Real-world comparison of Docetaxel versus new hormonal agents in combination with androgen-deprivation therapy in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer descrying PSA Nadir ≤ 0.05 ng/ml as marker for treatment response.

PROPOSE: Using Docetaxel chemotherapy or new hormonal agents (NHT) to intensify upfront systemic therapy resulted in improved survival rates compared to androgen deprivation monotherapy (ADT). Hence, combination therapies have become the new standard of care (SOC) in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). However, head-to-head trails comparing different therapies as well as treatment-guiding biomarkers are still lacking. Thus, the aim of the present study was to compare clinical outcomes of Docetaxel versus NHT therapy in the real-world setting as well as to elaborate biomarkers predicting clinical outcome. METHODS: We retrospectively assessed overall-survival (OS), progression-free survival 1 and 2 (PFS1/2) and time to progression (TTP) in 42 patients treated by either ADT + NHT or ADT + Docetaxel. In addition, we investigated clinical prognostic biomarkers. RESULTS: Our survival analysis revealed 3-year OS of 89.4% in the NHT group compared to 82.4% in the Docetaxel group. 3-year PFS1 was 59.6% in the NHT group compared to 32.2% in the Docetaxel group and the TTP was 53.8% vs 32.2% (pOS = 0.189; pPFS1 = 0.082; pTTP = 0.055). In addition, castration-resistance occurred more often in the Docetaxel group (78.6% vs 25%, p = 0.004). Interestingly, a PSA-Nadir ≤ 0.05 ng/ml during therapy was associated with increased survival rates (p < 0.001) while PSA levels at primary diagnosis had no influence on therapy outcome. Furthermore, a thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) increase during therapy was associated with improved clinical outcome (p = 0.06). CONCLUSION: We observed a trend towards a higher benefit of NHT as first-line treatment compared to Docetaxel in men with mHSPC. Of note, a PSA-Nadir ≤ 0.05 ng/ml or a TSH-increase during therapy were predictors for therapy response.

Effects of cycling and rowing on serum concentrations of prostate-specific antigen: A randomized study of 101 male subjects.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects if cycling and rowing on serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. METHODS: Male volunteers (n = 101), aged 20-80 (mean, 49.9) years were randomized to exercise at the first or second study visit. They performed 1 h of either cycling or rowing on a stationary machine. To determine exercise-induced effects on the PSA level, serum total PSA (tPSA) and free PSA (fPSA) concentrations were evaluated before and after exercise and another sampling was performed at the second study visit. Pre-exercise and postexercise tPSA and fPSA concentrations were compared using the Wilcoxon matched-pairs test. The results were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U-test. RESULTS: A significant (p < 0.001) average increase in tPSA after exercise (1.14 ± 1.11 ng/ml to 1.24 ± 1.26 ng/ml [mean, +8.8%]) was observed after both cycling and rowing, without significant differences between the sports (p = 0.54). The exercise-induced increase in PSA concentration affected participants aged ≥50 years (difference, 0.16 ± 0.37; p < 0.001), but not those aged <50 years (difference, 0.01 ± 0.06; p = 0.23). The effect size was clinically irrelevant in all except two outliers, in whom a distinct increase of PSA level by averages of 1.80 ng/ml (+55%) for tPSA and 1.25 ng/ml (+227%) for fPSA following cycling was observed. CONCLUSION: Rowing and cycling generally do not have a clinically relevant effect on PSA levels. However, outliers exist. Our findings do not support abstaining from exercise during the days approaching PSA sampling.

Sex-specific hormone changes during immunotherapy and its influence on survival in metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a highly vascularized and immunogenic tumor, being an ideal candidate for checkpoint blockade-based immunotherapy. Accordingly, checkpoint inhibitors have demonstrated clinical efficacy in patients with metastatic RCC (mRCC). Sex-specific differences in cancer immunotherapy may be explained by the interaction of sex hormone signaling, genetic and environmental factors, affecting the innate and adaptive immune response in men and women in different ways. The aim of this prospective study was to monitor for the first time changes in sex hormones including luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), LH/FSH ratio and 17-ß-estradiol (E2) in 22 mRCC patients (12 male and 10 female) receiving nivolumab therapy. In contrast to female patients, male patients showed a significant increase in E2 (p = 0.006) and LH/FSH ratio (p = 0.013) from the beginning of nivolumab therapy to week 12 of follow-up. Moreover, survival analysis revealed a significant negative association between LH/FSH ratio and progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.022) as well as between therapy response (p = 0.009) in males compared to females at interim evaluation (week 6/8). Our findings may therefore be the first reference to sex hormone changes during immunotherapy.

Amplification of 7p12 Is Associated with Pathologic Nonresponse to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer.

Pathologic downstaging (pDS) to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is one of the most important predictors of survival in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). The use of NAC is limited as pDS is only achieved in 30% to 40% of cases and predictive biomarkers are still lacking. We performed a comprehensive immunomolecular biomarker analysis to characterize the role of immune cells and inhibitory checkpoints, genome-wide frequencies of copy number alterations, mutational signatures in whole exome, and tumor mutational burden in predicting NAC response. Our retrospective study included 23 primary MIBC patients who underwent NAC, followed by radical cystectomy. pDS to NAC was a significant prognostic factor for better recurrence-free survival (P < 0.001), with a median time to recurrence of 41.2 versus 5.5 months in nonresponders. DNA damage repair alterations were noticed in 38.1% (n = 8), confirming a positive correlation with high tumor mutational burden (P = 0.007). Chromosomal 7p12 amplification, including the genes HUS1, EGFR, ABCA13, and IKZF1, predicted nonresponse in patients with a sensitivity, a negative predictive value, and a specificity of 71.4%, 87.5%, and 100%, respectively. Total count of CD3+ T cells/mm2 tumor was a significant predictor of NAC response. In conclusion, 7p12 amplification may predict nonresponse to NAC and worse survival in MIBC. Multicenter, prospective trials with sufficient statistical power may further fortify these findings.

Impact of forced diuresis with furosemide and hydration on the halo artefact and intensity of tracer accumulation in the urinary bladder and kidneys on [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11-PET/CT in the evaluation of prostate cancer patients.

PURPOSE: to assess the influence of intravenous hydration and forced diuresis with furosemide in two different dosages (20 vs 40 mg) on the intensity of tracer accumulation in the urinary collection system and on the occurrence of halo artefact surrounding the urinary bladder and kidneys in [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11-PET/CT scans. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Comparison of four groups with 50 patients each, receiving different preparation prior to [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11-PET/CT. Group one, no preparation. Group two, 500 ml sodium chloride administered immediately after tracer injection. Group three, 500 ml sodium chloride and injection of 20 mg furosemide immediately after tracer administration. Group four, 500 ml sodium chloride and injection of 40 mg furosemide immediately after tracer injection. Images were judged visually whether halo artefact was present; semiquantitative measurements were performed with standardised uptake value (SUV). RESULTS: Halo artefact of the urinary bladder was present in twelve patients without preparation, in eight patients receiving only sodium chloride, in one patient injected with 20 mg furosemide/sodium chloride and in two patients receiving 40 mg furosemide/sodium chloride, showing a median SUVmean in the bladder of 45.8, 14.4, 4.6 and 5.8, respectively. Differences between patient group without preparation and the two groups with furosemide/sodium chloride were statistically significant. Patient groups receiving 20 mg furosemide and 40 mg furosemide did not differ significantly. Renal halo artefacts were observed in 15 patients of group one, in ten patients of group two, in 14 patients of group three and in 14 patients of group four, with corresponding median SUVmean values of 33.9, 32.0, 37.8 and 30.4 (no statistically significant differences). CONCLUSION: Performing [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11-PET/CT, intravenous injection of 20-mg furosemide and 500-ml sodium chloride significantly reduces the number of bladder halo artefacts and intensity of tracer accumulation in the urinary bladder. A total of 40 mg furosemide does not further improve results.

Lynch Syndrome: Its Impact on Urothelial Carcinoma.

Lynch syndrome, known as hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), is an autosomal-dominant familial cancer syndrome with an increased risk for urothelial cancer (UC). Mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency, due to pathogenic variants in MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2, and microsatellite instability, are known for development of Lynch syndrome (LS) associated carcinogenesis. UC is the third most common cancer type in LS-associated tumors. The diversity of germline variants in the affected MMR genes and their following subsequent function loss might be responsible for the variation in cancer risk, suggesting an increased risk of developing UC in MSH2 mutation carriers. In this review, we will focus on LS-associated UC of the upper urinary tract (UUT) and bladder, their germline profiles, and outcomes compared to sporadic UC, the impact of genetic testing, as well as urological follow-up strategies in LS. In addition, we present a case of metastatic LS-associated UC of the UUT and bladder, achieving complete response during checkpoint inhibition since more than 2 years.

Correction to: The 68Ga/177Lu-theragnostic concept in PSMA-targeting of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: impact of post-therapeutic whole-body scintigraphy in the follow-up.

The author name Bernhard Nilica was inadvertently interchanged in the original version of this article.

The 68Ga/177Lu-theragnostic concept in PSMA-targeting of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer: impact of post-therapeutic whole-body scintigraphy in the follow-up.

INTRODUCTION: A new therapeutic option for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) of heavily pre-treated patients lies in 177Lu-PSMA-617 radioligand therapy. METHODS: On the basis of PSMA-targeted 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT, 32 consecutive mCRPC patients were selected for 177Lu-PSMA-617 therapy (6 GBq/cycle, 2 to 6 cycles, 6-10 weeks apart) and followed until death. Post-therapy whole-body (WB) dosimetry and 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT data were compared and related to progression free and overall survival. RESULTS: 177Lu-PSMA-617 dosimetry after the first cycle indicated high tumor doses for skeletal (4.01 ± 2.64; range 1.10-13.00 Gy/GBq), lymph node (3.12 ± 2.07; range 0.70-8.70 Gy/GBq), and liver (2.97 ± 1.38; range 0.76-5.00 Gy/GBq) metastases whereas the dose for tissues/organs was acceptable in all patients for an intention-to-treat activity of 24 GBq. Any PSA decrease after the first cycle was found in 23/32 (72%), after the second cycle in 22/32 (69%), after the third cycle in 16/28 (57%), and after the fourth cycle in 8/18 (44%) patients. Post-therapy 24 h WB scintigraphy showed decreased tumor-to-background ratios in 24/32 (75%) after the first therapy cycle, after the second cycle in 17/29 (59%), and after the third cycle in 13/21 (62%) patients. The median PFS was 7 months and the median OS 12 months. In the group of PSA responders (n = 22) the median OS was 17 months versus 11 months in the group of non-responders (n = 10), p < 0.05. Decreasing SUVmax values were found for parotid (15.93 ± 6.23 versus 12.33 ± 4.07) and submandibular glands (17.65 ± 7.34 versus 13.12 ± 4.62) following treatment, along with transient (n = 6) or permanent (n = 2) xerostomia in 8/32 (25%) patients. In 3/32 patients, nephrotoxicity changed from Grade 2 to 3, whereas neither Grade 4 nephrotoxicity nor hematotoxicity was found. In most patients a good agreement was observed for the visual interpretation of the tracer accumulation between 24 h WB and PET/CT scans. However, no significance could be calculated for baseline-absorbed tumor doses and SUVmax values of tumor lesions. 5/32 (16%) patients showed a mixed response pattern, which resulted in disease progression over time. CONCLUSION: Serial PSA measurements and post-therapy 24 h WB scintigraphy seems to allow a sufficiently accurate follow-up of 177Lu-PSMA-617-treated mCRPC patients whereas 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT should be performed for patient selection and final response assessment.

Are urologists in trouble with SARS-CoV-2? Reflections and recommendations for specific interventions.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the risk of viral infection during urological surgeries due to the possible hazards in tissue, blood, urine and aerosolised particles generated during surgery, and thus to understand the risks and make recommendations for clinical practice. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed the available literature on urological and other surgical procedures in patients with virus infections, such as human papillomavirus, human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B, and current publications on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). RESULTS: Several possible pathways for viral transmission appear in the literature. Recently, groups have detected severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the urine and faeces, even after negative pharyngeal swabs. In addition, viral RNA can be detected in the blood and several tissues. During surgery, viral particles are released, aerosol-borne and present a certain risk of transmission and infection. However, there is currently no evidence on the exact risk of infection from the agents mentioned above. It remains unclear whether or not viral particles in the urine, blood or faeces are infectious. CONCLUSIONS: Whether SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted by aerosols remains controversial. Irrespective of this, standard surgical masks offer inadequate protection from SARS-CoV-2. Full personal protective equipment, including at least filtering facepiece-2 masks and safety goggles should be used. Aerosolised particles might remain for a long time in the operating theatre and contaminate other surfaces, e.g. floors or computer input devices. Therefore, scrupulous hygiene and disinfection of surfaces must be carried out. To prevent aerosolisation during laparoscopic interventions, the pneumoperitoneum should be evacuated with suction devices. The use of virus-proof high-efficiency particulate air filters is recommended. Local separation of anaesthesia/intubation and the operating theatre can reduce the danger of viral transmission. Lumbar anaesthesia should be considered especially in endourology. Based on current knowledge, COVID-19 is not a contraindication for acute urological surgery. However, if possible, as European guideline committees recommend, non-emergency urological interventions should be postponed until negative SARS-CoV-2 tests become available.

Organ-sparing surgery of penile cancer: higher rate of local recurrence yet no impact on overall survival.

PURPOSE: To report on the oncological outcome of organ-sparing surgery (OSS) compared to (total or partial) penectomy regarding recurrence patterns and survival in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the penis. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of all patients with penile SCC and eligible follow-up data of at least 2 years at our institution. Patients with tumors staged ≥ pT1G2 underwent invasive lymph node (LN) staging by dynamic sentinel-node biopsy or modified inguinal lymphadenectomy. Radical inguinal lymphadenectomy was performed when LNs were palpable at diagnosis and in those with a positive LN status after invasive nodal staging. Follow-up visits were assessed, and local, regional and distant recurrences were defined and analyzed. RESULTS: 55 patients were identified with a mean follow-up of 63.7 months. Surgical management was OSS in 26 patients (47.2%) and partial or total penectomy in 29 cases (52.8%). Histopathological staging was: pTis (12.7%), pTa (16.3%), pT1a (18.2%), pT1b (5.5%), pT2 (29.1%) and pT3 (18.2%), respectively. Patients in the penectomy group were significantly older (mean 68 vs. 62 years; p = 0.026) with a higher rate of advanced tumor stage (≥ pT2: 44.8% vs. 11.5%; p = 0.002). The local recurrence rate was 42.3% (n = 11) following OSS compared to 10.3% (n = 3) after penectomy (p = 0.007). Kaplan-Meier curves showed no significant differences between the two groups regarding metastasis-free and overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: OSS is associated with a higher local recurrence rate compared to penectomy, yet it has no negative impact on overall and metastasis-free survival.

Robo 4 - the double-edged sword in prostate cancer: impact on cancer cell aggressiveness and tumor vasculature.

Background: The magic roundabout receptor 4 (Robo 4) is a tumor endothelial marker expressed in the vascular network of various tumor entities. However, the role of Robo 4 in prostate cancer (PCa), the second common cause of cancer death among men in -developed countries, has not been described yet. Thus, the present study investigates for the first time the impact of Robo 4 in PCa both in the clinical setting and in vitro. Methods and Results: Immunohistochemical analyses of benign and malignant prostate tissue samples of 95 PCa patients, who underwent radical prostatectomy (RPE), revealed a significant elevated expression of Robo 4 as well as its ligand Slit 2 protein in cancerous tissue compared to benign. Moreover, increased Robo 4 expression was associated with higher Gleason score and pT stage. In advanced stage we observed a hypothesis-generating trend that high Robo 4 and Slit 2 expression is associated with delayed development of tumor recurrence compared to patients with low Robo 4 and Slit 2 expression, respectively. In contrast to so far described exclusive expression of Robo 4 in the tumor vascular network, our analyses showed that in PCa Robo 4 is not only expressed in the tumor stroma but also in cancer epithelial cells. This finding was also confirmed in vitro as PC3 PCa cells express Robo 4 on mRNA as well as protein level. Overexpression of Robo 4 in PC3 as well as in Robo 4 negative DU145 and LNCaP PCa cells was associated with a significant decrease in cell-proliferation and cell-viability. Conclusion: In summary we observed that Robo 4 plays a considerable role in PCa development as it is expressed in cancer epithelial cells as well as in the surrounding tumor stroma. Moreover, higher histological tumor grade was associated with increased Robo 4 expression; controversially patients with high Robo 4 tend to exert lower biochemical recurrence possibly reflecting a protective role of Robo 4.

Oncolytic activity of the rhabdovirus VSV-GP against prostate cancer.

Oncolytic viruses, including the oncolytic rhabdovirus VSV-GP tested here, selectively infect and kill cancer cells and are a promising new therapeutic modality. Our aim was to study the efficacy of VSV-GP, a vesicular stomatitis virus carrying the glycoprotein of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, against prostate cancer, for which current treatment options still fail to cure metastatic disease. VSV-GP was found to infect 6 of 7 prostate cancer cell lines with great efficacy. However, susceptibility was reduced in one cell line with low virus receptor expression and in 3 cell lines after interferon alpha treatment. Four cell lines had developed resistance to interferon type I at different levels of the interferon signaling pathway, resulting in a deficient antiviral response. In prostate cancer mouse models, long-term remission was achieved upon intratumoral and, remarkably, also upon intravenous treatment of subcutaneous tumors and bone metastases. These promising efficacy data demonstrate that treatment of prostate cancer with VSV-GP is feasible and safe in preclinical models and encourage further preclinical and clinical development of VSV-GP for systemic treatment of metastatic prostate cancer.

High IDO-1 expression in tumor endothelial cells is associated with response to immunotherapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Nivolumab belongs to the standard therapy in the second-line setting of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Although deep and long-lasting responses are seen in some patients, the majority of patients will further progress. PD-L1 is still under critical evaluation as a predictive biomarker. Thus, more accurate biomarkers are clearly warranted. Here, we investigated for the first time the predictive role of IDO-1, a negative immune-regulatory molecule, on clear cell RCC tissues of 15 patients undergoing nivolumab therapy. IDO-1 and other immune inhibitory molecules (PD-L1, PD-L2, FOXP3) as well as immune cell subsets (CD3, CD4 and CD8) were measured on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections of RCC specimens by immunohistochemistry. IDO-1 was predominantly expressed in tumor endothelial cells, and was totally absent from tumor cells itself. IDO-1 overexpression (>10%) could be detected more frequently in responders (100%, n = 6/6) compared to non-responders (33.3%, n = 3/9; P = .028), resulting in a better progression-free survival during immunotherapy (IDO-1 ≤ 10% vs >10%, median: 3.5 vs not estimated (NE) months, P = .01 by log-rank test). In addition, IDO-1 was positively correlated with CD8+ T cell expression (rs = .691, P = .006). PD-L1 expression on tumor cells was negative in 13 (86.7%) of 15 patients, irrespective of therapeutic response (responders vs non-responders: 83.3% vs 88.9%). No differences were noticed in the PD-L1 expression on tumor-infiltrating immune cells (PD-L1 < 1% in 66.7% of both responders and non-responders). In contrast to PD-L1, these results suggest that IDO-1 may be a more promising predictive biomarker for response to immune-based cancer therapy in mRCC.

Comparison of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT with [18F]NaF PET/CT in the evaluation of bone metastases in metastatic prostate cancer patients prior to radionuclide therapy.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to investigate the diagnostic performance of 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT in the evaluation of bone metastases in metastatic prostate cancer (PC) patients scheduled for radionuclide therapy in comparison to [18F]sodium fluoride (18F-NaF) PET/CT. METHODS: Sixteen metastatic PC patients with known skeletal metastases, who underwent both 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT and 18F-NaF PET/CT for assessment of metastatic burden prior to radionuclide therapy, were analysed retrospectively. The performance of both tracers was calculated on a lesion-based comparison. Intensity of tracer accumulation of pathologic bone lesions on 18F-NaF PET and 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET was measured with maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) and compared to background activity of normal bone. In addition, SUVmax values of PET-positive bone lesions were analysed with respect to morphologic characteristics on CT. Bone metastases were either confirmed by CT or follow-up PET scan. RESULTS: In contrast to 468 PET-positive lesions suggestive of bone metastases on 18F-NaF PET, only 351 of the lesions were also judged positive on 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET (75.0%). Intensity of tracer accumulation of pathologic skeletal lesions was significantly higher on 18F-NaF PET compared to 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET, showing a median SUVmax of 27.0 and 6.0, respectively (p < 0.001). Background activity of normal bone was lower on 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET, with a median SUVmax of 1.0 in comparison to 2.7 on 18F-NaF PET; however, tumour to background ratio was significantly higher on 18F-NaF PET (9.8 versus 5.9 on 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET; p = 0.042). Based on morphologic lesion characterisation on CT, 18F-NaF PET revealed median SUVmax values of 23.6 for osteosclerotic, 35.0 for osteolytic, and 19.0 for lesions not visible on CT, whereas on 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET median SUVmax values of 5.0 in osteosclerotic, 29.5 in osteolytic, and 7.5 in lesions not seen on CT were measured. Intensity of tracer accumulation between18F-NaF PET and 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET was significantly higher in osteosclerotic (p < 0.001) and lesions not visible on CT (p = 0.012). CONCLUSION: In comparison to 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT, 18F-NaF PET/CT detects a higher number of pathologic bone lesions in advanced stage PC patients scheduled for radionuclide therapy. Our data suggest that 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET should be combined with 18F-NaF PET in PC patients with skeletal metastases for restaging prior to initiation or modification of therapy.

Increased accuracy of a novel mRNA-based urine test for bladder cancer surveillance.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the Xpert Bladder Cancer (BC) Monitor, compared with cystoscopy and cytology in the oncological follow-up of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 140 patients with a history of NMIBC undergoing routine surveillance at our institution were enrolled prospectively in this study (ISRCTN study registry number 37210907). Urine cytology was evaluated according to the Paris classification system. In addition, urinary specimens were analysed using the Xpert BC Monitor, which measures five target mRNAs (ABL1, CRH, IGF2, UPK1B, ANXA10) using real-time PCR. Descriptive analysis, diagnostic accuracy including sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV), receiver-operating characteristic curve, and area under the curve (AUC) were calculated. RESULTS: The overall sensitivity (0.84) and NPV (0.93) of the Xpert BC Monitor were significantly superior to those of bladder washing cytology (0.33 and 0.76; P < 0.001). Subgroup analyses confirmed the high sensitivity of the Xpert BC Monitor even in low-grade (0.77) and pTa (0.82) disease compared with barbotage cytology (low-grade: 0.13; pTa: 0.21). The overall specificity of the Xpert BC Monitor and barbotage cytology was similar (0.91 vs 0.94; P = 0.41). Combining the Xpert BC Monitor with barbotage cytology (AUC = 0.85) did not enhance diagnostic performance compared with the performance of the Xpert BC Monitor alone (AUC = 0.87). CONCLUSION: In this study, we report for the first time that the Xpert BC Monitor, a new mRNA-based urine test, outperforms cytology with regard to sensitivity and NPV, even in low-grade and pTa tumours, with no reduction of specificity.

Early dynamic imaging in 68Ga- PSMA-11 PET/CT allows discrimination of urinary bladder activity and prostate cancer lesions.

PURPOSE: PET/CT with 68Ga-labelled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-ligands has been proven to establish a promising imaging modality in the work-up of prostate cancer (PC) patients with biochemical relapse. Despite a high overall detection rate, the visualisation of local recurrence may be hampered by high physiologic tracer accumulation in the urinary bladder on whole body imaging, usually starting 60 min after injection. This study sought to verify whether early dynamic 68Ga-PSMA-11 (HBED-CC)PET/CT can differentiate pathologic PC-related tracer uptake from physiologic tracer accumulation in the urinary bladder. METHODS: Eighty consecutive PC patients referred to 68Ga -PSMA-11 PET/CT were included in this retrospective analysis (biochemical relapse: n = 64; primary staging: n = 8; evaluation of therapy response/restaging: n = 8). In addition to whole-body PET/CT acquisition 60 min post injection early dynamic imaging of the pelvis in the first 8 min after tracer injection was performed. SUVmax of pathologic lesions was calculated and time-activity curves were generated and compared to those of urinary bladder and areas of physiologic tracer uptake. RESULTS: A total of 55 lesions consistent with malignancy on 60 min whole body imaging exhibited also pathologic 68Ga-PSMA-11 uptake during early dynamic imaging (prostatic bed/prostate gland: n = 27; lymph nodes: n = 12; bone: n = 16). All pathologic lesions showed tracer uptake within the first 3 min, whereas urinary bladder activity was absent within the first 3 min of dynamic imaging in all patients. Suvmax was significantly higher in PC lesions in the first 6 min compared to urinary bladder accumulation (p < 0.001). In the subgroup of PC patients with biochemical relapse the detection rate of local recurrence could be increased from 20.3 to 29.7%. CONCLUSIONS: Early dynamic imaging in 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT reliably enables the differentiation of pathologic tracer uptake in PC lesions from physiologic bladder accumulation. Performance of early dynamic imaging in addition to whole body imaging 60 min after tracer injection might improve the detection rate of local recurrence in PC patients with biochemical relapse referred for 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT.

The 68Ga/177Lu theragnostic concept in PSMA targeting of castration-resistant prostate cancer: correlation of SUVmax values and absorbed dose estimates.

INTRODUCTION: A targeted theragnostic approach based on increased expression of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) on PC cells is an attractive treatment option for patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). METHODS: Ten consecutive mCRPC patients were selected for 177Lu-PSMA617 therapy on the basis of PSMA-targeted 68Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC PET/CT diagnosis showing extensive and progressive tumour load. Following dosimetry along with the first therapy cycle restaging (68Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC and 18F-NaF PET/CT) was performed after 2 and 3 therapy cycles (each 6.1 ± 0.3 GBq, range 5.4-6.5 GBq) given intravenously over 30 minutes, 9 ± 1 weeks apart. PET/CT scans were compared to 177Lu-PSMA617 24-hour whole-body scans and contrast-enhanced dual-phase CT. Detailed comparison of SUVmax values and absorbed tumour doses was performed. RESULTS: 177Lu-PSMA617 dosimetry indicated high tumour doses for skeletal (3.4 ± 1.9 Gy/GBq; range 1.1-7.2 Gy/GBq), lymph node (2.6 ± 0.4 Gy/GBq; range 2.3-2.9 Gy/GBq) as well as liver (2.4 ± 0.8 Gy/GBq; range 1.7-3.3 Gy/GBq) metastases whereas the dose for tissues/organs was acceptable in all patients for an intention-to-treat activity of 18 ± 0.3 GBq. Three patients showed partial remission, three mixed response, one stable and three progressive disease. Decreased 177Lu-PSMA617 and 68Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC uptake (mean SUVmax values 20.2 before and 15.0 after 2 cycles and 11.5 after 3 cycles, p < 0.05) was found in 41/54 skeletal lesions, 12/13 lymph node metastases, 3/5 visceral metastases and 4/4 primary PC lesions. CONCLUSION: Due to substantial individual variance, dosimetry is mandatory for a patient-specific approach following 177Lu-PSMA617 therapy. Higher activities and/or shorter treatment intervals should be applied in a larger prospective study.

68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT in primary staging of prostate cancer: PSA and Gleason score predict the intensity of tracer accumulation in the primary tumour.

PURPOSE: Prostate cancer (PC) cells typically show increased expression of prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), which can be visualized by 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT. The aim of this study was to assess the intensity of 68Ga-PSMA-11 uptake in the primary tumour and metastases in patients with biopsy-proven PC prior to therapy, and to determine whether a correlation exists between the primary tumour-related 68Ga-PSMA-11 accumulation and the Gleason score (GS) or prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level. METHODS: Ninety patients with transrectal ultrasound biopsy-proven PC (GS 6-10; median PSA: 9.7 ng/ml) referred for 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT were retrospectively analysed. PET images were analysed visually and semiquantitatively by measuring the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax). The SUVmax of the primary tumour and pathologic lesions suspicious for lymphatic or distant metastases were then compared to the physiologic background activity of normal prostate tissue and gluteal muscle. The SUVmax of the primary tumour was assessed in relation to both PSA level and GS. RESULTS: Eighty-two patients (91.1%) demonstrated pathologic tracer accumulation in the primary tumour that exceeded physiologic tracer uptake in normal prostate tissue (median SUVmax: 12.5 vs. 3.9). Tumours with GS of 6, 7a (3+4) and 7b (4+3) showed significantly lower 68Ga-PSMA-11 uptake, with median SUVmax of 5.9, 8.3 and 8.2, respectively, compared to patients with GS >7 (median SUVmax: 21.2; p < 0.001). PC patients with PSA ≥10.0 ng/ml exhibited significantly higher uptake than those with PSA levels <10.0 ng/ml (median SUVmax: 17.6 versus 7.7; p < 0.001). In 24 patients (26.7%), 82 lymph nodes with pathologic tracer accumulation consistent with metastases were detected (median SUVmax: 10.6). Eleven patients (12.2%) revealed 55 pathologic osseous lesions suspicious for bone metastases (median SUVmax: 11.6). CONCLUSIONS: The GS and PSA level correlated with the intensity of tracer accumulation in the primary tumours of PC patients on 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT. As PC tumours with GS 6+7 and patients with PSA values ≤10 ng/ml showed significantly lower 68Ga-PSMA-11 uptake, 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT should be preferentially applied for primary staging of PC in patients with GS >7 or PSA levels ≥10 ng/ml.

Early PET imaging with [68]Ga-PSMA-11 increases the detection rate of local recurrence in prostate cancer patients with biochemical recurrence.

PURPOSE: PET/CT using 68Ga-labelled prostate-specific membrane antigen PSMA-11 (HBEDD-CC) has emerged as a promising imaging method in the diagnostic evaluation of prostate cancer (PC) patients with biochemical recurrence. However, assessment of local recurrence (LR) may be limited by intense physiologic tracer accumulation in the urinary bladder on whole-body scans, normally conducted 60 min post-tracer injection (p.i.). It could be shown on early dynamic imaging studies that 68Ga-PSMA-11 uptake in PC lesions occurs earlier than tracer accumulation in the urinary bladder. This study aims to investigate whether early static PET acquisition increases detection rate of local recurrence on 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT in comparison to PET imaging 60 min p.i.. METHODS: 203 consecutive PC patients with biochemical failure referred to 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT were analysed retrospectively (median prostate specific antigen (PSA) value: 1.44 ng/ml). In addition to whole-body PET/CT scans 60 min p.i., early static imaging of the pelvis was performed, starting at a median time of 283 s p.i. (range: 243-491 s). Assessment was based on visual analysis and calculation of maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of pathologic lesions present in the pelvic area found on early PET imaging and on 60 min-PET scans. RESULTS: 26 patients (12.8%) were judged positive for LR on PET scans 60 min p.i. (median SUVmax: 10.8; range: 4.7-40.9), whereas 50 patients (24.6%) revealed a lesion suggestive of LR on early PET imaging (median SUVmax: 5.9; range: 2.9-17.6), resulting in a significant rise in detection rate (p < 0.001). Equivocal findings on PET scans 60 min p.i. decreased significantly with the help of early imaging (15.8% vs. 4.5% of patients; p < 0.001). Tracer activity in the urinary bladder with a median SUVmax of 8.2 was present in 63 patients on early PET scans (31.0%). However, acquisition starting time of early PET scans differed significantly in the patient groups with and without urinary bladder activity (median starting time of 321 vs. 275 s p.i.; range: 281-491 vs. 243-311 s p.i.; p < 0.001). Median SUVmax value of lesions suggestive of LR on early images was significantly higher in comparison to gluteal muscle, inguinal vessels and seminal vesicle/anastomosis (median SUVmax: 5.9 vs. 1.9, 4.0 and 2.4, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Performance of early imaging in 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT in addition to whole-body scans 60 min p.i. increases the detection rate of local recurrence in PC patients with biochemical recurrence. Acquisition of early PET images should be started as early as 5 min p.i. in order to avoid disturbing tracer activity in the urinary bladder occuring at a later time point.

Urinary UBC Rapid and NMP22 Test for Bladder Cancer Surveillance in Comparison to Urinary Cytology: Results from a Prospective Single-Center Study.

Background: Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is associated with high rates of recurrence, resulting in frequent follow-up cystoscopies. We evaluated the use of two point-of-care tests - the nuclear matrix protein 22 (NMP22) and urinary bladder cancer antigen (UBC) Rapid - compared to routine follow-up in patients with a previous history of NMIBC. Methods: 31 patients with cystoscopy-verified active bladder cancer, and 44 follow-up patients without disease as confirmed by cystoscopy were prospectively enrolled. All urine samples were analyzed by voided urine and bladder washing cytology, NMP22 and UBC rapid test (qualitatively and quantitatively). The best cutoff (highest Youden index; ≥6.7 ng/ml) for the quantitative UBC was determined by receiver operating characteristic curves. Results: Voided urine and barbotage cytology resulted in a sensitivity of 25.8% and 32.3%, and a specificity of 100% and 100%, while the NMP22 showed a sensitivity and specificity of 12.9% and 100%, respectively. The qualitative and quantitative UBC Rapid revealed a sensitivity of 61.3% and 64.5%, with a specificity of 77.3% and 81.8%. Barbotage cytology and qualitative UBC test proved to be the best dual combination with the highest overall sensitivity (77.4%). In contrast to barbotage cytology alone, sensitivity increased from 21.4% to 50% for detecting low-grade tumors, and from 43.8% to 100% for high-grade cancers, but reducing specificity from 100% to 77.3%. Conclusion: Compared to urinary cytology, UBC tests alone as well as UBC tests in combination with bladder washing cytology revealed higher sensitivities in detecting low- and high-grade tumors, but at the expense of a lower specificity. Thus, currently cystoscopy cannot be replaced by any of the evaluated methods.