Longitudinal Follow‐up and Performance Validation of a mRNA‐based Urine Test (Xpert® Bladder Cancer Monitor) for surveillance in Non‐Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer Patients

Purpose. To compare the expression level of apelin in muscle-invasive bladder cancer and matched paracarcinoma tissues and investigate the relationship between apelin and clinical prognosis in the patients. Methods. To assess apelin expression by using immunohistochemical method compared with bladder tumors and matched paracarcinoma tissues. Subsequently, the correlation of apelin expression with the clinicopathological features of bladder cancer patients was analyzed. Kaplan-Meier survival curves method was used to analyze apelin prognostic significance for muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients (including 404 muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients and 28 normal bladder tissues, in TCGA dataset). Results. Apelin protein level was overexpressed in bladder tumor tissues compared with paracarcinoma tissues. Furthermore, high apelin expression was associated with high tumor stage (P<0.05), distant metastasis (P<0.05), and vascular invasion (P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier curve analyses showed that the overexpression of apelin was a potential predictor of overall survival and disease-free survival. Conclusion. Apelin was upregulated in bladder tumor tissues compared with matched adjacent noncancer tissues, especially in the high tumor stage, distant metastasis, and vascular invasion. What is more, high expression of apelin in muscle-invasive bladder cancer indicates the poor prognosis. These data suggested that apelin might be a therapeutic potential biomarker in muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients.

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A qualitative evaluation of a nurse-led pre-operative stoma education program for bladder cancer patients

Supportive Care in Cancer ◽

10.1007/s00520-021-06093-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Elizabeth Marie Wulff-Burchfield ◽

Maryellen Potts ◽

Katherine Glavin ◽

Moben Mirza

Keyword(s):

Bladder Cancer ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Education Program ◽

Management Practices ◽

Self Management ◽

Invasive Bladder Cancer ◽

Educational Approach ◽

Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer ◽

Patient Advocate ◽

Muscle Invasive

Abstract Introduction Radical cystectomy remains the standard of care for muscle-invasive bladder cancer and high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Postoperative ostomy education is common, but patients struggle to maintain self-management practices. A preoperative ostomy education program was developed to meet this need, and we conducted a qualitative study with participating patient-caregiver dyads to evaluate the educational and psychosocial impacts of the program and examine alignment with program objectives. Materials and methods A qualitative descriptive study was conducted utilizing a thematic analysis approach. Sixteen patients, eighteen caregivers, and three program educators completed semi-structured interviews from 3 to 18 months post the program. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Thirteen end-of-course surveys from the initial educational program cohort were transcribed, coded, analyzed; this data was triangulated with patient, caregiver, and educator interviews. Results Analysis uncovered three themes: (1) Patient and caregiver motivation to attend the program, (2) attitudes toward this life-changing event, and (3) education. For theme 1, patients and caregivers cited lack of knowledge, fear, and concern about ostomy surgery and care as motivation. For theme 2, there were a variety of attitudes toward the ostomy, ranging from avoidance to acceptance, and a similar breadth of attitudes toward caregiving, with some patients and caregivers describing ongoing dependence and other patients seeking complete independence. For theme 3, the interactive curriculum was determined to be effective, and the patient advocate was cited as the most memorable program component. Conclusions A formal preoperative ostomy education program employing an interactive educational approach and featuring a patient advocate can prepare bladder cancer patients and caregivers for ostomy self-management and post-ostomy life.

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A prospective observational study on oral administration of Ellagic Acid and Annona Muricata in patients affected by non-muscle invasive bladder cancer not undergoing maintenance after 6-week intravesical prophylaxis

Urologia Journal ◽

10.1177/03915603211022285 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 039156032110222

Author(s):

Vincenzo Serretta ◽

Ettore De Berardinis ◽

Alchiede Simonato ◽

Alessio Guarneri ◽

Nino Dispensa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bladder Cancer ◽

Oral Administration ◽

Ellagic Acid ◽

Invasive Bladder Cancer ◽

Prophylactic Effect ◽

Annona Muricata ◽

Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer ◽

Number Of Patients ◽

Muscle Invasive

Introduction: BCG and MMC shortage and Covid-19 pandemic, more recently, limit accessibility to maintenance regimen in intravesical prophylaxis against recurrence of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Ellagic acid (EA) and Annona muricata (AM) exert antitumor activity against different human tumours. An observational prospective study on the prophylactic effect of oral administration of EA+AM in patients avoiding maintenance regimen is presented. Materials and methods: Patients affected by NMIBC and not undergoing maintenance after a 6-week course of intravesical prophylaxis with MMC or BCG were entered. Tis and very high-risk tumours were excluded. After informed consent, the patients were subdivided in relation to the oral assumption or not of EA (100 mg) plus AM (100 mg), daily for 6 months. All patients were submitted to 3-month cytology and cystoscopy. Results: 162 (90%) of 180 entered patients are evaluable, 90 and 72 receiving or not EA+AM. No difference emerged in patients’ characteristics between the two groups. BCG was given in 86 (54%) and chemotherapy in 74 (46%) patients. The recurrence free rate at 3, 6 and 12 months in patients assuming or not EA was 96.5% versus 84.6% ( p = 0.003), 85.4% versus 64.8% ( p = 0.005) and 74.2% versus 60.6% ( p = 0.246), respectively. The recurrence free survival at 12 months in patients assuming or not EA was 63.0% versus 34.5% ( p < 0.0001). Discussion and conclusions: Our study suffers several limits: not randomized trial although prospective, limited number of patients and short follow-up, nevertheless it shows the prophylactic effect of oral EA+AM in absence of maintenance after intravesical chemotherapy or immunotherapy induction.

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