Faculty Bibliography

The detection of localized prostate cancer has transformed tremendously in the twenty-first century with the emergence of more accurate imaging technologies. The standard transrectal ultrasound is now supported by the widespread adoption of MRI, with growing investigation into modalities such as micro-ultrasound and prostate-specific membrane antigen imaging. The value of these imaging techniques is still being understood, as seen by their increasing application for management decisions, treatment planning, and treatment monitoring. This article aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of contemporary imaging techniques for localized prostate cancer, including relevant data.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:Partial nephrectomy has been advocated as the preferred surgical approach for small kidney tumors over total nephrectomy. However, partial nephrectomy is associated with increased perioperative risk. Estimating renal function after nephrectomy can facilitate personalized patient counseling, guide surgical approach, and identify patients who could benefit from perioperative interventions. Existing prediction models have several limitations including the lack of external validation or a user-friendly tool or application, and most have used traditional statistical methods. METHODS:We used data from two academic medical institutions and machine learning (ML) methods to develop and externally validate renal function after nephrectomy-machine learning (RFAN-ML), a model to estimate long-term renal function after partial or total nephrectomy. Boruta feature selection was used to select four routinely available clinical features, specifically age, BMI, preoperative renal function, and nephrectomy type. In the training set of 1,932 patients, we compared six ML regression models representing a set of both ensemble and nonensemble ML algorithms and optimized for root mean squared error (RMSE). This model was evaluated in a test set of 1,995 patients, and the best performing model was selected as RFAN-ML. RESULTS:, and mean absolute error. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:We developed and externally validated RFAN-ML, a ML model to predict renal function after nephrectomy, and have deployed our model online. RFAN-ML has the potential to improve the care and outcomes in patients with kidney tumors by informing personalized patient counseling and guiding surgical planning.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:High-volume (≥ 50 %) biopsy core involvement (HVCI) is an independent risk factor for unfavorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer by NCCN guidelines. The studies demonstrating increased recurrence in high-volume disease were conducted in an era of conventional fractionation, often without dose-escalation. In the SBRT era, we explore the value of this pathologic criteria in intermediate-risk disease. METHODS:A large institutional database was reviewed to identify patients diagnosed with localized intermediate-risk (Gleason Grade [GG] 2 and 3) disease, who were treated with definitive five-fraction SBRT without ADT. HVCI was analyzed (1) traditionally with all positive cores given equal weight as well as weighted with a positive core of GG1 to GG3 given (2) linearly and (3) exponentially increased weight. Oncologic outcomes were analyzed using Cox and linear regression analysis. RESULTS:From 2009 to 2018, 888 patients with intermediate-risk prostate cancer were treated with five-fraction SBRT monotherapy to a median dose of 3500 cGy. The majority (68 %) had GG2 disease. HVCI was present in the 22 % and was inversely related to prostate volume and directly related to T-stage. Biochemical disease-free survival (BDFS) was not significantly associated with HVCI in the cohort (p = 0.47) nor in the GG2 (p = 0.85) and GG3 (p = 0.26) sub-cohorts. Similarly, when linear or exponential weight was given to a core with higher-grade disease, there was no association with BDFS. Finally, PSA nadir was not associated with HVCI; however, time to PSA nadir (TTN) was negatively associated with HVCI in the GG3 sub-cohort (p = 0.04). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:With a median follow-up of 4.1 years, HVCI was not associated with BDFS following SBRT monotherapy, particularly in patients with otherwise favorable intermediate-risk disease (GG2). TTN analysis suggests that HVCI may remain prognostic in GG3 disease (by definition unfavorable intermediate-risk). Further work should prospectively confirm whether HVCI is unnecessary in risk-stratifying GG2 disease in the SBRT era.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:The OPTIMA II phase 2b study (NCT03558503) treated patients with low-grade intermediate-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (LG-IR-NMIBC) with UGN-102, a reverse thermal hydrogel containing mitomycin. Efficacy and safety results have been reported for the 12-month parent study; here, we report 5-year follow-up data. PATIENTS AND METHODS/METHODS:Patients who participated in the OPTIMA II study and achieved a complete response (CR) after 6 weekly doses of UGN-102 were followed for up to 9 months after initial CR. Those with CR at study completion were eligible to enroll in a further long-term follow-up (LTFU) study, during which there were no protocol-specified interventions/treatments, protocol-specified visits, or evaluations. Supervising physicians provided semiannual updates on patients' disease status. Duration of response (DoR) was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS:Of the 41 patients achieving a CR at 3 months, 25 remained in CR at 12 months and 17 entered LTFU. For the 41 patients achieving a CR at 3 months the median Kaplan-Meier estimate of DoR was 24.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.72-42.09), with a median follow-up time of 35.8 months (95% CI, 10.78-60.98). For the 17 patients in the LTFU study the median DoR was 42.1 months (95% CI, 24.18-not estimable [NE]), with a median follow-up of 50.40 months (95% CI, 26.97-NE), CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that treatment with UGN-102 results in clinically meaningful, and highly durable response in patients with LG-IR-NMIBC. UGN-102 may offer a promising non-surgical alternative to transurethral resection of bladder cancer (TURBT) for LG-IR-NMIBC patients.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE/OBJECTIVE:For localized kidney tumors, size and growth kinetics generally predict malignant potential. Thus, for patients with multifocal renal masses, treatment priority often revolves around the largest or index tumor first. We reviewed our kidney surgery database to examine histologic concordance of sporadic multifocal renal tumors and to determine if size is also the greatest determinant of tumor aggressiveness. METHODS:We conducted a retrospective chart review at a tertiary referral center of 1983 patients undergoing nephrectomy (radical and partial) from January 2010 to December 2019. We identified 138 patients with multifocal renal masses (n = 138). Surgical pathology parameters, including tumor size, TNM grading, and staging, were collected through electronic medical records. Patients with syndromic diseases were excluded (n = 10), resulting in a total sample of 128 patients with sporadic multifocal tumors. Overall, the sample included 307 tumors total, with a mean number of 2.4 lesions per patient. RESULTS:About 128 patients (6.45%) had sporadic multifocal renal tumors. Among these, 82 out of 128 (64%) had concordant histologic subtypes, while 46 out of 128 (36%) had discordant histology. In 99 patients (77.3%), the index tumor demonstrated a more aggressive histology. There were 29 patients (22.6%) with a benign or less aggressive index tumor. Among those, 21 patients (16%) had a benign index tumor, 5 (24%) of which had a malignant secondary tumor. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Multifocal tumors frequently have discordant histology. While size tends to predict oncologic risk, many patients harbor more aggressive disease in nonindex lesions, highlighting the limitations of relying on size alone for managing sporadic multifocal RCC.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE/OBJECTIVE:Current data on bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) do not differentiate outcomes by clinical stage. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of tumor stage in oncologic outcomes in BCG-unresponsive NMIBC undergoing bladder-sparing therapies. METHODS:Demographic and outcome data for patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC were reviewed at ten institutions. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to determine survival differences between the T1 ± carcinoma in situ (CIS), Ta alone, and CIS ± Ta groups. Exploratory analyses were conducted as follows: (1) T1 alone versus Ta alone versus CIS ± T1/Ta and (2) T1/Ta alone versus CIS ± T1/Ta. KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS/UNASSIGNED:Among 401 patients, 137 (34%) were T1 ± CIS, 104 (26%) Ta alone, and 160 (40%) CIS ± Ta. Disease progression (p < 0.001), metastasis (p < 0.001), and bladder cancer mortality (p = 0.009) were increased in the T1 ± CIS group versus the Ta alone and CIS ± Ta groups. Cystectomy occurred most often in the CIS ± Ta and T1 groups (p = 0.002). Similar increases were noted in progression (p < 0.001), metastasis (p < 0.001), and bladder cancer mortality (p = 0.004) in T1 alone patients versus the Ta alone and CIS ± T1/Ta groups. There were no differences in outcomes between the T1 alone and T1 + CIS groups. No significant differences in metastasis, bladder cancer mortality, or all-cause mortality were noted when comparing papillary disease only with any CIS. The primary limitation of this study is likely a selection bias due to the retrospective nature of the cohort. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS:Presence of T1 disease is generally associated with worse oncologic outcomes compared with Ta or CIS. T1 and Ta should not be grouped together during comparison with CIS. Radical cystectomy appears largely driven by the presence of CIS.

PURPOSE/UNASSIGNED:Screening colonoscopies (CS) performed before prostate stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) allow for identifying synchronous malignancies and comorbid gastrointestinal (GI) conditions. Performing these procedures prior to radiation precludes the necessity of post-SBRT pelvic instrumentation, which may lead to severe toxicity and fistulization. We review compliance of CSs, incidence of GI pathology, and the impact of pretreatment CS findings on subsequent physician-reported toxicity and patient-reported quality of life (QoL). METHODS AND MATERIALS/UNASSIGNED:We reviewed an institutional database of patients treated for prostate cancer with SBRT including toxicity and QoL outcomes. A detailed review of pretreatment CS findings was reviewed including identification of diverticulosis, location of polyp resection, and presence of hemorrhoids. Pretreatment CS findings were then correlated with outcomes following SBRT. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:Identification of comorbid GI conditions was a common event, with the presence of diverticulosis in 49.5% (n = 100), hemorrhoids in 67% (n = 136), and polyps in 48% (n = 98). More than half of patients with polyps removed had at least 1 removed from the rectosigmoid. Pretreatment CS did not introduce a delay in SBRT start date. Grade 1 toxicity was significantly lower in patients who underwent CS closer to the initiation of SBRT. There was no increased risk of physician-graded toxicity in the presence of diverticulosis, hemorrhoids, or polyps. Patient-reported GI QoL pattern in our screening cohort mimicked that seen in the previously published nonscreened population. There was no overt QoL detriment observed in patients who had GI pathology identified before SBRT. CONCLUSIONS/UNASSIGNED:GI pathology identified in our elderly patient population was commonly identified on pretreatment CS. Screening CS may optimize bowel health for patients heading into radiation therapy. Toxicity and QoL for patients with GI pathologies identified on pretreatment CS do not preclude the delivery of prostate SBRT. We advocate for pretreatment CS in patients eligible prior to SBRT.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE/OBJECTIVE:Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients treated with additional bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) may become unresponsive to BCG. Recently, sequential intravesical gemcitabine and docetaxel (gem/doce) are being used for NMIBC. This study aims to compare oncologic outcomes between sequential intravesical gem/doce versus additional BCG in patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC. METHODS:Data were collected from ten academic institutions on patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC based on the Food and Drug Administration guidelines. Information on high-grade recurrence-free (HGRFS), progression-free (PFS), cystectomy-free (CFS), metastasis-free (MFS), cancer-specific (CSS), and overall (OS) survival was collected. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard ratios (HRs) were used to determine differences in oncologic outcomes between the Gem/Doce and BCG groups. KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS/UNASSIGNED:Of 299 total patients, 204 underwent additional BCG treatment at the time of BCG unresponsiveness and 95 underwent gem/doce treatment. Rates of PFS (HR 2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-5.0, p = 0.03), CFS (HR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2-3.4, p = 0.01), and CSS (HR 3.7, 95% CI 1.1-12.3, p=0.03) were higher in patients receiving gem/doce. HGRFS, MFS, and OS were similar between both groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS:The findings from this study suggest that intravesical gem/doce is associated with lower rates of progression than additional BCG in patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC who decline or are ineligible for cystectomy. PATIENT SUMMARY/RESULTS:In this report, we looked at outcomes between patients with noninvasive bladder cancer who were treated with additional bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) or gemcitabine-docetaxel combination after not responding to primary BCG therapy. We found that intravesical gemcitabine-docetaxel was associated with fewer progression events than additional salvage BCG therapy.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:Treatment patterns for patients with bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-unresponsive high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) who are ineligible for or decline radical cystectomy (RC) are inconsistently reported. We retrospectively described demographic, clinical, and treatment characteristics for these patients and assessed their clinical outcomes. PATIENTS AND METHODS/METHODS:Medical charts of patients with BCG-unresponsive high-risk NMIBC (carcinoma in situ [cohort A] or T1/high-grade Ta [cohort B]) who were ineligible for or declined RC documented between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2018, at 15 academic centers were reviewed. Primary objectives were to characterize demographic, clinical, and nonsurgical treatment characteristics. Secondary objectives included assessing real-world progression-free survival (rw-PFS) from muscle-invasive/metastatic disease, rw-PFS from worsening grade or stage, real-world complete response rate (rw-CRR) in cohort A, real-world event-free survival (rw-EFS) from high-risk NMIBC in cohort B, and overall survival. RESULTS:The study included 129 patients (cohort A, n = 57; cohort B, n = 72). Median age was 72.0 years (interquartile range, 64.0-80.0). Most patients were male (72.1%) and current/former smokers (69.8%). Median follow-up was 32.1 months (interquartile range, 20.7-47.6). BCG rechallenge with or without interferon-α (63.6%) was the most commonly utilized first nonsurgical therapy, followed by intravesical mitomycin C with or without electromotive drug administration or thermochemotherapy (15.5%), and intravesical valrubicin (10.9%); among those who received BCG rechallenge alone, 54.8% later received a non-BCG therapy in ≥ 2 subsequent treatments. 36-month rate for rw-PFS from muscle-invasive/metastatic disease was 73.5%, 66.8% for rw-PFS from worsening grade/stage, and 82.5% for overall survival. In cohort A, 6-month rw-CRR was 22.2%. In cohort B, 36-month rw-EFS rate from high-risk NMIBC was 50.2%. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:After BCG-unresponsive disease, most patients with high-risk NMIBC received BCG rechallenge with or without other therapies, and > 25% experienced disease progression within the first 3 years. Effective bladder-sparing options for BCG-unresponsive NMIBC are needed. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION/BACKGROUND:N/A.

OBJECTIVE:To quantify the oncological risks of bladder-sparing therapy (BST) in patients with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) compared to upfront radical cystectomy (RC). PATIENTS AND METHODS/METHODS:Pre-specified data elements were collected from retrospective cohorts of patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC from 10 international sites. After Institutional Review Board approval, patients were included if they had BCG-unresponsive NMIBC meeting United States Food and Drug Administration criteria. Oncological outcomes were collected following upfront RC or BST. BST regimens included re-resection or surveillance only, repeat BCG, intravesical chemotherapy, systemic immunotherapy, and clinical trials. RESULTS:Among 578 patients, 28% underwent upfront RC and 72% received BST. The median (interquartile range) follow-up was 50 (20-69) months. There were no statistically significant differences in metastasis-free survival, cancer-specific survival, or overall survival between treatment groups. In the BST group, high-grade recurrence rates were 37% and 52% at 12 and 24 months and progression to MIBC was observed in 7% and 13% at 12 and 24 months, respectively. RC was performed in 31.7% in the BST group and nodal disease was found in 13% compared with 4% in upfront RC (P = 0.030). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:In a selected cohort of patients, initial BST offers comparable survival outcomes to upfront RC in the intermediate term. Rates of recurrence and progression increase over time especially in patients treated with additional lines of BST.