Intravesical Therapy for Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: What Is the Real Impact of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Variant on Oncological Outcomes?

Background and Objectives: To evaluate the oncological impact of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) variant in patients submitted to intravesical therapy for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Materials and Methods: Between January 2015 and January 2020, patients with conventional urothelial NMIBC (TCC) or urothelial NMIBC with SCC variant (TCC + SCC) and submitted to adjuvant intravesical therapies were collected. Kaplan–Meier analyses targeted disease recurrence and progression. Uni- and multivariable Cox regression analyses were used to test the role of SCC on disease recurrence and/or progression. Results: A total of 32 patients out of 353 had SCC at diagnosis. Recurrence was observed in 42% of TCC and 44% of TCC + SCC patients (p = 0.88), while progression was observed in 12% of both TCC and TCC + SCC patients (p = 0.78). At multivariable Cox regression analyses, the presence of SCC variant was not associated with higher rates of neither recurrence (p = 0.663) nor progression (p = 0.582). Conclusions: We presented data from the largest series on patients with TCC and concomitant SCC histological variant managed with intravesical therapy (BCG or MMC). No significant differences were found in term of recurrence and progression between TCC and TCC + SCC. Despite the limited sample size, this study paves the way for a possible implementation of the use of intravesical BCG and MMC in NMIBC with histological variants.

Electromotive Drug Administration of Mitomycin C (EMDA/MMC) versus Intravesical Immunotherapy with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) in Intermediate and High Risk Non Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Although TURB of tumor (TURBT) by itself can eradicate a non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) completely, these tumors commonly recur and can progress to MIBC. It is, therefore, necessary to consider adjuvant therapy in most patients. The primary objective of the present study was to report our experience with EMDA/MMC and BCG, considering efficacy, progression, and recurrence, as adjuvant therapy in NMIBC patients; the secondary objective was to assess the efficacy of EMDA/MMC versus BCG as a comparative treatment. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> Between April 2016 and February 2020, a series of 216 patients, with a diagnosis of intermediate- and high-risk NMIBC after TURBT, underwent adjuvant intravesical therapy. In 26 cases with a failure of the treatment, in patients unfit and unwilling for radical cystectomy, a repeated intravesical therapy was performed (2 had a twice repetition). Out of 244 adjuvant therapies, 140 EMDA/MMC and 104 BCG treatments were done. The following data were collected for each patient: baseline demographics and clinical data and perioperative and postoperative data. Overall patients’ adjuvant intravesical therapies were included in a prospectively maintained institutional database, and a retrospective chart review was performed. We collected data on 2 main outcomes, recurrence-free survival (defined as a negative cystoscopy, cytology, and/or histology at the evaluation time point) and progression-free survival (defined as a negative cystoscopy or a nonprogressive tumor recurrence). <b><i>Results:</i></b> The NMIBC progression rate was higher in BCG than EMDA/MMC but not statistically significant (respectively, 4.2% vs. 2.5%; <i>p</i> = 0.703). In the overall population, the risk of NMIBC recurrence was higher after BCG than EMDA/MMC (<i>p</i> = 0.025). In the subgroups of 59 paired patients with similar characteristics, no difference was observed between groups in NMIBC progression and recurrence. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Our findings suggest that EMDA/MMC and BCG are safe and reproducible approaches as adjuvant treatment in NMIBC. EMDA/MMC permits to achieve a fine oncological management as adjuvant treatment in NMIBC, which is not less than that obtained with BCG.

Subcategorization of T1 Bladder Cancer on Biopsy and Transurethral Resection Specimens for Predicting Progression

Context.— Despite continued surveillance and intravesical therapy, a significant subset of patients with lamina propria–invasive bladder cancer (T1) will progress to muscle-invasive disease or metastases. Objective.— To analyze the value of pathologic subcategorization of T1 disease in predicting progression. Design.— Six substaging methods were applied to a retrospective cohort of 73 patients, with pT1 urothelial carcinoma diagnosed on biopsy/transurethral resection. Additionally, the immunohistochemistry for GATA3 and cytokeratin 5/6 (CK5/6) was performed to study the prognostic value of stratifying T1 cancers into luminal or basal phenotypes. Results.— On follow-up (mean, 46 months), 21 (29%) experienced at least 1 recurrence without progression, and 16 (22%) had progression to muscle-invasive disease and/or distant metastasis. No differences were noted between progressors and nonprogressors with regard to sex, age, treatment status, medical history, tumor grade, and presence of carcinoma in situ. Substaging using depth of invasion (cutoff ≥1.4 mm), largest invasive focus (≥3.6 mm), aggregate linear length of invasion (≥8.9 mm), and number of invasive foci (≥3 foci) correlated significantly with progression and reduced progression-free survival, whereas invasion into muscularis mucosa or vascular plexus, or focal versus extensive invasion (focal when ≤2 foci, each &lt;1 mm) failed. Patients with luminal tumors had higher incidence of progression than those with nonluminal tumors (27% versus 11%), although the difference was statistically insignificant (P = .14). Conclusions.— Substaging of T1 bladder cancers should be attempted in pathology reports. Quantifying the number of invasive foci (≥3) and/or measuring the largest contiguous focus of invasive carcinoma (≥3.6 mm) are practical tools for prognostic substaging of T1 cancers.

955 CORE1: phase 2, single arm study of CG0070 combined with pembrolizumab in patients with non muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) unresponsive to bacillus calmette-guerin (BCG)

BackgroundCG0070, an oncolytic vaccine available as an intravesical therapy, is a serotype 5 adenovirus engineered to express GM-CSF and replicate in tumor cells with mutated or deficient RB (which results in increased of the transcription factor E2F). The CG0070 mechanism of action includes direct cell lysis in conjunction with immunogenic cell death which is enhanced in the presence of GM-CSF. In an initial phase 1 study as well as a subsequent phase 2 study, an overall CR rate of ~62% and a CR at 12 months (m) of 29% have been observed in patients with high risk NMIBC previously treated with BCG. Intravenous Pembrolizumab was recently approved by the FDA for patients with BCG-unresponsive CIS (with or without papillary tumors) with an overall complete RR of 41% and a 12m CR rate of ~20%. This phase 2 study (NCT04387461) will assess the potential synergy of the two agents in the treatment of BCG-unresponsive NMIBC.Methods35 patients with BCG-unresponsive CIS with or without concurrent Ta or T1 disease will be treated with intravesical (IVE) CG0070 at a dose of 1x10e12 vp in combination with pembrolizumab at a dose of 400 mg IV q6 weeks. CG0070 will be administered weekly x 6 as induction followed by weekly x 3 maintenance instillations at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18m. Patients with persistent CIS or HG Ta at 3 m may receive re-induction with weekly x 6 CG0070. Pembrolizumab will be administered up to 24m. Assessment of response will include q 3m cystoscopy with biopsy, urine cytology, CTU/MRU, and mandatory bladder mapping biopsies at 12m.ResultsThe primary endpoint is CR at 12 m. Secondary endpoints will include CR at any time, progression free survival, duration of response, cystectomy free survival and the safety of the combination. Correlate assessments will include changes in the TME, systemic immune induction, viral replication and transgene expression. Baseline expression of PD-L1, coxsackie adenovirus receptor, E2F transcription factor as well as anti-adenovirus antibody titer will be correlated with tumor response. At this time the first 5 patients demonstrates 100% 3 m CR. Treatment related AE have been limited to transient grade 1-2 urinary frequency (3 patients) and grade 1 bladder spasm, hematuria, painful urination, thyroiditis, and flu-like symptoms (one patient/each). No grade 3, 4, 5 AE or SAE were observed.ConclusionsThe study is currently enrolling. Preliminary safety and efficacy data on 8 patients will be available by November 2021Trial RegistrationNCT04387461Ethics ApprovalIRB: CG2003C

Systemic infection following intravesical therapy with BCG

Immunotherapy with BCG is an effective and widely used treatment for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. BCG sepsis is a rare but life-threatening and frequently not a straightforward complication of this treatment; in cases with a high index of suspicion, anti-bacillary treatment should not wait for laboratory confirmation and be instituted immediately. We report a severe case of BCG sepsis, in which timely diagnosis and initiation of antituberculosis agents enabled a full recovery.

Prognostic value of prostate volume in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer

There is evidence that a history of benign prostatic hyperplasia increases the incidence of bladder cancer, and treatment with 5-alpha reductase inhibitor or androgen deprivation therapy reduces recurrence of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. We aimed to evaluate whether prostate volume affects its prognosis. We reviewed medical records of men who underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumor due to non-muscle invasive bladder cancer from January 2012 to December 2017. Patients were divided into two groups based on prostate volume measured by computed tomography (group 1: 264 patients with ≤ 30 mL, group 2: 124 patients with > 30 mL). Propensity score matching analysis was used for adjust selection bias, and then assessed recurrence-free survival and progression-free survival. With a median follow up duration of 52 months, group 1 showed higher 5-year recurrence-free and progression-free survival (69.3% vs 47.0%, p = 0.001; 96.7% vs 87.7%, p = 0.002). Further, cox-regression analysis showed that tumor size (HR = 1.292 p < 0.001), multifocal tumor (HR = 1.993, p < 0.001), adjuvant intravesical therapy (chemotherapy: HR = 0.580, p = 0.037 and bacillus Calmette–Guérin: HR = 0.542, p = 0.004) and prostate volume (HR = 2.326, p < 0.001) were significant predictors of recurrence-free survival. Prostate volume (HR = 2.886, p = 0.014) was also associated with PFS with age (HR = 1.043, p = 0.044) and tumor grade (HR = 3.822, p = 0.013). We conclude higher prostate volume is associated with worse recurrence and progression-free survival in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Bladder cancer and exeRcise trAining during intraVesical thErapy—the BRAVE trial: a study protocol for a prospective, single-centre, phase II randomised controlled trial

IntroductionNon-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) accounts for about 75% of newly diagnosed bladder cancers. The treatment for NMIBC involves surgical removal of the tumour followed by 6 weekly instillations of immunotherapy or chemotherapy directly into the bladder (ie, intravesical therapy). NMIBC has a high rate of recurrence (31%–78%) and progression (15%). Moreover, bladder cancer and its treatment may affect patient functioning and quality of life. Exercise is a safe and effective intervention for many patient with cancer groups, however, no studies have examined exercise during intravesical therapy for NMIBC. The primary objective of the Bladder cancer and exeRcise trAining during intraVesical thErapy (BRAVE) trial is to examine the safety and feasibility of an exercise intervention in patients with bladder cancer undergoing intravesical therapy. The secondary objectives are to investigate the preliminary efficacy of exercise on health-related fitness and patient-reported outcomes; examine the social cognitive predictors of exercise adherence; and explore the potential effects of exercise on tumour recurrence and progression.Methods and analysisBRAVE is a phase II randomised controlled trial that aims to include 66 patients with NMIBC scheduled to receive intravesical therapy. Participants will be randomly assigned to the exercise intervention or usual care. The intervention consists of three supervised, high-intensity interval training sessions per week for 12 weeks. Feasibility will be evaluated by eligibility, recruitment, adherence and attrition rates. Preliminary efficacy will focus on changes in cardiorespiratory fitness and patient-reported outcomes from baseline (prior to intravesical therapy) to pre-cystoscopy (3 months). Cancer outcomes will be tracked at 3 months, and 1-year follow-up by cystoscopy. Analysis of covariance will compare between-group differences at post-intervention (pre-cystoscopy) for all health-related fitness and patient-reported outcomes.Ethics and disseminationThe study was approved by the Health Research Ethics Board of Alberta-Cancer Committee (#20–0184). Dissemination will include publication and presentations at scientific conferences and public channels.Trial registration numberNCT04593862; Pre-results.