A Phase II Trial of Intravesical Gemcitabine and Docetaxel in the Treatment of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin‒Naïve Nonmuscle-Invasive Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder

PURPOSE

Combination intravesical gemcitabine and docetaxel (GemDoce) has demonstrated efficacy as second-line therapy for patients with bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)‒unresponsive nonmuscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (NMIBC). In the context of widespread BCG shortages, we performed a phase 2 prospective trial to assess GemDoce for BCG-naïve NMIBC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study is a prospective, single-arm, open-label phase 2 trial for patients with BCG-naïve high-risk NMIBC. Intravesical GemDoce was given weekly for 6 weeks as induction followed by monthly maintenance therapy for 2 years among responders. The primary end point was 3-month complete response, and key secondary end points included adverse events (AEs) and 12-month recurrence-free survival.

RESULTS

Twenty-five patients were enrolled between August 2020 and August 2022 with median follow-up of 19.6 months. The pretrial pathologic stages were high-grade (HG) T1 with carcinoma in situ (CIS; n = 7), HGT1 without CIS (n = 6), HGTa (n = 9), and CIS alone (n = 3). The 3-month complete response rate was 100% and recurrence-free survival at 12 months was 92%. Two patients with pretrial HGT1 had HGT1 recurrences at 9 and 12 months. No patients progressed to T2 disease, underwent radical cystectomy, or had any radiographic evidence of progressive disease. Grade 1 AEs were common (23/25 patients) including hematuria, urinary frequency, urgency, and fatigue. Five patients (20%) experienced a grade 3 AE including hematuria and UTI.

CONCLUSIONS

In this single-arm phase 2 trial, GemDoce was well tolerated with promising efficacy for patients with BCG-naïve high-risk NMIBC.

BCG and Alternative Therapies to BCG Therapy for Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is a heterogeneous disease. Treatment decisions are mostly decided based on disease stage (non-muscle invasive or muscle invasive). Patients with muscle-invasive disease will be offered a radical treatment combined with systemic therapy, while in those with non-muscle-invasive disease, an attempt to resect the tumor endoscopically will usually be followed by different intravesical instillations. The goal of intravesical therapy is to decrease the recurrence and/or progression of the tumor. In the current landscape of bladder cancer treatment, BCG is given intravesically to induce an inflammatory response and recruit immune cells to attack the malignant cells and induce immune memory. While the response to BCG treatment has changed the course of bladder cancer management and spared many "bladders", some patients may develop BCG-unresponsive disease, leaving radical surgery as the best choice of curative treatment. As a result, a lot of effort has been put into identifying novel therapies like systemic pembrolizumab and Nadofaragene-Firadenovac to continue sparing bladders if BCG is ineffective. Moreover, recent logistic issues with BCG production caused a worldwide BCG shortage, re-sparking interest in alternative BCG treatments including mitomycin C, sequential gemcitabine with docetaxel, and others. This review encompasses both the historic and current role of BCG in the treatment of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, revisiting BCG alternative therapies and reviewing the novel therapeutics that were approved for the BCG-unresponsive stage or are under active investigation.

Targeting DAD1 gene with CRISPR-Cas9 system transmucosally delivered by fluorinated polylysine nanoparticles for bladder cancer intravesical gene therapy

Background: Intravesical chemotherapy is highly recommended after transurethral resection of bladder tumor for patients with bladder cancer (BCa). However, this localized adjuvant therapy has drawbacks of causing indiscriminate damage and inability to penetrate bladder mucosal. Methods: Fluorinated polylysine micelles (PLLF) were synthesized by reacting polylysine (PLL) with heptafluorobutyrate anhydride. Anti-apoptotic gene defender against cell death 1 (DAD1) was selected by different gene expression analysis between BCa patients and healthy individuals and identified by several biological function assays. The gene transfection ability of PLLF was verified by multiple in vitro and in vivo assays. The therapeutic efficiency of PLLF nanoparticles (NPs) targeting DAD1 were confirmed by intravesical administration using an orthotopic BCa mouse model. Results: Decorated with fluorinated chains, PLL can self-assemble to form NPs and condense plasmids with excellent gene transfection efficiency in vitro. Loading with the CRISPR-Cas9 system designed to target DAD1 (Cas9-sgDAD1), PLLF/Cas9-sgDAD1 NPs strongly inhibited the expression of DAD1 in BCa cells and induced BCa cell apoptosis through the MAPK signaling pathway. Furthermore, intravesical administration of PLLF/Cas9-sgDAD1 NPs resulted in significant therapeutic outcomes without systemic toxicity in vivo. Conclusion: The synthetized PLLF can transmucosally deliver the CRISPR-Cas9 system into orthotopic BCa tissues to improve intravesical instillation therapy for BCa. This work presents a new strategy for targeting DAD1 gene in the intravesical therapy for BCa with high potential for clinical applications.

Intravesical Therapy for Upper Urinary Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: A Comprehensive Review

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) poses unique challenges in diagnosis and treatment. This comprehensive review focuses on prophylactic intravesical therapy for UTUC, summarizing key aspects of intravesical therapy in various clinical scenarios, including concurrent with or following radical nephroureterectomy, kidney-sparing surgery, ureteroscopy-guided biopsy. The incidence of intravesical recurrence in UTUC after surgical treatment is significant, necessitating effective preventive measures. Intravesical therapy plays a vital role in reducing the risk of bladder recurrence following UTUC surgery. Tailoring timing, drug selection, dosage, and frequency is vital in optimizing treatment outcomes and reducing intravesical recurrence risk in UTUC. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the history, clinical trials, guideline recommendations, and clinical applications of intravesical therapy for UTUC. It also discusses the future directions based on current clinical needs and ongoing trials. Future directions entail optimizing dosage, treatment duration, and drug selection, as well as exploring novel agents and combination therapies. Intravesical therapy holds tremendous potential in improving outcomes for UTUC patients and reducing the risk of bladder recurrence. Although advancements have been made in UTUC treatment research, further refinements are necessary to enhance efficacy and safety.

Septic Shock After Intravesical Therapy With Bacillus Calmette-Guerin: A Case Report of a Rare Life-Threatening Complication

Intravesical therapy with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is the mainstay treatment for high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. The side effects are usually local and mild. Systemic dissemination of BCG is rare, typically develops soon after instillation, and may present as a severe life-threatening condition. We present a case of a 49-year-old man under chronic haemodialysis who developed septic shock after the first BCG maintenance instillation for bladder carcinoma in situ (CIS). Supportive measures and empiric broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy were promptly started after sample collection for cultures. Lastly, the recurrence of fever raised the initial suspicion of BCG dissemination. The diagnosis was confirmed by the identification of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in blood samples collected and anti-tuberculosis therapy was then initiated. We would like to highlight the need for early recognition of a systemic BCG infection and the importance of starting anti-tuberculosis treatment as early as possible.

Targeting microRNA-145-mediated progressive phenotypes of early bladder cancer in a molecularly defined in vivo model

A progressive subclass of early-stage non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) frequently recurs and progress into invasive carcinoma, thus decreasing the overall survival rate of NMIBC. However, therapeutic development for progressive NMIBC has been challenging due to the lack of molecularly validated in vivo models and agents targeting its genetic vulnerability. We herein molecularly characterized an interventional model of progressive NMIBC and revealed the principal functions and therapeutic potential of microRNA-145 (miR-145) in early bladder tumorigenesis. N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine-induced premalignant lesions (BiPLs) in rats exhibited downregulated expression of miR-145 as well as highly similar mutation/expression profiles to those of the human progressive NMIBC subclass with the worst prognosis. The expression patterns of miR-145 inversely correlated with those of BC-related oncogenes in BiPLs. We also demonstrated that miR-145 dominantly regulated interferon pathways and c-Myc expression, which play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of progressive NMIBC. Furthermore, we demonstrated that miR-145 replacement with a novel miR-145-based intravesical agent (miR-145S1) significantly inhibited the progression of BiPLs in vivo. These results provide insights into the essential role of miR-145 as the earliest-acting oncogenic driver of bladder tumorigenesis as well as a validated interventional model and novel miR-145-based nucleic acid therapeutic agent for progressive NMIBC.

A preliminary report assessing the feasibility and effectiveness of amniotic bladder therapy in patients with chronic radiation cystitis

INTRODUCTION

Chronic radiation cystitis (CRC) can develop between 6 months and 20 years after radiation therapy that presents with symptoms of urinary frequency, urgency, bladder pain, and nocturia. Amniotic membrane (AM) is known to contain pro-regenerative properties and could thereby be a potential therapeutic modality for radiation-induced tissue injury of the bladder.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

CRC patients recalcitrant to previous treatments received amniotic bladder therapy (ABT) comprised of intra-detrusor injections of 100 mg micronized AM (Clarix Flo) diluted in 10 mL 0.9% preservative-free sodium chloride. Clinical evaluation and questionnaires (Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index (ICSI), Interstitial Cystitis Problem Index (ICPI), Bladder Pain/ Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Score (BPIC-SS), Overactive Bladder (OAB) Assessment Tool, and SF-12 Health Survey) were repeated at preop and 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks post-injection.

RESULTS

Five consecutive female patients aged 64.4 ± 20.1 years with a median CRC disease duration of 10 years were included. After ABT, BPIC-SS scores improved from baseline to 12 weeks (36.6 ± 1.1 to 12.6 ± 3.1) and this was associated with an improvement in ICSI, ICPI, OAB, and SF-12 scores. One patient had an acute urinary tract infection at 2 weeks but was successfully treated with oral antibiotics. No other adverse events related to micronized AM injections were observed. Uroflow assessments showed increases in voided volume for all five patients.

CONCLUSIONS

This data provides additional evidence for the potential benefit of ABT in patients with chronic inflammatory conditions of bladder such as CRC.

Thiolated Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles as an Immunoadjuvant to Enhance Efficacy of Intravesical Chemotherapy for Bladder Cancer

The characteristics of global prevalence and high recurrence of bladder cancer has led numerous efforts to develop new treatments. The spontaneous voiding and degradation of the chemodrug hamper the efficacy and effectiveness of intravesical chemotherapy following tumor resection. Herein, the externally thiolated hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN-SH(E)) is fabricated to serve as a platform for improved bladder intravesical therapy. Enhanced mucoadhesive effect of the thiolated nanovector is confirmed with porcine bladder. The permeation-enhancing effect is also verified, and a fragmented distribution pattern of a tight junction protein, claudin-4, indicates the opening of tight junction. Moreover, MSN-SH(E)-associated reprogramming of M2 macrophages to M1-like phenotype is observed in vitro. The antitumor activity of the mitomycin C (MMC)-loaded nanovector (MMC@MSN-SH(E)) is more effective than that of MMC alone in both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, IHC staining is used to analyze IFN-γ, TGF-β1, and TNF-α. These observations substantiated the significance of MMC@MSN-SH(E) in promoting anticancer activity, holding the great potential for being used in intravesical therapy for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) due to its mucoadhesivity, enhanced permeation, immunomodulation, and prolonged and very efficient drug exposure.

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin pneumonitis after intravesical instillation: Report of two cases and a review of the literature

OBJECTIVE

Intravesical administration of bacillus Calmette-Guérin is standard adjuvant treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. In spite of the fact that this immunotherapy is locoregional, there are still risk of some complications.

METHODS

We describe two cases of systemic BCG infection after intravesical administration of BCG vaccine in patients with early stage of bladder cancer.

RESULTS

Both patients suffered from systemic BCG infection manifesting as BCG pneumonitis. After standard therapy with antituberculotic agents, both of them fully recovered.

CONCLUSION

BCG infection can occur as a rare but potentially serious complication of this treatment procedure. Gravity of this side effect and its specific therapy require prompt and right diagnosis.

Combined Self-Assembled Hendeca-Arginine Nanocarriers for Effective Targeted Gene Delivery to Bladder Cancer

Introduction

Bladder cancer (BCa) is among the most prevalent cancers worldwide. However, the effectiveness of intravesical therapy for BCa is limited due to the short dwell time and the presence of the permeation barrier.

Methods

Nanocomplexes were self-assembled between DNA and hendeca-arginine peptide (R11). Stepwise intravesical instillation of R11 and the generated nanocomplexes significantly enhanced the targeting capacity and penetration efficiency in BCa therapy. The involved mechanism of cellular uptake and penetration of the nanocomplexes was determined. The therapeutic effect of the nanocomplexes was verified preclinically in murine orthotopic BCa models.

Results

Nanocomplexes exhibited the best BCa targeting efficiency at a nitrogen-to-phosphate (NP) ratio of 5 but showed a lack of stability during cellular uptake. The method of stepwise intravesical instillation not only increased the stability and target specificity of the DNA component but also caused the delivered DNA to more effectively penetrate into the glycosaminoglycan layer and plasma membrane. The method promotes the accumulation of the delivered DNA in the clathrin-independent endocytosis pathway, directs the intracellular trafficking of the delivered DNA to nonlysosome-localized regions, and enables the intercellular transport of the delivered DNA via a direct transfer mechanism. In preclinical trials, our stepwise method was shown to remarkably enhance the targeting and penetration efficiency of DNA in murine orthotopic BCa models.

Conclusion

With this method, a stepwise intravesical instillation of self-assembled nanocomplexes, which are generated from hendeca-arginine peptides, was achieved; thus, this method offers an effective strategy to deliver DNA to target and penetrate BCa cells during gene therapy and warrants further development for future intravesical gene therapy in the clinical context.

Impact of Effective Intravesical Therapies on Quality of Life in Patients with Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Conventional and newly emerged intravesical modalities have demonstrated prophylactic effectiveness that may improve quality of life (QoL) in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. The purpose of this study is to analyze existing QoL evidence in patients receiving any form of intravesical therapy.

METHODS

A PubMed search without time restriction was conducted to identify all relevant studies in accordance with the PICOT question. Additionally, a search was also performed in the Cochrane library database, Internet, and citation. The CONSORT 2010 checklist and STROBE statement checklist were used to evaluate the risk of bias of the included studies.

RESULTS

A total of 24 eligible articles were included, which consisted of 11 interventional and 13 observational studies. Intravesical therapy with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) or certain chemotherapeutic agents worsens symptom burdens and functional performance during the initial induction phase while continuous improved is observed throughout the maintenance treatment and beyond. Hyperthermia has shown a positive trend in enhancing QoL of patients receiving intravesical chemotherapy, which requires more investigations. However, QoL data were unavailable for other forms of immunotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors, electromotive drug administration, and photodynamic therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Limited studies suggested the long-term positive impact of intravesical BCG immunotherapy and chemotherapy. However, existing evidence was lacking to clarify the impact of many emerging intravesical therapies that have suggested to be effective and safe, which demands treatment-specific QoL studies.

Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin and its complications: 12 years of learning experience in a single local institution

INTRODUCTION

Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy is the standard adjuvant treatment for non-muscle-invasive bladder carcinoma (NMIBC) with carcinoma in situ, in addition to tumour resection. We aimed to study BCG complications that preclude adequate treatment of NMIBC in an Asian population.

METHODS

This retrospective study was conducted using a large, prospectively maintained bladder cancer database. 336 patients received intravesical BCG therapy for bladder cancer in our institution between 2004 and 2016, with an average follow-up duration of 63 months.

RESULTS

The study included 258 (76.8%) male and 78 (23.2%) female patients. The median age of the patients at diagnosis of bladder cancer was 69 (range 17-94) years, and the median number of BCG instillations was 6 (range 1-27). 52 (15.5%) patients received maintenance therapy. The most common complications included urinary tract infection with/without sepsis (n = 18, 5.4%), haematuria (n = 9, 2.7%) and acute urinary retention (n = 4, 1.2%). 93.3% of the patients with complications presented early, within one month of completion of therapy. 22 out of 30 complications were Clavien-Dindo grade ≤ 2. 10 (33.3%) patients were admitted to hospital because of BCG-related adverse effects. The most common reasons for termination were urosepsis (2/30, 6.7%) and acute urinary retention (2/30, 6.7%). Patients aged ≥ 80 years at diagnosis were at higher risk of developing BCG-related complications (19.0% vs. 7.5%, p = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

This retrospective cohort and subgroup study showed that intravesical BCG therapy is well tolerated and has a low incidence of complications even in the elderly and patients with multiple comorbidities.

One-Step In Situ Self-Assembly of Biodegradable Films for Long-Term Intravesical Bladder Cancer Therapy

Intravesical instillation therapy is increasingly recognized as one of the most common clinical treatment strategies for bladder cancer. However, the antitumor efficacy of chemotherapy drugs is still limited due to their rapid clearance by periodic urination. To circumvent this issue, a drug-loaded thin film comprising the self-assembly of tannic acid (TA) and ferric ions (Fe³⁺) was in situ fabricated on the bladder wall in vivo. As expected, the TA@Fe film with adjustable thickness could effectively prolong the residence time of anticancer drugs in the bladder and realize sustained release of anticancer drugs. Together with the antibacterial properties, the TA@Fe film enabled improved chemotherapeutic efficacy. Moreover, the TA@Fe film caused no adverse effects on bladder function, demonstrating the in vivo biocompatibility. In addition, the T₂ contrast effect of Fe³⁺ was employed to real-time monitor the disassembly of the TA@Fe film and the ensuing drug release process by magnetic resonance imaging. We believe that the TA@Fe-based drug delivery platform with enhanced retention in the bladder would be of great potential for treating various bladder diseases.

Intravesical Mucoadhesive Hydrogel Induces Chemoresistant Bladder Cancer Ferroptosis through Delivering Iron Oxide Nanoparticles in a Three-Tier Strategy

Bladder cancer (BCa) is the most costly solid tumor owing to its high recurrence. Relapsed cancer is known to acquire chemoresistant features after standard intravesical chemotherapy. This cancer state is vulnerable to ferroptosis, which occurs when lipid peroxides generated by iron metabolism accumulate to lethal levels. Increasing the labile iron pool (LIP) by iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) promises to inhibit chemoresistant BCa (CRBCa), but systemically administered IONPs do not sufficiently accumulate at the tumor site. Therefore, their efficacy is weakened. Here, we present a three-tier delivery strategy through a mucoadhesive hydrogel platform conveying hyaluronic acid-coated IONPs (IONP-HA). When instilled, the hydrogel platform first adhered to the interface of the tumor surface, sustainably releasing IONP-HA. Subsequently, the tumor stiffness and interstitial fluid pressure were reduced by photothermal therapy, promoting IONP-HA diffusion into the deep cancer tissue. As CRBCa expressed high levels of CD44, the last delivery tier was achieved through antibody-mediated endocytosis to increase the LIP, ultimately inducing ferroptosis. This three-tiered strategy delivered the IONPs stepwise from anatomical to cellular levels and increased the iron content by up to 50-fold from that of systematic administration, which presents a potential regimen for CRBCa.

Comparison of intravesical adjuvant therapy in bladder cancer with two different maintenance regimens of mitomycin and BCG

OBJECTIVE

To compare recurrence rate and side effects with two different maintenance regimens of postoperative intravesical therapy with mitomycin and BCG in T1 bladder cancer.

METHODS

Eighty were enrolled in this study and all received immediate post operative mitomycin. They were then allocated to two groups of 40, one group receiving intravesicle BCG and other a combination BCG and Mitomycin. They were followed up to a period of 2 years.

RESULT

Two year recurrence rate after transurethral resection of bladder tumour with high grade T1 disease in the Combination group is low (20%) as compared to the BCG group (37.5%).

CONCLUSION

Two year recurrences reduced with use of intravesical Mitomycin during maintenance in the combination group which though not statistically significant favours the trial with combination therapy in future studies. Side effect profile did not worsen with combination of Mitomycin and BCG.

The use of intravesical hyaluronic acid in the management of symptomatic premenopausal women with pseudomembranous trigonitis: Are symptoms related to cystoscopy and pathological findings?

OBJECTIVES

To determine the effectiveness and safety of intravesical hyaluronic acid (HA) in symptomatic women with trigonitis and to correlate the severity of symptoms with the endoscopic and histological findings.

METHODS

Thirty-seven patients (aged 20-46 years) were enrolled. All patients had cystoscopy and biopsy of the bladder trigone followed by intravesical instillations of sodium HA once weekly for 10 weeks and then once monthly for the next 10 months. Clinical response was evaluated by Pain and Urgency/Frequency (PUF) Symptom Scale, visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and urgency and functional bladder capacity. A repeat cystoscopy and biopsy were performed at the end of the treatment. Symptoms and cystoscopy and pathological findings were compared before and after treatment.

RESULTS

The average initial score for pain was reduced from 5.5 to 2.8 (P < 0.001) at 10 weeks and further to 2.4 (P < 0.001) at 12 months and the score for urgency from 6.9 to 3.8 (P < 0.001) and further to 3.3 (P < 0.001). The average PUF score initially decreased from 20.5 to 12.1 (P < 0.001) and then further to 10.1 (P = 0.21). The mean functional bladder capacity increased from 125 to 204 mL (P < 0.001). No association was found between baseline PUF score and cystoscopy findings (P = 0.87). The PUF score was not changed significantly between patients with improved cystoscopy and those with stable findings (P = 0.74). No significant changes were reported between initial and final biopsies.

CONCLUSIONS

Intravesical HA appeared to be effective and well tolerated, although a clear relationship between symptoms and trigonitis was not confirmed.

Genomic analysis of response to bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) treatment in high-grade stage 1 bladder cancer patients

Background

Intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy is standard treatment for high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) but overall efficacy is low, and no reliable predictive biomarkers currently exist to refine patient selection. We performed genomic analysis on high-grade (HG) T1 NMIBCs to determine if response to therapy is predicted by certain mutational and/or expressional changes.

Methods

Patients with HG T1 NMIBC treated with induction BCG were stratified by response into durable and non-durable responders. Baseline tumor samples were subjected to targeted DNA sequencing and whole-exome RNAseq. Genomic variants differing significantly between response groups were analyzed using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) software. Variant selection was refined to target potential biomarker candidates for responsiveness to BCG.

Results

Among 42 patients, the median follow-up was 51.7 months and 40.5% (n=17) were durable BCG responders. Deleterious mutations in the RNA sequence of JCHAIN, S100A7, CLEC2B, and ANXA10 were more common in non-durable responders. Mutations in MCL1 and MSH6 detected on targeted sequencing were more commonly found in durable responders. Of all deleterious DNA and RNA mutations identified, only MCL1 was significantly associated with longer recurrence free survival (RFS) (P=0.031).

Conclusions

Differences in the genomic profiles of HG T1 NMIBC tumors exist between those who show durable response to BCG and those who do not. Using pathway analysis, those differences imply upregulation of several interconnected inflammatory pathways among responders. Specific variants identified here, namely MCL1, are candidates for further study and, if clinically validated, may serve as useful biomarkers in the future.

Intravesical mitomycin C (MMC) and MMC + cytosine arabinoside for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer: a randomised clinical trial

Objectives

To compare the urinary pH, recurrence‐free survival (RFS), and safety of adjuvant intravesical therapy in patients with non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) receiving mitomycin C (MMC) therapy and MMC + cytosine arabinoside (Ara‐C) therapy.

Patients and Methods

A total of 165 patients with NMIBC from six hospitals were randomly allocated to two groups: weekly instillation of MMC + Ara‐C (30 mg/30 mL + 200 mg/10 mL) for 6 weeks and the same instillation schedule of MMC (30 mg/40 mL). The primary outcome was RFS, and secondary outcomes were urinary pH and toxicity in the two groups.

Results

A total of 81 and 87 patients were randomised into the MMC and MMC + Ara‐C groups, respectively. Overall, the RFS in the MMC + Ara‐C group was significantly longer (P = 0.018) than that in the MMC group. A similar significant difference was detected in patients with intermediate‐risk NMIBC, but not in those with high‐risk NMIBC. The mean (SD) urinary pH was significantly higher in the MMC + Ara‐C group than in the MMC group, at 6.56 (0.61) vs 5.78 (0.64) (P < 0.001), and the frequency of a urinary pH of >7.0 in the MMC and MMC + Ara‐C groups was 6.3% and 26.7%, respectively (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis models including clinicopathological features and second transurethral resection demonstrated that increased urinary pH was associated with better outcomes (hazard ratio 0.18, 95% confidential interval 0.18–0.038; P < 0.001). In all, there were 14 and 10 adverse events in the MMC and MMC + Ara‐C groups, respectively, without a significant difference (P = 0.113).

Conclusions

Our randomised clinical trial suggested that intravesical therapy with MMC and Ara‐C is useful and safe for patients with intermediate‐risk NMIBC. Increase in urinary pH with Ara‐C is speculated as a mechanism for increased anti‐cancer effects.

Revisiting an Old Conundrum: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Intravesical Therapy for Treatment of Urothelial Carcinoma of the Prostate

BACKGROUND

The optimal management of non-invasive (mucosal and/or ductal) urothelial carcinoma of the prostate remains elusive and there is a paucity of data to guide treatment.

OBJECTIVE

Our objective was to systematically review and synthesize treatment responses to conservative management of non-invasive prostatic urothelial carcinoma using intravesical therapy.

METHODS

A systematic literature search using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, SCOPUS, and Web of Science databases from inception to November 2019 was performed. Risk of bias assessment was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale for non-randomised studies. Pooled estimates of complete response in the bladder and prostate and prostate only were performed using a random effects model. Pre-specified subgroup analyses were generated to assess differences in complete responses for: BCG therapy vs other agents, ductal vs mucosal involvement, CIS vs papillary tumors and TURP vs no TURP.

RESULTS

Nine studies including 175 patients were identified for inclusion in the systematic review and meta-analysis. All were retrospective case series and most evaluated response to BCG therapy. The pooled global complete response rate for intravesical therapy was 60%(95%CI: 0.48, 0.72), and for prostate 88%(95%CI: 0.81, 0.96). Pre-specified analyses did not demonstrate statistically significant differences between subgroups of interest.

CONCLUSIONS

Management of non-invasive prostatic urothelial carcinoma using intravesical therapy yields satisfactory results. Caution should be taken in treating patients with papillary tumors and ductal involvement, as data for these populations is limited. TURP may not improve efficacy, but is required for staging. Current recommendations are based on low quality evidence, and further research is warranted.

Guideline adherence for radical cystectomy significantly affects survival outcomes in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients

BACKGROUND

The relationship between guideline adherence for radical cystectomy of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer and patient prognoses currently remains unclear. We investigated whether guideline adherence at the time of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer affects the oncological outcomes of bladder cancer patients who underwent radical cystectomy.

METHODS

Among 267 cTa-4N0-2M0 bladder cancer patients, 70 who underwent radical cystectomy under the non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer or muscle-invasive bladder cancer status that progressed from non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer were identified. Patients who followed the guidelines from initial transurethral resection of bladder tumors to radical cystectomy were defined as the guideline adherent group (n = 52), while those who did not were the guideline non-adherent group (n = 18).

RESULTS

In the guideline non-adherent group, 8 (44.4%) out of 18 were diagnosed with highest risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer for Bacillus Calmette Guérin-naïve patients and 7 (38.9%) had a Bacillus Calmette Guérin unresponsive tumor status. Five-year recurrence-free survival and cancer-specific survival rates for the guideline non-adherent group vs guideline adherent group were 38.9% vs 69.8% (P = 0.018) and 52.7% vs 80.1% (P = 0.006), respectively. A multivariate analysis identified guideline non-adherence as one of independent indicators for disease recurrence (hazard ratio = 2.81, P = 0.008) and cancer-specific death (hazard ratio = 4.04, P = 0.003). In a subgroup analysis of 49 patients with cT1 or less non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer at the time of radical cystectomy, guideline non-adherence remained an independent prognostic factor for cancer-specific survival (hazard ratio = 3.46, P = 0.027).

CONCLUSIONS

Guideline adherence during the time course of the non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer stage may result in a favorable prognosis of patients who receive radical cystectomy. Even under non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer status, radical cystectomy needs to be performed with adequate timing under guideline recommendations.

Chemical hemorrhagic cystitis: Diagnostic and therapeutic pitfalls (Review)

Chemical cystitis (CC) is an inflammation of the bladder caused by various chemical agents ingested intentionally or accidentally. It is linked to chemotherapeutic agents such as cyclophosphamide, therapeutic agents for diverse diseases, and anesthetic agents consumed abusively for recreational effects such as ketamine, or can be linked to environmental and surrounding factors such as soaps, gels, spermicides, and dyes. CC is a pathology with an increasing incidence that is inadequately treated due to its infectious cystitis-like symptoms. The hemorrhagic form can have a rampant evolution. Treatment options of CC and its complications are under continuous research with no accepted standardized sequence. In many situations, the treatments are difficult to obtain, administer, and follow-up. In addition, the lack of experience of the physician may pose other obstacles in delivering treatment to the patient. In conclusion, CC is a disease with an increasing incidence, challenging to diagnose, which is frequently mistreated, and has multiple treatment modalities that still require standardization in administration and sequencing.

Time interval from transurethral resection of bladder tumour to bacille Calmette-Guérin induction does not impact therapeutic response

OBJECTIVES

To investigate bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) tolerability and response with respect to the timing of BCG administration after transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) in patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A review of patients with NMIBC at our institution managed with at least 'adequate BCG' (defined by the United States Food and Drug Administration as at least five of six induction instillations, with two additional instillations comprising either maintenance or repeat induction) at our institution from 2000 to 2018 was performed. Time from TURBT to first instillation of induction BCG was stratified by quartile and analysed as a continuous variable. Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests analysed differences in recurrence-free (RFS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Cox proportional hazards regression models identified associations between risk factors and survival outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 518 patients received adequate BCG at a median (range) of 26 (6-188) days from TURBT. Overall, 45 patients (9%) developed BCG intolerance at a median (range) 12 (7-33) instillations. When time from TURBT to BCG was stratified into quartiles, there was no difference with respect BCG intolerance (P = 0.966), RFS (P = 0.632) or PFS (P = 0.789). On both uni- and multivariate regression analysis for RFS and PFS, time from TURBT to BCG was not a significant predictor when analysed by quartile or as a continuous variable (the hazard ratio for RFS was 1.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.99-1.00, P = 0.449; and for PFS was 0.99, 95% CI 0.98-1.00, P = 0.074).

CONCLUSION

The rates of tolerability and response to adequate BCG are not predicated by the timing of induction BCG instillation after TURBT. Early administration in properly selected patients is safe and delays do not affect therapeutic response.

Intravesical In Situ Immunostimulatory Gel for Triple Therapy of Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer displays multiple biological features aided in drug resistance; therefore, single therapy fails to induce complete tumor regression. To address this issue, various kinds of cell death of cancer cells as well as restoring tumor immune microenvironment need to be taken into consideration. Here, we introduce a gel system termed AuNRs&IONs@Gel, which target-delivers a combination of photothermal, ferroptotic, and immune therapy through intravesical instillation. AuNRs&IONs@Gel consists of a gel delivery platform, embedded gold nanorods (AuNRs), and iron oxide nanoparticles (IONs). The targeted delivery gel platform provides dextran aldehyde-selective adhesion with cancer collagen. In this condition, photothermal therapy can be performed by gold nanorods (AuNRs) under imaging-guided near-infrared radiation. Local high concentrations of IONs can be absorbed by cancer cell to induce ferroptosis. Moreover, tumor-associated macrophages which often display an immune-suppressive M2-like phenotype will be repolarized by IONs into the antitumor M1-like phenotype, exerting a direct antitumor effect and professional antigen presentation of dead cancer cells. This process triggers a potent immune response of innate and adapt immunities to protect tumor rechallenge in long terms. Our triple-therapy strategy employs FDA-approved nanoparticles to inhibit bladder cancer which may possess great potential for clinical translation.

Assessment of long-term intravesical hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate and combination therapy for patients with bladder pain syndrome

Introduction

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of intravesical hyaluronic acid (HA), chondroitin sulfate (CS) and combination therapies (HA+CS) for patients with bladder pain syndrome (BPS) - interstitial cystitis (IC) during a 24 months follow-up period.

Material and methods

The study was conducted with a prospective, randomized and double-blinded design. A total of 72 patients were divided into three groups as HA, CS and combination group. Outpatient visits were performed at the begining of the study and at every 3^rd month thereafter. Both objective parameters included in 3 day micturition diary such as number of micturitions per 24 hours, volume voided in each micturition and self-reported questionnaires such as Patient Perception of Bladder Condition Scale, Visual Analog Scale, Pain Urgency Frequency Questionnaire, Interstitial Cystitis Symptom and Problem Index, Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) were used to assess the efficacy of three different agents. Safety was defined as any adverse event beginning or worsening in the study and reported in each visit.

Results

All groups showed a significant improvement both in the parameters included in the 3 day micturition diary and self-reported questionnaires compared to the baseline values or scores recorded at the beginning of the study. Our primary end point was improvement in HRQoL score. The combination therapy was superior to both of the monotherapies in terms of improvement in HRQoL score and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.02).

Conclusions

Combination therapy provides better results than the monotherapies to obtain symptomatic relief in patients with BPS/IC. Meta-analysis of different well-designed studies are required for more definitive results.

Device-assisted intravesical therapy for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer

Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is a challenging disease, with a high risk of recurrence and even progression to muscle invasive disease. The present standard treatment is suboptimal, and consists of a complete transurethral resection of the visible bladder tumour(s), followed by prophylactic intravesical instillations mitomycin-C (MMC) or bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). In search for higher efficacy, several adjuvant device-assisted intravesical therapies are developed. Chemohyperthermia may be based on microwave-/radiofrequency-induced (RF) hyperthermia systems, for which most evidence exists, or on hyperthermic intravesical chemotherapy, which is applied by conductive or loco-regional heating systems. RF-induced CHT has shown superiority over MMC alone, and in one prospective study superiority over BCG in per-protocol analysis, which has led to the ‘weak’ recommendation in the EAU guidelines to consider RF-based CHT as a bladder preservation strategy in patients with BCG-refractory tumours, who are not candidates for radical cystectomy due to comorbidities. Prospective studies on hyperthermic intravesical chemotherapy for patients with intermediate-risk NMIBC are awaited next year. The combination of electromotive drug administration (EMDA) with MMC has shown superiority over MMC as well, and seems promising when combined with BCG in sequential treatment. Photodynamic therapy should still be considered experimental, in which a study with the intravenous photosensitizer Radachlorin^® has shown promising results.

The use of intravesical BCG in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder

The high recurrence and progression rates of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) have led investigators to study the use of intravesical therapy in order to prevent them. Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) has been successfully used for this indication to treat NMIBC for more than four decades.

BCG is the only intravesical agent shown to reduce the risk of progression of NMIBC to muscle-invasive disease. Despite over 40 years of clinical use, the precise mechanism of action for what has often been considered the most successful cancer immunotherapy in humans remains largely unknown.

Unfortunately, BCG therapy is not a universal panacea and it still fails in up to 40% of patients. Many of these patients, especially in the high-risk category (T1 high-grade disease, carcinoma in situ) will require aggressive therapy like cystectomy or in selected cases, bladder-sparing options like chemo-radiation. Indeed, there is no gold standard intravesical treatment after BCG failure.

Intravesical Radiofrequency-Induced Chemohyperthermia for Carcinoma in Situ of the Urinary Bladder: A Retrospective Multicentre Study

Objective:

To examine the effect of intravesical radiofrequency-induced chemohyperthermia (RF-CHT) in carcinoma in-situ (CIS) patients overall and split according to previously received therapy.

Methods:

CIS patients that underwent an induction and maintenance phase of≥6 RF-CHT instillations, and had either pathology or cystoscopy plus cytology available at 6 months of follow-up were retrospectively included. Complete response (CR), recurrences, cystectomy-free rate, overall survival (OS), and adverse events were evaluated. Analysis was performed for overall, bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-unresponsive, other BCG-treated, and treatment naïve patients.

Results:

Patients (n = 150) had a mean of 17.5, 9.2, or 0 previous BCG instillations in the BCG-unresponsive (n = 50), other BCG-treated (n = 46, missing n = 4), and treatment naïve groups (n = 47, missing n = 3), respectively. After 6 months, a CR of 46.0%, 71.7%, and 83.0% was found (p < 0.001). Subsequent 2-year recurrence rates were 17.4%, 27.3%, and 12.8%, respectively. The overall cystectomy-free rate and OS at mean follow-up (35.8 months) were 78.5% and 78.0%, respectively. These were 71.4% vs. 84.1% vs. 86.7% (cystectomy-free rate, p = 0.006) and 76.0% vs. 69.6% vs. 87.2% (OS, p = 0.06) for BCG-unresponsive vs. other BCG-treated vs. treatment naïve patients. Progression to muscle-invasive disease was seen in 13.3% of patients. Patients stopped induction or maintenance RF-CHT instillations due to adverse events in respectively 13.4% and 17.8%.

Conclusions:

Intravesical RF-CHT showed good results in both treatment naïve and BCG-treated CIS patients, avoiding the need for cystectomy in 78.5% of cases for at least 3 years with a modest risk of progression. Thus, RF-CHT proves an alternative to cystectomy in selected high-risk patients.

The efficacy and safety of intravesical gemcitabine vs Bacille Calmette-Guérin for adjuvant treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: a meta-analysis

Objective

Several studies have compared the safety and efficacy of intravesical gemcitabine (Gem) with Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. However, the results are not consistent. We carried out a meta-analysis to provide a more comprehensive analysis of the efficacy and safety of these 2 drugs.

Methods

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, and reference lists. Randomized controlled trials and retrospective controlled trials comparing intravesical Gem and BCG in adjuvant therapy for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer published in Eng-lish were included in this study. The strength of association was weighed by pooled risk ratio (RR) with 95% CIs. Sensitivity analysis was performed to examine whether the findings of the meta-analysis were robust.

Results

We analyzed 386 subjects from 5 pooled trials. Compared with BCG, intravesical Gem had lower incidence of dysuria (overall RR =0.31, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.61, I²=0%, p=0.001) and hematuria (overall RR =0.27, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.71, I²=0%, p=0.008). There were no statistical differences in risk of recurrence, progression, incidence of fever, and any adverse events between intravesical Gem and BCG therapy (p>0.05). No publication bias was found.

Conclusion

This meta-analysis suggests that intravesical Gem may have similar efficacy and lower incidence of dysuria and hematuria compared with BCG. Nevertheless, we recommend additional high-quality randomized controlled trials to confirm these results.

Current Therapeutic Strategies in Clinical Urology

The field of urology encompasses all benign and malignant disorders of the urinary tract and the male genital tract. Urological disorders convey a huge economic and patient quality-of-life burden. Hospital acquired urinary tract infections, in particular, are under scrutiny as a measure of hospital quality. Given the prevalence of these pathologies, there is much progress still to be made in available therapeutic options in order to minimize side effects and provide effective care. Current drug delivery mechanisms in urological malignancy and the benign urological conditions of overactive bladder (OAB), interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS), and urinary tract infection (UTI) will be reviewed herein. Both systemic and local therapies will be discussed including sustained release formulations, nanocarriers, hydrogels and other reservoir systems, as well as gene and immunotherapy. The primary focus of this review is on agents which have passed the preclinical stages of development.

An evaluation of the pharmacotherapy for interstitial cystitis

INTRODUCTION

Interstitial cystitis (IC) and bladder pain syndrome (BPS) are chronic conditions that can be debilitating for patients. There is no consensus as to their etiology, and there are many proposed treatment algorithms. Oftentimes multimodal therapy, such as combining behavioral modification and physical therapy alongside pharmacotherapies, will be utilized. With the various treatment options available to patients and providers, there is an ever-growing need to implement evidence-based therapies.

AREAS COVERED

The authors explore the different pharmacotherapies as commonly recommended in the American Urological Association (AUA) and European Association of Urology (EAU) multitiered guidelines for IC/BPS treatment as well as other investigational therapies. Pharmacotherapies targeting bladder, pelvic, and/or systemic factors in the overall treatment of IC/BPS are discussed with a particular focus on evidence-based guideline therapies. This article also looks at emerging therapies of interest.

EXPERT OPINION

IC/BPS is a syndrome that requires a multimodal approach, including clinical phenotyping and directed therapy based on the patient's symptoms. The AUA and EAU provide guidelines for practitioners to follow, but adequate treatment requires the therapy to be targeted toward the patient's phenotypic domain.

Evaluating the efficacy and safety of intravesical chemotherapies for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: a network meta-analysis

Various intravesical therapies have been introduced into clinical practices for controlling non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). However, evidence with respect to the efficacy and safety of those intravesical therapies is very limited. Hence, we present a network meta-analysis in order to address this limitation in the current literature. The primary outcomes were the risk of tumor recurrence (TR), tumor progression (TP) and disease-specific mortality (DM). Secondary outcomes included the risk of fever, cystitis and haematuria. Conventional pair-wise and network meta-analysis were both performed for each endpoint. The surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) was incorporated in our analysis for ranking the corresponding intravesical instillation interventions. In total, 23 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were finally included in our study after irrelevant papers were screened out. Results of network meta-analysis suggested that Epirubicin (EPI) was less preferable than Bacille Calmette Guerin (BCG), BCG+EPI, BCG+ Isoniazid (INH), BCG+ Mytomicin C (MMC), Gemcitabine (GEM) and MMC with respect to TR. As suggested by the corresponding ranking probabilities and SUCRA, incorporating EPI or MMC into BCG may enhance the efficacy of BCG monotherapy.

Intravesical Gemcitabine versus Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin for the Treatment of Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer: An Evaluation of Efficacy and Toxicity

Background

Intravesical Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) remains the standard adjuvant treatment for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) following transurethral resection; however, BCG failure and related toxicities are common.

Objectives

To compare the efficacy and toxicity of intravesical BCG and gemcitabine in the treatment of NMIBC.

Methods

Retrospective data were collected in the region of Canberra, Australia from January 2010 to December 2015. The survival cutoff was December 2016. Primary end point was disease-free survival (DFS) and secondary end point was toxicity. After optimal transurethral resection all patients received weekly intravesical BCG or gemcitabine for 6 weeks and maintenance treatment according to their risk. The recurrence was defined as histology proven tumor recurrence (any grade), or appearance of carcinoma in situ.

Results

One hundred and three patients were evaluable, 52 treated with BCG and 51 with gemcitabine with a median age of 77 and 78, and were mostly male. Approximately half of each received maintenance therapy. The groups were well balanced, apart from some difference in cancer risk groups. Twenty-one percent in the BCG group and 29% in the gemcitabine group had received prior BCG. Median follow up was 15.0 months. Median DFS was 19.6 months for BCG, whereas median DFS was not reached with gemcitabine. There was a trend toward improved DFS with gemcitabine in multivariate analysis, HR: 0.49 (95% CI: 0.22–1.06, p = 0.07). Adverse events were significantly less frequent with gemcitabine (7 versus 44%, p ≤ 0.05). There were four cases of systemic BCG infection.

Conclusion

Intravesical gemcitabine was associated with a trend toward better DFS with significantly lower toxicity when compared with BCG. Intravesical BCG remains the standard first-line adjuvant therapy; however, intravesical gemcitabine could be a reasonable alternative in cases where BCG is contraindicated and for patients who are intolerant or refractory to BCG. A prospective phase 3 trial is needed to confirm the benefits of gemcitabine over BCG.

Recommended oral sodium bicarbonate administration for urine alkalinization did not affect the concentration of mitomycin-C in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer patients

Objective

Sodium bicarbonate has been reported to maximize the efficacy of intravesical instillation of mitomycin-C (IVI-MMC) therapy by urine alkalinization in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). This study aimed to analyze the changes in MMC concentration according to urinary pH and evaluate the efficacy of sodium bicarbonate to maintain the concentration of active form of MMC during IVI-MMC.

Methods

We prospectively enrolled 26 patients with NMIBC after transurethral resection of bladder tumor. Patients with very high-risk and low-risk NMIBC were excluded. Urinary creatinine, volume, pH, and concentrations of MMC and its degraded form were measured immediately before and after IVI-MMC. The patients were administered 1.5 g of oral sodium bicarbonate during the preceding evening, in the morning, and immediately before the fourth cycle of the six-cycle IVI-MMC. The correlation between MMC concentration and urinary pH changes was explored with or without oral bicarbonate therapy.

Results

Recurrence without progression to muscle-invasive disease was noted in 4 of 26 patients in a 23.7-month follow-up. The mean urinary pH before and after the therapy increased from 6.03 to 6.50, and 6.46 to 7.24, without or with oral SB therapy, respectively. Despite this increase, the concentration of active form of MMC did not change significantly. No correlation was found between urinary pH and MMC concentration. Urine alkalinization by SB administration did not maintain the high concentration of urinary MMC.

Conclusions

Urine alkalinization by sodium bicarbonate administration for IVI-MMC did not maintain the high concentration of active urinary MMC in NMIBC.

Interstitial cystitis intravesical therapy

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a progressive bladder disorder that presents with symptoms of bladder urgency, frequency and pain. The aetiology of the disease remains uncertain, but it is postulated that there is an initial infective insult which damages the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) layer of the bladder urothelium. This defect allows an influx of ions, particularly potassium, which initiates an inflammatory reaction in the bladder wall, which incites the symptoms described above. Treatment initially involves behavioural and oral medication, with second line being intravesical instillation therapy. Treatment strategies focus on restoring lower urinary tract epithelial function, inhibiting neural activation, controlling allergies and relieving symptoms. In this review, current intravesical therapy will be discussed, as well as what lies on the horizon for intravesical therapy in IC.

Tackling non-muscle invasive bladder cancer in the clinic

INTRODUCTION

Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is a common disease process with a high propensity for recurrence and risk of progression to muscle-invasive or systemic disease. Optimal management of NMIBC depends on appropriate resection and staging, risk-based use of intravesical therapy and tailored surveillance. Current challenges include compliance with guideline recommendations and cancers which are refractory to standard therapies. Areas covered: This review summarizes the conventional management of NMIBC - which relies on strict cystoscopic surveillance and intravesical therapies with chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy in the form of bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). As many patients will be resistant to conventional treatment, investigational therapies and novel prognostic models will also be discussed. Expert commentary: For decades, the management of NMIBC has been predicated on intravesical therapies, most often through the instillation of BCG which has proven clinical efficacy over transurethral resection alone. Despite this, many patients will recur or progress after BCG therapy. While radical cystectomy remains the standard for such patients, suitable alternatives are being actively investigated. An increased interest in immunotherapy for malignancy has reinvigorated this field and on-going advances in disease prognostication are likely to improve upon the existing treatment paradigms for NMIBC.

MicroRNA Expression Profile Identifies High Grade, Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Tumors at Elevated Risk to Progress to an Invasive Phenotype

The objective of this study was to identify a panel of microRNAs (miRNAs) differentially expressed in high-grade non-muscle invasive (NMI; TaG3–T1G3) urothelial carcinoma that progress to muscle-invasive disease compared to those that remain non-muscle invasive, whether recurrence happens or not. Eighty-nine high-grade NMI urothelial carcinoma lesions were identified and total RNA was extracted from paraffin-embedded tissue. Patients were categorized as either having a non-muscle invasive lesion with no evidence of progression over a 3-year period or as having a similar lesion showing progression to muscle invasion over the same period. In addition, comparison of miRNA expression levels between patients with and without prior intravesical therapy was performed. Total RNA was pooled for microarray analysis in each group (non-progressors and progressors), and qRT-PCR of individual samples validated differential expression between non-progressive and progressive lesions. MiR-32-5p, -224-5p, and -412-3p were associated with cancer-specific survival. Downregulation of miR-203a-3p and miR-205-5p were significantly linked to progression in non-muscle invasive bladder tumors. These miRNAs include those implicated in epithelial mesenchymal transition, previously identified as members of a panel characterizing transition from the non-invasive to invasive phenotype in bladder tumors. Furthermore, we were able to identify specific miRNAs that are linked to postoperative outcome in patients with high grade NMI urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) that progressed to muscle-invasive (MI) disease.

Efficient intravesical therapy of bladder cancer with cationic doxorubicin nanoassemblies

Nanoparticles have promising applications in drug delivery for cancer therapy. Herein, we prepared cationic 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium propane/methoxypoly (ethyleneglycol) (DPP) nanoparticles to deliver doxorubicin (Dox) for intravesical therapy of bladder cancer. The DPP micelles have a mean dynamic diameter of 18.65 nm and a mean zeta potential of +19.6 mV. The DPP micelles could prolong the residence of Dox in the bladder, enhance the penetration of Dox into the bladder wall, and improve cellular uptake of Dox. The encapsulation by DPP micelles significantly improved the anticancer effect of Dox against orthotopic bladder cancer in vivo. This work described a Dox-loaded DPP nanoparticle with potential applications in intravesical therapy of bladder cancer.

The Future of Intravesical Drug Delivery for Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer

Despite being the fifth most common cancer in the United States, minimal progress has been made in the treatment of bladder cancer in over a decade. Intravesical instillation of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) for the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) has been in use for over 30 years and remains the standard treatment in cases of intermediate and high risk disease. Despite the relative success of intravesical BCG, unmet needs in the treatment of NMIBC persist. These challenges include disease recurrence and progression even with treatment with BCG, as well as issues regarding its availability and patient tolerability. The inherent properties of the bladder pose the biggest obstacle to developing effective intravesical treatments for NMIBC. Current research is now focusing on methods to improve the delivery of intravesical therapies. The objective of this review is to discuss novel intravesical drug delivery systems and how they are addressing these challenges in the treatment of NMIBC.

Anti-tumor effect of Radix Paeoniae Rubra extract on mice bladder tumors using intravesical therapy

Radix Paeoniae Rubra (RPR) is the dried root of Paeonia lactiflora Pallas and Paeonia veitchii Lynch, and is a herbal medicine that is widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of blood-heat and blood-stasis syndrome, similarly to Cortex Moutan. The present study identified the same three components in RPR and Cortex Moutan extracts. In addition, it has been reported that RPR has an anti-cancer effect. Bladder cancer is the seventh most common type of cancer worldwide. Due to the high recurrence rate, identifying novel drugs for bladder cancer therapy is essential. In the present study, RPR extract was evaluated as a bladder cancer therapy in vitro and in vivo. The present results revealed that RPR extract reduced the cell viability of bladder cancer cells with a half maximal inhibitory concentration of 1-3 mg/ml, and had an extremely low cytotoxic effect on normal urothelial cells. Additionally, RPR decreased certain cell cycle populations, predominantly cells in the G1 phase, and caused a clear sub-G increase. In a mouse orthotopic bladder tumor model, intravesical application of RPR extract decreased the bladder tumor size without altering the blood biochemical parameters of the mice. In summary, the present results demonstrate the anti-proliferative properties of RPR extract on bladder cancer cells, and its anti-bladder tumor effect in vivo. Compared to Cortex Moutan extract, RPR extract may provide a more effective alternative therapeutic strategy for the intravesical therapy of superficial bladder cancer.

The effects of intravesical therapy with hyaluronic acid for painful bladder syndrome: Preliminary Chinese experience and systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To present the preliminary results of treating a series of Chinese patients with painful bladder syndrome/interstitial cystitis (PBS/IC) using intravesical hyaluronic acid (HA).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A series of 13 patients with PBS/IC received first-line therapy followed by HA once-a-week for 4 weeks and then once monthly for 4 months. Outcomes measured included O'Leary-Sant Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index (ICSI) and Interstitial Cystitis Problem Index (ISPI) scores, voiding frequency, and bladder capacity.

RESULTS

ISPI and ICSI scores were significantly (p < 0.001) decreased after treatment [median change (interquartile range): ISPI = 2 (2-3); ICSI = 3 (2-3)]. Voiding frequency and functional bladder capacity were significantly (p < 0.001) decreased [median change: 7 (6-8) times/d] and increased [median change: 190 (116-233) mL], respectively after treatment.

CONCLUSION

Our case series supports the efficacy of intravesical HA in the treatment of PBS/IC.

Investigational drugs for bladder pain syndrome (BPS) / interstitial cystitis (IC)

INTRODUCTION

Bladder pain syndrome (BPS)/interstitial cystitis (IC) is associated with sensory lower urinary tract symptoms. Unfortunately, many of the existing oral treatments are ineffective in most patients of BPS/IC, which is the motivation for developing new drugs and therapeutic approaches. This review covers the latest drugs that have been investigated in BPS/IC patients. Intravesical treatments offer the opportunity to directly target the painful bladder with less systemic side effects.

AREAS COVERED

In this review, the authors analyze the existing literature supporting the treatment of BPS/IC with conventional drugs including heparin, hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). Furthermore, investigational drugs such as tanezumab and adalimumab, capable of sequestering nerve growth factor (NGF), and Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF- α) are discussed. Investigational treatments such as liposomes, botulinum toxin (BTX), liposomal BTX, PD-0299685 (a Ca(2+) channel ɑ2δ ligand), continuous intravesical lidocaine, and AQX-1125 (a novel SHIP1 activating compound) are also covered.

EXPERT OPINION

New investigational drugs offer promising improvements in clinical outcomes for BPS/IC patients; however, BPS/IC is a chronic pain disorder that is very vulnerable to a strong placebo effect. In addition, BPS/IC is a heterogeneous disorder that can be classified into several phenotypes. Since different phenotypes of BPS/IC respond differently to systemic and intravesical treatments, the authors believe that new drugs developed for BPS/IC are more likely to meet their predetermined clinical endpoints if the inclusion/exclusion criterion is tailored to specific phenotype of BPS/IC patients.

Review of intravesical therapies for bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis

Bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis (BPS/IC) is a chronic pain condition characterised by urinary frequency, urgency and pain or discomfort which the patient attributes to the bladder. It is a complex condition to manage and treat and requires a multi-disciplinary and multi-modal approach. As well as lifestyle and behavioural modifications, physical therapy and oral medications, intravesical treatments can be used in the treatment algorithm for BPS/IC. A number of intravesical agents are reviewed in this paper along with the available evidence for their use.

Management of carcinoma in situ of the bladder: best practice and recent developments

Management of carcinoma in situ of the bladder remains a complex and challenging endeavor due to its high rate of recurrence and progression. Although it is typically grouped with other nonmuscle invasive bladder cancers, its higher grade and aggressiveness make it a unique clinical entity. Intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin is the standard first-line treatment given its superiority to other agents. However, high rates of bacillus Calmette-Guérin failure highlight the need for additional therapies. Radical cystectomy has traditional been the standard second-line therapy, but additional intravesical therapies may be more appealing for non-surgical candidates and patients refusing cystectomy. The subject of this review is the treatment strategies and available therapies currently available for carcinoma in situ of the bladder. It discusses alternative intravesical treatment options for patients whose condition has failed to respond to bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy and who are unfit or unwilling to undergo cystectomy.

Managing the adverse events of intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy

This paper provides recommendations on the management of complications arising from intravesical treatment with bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) for nonmuscle-invasive bladder tumors. There is minimal recommendations currently available as randomized trials on the side effects of intravesical BCG are lacking and severe complications are usually described in case reports only. All physicians giving intravesical BCG should be aware of the possible complications that could arise and how to treat these. The incidence of bladder irritation, general malaise, and fever is very high, while severe complications remain rare. Approximately 8% of patients have to stop treatment because of these complications. BCG infections and reactions can occur anywhere in the body, and may happen straight away or even several months or years after BCG treatment, making early diagnosis difficult. Additionally, correct diagnosis is hampered by the uncertain appearance of BCG in tissue and body fluid. An essential step in the management complications arising from BCG is written information for both the family doctor and the patient on the possible adverse events and their management. Recent data demonstrated that none of the earlier advocated methods to prevent BCG toxicity are valid: lowering the dose, tuberculostatic drugs, or oxybutynin. Severe complications are treated with three or four tuberculostatics over 3–12 months, depending on the severity of the situation. Corticosteroids are an essential therapy in BCG septicemia. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids can manage efficiently the immunological complications.

Management of T1 Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder: What Do We Know and What Do We Need To Know?

T1 bladder cancer constitutes approximately 25% of incident bladder cancers, and as such carries an important public health impact. Notably, it has a heterogeneous natural history, with large variation in reported oncologic outcomes. Optimal risk-stratification is essential to individualize patient management, targeting those at greatest risk of progression for aggressive therapies such as early cystectomy, while allowing others to safely pursue bladder-preserving approaches including intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerrin (BCG). Current strategies for diagnosis, risk-stratification, and treatment are imperfect, but emerging technologies and molecular approaches represent exciting opportunities to advance clinical paradigms in management of this disease entity.

Recombinant bacillus Calmette-Guérin in urothelial bladder cancer immunotherapy: current strategies

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has been used in the intravesical treatment of urothelial bladder cancer (UBC) for three decades. Despite its efficacy, intravesical BCG therapy is associated with some limitations such as side effects and BCG failure, which have inspired multiple ways to improve it. Recent advances have focused on recombinant BCG (rBCG) which provides a novel tactic for modification of BCG. To date, a number of rBCG strains have been developed and demonstrated to encourage efficacy and safety in preclinical and clinical studies. This review summarizes current rBCG strategies, concerns and future directions in UBC immunotherapy with an intention to encourage further research and eventually to inform clinical decisions.

Advances in intravesical therapy for the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (Review)

The knowledge of tumor biology and the biomechanical properties of the urothelium have led to significant advances in the development of intravesical therapy for the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Targeted therapy improves the efficacy and decreases the side effects of antineoplastic agents. Nanoparticles that target antitumor agents to the urothelial cells have allowed for improved delivery of these agents to tumor cells. Gene therapy is another strategy that has allowed for a targeted induction of an antitumor response. Finally, engineering of the bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine aimed to minimize the potential side effects associated with this treatment. These novel approaches hold promise for decreasing the rate of progression and recurrence of NMIBC.

Intravesical treatment of bladder pain syndrome/interstitial cystitis: from the conventional regimens to the novel botulinum toxin injections

INTRODUCTION

Bladder pain syndrome (BPS) includes interstitial cystitis (IC) and is often used as a synonym of it (i.e., BPS/IC). It is associated with lower urinary tract symptoms as well as with negative cognitive, behavioral, sexual and/or emotional consequences. Unfortunately, none of the numerous existing oral and intravesical treatments have been effective for all of the BPS subtypes and therefore relevant research is ongoing.

AREAS COVERED

In this review, the authors analyze the existing literature for the intravesical treatment of BPS/IC with focus on the novel administration of botulinum toxin (BTX). Several intravesical drugs have been studied in the past, including lidocaine, heparin, pentosan polysulfate sodium, dimethyl sulfoxide, chondroitin sulfate, hyaluronic acid as well as investigational drugs such as GM-0111. Recently, intravesical submucosal injections of BTX have been studied in patients with BPS/IC.

EXPERT OPINION

Most of the recent studies use BTX-A with no serious adverse effects and with satisfactory results in patients who do not respond to oral or standard intravesical therapy. Nevertheless, there is no consensus regarding the best dosage scheme of BTX, the injection sites and the treatment intervals. BTX intravesical administration in patients with BPS/IC is a safe and efficient treatment option; yet the level of evidence of the initial studies is not high. There is still the need for large randomized controlled studies so that a consensus can be reached for the ideal BTX dosage, injection sites and intervals between treatments.

Obesity is associated with worse outcomes in patients with T1 high grade urothelial carcinoma of the bladder

PURPOSE

To our knowledge the impact of body mass index on oncologic outcomes in nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer has not been evaluated. We hypothesized that higher body mass index is associated with worse outcomes in patients with clinical primary T1 high grade urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed data from 892 patients with primary nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer from 7 centers. Patients were treated with transurethral resection of the bladder with or without intravesical therapy. Body mass index was analyzed as a continuous and a categorical variable (nonobese-body mass index less than 30 kg/m(2) vs obese-body mass index 30 kg/m(2) or greater). Disease progression was defined as the development of T2 or higher tumor stage.

RESULTS

Median followup was 42.8 months (IQR 56). Of the patients 44.3% were obese and median body mass index was 29.2 kg/m(2) (IQR 8). On univariable analyses higher body mass index and age were associated with an increased risk of disease recurrence, progression, cancer specific mortality and any cause mortality (all p ≤ 0.001). On multivariable analyses that adjusted for the effects of gender, concomitant carcinoma in situ, tumor size, number of tumors and intravesical therapy, higher body mass index and age remained independent predictors of disease recurrence, progression, cancer specific mortality and any cause mortality (all p <0.05). This study was limited by its design (ie lack of data on repeat transurethral resection of the bladder and intravesical therapy protocol).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients diagnosed with clinical T1 high grade urothelial carcinoma of the bladder who are obese have worse cancer specific outcomes compared to their nonobese counterparts. Further work is needed to improve our understanding of clinical T1 high grade outcomes in the growing population of obese patients.

Is radical cystectomy mandatory in every patient with variant histology of bladder cancer

Urothelial carcinomas have an established propensity for divergent differentiation. Most of these variant tumors are muscle invasive but not all. The response of non muscle invasive variant tumors to intravesical immunotherapy with BCG is not established in the literature, and is reported here. Between June 1995 and December 2007, 760 patients (mean age of 67.5 years) underwent transurethral resection of first time bladder tumors in our institution. Histologically variant tumors were found in 79 patients (10.4%). Of these 57 patients (72%) of them had muscle-invasive disease or extensive non-muscle invasive tumors and remaining 22 patients (28%) were treated with BCG immunotherapy. These included 7 patients with squamous differentiation, 4 with glandular, 6 with nested, 4 with micropapillary and 1 patient with sarcomatoid variant. The response of these patients to immunotherapy was compared with that of 144 patients having high-grade conventional urothelial carcinomas. Median follow-up was 46 months. The 2 and 5-year progression (muscle-invasion) free survival rates were 92% and 84.24% for patients with conventional carcinoma compared to 81.06% and 63.16% for patients with variant disease (P=0.02). The 2 and 5-year disease specific survival rates were 97% and 91.43% for patients with conventional carcinoma compared to 94.74 % and 82% for patients with variant disease (P=0.33). 5 patients (22.7%) of variant group and 13 patients (9.03%) of conventional group underwent cystectomy during follow-up (P=0.068).

Patients with non-muscle invasive variants of bladder cancers can be managed with intravesical immunotherapy if tumor is not bulky (>4 cm). Although progression to muscle invasive disease is more common than in conventional group and occurs in about 40% of the patients, life expectancy is similar to patients with conventional high-grade urothelial carcinomas provided that follow-up is meticulous.