Effect of Antacids on the Survival of Patients With Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma Treated With Pembrolizumab.

INTRODUCTION: Concomitant medications can affect the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors. The association between histamine-2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs), major antacids similar to proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), and the efficacy of pembrolizumab for metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) treatment has been poorly evaluated. We evaluated the impact of PPIs and H2RAs on oncological outcomes in mUC patients treated with pembrolizumab. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This retrospective multicenter study included patients with mUC treated with pembrolizumab. Patients prescribed PPIs or H2RAs within 30 days before and after the initial administration were extracted. The overall survival (OS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), progression-free survival (PFS), and objective response rates (ORR) were assessed. Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were employed to assess the association between PPIs or H2RAs and survival outcomes. RESULTS: Overall, 404 patients were eligible for this study; 121 patients (29.9%) used PPIs, and 34 (8.4%) used H2RAs. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed significantly worse OS, CSS, and PFS in patients using PPIs compared to no PPIs (P = .010, .018, and .012, respectively). In multivariable analyses, the use of PPIs was a significant prognostic factor for worse OS (HR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.08-1.87, P = .011), CSS (HR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.09-1.93, P = .011), and PFS (HR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.05-1.73, P = .020). PPIs were not associated with ORRs. The use of H2RAs was not associated with survival or ORRs. CONCLUSION: PPIs were significantly associated with worse survival of patients with mUC treated with pembrolizumab, and H2RAs could be an alternative during administration. Both the oncological and gastrointestinal implications should be carefully considered when switching these antacids.

Current status and future perspectives on robot-assisted kidney autotransplantation: A literature review.

This review presents the latest insights on robot-assisted kidney autotransplantation (RAKAT). RAKAT is a minimally invasive surgical procedure and represents a promising alternative to conventional laparoscopic nephrectomy followed by open kidney transplantation for the treatment of various complex urological and vascular conditions. RAKAT can be performed either extracorporeally or intracorporeally. Additionally, a single-port approach can be performed through one small incision without the need to reposition the patient. Of 86 patients undergoing RAKAT, 8 (9.3%) developed postoperative > Grade 2 Clavien-Dindo (CD) complications. Although the feasibility of RAKAT was established in 2014, the long-term efficacy and safety along with outcomes of this surgical approach are still being evaluated, and additional studies are needed. With improvements in the technology of RAKAT and as surgeons gain more experience, RAKAT should become increasingly used and further refined, thereby leading to improved surgical outcomes and improved patients' quality of life.

Prognostic impact of radiological tumor burden in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma treated with pembrolizumab.

PURPOSE: Radiological tumor burden has been reported to be prognostic in many malignancies in the immunotherapy era, yet whether it is prognostic in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) treated with pembrolizumab remains uninvestigated. We sought to assess the predictive and prognostic value of radiological tumor burden in patients with mUC. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 308 patients with mUC treated with pembrolizumab. Radiological tumor burden was represented by baseline tumor size (BTS) and baseline tumor number (BTN). Optimal cut-off value of BTS was determined as 50 mm using the Youden index (small BTS: n = 194, large BTS: n = 114). Overall (OS), cancer-specific (CSS), progression-free survival (PFS), and objective response rate (ORR) were compared. Non-linear associations between BTS and OS and CSS were evaluated using restricted cubic splines. RESULTS: Patients with large BTS were less likely to have undergone the surgical resection of the primary tumor (P = 0.01), and more likely to have liver metastasis (P < 0.001) and more metastatic lesions (P < 0.001). On multivariable analyses controlling for the effects of confounders (resection of primary tumor, metastatic site, number of metastases and lactate dehydrogenase level), large BTS and high BTN were independently associated with worse OS (HR 1.52; P = 0.015, and HR 1.69; P = 0.018, respectively) and CSS (HR 1.59; P = 0.01, and HR 1.66; P = 0.031, respectively), but not PFS. Restricted cubic splines revealed BTS was correlated with OS and CSS in linear relationships. Additionally, large BTS was significantly predictive of lower ORR and complete response rate on univariable analyses (P = 0.041 and P = 0.032, respectively), but its association disappeared on multivariable analyses. CONCLUSION: Radiological tumor burden has independent prognostic value with a linear relationship in pembrolizumab-treated patients with mUC and might help drive the earlier introduction of second-line pembrolizumab and/or switching to subsequent therapies.

The Diagnosis and Treatment Approach for Oligo-Recurrent and Oligo-Progressive Renal Cell Carcinoma.

One-third of renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) without metastases develop metastatic disease after extirpative surgery for the primary tumors. The majority of metastatic RCC cases, along with treated primary lesions, involve limited lesions termed "oligo-recurrent" disease. The role of metastasis-directed therapy (MDT), including stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and metastasectomy, in the treatment of oligo-recurrent RCC has evolved. Although the surgical resection of all lesions alone can have a curative intent, SBRT is a valuable treatment option, especially for patients concurrently receiving systemic therapy. Contemporary immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) combination therapies remain central to the management of metastatic RCC. However, one objective of MDT is to delay the initiation of systemic therapies, thereby sparing patients from potentially unnecessary burdens. Undertaking MDT for cases showing progression under systemic therapies, known as "oligo-progression", can be complex in considering the treatment approach. Its efficacy may be diminished compared to patients with stable disease. SBRT combined with ICI can be a promising treatment for these cases because radiation therapy has been shown to affect the tumor microenvironment and areas beyond the irradiated sites. This may enhance the efficacy of ICIs, although their efficacy has only been demonstrated in clinical trials.