detected in 15% of specimens. In patients with ≤cT1 stage, LVI at TUR of the bladder tumour (TURBT) was a significant prognostic factor for disease recurrence (pooled hazard ratio [HR] 1.97, 95% CI: 1.47-2.62) and progression (pooled HR 2.95, 95% CI: 2.11-4.13), without heterogeneity (I2 = 0.0%, P = 0.84 and I2 = 0.0%, P = 0.93, respectively). For patients with cT1-2 disease, LVI was significantly associated with upstaging at time of radical cystectomy (pooled odds ratio 2.39, 95% CI: 1.45-3.96), with heterogeneity among studies (I2 = 53.6%, P = 0.044). LVI at TURBT is a robust prognostic factor of disease recurrence and progression in non-muscle invasive BCa. Furthermore, LVI has a strong impact on upstaging in patients with organ-confined disease. The assessment of LVI should be standardized, reported, and considered for inclusion in the TNM classification system, helping clinicians in decision-making and patient counselling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Mari
- Department of Urology, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Urology, Careggi Hospital, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Shoji Kimura
- Department of Urology, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Urology, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Beat Foerster
- Department of Urology, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Urology, Kantonsspital Winterthur, Winterthur, Switzerland
| | - Mohammad Abufaraj
- Department of Urology, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Special Surgery, Jordan University Hospital, University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan
| | - David D'Andrea
- Department of Urology, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Melanie Hassler
- Department of Urology, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrea Minervini
- Department of Urology, Careggi Hospital, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Morgan Rouprêt
- GRC no 5, ONCOTYPE-URO, AP-HP, Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Marko Babjuk
- Department of Urology, Second Faculty of Medicine, Hospital Motol, Charles University, Praha, Czech Republic
| | - Shahrokh F Shariat
- Department of Urology, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Karl Landsteiner Institute of Urology and Andrology, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Urology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA.,Department of Urology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
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7
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Häggström C, Liedberg F, Hagberg O, Aljabery F, Ströck V, Hosseini A, Gårdmark T, Sherif A, Malmström PU, Garmo H, Jahnson S, Holmberg L. Cohort profile: The Swedish National Register of Urinary Bladder Cancer (SNRUBC) and the Bladder Cancer Data Base Sweden (BladderBaSe). BMJ Open 2017; 7:e016606. [PMID: 28963292 PMCID: PMC5623498 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-016606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE To monitor the quality of bladder cancer care, the Swedish National Register of Urinary Bladder Cancer (SNRUBC) was initiated in 1997. During 2015, in order to study trends in incidence, effects of treatment and survival of men and women with bladder cancer, we linked the SNRUBC to other national healthcare and demographic registers and constructed the Bladder Cancer Data Base Sweden (BladderBaSe). PARTICIPANTS The SNRUBC is a nationwide register with detailed information on 97% of bladder cancer cases in Sweden as compared with the Swedish Cancer Register. Participants in the SNRUBC have registered data on tumour characteristics at diagnosis, and for 98% of these treatment data have been captured. From 2009, the SNRUBC holds data on 88% of eligible participants for follow-up 5 years after diagnosis of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, and from 2011, data on surgery details and complications for 85% of participants treated with radical cystectomy. The BladderBaSe includes all data in the SNRUBC from 1997 to 2014, and additional covariates and follow-up data from linked national register sources on comorbidity, socioeconomic factors, detailed information on readmissions and treatment side effects, and causes of death. FINDINGS TO DATE Studies based on data in the SNRUBC have shown inequalities in survival and treatment indication by gender, regions and hospital volume. The BladderBaSe includes 38 658 participants registered in SNRUBC with bladder cancer diagnosed from 1 January 1997 to 31 December 2014. The BladderBaSe initiators are currently in collaboration with researchers from the SNRUBC investigating different aspects of bladder cancer survival. FUTURE PLANS The SNRUBC and the BladderBaSe project are open for collaborations with national and international research teams. Collaborators can submit proposals for studies and study files can be uploaded to servers for remote access and analysis. For more information, please contact the corresponding author.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christel Häggström
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Department of Biobank Research, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Fredrik Liedberg
- Department of Urology, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
- Department of Translational Medicine, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden
| | | | - Firas Aljabery
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Urology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Viveka Ströck
- Department of Urology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Abolfazl Hosseini
- Department of Urology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Truls Gårdmark
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Danderyd Hospital, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Amir Sherif
- Department of Surgical and Perioperative Sciences, Urology and Andrology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Per-Uno Malmström
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Hans Garmo
- Division of Cancer Studies, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London, UK
- Regional Cancer Centre Uppsala/Örebro, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Staffan Jahnson
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Division of Urology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Lars Holmberg
- Department of Surgical Sciences, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
- Division of Cancer Studies, Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King’s College London, London, UK
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Lenis AT, Donin NM, Litwin MS, Saigal CS, Lai J, Hanley JM, Konety BR, Chamie K. Association Between Number of Endoscopic Resections and Utilization of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Therapy for Patients With High-Grade, Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer. Clin Genitourin Cancer 2016; 15:e25-e31. [PMID: 27432529 DOI: 10.1016/j.clgc.2016.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is the reference standard treatment for patients with high-grade, non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). We previously described noncompliance with guidelines for BCG use in patients with high-risk disease. In the current study, we sought to characterize how the number of endoscopic resections of bladder tumors affects BCG utilization using population-level data. PATIENTS AND METHODS We queried a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database to evaluate claims records of 4776 patients diagnosed with high-grade NMIBC between 1992 and 2002 and followed until 2007, who survived for at least 2 years and who did not undergo definitive treatment with cystectomy, radiotherapy, or systemic chemotherapy. We stratified patients on the basis of the number of endoscopic resections of bladder tumors. We used chi-square analysis to compare number of resections to BCG utilization and multinomial logistic regression analysis to quantify BCG utilization by patient and tumor characteristics. RESULTS Utilization of BCG increases with increasing endoscopic resections from 40% at diagnosis to 72% after 6 resections. The cumulative rate of at least an induction course of BCG plateaus after 3 resections. Lower BCG utilization was associated with advanced age (≥ 80 years), while increased utilization was associated with being married, higher disease stage (Tis and T1) and grade (undifferentiated), and increasing endoscopic resections. CONCLUSION A significant fraction of patients with NMIBC do not receive induction BCG despite its proven benefit in minimizing recurrences. Most patients receive BCG only after multiple endoscopic resections. Strategies focused on earlier adoption of BCG to prevent recurrences instead of reacting to recurrences may limit progression and improve survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew T Lenis
- Department of Urology, Health Services Research Group, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Nicholas M Donin
- Department of Urology, Health Services Research Group, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Mark S Litwin
- Department of Urology, Health Services Research Group, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA; RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA; Department of Health Policy & Management, University of California Los Angeles School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Christopher S Saigal
- Department of Urology, Health Services Research Group, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA; RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, CA
| | | | | | | | - Karim Chamie
- Department of Urology, Health Services Research Group, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA.
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9
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Local bacteria affect the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs. Sci Rep 2015; 5:14554. [PMID: 26416623 PMCID: PMC4586607 DOI: 10.1038/srep14554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 187] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2015] [Accepted: 08/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, the potential effects of bacteria on the efficacy of frequently used chemotherapies was examined. Bacteria and cancer cell lines were examined in vitro and in vivo for changes in the efficacy of cancer cell killing mediated by chemotherapeutic agents. Of 30 drugs examined in vitro, the efficacy of 10 was found to be significantly inhibited by certain bacteria, while the same bacteria improved the efficacy of six others. HPLC and mass spectrometry analyses of sample drugs (gemcitabine, fludarabine, cladribine, CB1954) demonstrated modification of drug chemical structure. The chemoresistance or increased cytotoxicity observed in vitro with sample drugs (gemcitabine and CB1954) was replicated in in vivo murine subcutaneous tumour models. These findings suggest that bacterial presence in the body due to systemic or local infection may influence tumour responses or off-target toxicity during chemotherapy.
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10
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Abstract
It is nearly 40 years since Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) was first used as an immunotherapy to treat superficial bladder cancer. Despite its limitations, to date it has not been surpassed by any other treatment. As a better understanding of its mechanism of action and the clinical response to it have evolved, some of the questions around optimal dosing and treatment protocols have been answered. However, its potential for toxicity and failure to produce the desired clinical effect in a significant cohort of patients presents an ongoing challenge to clinicians and researchers alike. This review summarizes the evidence behind the established mechanism of action of BCG in bladder cancer, highlighting the extensive array of immune molecules that have been implicated in its action. The clinical aspects of BCG are discussed, including its role in reducing recurrence and progression, the optimal treatment regime, toxicity and, in light of new evidence, whether or not there is a superior BCG strain. The problems of toxicity and non-responders to BCG have led to development of new techniques aimed at addressing these pitfalls. The progress made in the laboratory has led to the identification of novel targets for the development of new immunotherapies. This includes the potential augmentation of BCG with various immune factors through to techniques avoiding the use of BCG altogether; for example, using interferon-activated mononuclear cells, BCG cell wall, or BCG cell wall skeleton. The potential role of gene, virus, or photodynamic therapy as an alternative to BCG is also reviewed. Recent interest in the immune check point system has led to the development of monoclonal antibodies against proteins involved in this pathway. Early findings suggest benefit in metastatic disease, although the role in superficial bladder cancer remains unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Fuge
- Department of Urology, Lister Hospital, Stevenage, UK
| | - Nikhil Vasdev
- Department of Urology, Lister Hospital, Stevenage, UK
| | - Paula Allchorne
- Department of Urology, Bartshealth NHS Trust, Whipps Cross Rd, London, UK
| | - James Sa Green
- Department of Urology, Bartshealth NHS Trust, Whipps Cross Rd, London, UK
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