Delphi consensus on stereotactic ablative radiotherapy for oligometastatic and oligoprogressive renal cell carcinoma-a European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology study endorsed by the European Association of Urology.

The purpose of this European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) project, endorsed by the European Association of Urology, is to explore expert opinion on the management of patients with oligometastatic and oligoprogressive renal cell carcinoma by means of stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) on extracranial metastases, with the aim of developing consensus recommendations for patient selection, treatment doses, and concurrent systemic therapy. A questionnaire on SABR in oligometastatic renal cell carcinoma was prepared by a core group and reviewed by a panel of ten prominent experts in the field. The Delphi consensus methodology was applied, sending three rounds of questionnaires to clinicians identified as key opinion leaders in the field. At the end of the third round, participants were able to find consensus on eight of the 37 questions. Specifically, panellists agreed to apply no restrictions regarding age (25 [100%) of 25) and primary renal cell carcinoma histology (23 [92%] of 25) for SABR candidates, on the upper threshold of three lesions to offer ablative treatment in patients with oligoprogression, and on the concomitant administration of immune checkpoint inhibitor. SABR was indicated as the treatment modality of choice for renal cell carcinoma bone oligometatasis (20 [80%] of 25) and for adrenal oligometastases 22 (88%). No consensus or major agreement was reached regarding the appropriate schedule, but the majority of the poll (54%-58%) retained the every-other-day schedule as the optimal choice for all the investigated sites. The current ESTRO Delphi consensus might provide useful direction for the application of SABR in oligometastatic renal cell carcinoma and highlight the key areas of ongoing debate, perhaps directing future research efforts to close knowledge gaps.

Adjuvant nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus placebo for localised renal cell carcinoma after nephrectomy (CheckMate 914): a double-blind, randomised, phase 3 trial.

BACKGROUND: Effective adjuvant therapy for patients with resected localised renal cell carcinoma represents an unmet need, with surveillance being the standard of care. We report results from part A of a phase 3, randomised trial that aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of adjuvant nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus placebo. METHODS: The double-blind, randomised, phase 3 CheckMate 914 trial enrolled patients with localised clear cell renal cell carcinoma who were at high risk of relapse after radical or partial nephrectomy between 4-12 weeks before random assignment. Part A, reported herein, was done in 145 hospitals and cancer centres across 20 countries. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to nivolumab (240 mg) intravenously every 2 weeks for 12 doses plus ipilimumab (1 mg/kg) intravenously every 6 weeks for four doses, or matching placebo, via an interactive response technology system. The expected treatment period was 24 weeks, and treatment could be continued until week 36, allowing for treatment delays. Randomisation was stratified by TNM stage and nephrectomy (partial vs radical). The primary endpoint was disease-free survival according to masked independent central review; safety was a secondary endpoint. Disease-free survival was analysed in all randomly assigned patients (intention-to-treat population); exposure, safety, and tolerability were analysed in all patients who received at least one dose of study drug (all-treated population). This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03138512. FINDINGS: Between Aug 28, 2017, and March 16, 2021, 816 patients were randomly assigned to receive either adjuvant nivolumab plus ipilimumab (405 patients) or placebo (411 patients). 580 (71%) of 816 patients were male and 236 (29%) patients were female. With a median follow-up of 37·0 months (IQR 31·3-43·7), median disease-free survival was not reached in the nivolumab plus ipilimumab group and was 50·7 months (95% CI 48·1 to not estimable) in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·92, 95% CI 0·71-1·19; p=0·53). The number of events required for the planned overall survival interim analysis was not reached at the time of the data cutoff, and only 61 events occurred (33 in the nivolumab plus ipilimumab group and 28 in the placebo group). 155 (38%) of 404 patients who received nivolumab plus ipilimumab and 42 (10%) of 407 patients who received placebo had grade 3-5 adverse events. All-cause adverse events of any grade led to discontinuation of nivolumab plus ipilimumab in 129 (32%) of 404 treated patients and of placebo in nine (2%) of 407 treated patients. Four deaths were attributed to treatment with nivolumab plus ipilimumab and no deaths were attributed to treatment with placebo. INTERPRETATION: Adjuvant therapy with nivolumab plus ipilimumab did not improve disease-free survival versus placebo in patients with localised renal cell carcinoma at high risk of recurrence after nephrectomy. Our study results do not support this regimen for the adjuvant treatment of renal cell carcinoma. FUNDING: Bristol Myers Squibb and Ono Pharmaceutical.

Lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab versus sunitinib as first-line treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (CLEAR): extended follow-up from the phase 3, randomised, open-label study.

BACKGROUND: In the primary analysis of the CLEAR study, lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab significantly improved progression-free survival and overall survival versus sunitinib in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (data cutoff Aug 28, 2020). We aimed to assess overall survival based on 7 months of additional follow-up. METHODS: This is a protocol-prespecified updated overall survival analysis (data cutoff March 31, 2021) of the open-label, phase 3, randomised CLEAR trial. Patients with clear-cell advanced renal cell carcinoma who had not received any systemic anticancer therapy for renal cell carcinoma, including anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy, or any systemic investigational anticancer drug, were eligible for inclusion from 200 sites (hospitals and cancer centres) across 20 countries. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to receive lenvatinib (20 mg per day orally in 21-day cycles) plus pembrolizumab (200 mg intravenously every 21 days; lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab group), lenvatinib (18 mg per day orally) plus everolimus (5 mg per day orally; lenvatinib plus everolimus group [not reported in this updated analysis]) in 21-day cycles, or sunitinib (50 mg per day orally, 4 weeks on and 2 weeks off; sunitinib group). Eligible patients were at least 18 years old with a Karnofsky performance status of 70 or higher. A computer-generated randomisation scheme was used, and stratification factors were geographical region and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center prognostic groups. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival assessed by independent imaging review according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 (RECIST v1.1). In this Article, extended follow-up analyses for progression-free survival and protocol-specified updated overall survival data are reported for the intention-to-treat population. No safety analyses were done at this follow-up. This study is closed to new participants and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02811861. FINDINGS: Between Oct 13, 2016, and July 24, 2019, 1417 patients were screened for inclusion in the CLEAR trial, of whom 1069 (75%; 273 [26%] female, 796 [74%] male; median age 62 years [IQR 55-69]) were randomly assigned: 355 (33%) patients (255 [72%] male and 100 [28%] female) to the lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab group, 357 (33%) patients (275 [77%] male and 82 [23%] female) to the sunitinib group, and 357 (33%) patients to the lenvatinib plus everolimus group (not reported in this updated analysis). Median follow-up for progression-free survival was 27·8 months (IQR 20·3-33·8) in the lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab group and 19·4 months (5·5-32·5) in the sunitinib group. Median progression-free survival was 23·3 months (95% CI 20·8-27·7) in the lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab group and 9·2 months (6·0-11·0) in the sunitinib group (stratified hazard ratio [HR] 0·42 [95% CI 0·34-0·52]). Median overall survival follow-up was 33·7 months (IQR 27·4-36·9) in the lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab group and 33·4 months (26·7-36·8) in the sunitinib group. Overall survival was improved with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab (median not reached [95% CI 41·5-not estimable]) versus sunitinib (median not reached [38·4-not estimable]; HR 0·72 [95% CI 0·55-0·93]). INTERPRETATION: Efficacy benefits of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab over sunitinib were durable and clinically meaningful with extended follow-up. These results support the use of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab as a first-line therapy for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma. FUNDING: Eisai and Merck Sharp & Dohme.

Robotic stereotactic body radiotherapy for localized prostate cancer: final analysis of the German HYPOSTAT trial.

PURPOSE: We report results of the first German prospective multicenter single-arm phase II trial (ARO 2013-06; NCT02635256) of hypofractionated robotic stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for patients with localized prostate cancer (HYPOSTAT). METHODS: Patients eligible for the HYPOSTAT study had localized prostate cancer (cT1­3 cN0 cM0), Gleason score ≤ 7, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≤ 15 ng/ml, prostate volume ≤ 80 cm3, and an International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) ≤ 12. Initially, inclusion was limited to patients ≥ 75 years or patients 70-74 years with additional risk factors. The trial protocol was later amended to allow for enrolment of patients aged ≥ 60 years. The treatment consisted of 35 Gy delivered in 5 fractions to the prostate and for intermediate- or high-risk patients, also to the proximal seminal vesicles using the CyberKnife system (Accuray Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA). Primary endpoint was the rate of treatment-related gastrointestinal or genitourinary grade ≥ 2 toxicity based on the RTOG scale 12-15 months after treatment. Secondary endpoints were acute toxicity, late toxicity, urinary function, quality of life, and PSA response. RESULTS: From July 2016 through December 2018, 85 eligible patients were enrolled and received treatment, of whom 83 could be evaluated regarding the primary endpoint. Patients mostly had intermediate-risk disease with a median PSA value of 7.97 ng/ml and Gleason score of 7a and 7b in 43.5% and 25.9% of patients, respectively. At the final follow-up 12-15 months after treatment, no patient suffered from treatment-related gastrointestinal or genitourinary grade ≥ 2 toxicity. Acute toxicity was mostly mild, with three grade 3 events, and the cumulative rate of grade ≥ 2 genitourinary toxicity was 8.4% (95% CI 4.1-16.4%). There were no major changes in urinary function or quality of life. The median PSA value dropped to 1.18 ng/ml 12-15 months after treatment. There was one patient who developed distant metastases. CONCLUSION: Robotic SBRT with 35 Gy in 5 fractions was associated with a favorable short-term toxicity profile. Recruitment for the HYPOSTAT­2 trial (ARO-2018­4; NCT03795337), which further analyses the late toxicity of this regimen with a planned sample size of 500 patients, is ongoing.

Single-fraction prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography- and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging-guided stereotactic body radiotherapy for prostate cancer local recurrences.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the efficacy and safety of focal prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography (PSMA-PET)- and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI)-guided single-fraction stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for the treatment of prostate cancer (PCa) local recurrences. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with PSMA-PET-positive PCa local recurrences treated with single-fraction SBRT between 2016 and 2020 were included. Identification for subsequent recurrences or metastatic spread based on increasing prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels were evaluated using PSMA-PET imaging. RESULTS: A total of 64 patients were identified. Patients received various treatments before SBRT (31 patients with radical prostatectomy [RP], 18 external beam radiotherapy [EBRT] with RP, five EBRT, and the remaining 10 other combinations). The median follow-up was 21.6 months. The median PSA level before SBRT was 1.47 ng/mL. All patients received a single-fraction treatment with a median prescription dose and isodose line of 21 Gy and 65%, respectively. At the time of SBRT, six patients (9%) received an androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). PSA levels decreased after SBRT (P = 0.03) and three local recurrences were detected during the follow-up. The progression-free survival after 1-, 2-, and 3-years was 85.3%, 65.9%, and 51.2%, respectively. Six patients (9%) started ADT after SBRT due to disease progression. The rates of newly started ADT after 1-, 2-, and 3-years were 1.8%, 7.3%, and 22.7%, respectively. Grade 1 or 2 toxicities occurred in six patients (9%); no high-grade toxicity was observed. CONCLUSION: While the available data for SBRT in the PCa local recurrence setting describe outcomes for fractionated irradiations, the findings of this first analysis of single-fraction, PSMA-PET- and mpMRI-guided focal SBRT are encouraging. Such treatment appears to be a safe, efficient, and time-saving therapy even in intensively pretreated patients. Recurrence-directed treatments can delay the use of ADT and could avoid prostate bed irradiation in selected patients.

Evaluation of Gas 6 as a Prognostic Marker in Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Growth arrest-specific protein 6 (Gas 6) is a ligand that plays a role in proliferation and migration of cells. For several tumor entities, high levels of Gas 6 are associated with poorer survival. We examined the prognostic role of Gas 6 in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), especially in papillary RCC (pRCC), which is still unclear. METHODS: The patients' sample collection is a joint collaboration of the PANZAR consortium. Patients' medical history and tumor specimens were collected from n = 240 and n = 128 patients with type 1 and 2 pRCC, respectively. Expression of Gas 6 was determined by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In total, Gas 6 staining was evaluable in 180 of 240 type 1 and 110 of 128 type 2 pRCC cases. Kaplan-Meier analysis disclosed no significant difference in 5-year overall survival for all pRCC nor either subtype. Also, Gas+ and Gas- groups did not significantly differ in any tumor or patient characteristics. CONCLUSION: Gas 6 was not found to be an independent prognostic marker in pRCC. Future studies are warranted to determine if Gas 6 plays a role as prognostic marker or therapeutic target in pRCC.

5-year outcomes after stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy for primary renal cell carcinoma: an individual patient data meta-analysis from IROCK (the International Radiosurgery Consortium of the Kidney).

BACKGROUND: Stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) is a non-invasive treatment option for primary renal cell carcinoma, for which long-term data are awaited. The primary aim of this study was to report on long-term efficacy and safety of SABR for localised renal cell carcinoma. METHODS: This study was an individual patient data meta-analysis, for which patients undergoing SABR for primary renal cell carcinoma across 12 institutions in five countries (Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, and the USA) were eligible. Eligible patients had at least 2 years of follow-up, were aged 18 years or older, had any performance status, and had no previous local therapy. Patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma or upper-tract urothelial carcinoma were excluded. SABR was delivered as a single or multiple fractions of greater than 5 Gy. The primary endpoint was investigator-assessed local failure per the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours version 1.1, and was evaluated using cumulative incidence functions. FINDINGS: 190 patients received SABR between March 23, 2007, and Sept 20, 2018. Single-fraction SABR was delivered in 81 (43%) patients and multifraction SABR was delivered in 109 (57%) patients. Median follow-up was 5·0 years (IQR 3·4-6·8). 139 (73%) patients were men, and 51 (27%) were women. Median age was 73·6 years (IQR 66·2-82·0). Median tumour diameter was 4·0 cm (IQR 2·8-4·9). 96 (75%) of 128 patients with available operability details were deemed inoperable by the referring urologist. 56 (29%) of 190 patients had a solitary kidney. Median baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 60·0 mL/min per 1·73 m2 (IQR 42·0-76·0) and decreased by 14·2 mL/min per 1·73 m2 (IQR 5·4-22·5) by 5 years post-SABR. Seven (4%) patients required dialysis post-SABR. The cumulative incidence of local failure at 5 years was 5·5% (95% CI 2·8-9·5) overall, with single-fraction SABR yielding fewer local failures than multifraction (Gray's p=0·020). There were no grade 3 toxic effects or treatment-related deaths. One (1%) patient developed an acute grade 4 duodenal ulcer and late grade 4 gastritis. INTERPRETATION: SABR is effective and safe in the long term for patients with primary renal cell carcinoma. Single-fraction SABR might yield less local failure than multifraction, but further evidence from randomised trials is needed to elucidate optimal treatment schedules. These mature data lend further support for renal SABR as a treatment option for patients unwilling or unfit to undergo surgery. FUNDING: None.

68Ga-EMP-100 PET/CT-a novel ligand for visualizing c-MET expression in metastatic renal cell carcinoma-first in-human biodistribution and imaging results.

BACKGROUND: 68Ga-EMP-100 is a novel positron emission tomography (PET) ligand that directly targets tumoral c-MET expression. Upregulation of the receptor tyrosin kinase c-MET in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is correlated with overall survival in metastatic disease (mRCC). Clinicopathological staging of c-MET expression could improve patient management prior to systemic therapy with for instance inhibitors targeting c-MET such as cabozantinib. We present the first in-human data of 68Ga-EMP-100 in mRCC patients evaluating uptake characteristics in metastases and primary RCC. METHODS: Twelve patients with mRCC prior to anticipated cabozantinib therapy underwent 68Ga-EMP-100 PET/CT imaging. We compared the biodistribution in normal organs and tumor uptake of mRCC lesions by standard uptake value (SUVmean) and SUVmax measurements. Additionally, metastatic sites on PET were compared to contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and the respective, quantitative PET parameters were assessed and then compared inter- and intra-individually. RESULTS: Overall, 87 tumor lesions were analyzed. Of these, 68/87 (79.3%) were visually rated c-MET-positive comprising a median SUVmax of 4.35 and SUVmean of 2.52. Comparing different tumor sites, the highest uptake intensity was found in tumor burden at the primary site (SUVmax 9.05 (4.86-29.16)), followed by bone metastases (SUVmax 5.56 (0.97-15.85)), and lymph node metastases (SUVmax 3.90 (2.13-6.28)) and visceral metastases (SUVmax 3.82 (0.11-16.18)). The occurrence of visually PET-negative lesions (20.7%) was distributed heterogeneously on an intra- and inter-individual level; the largest proportion of PET-negative metastatic lesions were lung and liver metastases. The highest physiological 68Ga-EMP-100 accumulation besides the urinary bladder content was seen in the kidneys, followed by moderate uptake in the liver and the spleen, whereas significantly lower uptake intensity was observed in the pancreas and the intestines. CONCLUSION: Targeting c-MET expression, 68Ga-EMP-100 shows distinctly elevated uptake in mRCC patients with partially high inter- and intra-individual differences comprising both c-MET-positive and c-MET-negative lesions. Our first clinical results warrant further systemic studies investigating the clinical use of 68Ga-EMP-100 as a biomarker in mRCC patients.

Polyethylene glycol-coated collagen patch (hemopatch®) in open partial nephrectomy.

PURPOSE: To describe the results of a polyethylene glycol-coated collagen patch, Hemopatch® on blood loss, surgical time and renal function in partial nephrectomy (PN) for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). METHODS: Out of a single surgeon cohort of n = 565 patients undergoing conventional open PN (CPN) between 01/2015 and 12/2017 at the University of Munich a consecutive subgroup (n = 42) was operated on using a polyethylene glycol-coated collagen-based sealant Hemopatch® (Baxter International Inc., Deerfield, IL, USA) (HPN). RESULTS: Median age was 65.2 years (range 12.7-95.2) with median follow-up of 9.43 months (0.03-49.15). Baseline renal function (CKD-EPI) was 78.56 ml/min/1.73 m2 (range 20.38-143.09) with a non-significant decline to 74.78 ml/min/1.73 m2 (range 3.75-167.74) at follow-up. In CPN 46% had low complexity, 33% moderate complexity and 20% high complexity lesions with 33% low, 40% moderate and 27% high complexity masses in HPN. Median tumor size was 4.3 cm (range 1-38 cm) in CPN with 4.8 cm (range 3.8-18.3 cm) with HPN, p = 0.293. Median blood loss and duration of surgery was significantly lower in the HPN group vs. CPN (146 ml ± 195 vs. 114 ml ± 159 ml; p = 0.021; 43 min ± 27 for HPN vs. 53 min ± 49; p = 0.035) with no difference in clamping time (12.6 min ± 8.6 for HPN vs. 12.0 min ± 9.5; p = 0.701). CONCLUSIONS: Hemopatch® supported renoraphy shows promising results compared to standard renoraphy in PN. No side effects were seen. Further studies should evaluate the prevention of arterio-venous or urinary fistulas. In complex partial nephrectomies Hemopatch® supported renoraphy should be considered.

Dynamics of urinary and respiratory shedding of Severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA excludes urine as a relevant source of viral transmission.

PURPOSE: To investigate the expression of the receptor protein ACE-2 alongside the urinary tract, urinary shedding and urinary stability of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. METHODS: Immunohistochemical staining was performed on tissue from urological surgery of 10 patients. Further, patients treated for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at specialized care-units of a university hospital were assessed for detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in urinary samples via PCR, disease severity (WHO score), inflammatory response of patients. Finally, the stability of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in urine was analyzed. RESULTS: High ACE-2 expression (3/3) was observed in the tubules of the kidney and prostate glands, moderate expression in urothelial cells of the bladder (0-2/3) and no expression in kidney glomeruli, muscularis of the bladder and stroma of the prostate (0/3). SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 5/199 urine samples from 64 patients. Viral RNA was detected in the first urinary sample of sequential samples. Viral RNA load from other specimen as nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) or endotracheal aspirates revealed higher levels than from urine. Detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in urine was not associated with impaired WHO score (median 5, range 3-8 vs median 4, range 1-8, p = 0.314), peak white blood cell count (median 24.1 × 1000/ml, range 5.19-48.1 versus median 11.9 × 1000/ml, range 2.9-60.3, p = 0.307), peak CRP (median 20.7 mg/dl, 4.2-40.2 versus median 11.9 mg/dl, range 0.1-51.9, p = 0.316) or peak IL-6 levels (median: 1442 ng/ml, range 26.7-3918 versus median 140 ng/ml, range 3.0-11,041, p = 0.099). SARS-CoV-2 RNA was stable under different storage conditions and after freeze-thaw cycles. CONCLUSIONS: SARS-CoV-2 RNA in the urine of COVID-19 patients occurs infrequently. The viral RNA load and dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding suggest no relevant route of transmission through the urinary tract.

Analysis by region of outcomes for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma treated with cabozantinib or everolimus: a sub-analysis of the METEOR study.

INTRODUCTION: METEOR was a phase 3 trial (NCT01865747) of cabozantinib versus everolimus in adults with advanced or metastatic clear cell RCC previously treated with VEGF receptor (VEGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). This post hoc analysis of METEOR compared outcomes for patients recruited from European and non-European countries. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Adults with advanced/metastatic clear cell RCC who had received ≥ 1 prior VEGFR-TKI treatment were randomized 1:1 to receive cabozantinib or everolimus. Patients were categorized by recruitment region: Europe or outside of Europe (rest of world [RoW]). Progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), and adverse events (AEs) were compared between regional subgroups. RESULTS: In total, there were 320 eligible patients from Europe (cabozantinib, 167; everolimus, 153) and 338 from RoW (North America, 240 patients; Asia-Pacific, 86; Latin America, 12; randomized as cabozantinib, 163; everolimus, 175). PFS and OS were longer with cabozantinib than with everolimus and similar for the Europe and RoW subgroups. For PFS, the hazard ratio (HR) for cabozantinib versus everolimus was 0.54 for the Europe subgroup (p < .001) and 0.50 for the RoW subgroup (p < .001). For OS, the HR was 0.75 for the Europe subgroup (p = .034) and 0.69 for the RoW subgroup (p = .006). ORR in the Europe subgroup was 15% for cabozantinib and 3.9% for everolimus (p < .001). For the RoW subgroup, ORR was 20% for cabozantinib and 2.9% for everolimus (p < .001). Incidence of grade 3/4 AEs were similar for the Europe (cabozantinib, 74%; everolimus, 58%) and RoW subgroups (cabozantinib, 69%; everolimus, 64%). CONCLUSION: In the METEOR trial, efficacy outcomes for patients recruited from European and non-European countries favored cabozantinib over everolimus. The efficacy and safety results for the regional subgroups were consistent with those of the overall METEOR population.

The Prognostic Impact of PD-L2 in Papillary Renal-Cell Carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Programmed death-1 ligand (PD-L1) has been often studied in different types of renal-cell carcinoma (RCC). For example, in clear-cell renal carcinoma it is well established that programmed death-1 receptor and PD-L1 are important prognostic markers. In contrast, the role of programmed death-2 ligand (PD-L2) as prognostic marker remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate if PD-L2 expression could play a role as a prognostic marker for papillary RCC (pRCC). METHODS: The patients' sample collection was a joint collaboration of the PANZAR consortium. Patients' medical history and tumor specimens were collected from n = 240 and n = 128 patients with type 1 and 2 pRCC, respectively. Expression of PD-L2 was determined by immunohistochemistry. In total, PD-L2 staining was evaluable in 185 of 240 type 1 and 99 of 128 type 2 pRCC cases. RESULTS: PD-L2 staining was positive in 67 (36.2%) of type 1 and in 31 (31.3%) of type 2 pRCC specimens. The prevalence of PD-L2+ cells was significantly higher in high-grade type 1 tumors (p = 0.019) and in type 2 patients with metastasis (p = 0.002). Kaplan-Meier analysis disclosed significant differences in 5-year overall survival (OS) for patients with PD-L2- compared to PD-L2+ in pRCC type 1 of 88.4% compared to 73.6% (p = 0.039) and type 2 of 78.8% compared to 39.1% % (p < 0.001). However, multivariate analysis did not identify the presence of PD-L2+ cells neither in type 1 nor type 2 pRCC as an independent predictor of poor OS. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: PD-L2 expression did not qualify as an independent prognostic marker in pRCC. Future studies will have to determine whether anti-PD-L2-targeted treatment may play a role in pRCC and expression can potentially serve as a predictive marker for these therapeutic approaches.

First-line pazopanib in intermediate- and poor-risk patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma: Final results of the FLIPPER trial.

Temsirolimus has long been the only approved first-line standard of care (SOC) with overall survival (OS) benefit in poor-risk patients with advanced or metastatic renal cell cancer (mRCC). However, tyrosine kinase inhibitors are also commonly used in clinical practice. Pazopanib is an SOC for first-line mRCC treatment, but for poor-risk patients data are scarce. The FLIPPER (First-Line Pazopanib in Poor-Risk Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma) study aimed to assess efficacy and safety of first-line pazopanib in poor-risk mRCC patients. FLIPPER was a single-arm, multicenter, Phase IV trial. Key inclusion criteria were treatment-naive clear cell, inoperable advanced or mRCC, poor-risk according to MSKCC with slight modification, Karnofsky performance status (KPS) ≥60% and adequate organ function. Oral pazopanib 800 mg was given daily. Primary endpoint was the 6-month progression-free survival rate (PFS6). Secondary endpoints included PFS, OS, overall response rate (ORR), duration of response (DOR) and safety. For analysis, descriptive statistics were used. Between 2012 and 2016, 60 patients had been included. Forty-three patients qualified for safety analyses, 34 for efficacy. Median age was 66 years, 64.7% of patients were poor-risk, 82.4% had a KPS ≤70%. PFS6 was 35.3% (95% CI, 19.7-53.5). Median PFS and OS were 4.5 months (95% CI, 3.6-7.8) and 9.3 months (95% CI, 6.6-22.2), respectively. ORR was 32.4% (95% CI, 17.4-50.5), median DOR 9.7 months (95% CI, 1.8-12.4). The most common treatment-related grade 3/4 adverse event reported in 4.7% of patients was hypertension. No treatment-related death occurred. Since pazopanib is active and well tolerated in poor-risk patients with clear cell mRCC, our results support its use as first-line treatment in this setting.

Everolimus after failure of one prior VEGF-targeted therapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: Final results of the MARC-2 trial.

MARC-2, a prospective, multicenter phase IV trial, aimed to investigate clinical outcomes in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treated with everolimus after failure of one initial vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (VEGFR-TKI) therapy and to identify subgroups benefiting most, based on clinical characteristics and biomarkers. Patients with clear cell mRCC failing one initial VEGFR-TKI received everolimus until progression or unacceptable toxicity. Primary endpoint was 6-month progression-free survival rate (6moPFS). Secondary endpoints were overall response rate (ORR), PFS, overall survival (OS), and safety. Between 2011 and 2015, 63 patients were enrolled. Median age was 65.4 years (range 43.3-81.1). 6moPFS was 39.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 27.0-51.3) overall, 54.4% (95% CI, 35.2-70.1) vs 23.7% (95% CI, 10.5-39.9) for patients aged ≥65 vs <65 years and 51.4% (95% CI, 34.7-65.7) vs 18.2% (95% CI, 5.7-36.3) for patients with body mass index (BMI) >25 vs ≤25 kg/m2 . A Cox proportional hazards model confirmed a longer PFS for patients aged ≥65 years (hazard ratio [HR] 0.46; 95% CI, 0.26-0.80) and a longer OS for patients with BMI >25 kg/m2 (HR 0.36; 95% CI, 0.18-0.71). Median PFS and median OS were 3.8 months (95% CI, 3.2-6.2) and 16.8 months (95% CI, 14.3-24.3). ORR was 7.9% and disease control rate was 60.3%. No new safety signals emerged. Most common adverse events were stomatitis (31.7%), fatigue (31.7%), and anemia (30.2%). One patient died from treatment-related upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Everolimus remains a safe and effective treatment option for mRCC patients after one prior VEGFR-TKI therapy. Patients aged ≥65 years and patients with BMI >25 kg/m2 benefited most.

COVID-19 and financial toxicity in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: To ascertain renal cell carcinoma (RCC) financial toxicity on COVID-19 during the COVID-19 crisis as patients are struggling with therapeutic and financial implications. METHODS: An online survey was conducted from March 22 to March 25, 2020. It included baseline demographic, clinicopathologic, treatment-related information, anxiety levels related to COVID-19, questions related to financial concerns about COVID-19 as well as the validated 11-item COST measure. RESULTS: Five-hundred-and-thirty-nine patients (39%:58% male:female) from 14 countries responded. 23% of the patients did not feel in control of their financial situation but 8% reported being very satisfied with their finances. The median COST score was 21.5 (range 1-44). Metastatic patients who have not started systemic therapy had a COST score (19.8 range 2-41) versus patients on oral systemic therapy had a COST score (23.9 range 4-44). Patients in follow-up after surgery had a median COST score at 20.8 (range 1-40). A low COST scores correlated (p < 0.001) were female gender (r = 0.108), younger age (r = 0.210), urban living situation (r = 0.68), a lower educational level (r = 0.155), lower income (r = 0.165), higher anxiety about acquiring COVID-19 (r = 0.198), having metastatic disease (r = 0.073) and a higher distress score about cancer progression (r = 0.224). CONCLUSION: Our data highlight severe financial impact of COVID-19. Acknowledging financial hardship and thorough counseling of cancer patients should be part of the conversation during the pandemic. Treatment and surveillance of RCC patients might have to be adjusted to contemplate financial and medical needs.

Exploratory analysis of the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio prognostic value in the adjuvant renal cell cancer setting.

Aim: To examine the prognostic value of the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in the adjuvant renal cell carcinoma setting. Materials & methods: Patients received adjuvant sunitinib (50 mg/day; 4 weeks on/2 weeks off) or placebo. The primary end point was disease-free survival (DFS). Results: In 609 patients, DFS was similar for baseline PLR <140 versus ≥140 overall (median: 6.4 vs 5.9 years; hazard ratio: 0.9; 95% CI: 0.7-1.2). A ≥25% decrease in PLR at week 4 overall was associated with longer DFS versus no change (hazard ratio: 0.8; 95% CI: 0.6-1.0). Conclusion: Baseline PLR was not prognostic for DFS with adjuvant sunitinib treatment in patients with renal cell carcinoma. Clinical Trials Registration: NCT00375674 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

Does Pandemic Anxiety Affect Urology Health Care Workers?

PURPOSE: To assess anxiety, stress level, and perception of safety during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in health care workers (HCWs) of one of Germany's largest urology university clinics. METHODS: A cross-sectional study among urological HCWs was performed. HCWs were surveyed for anxiety about the pandemic, stress level and current workload, fear of coronavirus infection, current perception of safety at work, and attitude towards protective equipment and tests for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). RESULTS: Sixty-three HCWs filled in the questionnaire. Overall anxiety of infection with CO-VID-19 is at a median of 4.7 with no statistically significant difference between nurses and physicians (p = 0.0749). Safety at work reaches a median of 6 out of 10. In fact, the highest fear in 56.7% (31/63) of the personnel is to get infected by a colleague tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 despite wearing surgical face masks. A proportion of 55.7 and 74.6% highly favor swabs for SARS-CoV-2 on a regular basis in HCWs and patients, respectively (p = 0.0001). Workload in the urology department is clearly reduced during the pandemic (physicians 39.3% vs. nurses 32.2%, p = 0.0001) and 57.4% do not feel distress at all; only 27.9% express mental distress. CONCLUSION: During the pandemic, urology HCWs perceive lower burden by workload and deem themselves at low risk of infection. However, the greatest anxiety is related to infection by a SARS-CoV-2-positive colleague, despite reciprocal protection by surgical face masks. This highlights a relevant mental stress and uncertainty towards management of infected HCWs, calling for increased education and psychological support.

Listening to Music during Outpatient Cystoscopy Reduces Pain and Anxiety and Increases Satisfaction: Results from a Prospective Randomized Study.

BACKGROUND: This study investigates the effect of classical music, music of patients' own choice, or no music on pain reduction during elective cystoscopy. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to describe the effect of listening to classical music, music of patients' own choice, or no music on patient's pain and satisfaction rates when carrying out an elective cystoscopy and the effect on the assessment capability of the performing urologist. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This randomized trial included 127 patients undergoing elective cystoscopy at the Urological Department of the University Clinic of Munich between June 2019 and March 2020. Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: Patients were assigned randomly to 3 groups: group I: listening to standardized classical music (n = 35), group II: listening to music according to the patients' choice (n = 34), and control group III: no music (n = 44). Prior to cystoscopy, anxiety levels were assessed by the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The Visual Analog Scale (VAS, range 1-100) was used for a self-assessment of pain, discomfort, and satisfaction. Statistical analysis was done with Spearman's rank correlation and t-tests. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: The median age was 63 (range 27-91) years. The duration of cystoscopy was 5.7 (1-30) min. Patients had undergone a median of 2.3 cystoscopies in the past. Between giving informed consent and cystoscopy, patients had to wait for a median of 64 (0-260) min. The median VAS pain score was significantly lower in group I at 1.7 and group II at 2.3 versus 5.2 in the control group III (p < 0.001). The control group III had significantly worse pain and patient satisfaction rates compared with groups I and II. Group I had a significant lower VAS pain score than groups II and III (p < 0.001). Classical music also increased the assessment capability of the preforming urologist. CONCLUSIONS: Listening to music during elective cystoscopy significantly reduces pain and distress and leads to higher patient and surgeon satisfaction. We recommend listening to classical music or music chosen by the patients during outpatient flexible/rigid cystoscopy in daily clinical routine. Patient Summary: In this study, we found that patients who listened to classical music or music of their own choice while undergoing a cystoscopy showed significant reduction of pain and distress.

Mapping Telemedicine in German Private Practice Urological Care: Implications for Transitioning beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic.

BACKGROUND: There are limited data on the use and concern of telemedicine among German urologists, and thus, there are no established guidelines for telemedical diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of urological indications. METHODS: An anonymized survey was conducted among German private practice urologists during the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The χ2 test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Kruskal-Wallis test were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: 257 urologists were included in the final analysis. Thirty-five (14.0%) of urologists had used telemedicine as part of their consultation, and 221 (86.0%) had not used telemedicine. There was no difference between telemedicine adoption rates between rural and urban settings. Telemedicine users were significantly more satisfied with the information they had received regarding telemedicine issues. Users saw the greatest barrier to telemedicine that patients do not take up the offer of telemedicine. Nonusers were most concerned with unclear indications for telemedicine followed by lesser reimbursements during telemedicine than in-person visitations. Users were significantly more likely to use telemedicine beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. Urologists, who wanted to use the service in the future, wanted an active support by the German society of urology and guidelines for telemedicine. Last, users and nonusers preferred telemedicine for non-acute chronic diseases and follow-up visitations. CONCLUSION: Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine remains a rarely used service among German private practice urologists. Ultimately, to overcome the current challenges, urologists require an active support for the service through the German Society of Urology and telemedical guidelines.

Rare patients in routine care: Treatment and outcome in advanced papillary renal cell carcinoma in the prospective German clinical RCC-Registry.

Non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma is a very rare malignancy that includes several histological subtypes. Each subtype may need to be addressed separately regarding prognosis and treatment; however, no Phase III clinical trial data exist. Thus, treatment recommendations for patients with non-clear cell metastatic RCC (mRCC) remain unclear. We present first prospective data on choice of first- and second-line treatment in routine practice and outcome of patients with papillary mRCC. From the prospective German clinical cohort study (RCC-Registry), 99 patients with papillary mRCC treated with systemic first-line therapy between December 2007 and May 2017 were included. Prospectively enrolled patients who had started first-line treatment until May 15, 2016, were included into the outcome analyses (n = 82). Treatment was similar to therapies used for clear cell mRCC and consisted of tyrosine kinase inhibitors, mechanistic target of rapamycin inhibitors and recently checkpoint inhibitors. Median progression-free survival from start of first-line treatment was 5.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.1-9.2) and median overall survival was 12.0 months (95% CI, 8.1-20.0). At data cutoff, 73% of the patients died, 6% were still observed, 12% were lost to follow-up, and 9% were alive at the end of the individual 3-year observation period. Despite the lack of prospective Phase III evidence in patients with papillary mRCC, our real-world data reveal effectiveness of systemic clear cell mRCC therapy in papillary mRCC. The prognosis seems to be inferior for papillary compared to clear cell mRCC. Further studies are needed to identify drivers of effectiveness of systemic therapy for papillary mRCC.