Positive regulatory loop of platelet-derived growth factor DD-induced STAT3 activation is associated with poor prognosis in advanced urothelial carcinoma.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has been established for patients with advanced urothelial cancer (UC). The necessity of overcoming resistance to ICIs and identifying a predictive factor for the same has been highlighted, such as the assessment of combination therapy with other targeted drugs and the characterization of molecular signatures in the tumor microenvironment. Recently, we reported that low hemoglobin (Hb) levels and a high platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) were significantly associated with overall survival in patients with UC who did not benefit from pembrolizumab treatment. In the present study, we identified a possible link between these unfavorable prognostic indicators and PDGF-DD-induced STAT3 activation in UC. Overlapping patients between the high STAT3- or phosphorylated STAT3-positive score group (as assessed by immunohistochemistry) and low Hb levels or high PLR group (as assessed by blood tests) showed significantly worse outcomes after pembrolizumab treatment. Additionally, using the bladder cancer JMSU1 cell line, we demonstrated a possible positive regulatory loop between autocrine/paracrine PDGF-DD and STAT3 signaling. Therefore, we suggest that STAT3 inhibition and PDGF-DD detection in the tumor microenvironment might represent a potential therapeutic strategy to overcome resistance to pembrolizumab. Moreover, this can help identify patients with UC who could benefit from combination treatment.

A phase II randomized trial of metastasis-directed therapy with alpha emitter radium-223 in men with oligometastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (MEDAL).

BACKGROUND: The significance of metastasis-directed therapy for oligometastatic prostate cancer has been widely discussed, and targeted therapy for progressive sites is a feasible option as a multidisciplinary treatment for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). When oligometastatic CRPC with only bone metastases progresses after targeted therapy, it tends to progress as multiple bone metastases. The progression of oligometastatic CRPC after targeted therapy may be due in part to the presence of micrometastatic lesions that, though undetected on imaging, were present prior to targeted therapy. Thus the systemic treatment of micrometastases in combination with targeted therapy for progressive sites is expected to enhance the therapeutic effect. Radium-223 dichloride (radium-223) is a radiopharmaceutical that selectively binds to sites of increased bone turnover and inhibits the growth of adjacent tumor cells by emitting alpha rays. Therefore, for oligometastatic CRPC with only bone metastases, radium-223 may enhance the therapeutic effect of radiotherapy for active metastases. METHODS: This phase II, randomized trial of Metastasis-Directed therapy with ALpha emitter radium-223 in men with oligometastatic CRPC (MEDAL) is designed to assess the utility of radium-223 in combination with metastasis-directed radiotherapy in patients with oligometastatic CRPC confined to bone. In this trial, patients with oligometastatic CRPC with three or fewer bone metastases on whole-body MRI with diffusion-weighted MRI (WB-DWI) will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive radiotherapy for active metastases plus radium-223 or radiotherapy for active metastases alone. The prior use of androgen receptor axis-targeted therapy and prostate-specific antigen doubling time will be used as allocation factors. The primary endpoint will be radiological progression-free survival against progression of bone metastases on WB-DWI. DISCUSSION: This will be the first randomized trial to evaluate the effect of radium-223 in combination with targeted therapy in oligometastatic CRPC patients. The combination of targeted therapy for macroscopic metastases with radiopharmaceuticals targeting micrometastasis is expected to be a promising new therapeutic strategy for patients with oligometastatic CRPC confined to bone. Trial registration Japan Registry of Clinical Trials (jRCT) (jRCTs031200358); Registered on March 1, 2021, https://jrct.niph.go.jp/latest-detail/jRCTs031200358.

Clinical outcomes of nivolumab plus ipilimumab in patients with metastatic non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma: Real-world data from a Japanese multicenter retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: Although nivolumab plus ipilimumab has become a standard treatment regimen for metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), its efficacy in non-clear cell carcinoma (nccRCC) has not been fully examined. In the current study, we evaluated the clinical outcomes of nivolumab plus ipilimumab in nccRCC compared with ccRCC. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 22 patients with metastatic and/or locally advanced unresectable nccRCC who received nivolumab plus ipilimumab as a first-line therapy and compared them with 107 patients with ccRCC. Objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity were compared between the nccRCC and ccRCC groups. RESULTS: The histology of nccRCC included eight papillary, six unclassified, three chromophobe, two collecting duct carcinoma, and three other subtypes. Best objective response in nccRCC patients included three complete responses and five partial responses, resulting in an ORR of 36%, while that in ccRCC patients was 50% (p = 0.22). With a median follow-up of 11.9 months, OS was significantly shorter in patients with nccRCC than in those with ccRCC (median 20.8 months vs. not reached, p = 0.04), while there was no significant difference in PFS (median 6.3 vs. 10.8 months, p = 0.21). Treatment-related adverse events occurred in 14 (64%) nccRCC patients and 81 (76%) ccRCC patients. CONCLUSIONS: Combination treatment with nivolumab and ipilimumab demonstrated modest clinical efficacy in patients with nccRCC compared with patients with ccRCC, suggesting it could be a therapeutic option for metastatic nccRCC patients.

Peritoneal closure and the processus vaginalis transection method to prevent inguinal hernia after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

OBJECTIVES: Postoperative inguinal hernia (IH) is one of the most common complications of radical prostatectomy (RP) including robot-assisted RP (RARP). However, a procedure to prevent IH after RARP has not been established. We investigated the impact of processus vaginalis transection (PVT) and PVT with peritoneal closure on IH after RARP. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on data from patients who underwent RARP at two tertiary hospitals in Japan, where PVT with subsequent peritoneal closure was introduced after 2014. The incidence of IH for 2 years after RARP was compared among 79 patients without PVT or peritoneal closure, 232 patients with only PVT, and 325 patients with PVT and peritoneal closure. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models that adjusted for hospital, age, history of abdominal operation, body mass index, operation time, and prostate weight were used. RESULTS: Postoperative IH was observed in seven (8.9%) patients without PVT or peritoneal closure, 34 (15%) patients with only PVT, and nine (2.8%) patients with PVT and peritoneal closure. Compared with patients without PVT or peritoneal closure, the incidence of IH was not different in patients with only PVT (hazard ratio [HR] 0.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.34, 2.38) and significantly lower in patients with PVT and peritoneal closure (HR 0.22, 95% CI 0.07, 0.70). CONCLUSION: PVT with peritoneal closure may reduce the risk of postoperative IH after RARP. Future randomized controlled trials are required to confirm these findings.

A Case of Immune Thrombocytopenia Occurring after Radiotherapy plus Atezolizumab Treatment for Bladder Cancer.

An 84-year-old female developed gross hematuria. She was diagnosed as urinary bladder carcinoma. She was initiated on concurrent atezolizumab plus radiation(a phase Ⅱ clinical trial)(jRCT2031180060). After 8 cycles of atezolizumab, complete response was confirmed. Maintenance atezolizumab treatment was started. Platelet(Plt)count decreased, there was no rechallenge with atezolizumab. Bone marrow examination revealed normal. Plt count recovered. Plt count decreased again. The serum levels of interleukin-6(IL-6)were elevated. She was diagnosed as having immune thrombocytopenia. She was started on treatment with prednisolone(PSL)at dose of 20 mg/day. Plt count was increased.

Early C-reactive protein kinetics predict survival of patients with advanced urothelial cancer treated with pembrolizumab.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prognostic and predictive ability of early C-reactive protein (CRP) kinetics, dynamic changes in CRP levels, in patients with advanced urothelial cancer treated with pembrolizumab. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 97 patients with advanced urothelial cancer treated with pembrolizumab in second-line or later settings. Patients were divided into three early CRP kinetics groups: non-elevated (baseline CRP < 5 mg/L), responder (baseline CRP ≥ 5 mg/L and CRP decreased below baseline at least once within 30 days), and non-responder (baseline CRP ≥ 5 mg/L and CRP never decreased to baseline within 30 days). Association between early CRP kinetics and pembrolizumab efficacy including objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), and overall survival (OS) were evaluated. RESULTS: Based on early CRP kinetics, 40, 27, and 30 patients were classified as non-elevated, responder, and non-responder, respectively. ORR and DCR were 33% and 60% in non-elevated, 30% and 48% in responder, and 17% and 40% in non-responder; without a statistically significant difference. OS was significantly different among the non-elevated, responder, and non-responder groups (p < 0.01), with 1-year survival rates of 69%, 61%, and 31%, respectively. Early CRP kinetics could discriminate the OS of patients without objective response. Non-responder was an independent predictor for OS (HR 3.65, p < 0.01), as well as liver metastasis and ECOG PS ≥ 2. CONCLUSION: Early CRP kinetics is associated with survival of advanced urothelial cancer patients treated with pembrolizumab and could be a potential biomarker for clinical benefit from immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Screening of chronic radiation proctitis and colorectal cancer using periodic total colonoscopy after external beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence of colorectal cancer and chronic radiation proctitis after prostate radiotherapy using periodic total colonoscopy screening. METHODS: From February 2013 to January 2018, 270 patients who underwent external beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer were advised to receive periodic total colonoscopy screening annually. We evaluated the incidence and characteristics of colorectal cancer and chronic radiation proctitis. RESULTS: First, second, third, fourth and fifth total colonoscopy were performed in 256 (95%), 151 (56%), 60 (22%), 23 (8.5%) and 7 (2.6%) patients at a median of 14, 31, 42, 54 and 72 months after radiotherapy, respectively. The prevalence proportion of colorectal cancer in the first colonoscopy since radiotherapy was 3.9%. Twelve (4.4%) patients were diagnosed with colorectal cancer, including four invasive cancers, during a follow-up period. Eight of these 12 patients had not experienced rectal bleeding. The median time to diagnosis of colorectal cancer was 21 months. Chronic radiation proctitis was observed in 136 (50%) patients, including 67 (25%) patients with symptomatic bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: The high detection rate of asymptomatic radiation proctitis suggests the utility of total colonoscopy to screen for early-stage colorectal cancer prior to or following radiotherapy for prostate cancer. Considering the longevity after localized prostate cancer treatment, the awareness of chronic radiation-induced proctitis and the risk of colorectal cancer masked by bleeding is needed in treatment decision -making.

Contact with renal sinus is associated with poor prognosis in surgically treated pT1 clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prognostic significance of contact with the renal sinus in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma. METHODS: A total of 787 pT1N0M0 clear cell renal cell carcinoma patients who had undergone radical or partial nephrectomy were reviewed retrospectively. A tumor in contact with the renal sinus was defined as a tumor radiologically attached to the renal sinus. Metastatic-free survival rates were analyzed in the total and propensity score-matched cohorts. A risk score model for metastasis after surgery was developed. RESULTS: Of the 787 patients, 411 (52.2%) had tumors in contact with renal sinus. The contact with renal sinus group showed poorer metastatic-free survival in both total and matched cohorts. In multivariate analysis, contact with renal sinus was an independent prognostic factor of metastasis, as well as Fuhrman grade, microvascular invasion and age. The scoring model likewise consisted of Fuhrman grade, microvascular invasion, age and contact with renal sinus. Metastasis-free survival curves were clearly stratified according to risk, with 5-year metastasis-free survival rates of 95.7% and 65.2% in the low- and high-risk groups, respectively (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Contact with the renal sinus is a significant risk factor for metastasis in T1 clear cell renal cell carcinoma after surgery. More intensive follow up should be recommended for patients with renal cell carcinoma that is in contact with the renal sinus.

The processus vaginalis transection method is superior to the simple prophylactic procedure for prevention of inguinal hernia after radical prostatectomy.

BACKGROUND: We compared retrospectively the efficacy of two methods for prevention of post-radical prostatectomy inguinal hernia: blunt dissection of the peritoneum at the internal inguinal ring, and isolation of the spermatic cord from the peritoneum (simple prophylactic procedure) and transection of the processus vaginalis. METHODS: Of the 367 patients who underwent open radical retropubic prostatectomy for clinically localized prostate cancer between February 2005 and March 2012 at Saitama Cancer Center Hospital, 344 patients whose follow-up period was more than 2 years were enrolled in this study. Of these patients, 178 patients received the simple prophylactic procedure and 57 underwent processus vaginalis transection. We evaluated the risk factors for inguinal hernia (age; anastomotic stricture post radical prostatectomy; prophylactic procedures for inguinal hernia; previous history of abdominal surgery; previous inguinal hernia surgery; body mass index) using univariate and multivariate analysis. The effects of the two prophylactic procedures on incidence of inguinal hernia were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier plots. RESULTS: The incidence of inguinal hernia was 24.8 % in those not undergoing the prophylactic procedure; 18.5 % in those undergoing the simple prophylactic procedure; and 0.00 % in those undergoing the processus vaginalis transection procedure (p < 0.001). In univariate and multivariate analysis, undergoing the processus vaginalis transection procedure and high body mass index were significant predictors for hernia-free survival after radical prostatectomy. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the processus vaginalis transection procedure is superior to the simple prophylactic procedure for the prevention of inguinal hernia after radical prostatectomy.

Favorable outcome of intraoperative radiotherapy to the primary site in patients with metastatic prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine whether local radiotherapy to the prostate by intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) increases the overall and cancer-specific survival rates of patients with metastatic prostate cancer. METHODS: Between 1993 and 2000, 102 patients with prostate cancer were treated with a combination of (a) IORT of the prostate (25 or 30 Gy per fraction); (b) external beam radiotherapy of the prostate (30 Gy in 10 fractions), starting approximately 1 week post-operatively; and (c) endocrine treatment. Of these, 16 patients had stage D1 disease (D1 IORT group), 32 had stage D2 disease without visceral metastasis (D2 IORT group), and 38 had stage D2 disease without visceral metastasis and did not receive local therapy (D2 control group). Overall and cancer-specific survival rates were compared. RESULTS: The 5- and 10-year cancer-specific survival rates were 75.9 and 52.7 %, respectively, in the (D1 + D2) IORT group and 45.8 and 33.5 %, respectively, in the D2 control group, with cancer-specific survival being significantly longer in the D2 IORT than in the D2 control group (P = 0.030). Univariate and multivariate reduced-rank regression analyses showed that extent of skeletal disease Grade 4 and non-regional lymph node metastasis were significantly prognostic of poorer cancer-specific survival (P < 0.001 each). CONCLUSIONS: Local radiotherapy to the prostate by IORT in patients with metastatic prostate cancer may contribute to better survival, especially in patients without extent of skeletal disease Grade 4 or non-regional lymph node metastasis.

[Three Successful TUR Treatments of Urinary Bladder Recurrence of Colorectal Carcinoma].

We analyzed whether TUR was feasible in 4 cases of urinary bladder recurrence of sigmoid colon cancer that invaded into the bladder. Case No. 1 involved a 66-year-old male who presented with sigmoid colon cancer that had invaded the urinary bladder; he underwent sigmoidectomy with partial bladder resection. Six months after the operation, a small, protruded lesion in his urinary bladder was detected and TUR was performed. He has been cancer free for 10 years. Case No. 2 involved a 53- year-old female who underwent sigmoidectomy and hepatectomy for her sigmoid colon cancer and liver metastasis. She developed bladder and liver metastases, which were resected. Four months later, she underwent TUR because she developed a small recurrent tumor in the bladder. Since then, she has had no intrapelvic recurrence for 6 years. Case No. 3 was a 44- year-old male who underwent bladder-preserving resection for a sigmoid colon cancer that had invaded his bladder. He developed a relatively large bladder tumor 1 year 6 months later. TUR was performed and he was administered CRT. He has had no recurrences for 2 years 5 months. Case No. 4 was a 68-year-old male who underwent bladder-preserving surgery for a sigmoid colon cancer that had invaded his bladder. Because he developed a recurrence in the bladder, he underwent TUR 3 months later. He developed a recurrence in the bladder again 1 year 7 months later, and he underwent TUR again. Multiple organ metastases became evident and was prescribed chemotherapy for 2 years. From these cases, we conclude that TUR may be a feasible option for small, protruded recurrences in the bladder, but we should not hesitate to perform total cystectomy if the first TUR is unsuccessful.

Development of a novel interferon-α2b gene construct with a repetitive hypoxia-inducible factor binding site and its suppressive effects on human renal cell carcinoma cell lines in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Despite the advent of targeted therapies, interferon-alpha (IFN-α) remains a therapeutic option for advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), especially in Japan, with a treatment response rate of 15-20 %. To improve the efficacy of IFN-α-based therapies, we evaluated a novel treatment strategy for RCC using an IFN-α2b gene construct with a repetitive hypoxia-inducible factor binding site. METHODS: We constructed an expression plasmid designated 5HREp-IFN-α2b containing the coding region of the IFN-α2b gene. Five copies of the hypoxia-response element (HRE) sequences were inserted upstream of the IFN-α2b gene, and the construct was transfected into human RCC cell lines ACHN, 786-O and KU19-20. The concentrations of IFN-α2b in the conditioned media were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Cell viabilities were determined by MTS assays. RESULTS: Construct-induced IFN-α secretion was confirmed in all three cell lines. IFN-α production was significantly enhanced by the hypoxia-mimicking agent deferoxamine mesylate in cell lines expressing the wild-type von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene (KU19-20 and ACHN) compared with cells expressing the mutant VHL gene (786-O). The construct exerted significant suppressive effects on the viabilities of all RCC cell lines. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to report on the construction of a cytokine gene with a repetitive hypoxia-inducible factor binding site and its application in the suppression of human cancer cells. Gene therapy using this IFN-α2b gene construct with HREs may represent a novel treatment modality for advanced RCC.

Treatment-related neuroendocrine prostate cancer with BRCA2 germline mutation treated with olaparib.

Introduction: The efficacy of olaparib for treatment-related neuroendocrine prostate cancer is unknown. Here, we report a case of treatment-related neuroendocrine prostate cancer with a BRCA2 mutation that was treated with olaparib with 1-year efficacy. Case presentation: A 75-year-old man initially diagnosed with prostate adenocarcinoma developed treatment-related neuroendocrine prostate cancer after 10-year androgen deprivation therapy. Despite the initial temporary effects of etoposide and carboplatin, the patient experienced prostate bed tumor recurrence 1 year after chemotherapy cessation. FoundationOne® detected a BRCA2 gene mutation, and olaparib was initiated after repeating one chemotherapy course using the same chemotherapeutic agents. The patient received olaparib with sustained tumor regression for 1 year without severe side effects. Conclusion: Olaparib may be the treatment of choice for treatment-related neuroendocrine prostate cancer in patients with BRCA mutations.

STAT3 Contributes a Favorable Response to Pembrolizumab Through IFN-γ-induced Apoptosis in Urothelial Cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Pembrolizumab, a second-line therapy for platinum-refractory advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC), is needed to improve objective response rate. Hence, it is crucial to identify optimal predictive biomarkers of responses. This study aimed to clarify the predictive value and role of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in selecting patients with advanced UC who might benefit clinically from pembrolizumab therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 31 patients who received pembrolizumab therapy for UC. STAT3, phosphorylated STAT3 (p-STAT3), and PD-L1 expression were determined using tissue microarrays constructed from patient-derived specimens, and the association of these expression levels with overall survival was analyzed. We assessed the functional role of STAT3 in bladder cancer cell lines in response to interferon-gamma (IFN-γ). RESULTS: Patients with high STAT3 or p-STAT3 expression, and high platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) (n=6) had a significantly shorter OS; in the other patients (n=25), high STAT3 or p-STAT3 expression was significantly associated with improved prognosis. IFN-γ-induced apoptosis was partially dependent on STAT3 in T24 cells but not in JMSU1 cells. CONCLUSION: In patients with advanced UC, STAT3 plays a key role in mediating the efficacy of pembrolizumab through apoptosis in response to IFN-γ.

Treatment outcome of patients with extragonadal nonseminomatous germ cell tumors: the Saitama Cancer Center experience.

BACKGROUND: Survival of patients with extragonadal nonseminomatous germ cell tumors remains inferior to that of patients with advanced testicular cancer, although treatment is often the same for both conditions. In addition, the prognosis for nonseminomatous tumors has been shown to be worse than for seminoma. METHODS: Thirteen patients with extragonadal nonseminomatous germ cell tumors were treated between 1998 and 2011; the primary tumors were located in the mediastinum in six and in the retroperitoneum in seven. At initial diagnosis seven patients had distant metastases. According to the IGCCC, eleven patients had poor prognosis and two were intermediate. All 13 patients received cisplatin or carboplatin-based chemotherapy as initial treatment. The patients were further treated by use of a multi-modal strategy which included high-dose chemotherapy, aggressive surgery, and early introduction of salvage regimens. RESULTS: Complete response was obtained for eight patients. Among these complete responders, one patient remained relapse-free after post-chemotherapy surgical excision of viable cancer tissue. In the course of the chemotherapy, four patients died from cancer progression and one patient died as a result of post-chemotherapeutic sepsis. The other eight patients were alive at the end of the observation period. At the last observation all surviving patients were without evidence of disease. Five-year overall survival for all 13 patients was 62 %, and 5-year cancer-specific survival was 68 %. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that even patients with far-advanced extragonadal nonseminomatous germ cell tumors can be cured by intensive chemotherapy plus surgery.

[Case of septic shock caused by extended spectrum ß-lactamase producing Escherichia coli after transrectal prostate biopsy, successfully treated by endotoxin adsorption therapy].

A 62-year-old man, with a family history of prostate cancer, referred to our hospital because of elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) (6.02 ng/ml). After prophylactic administration of antibiotics (cefotiam), transrectal needle biopsy of the prostate was performed. He was admitted to the hospital due to high fever the next evening. His blood pressure was below the shock level, and his renal function deteriorated progressively. Suspecting septic shock, the patient was treated with Meropenem, γ-globulin, and dopamine, which were not effective. Then, endotoxin adsorption therapy was employed and the condition of the patient recovered soon after the initiation of the therapy. Extended spectrum ß -lactamase-producing Escherichia coli was found in his urine. Pathological diagnosis of the biopsy specimen was atypical glands.

Pretreatment Hemoglobin Levels and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratio Predict Survival Benefit from Pembrolizumab in Advanced Urothelial Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Several prognostic risk factors have been recognized when using cisplatin-based conventional chemotherapy for the treatment of advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC); these include performance status (PS), liver metastasis, hemoglobin (Hb) levels, time from prior chemotherapy (TFPC), and other systemic inflammation scores including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR). However, the benefit of these indicators for predicting outcome of immune checkpoint inhibitors is not fully understood. Here, we investigated the predictive value of the indicators in patients who received pembrolizumab for the treatment of advanced UC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seventy-five patients who received pembrolizumab treatment for advanced UC were included. The Karnofsky PS, liver metastasis, hemoglobin levels, TFPC, NLR, and PLR were analyzed, and their relationship with overall survival (OS) was determined. RESULTS: All factors were highlighted as significant prognostic indicators for OS in the univariate proportional regression analysis (p<0.05 for each). Multivariate analysis revealed that Karnofsky PS and liver metastasis were independent prognostic indicators for OS (p<0.01) but were applicable only for a small number of patients. Notably, the combined analysis with low Hb levels and high PLR was significantly associated with OS in patients who could gain less benefit from pembrolizumab at a median of 6.6 [95% confidence interval (CI)=4.2-9.0] versus 15.1 (95% CI=12.4-17.8) months (p=0.002). CONCLUSION: The combination of Hb levels and PLR may be a broadly applicable indicator for the outcome of pembrolizumab as second-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced UC.

Efficacy and Safety of Bladder Preservation Therapy in Combination with Atezolizumab and Radiation Therapy (BPT-ART) for Invasive Bladder Cancer: Interim Analysis from a Multicenter, Open-label, Prospective Phase 2 Trial.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the safety and pathologic complete response (pCR) rate of radiation therapy with atezolizumab as bladder-preserving therapy for invasive bladder cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A multicenter, phase 2 study was conducted with patients with clinically T2-3 or very-high-risk T1 bladder cancer who were poor candidates for or refused radical cystectomy. The interim analysis of pCR is reported as a key secondary endpoint ahead of the progression-free survival rate primary endpoint. Radiation therapy (41.4 Gy to the small pelvic field and 16.2 Gy to the whole bladder) was given in addition to 1200 mg intravenous atezolizumab every 3 weeks. After 24 treatment weeks, response was assessed after transurethral resection, and tumor programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression was assessed using tumor-infiltrating immune cell scores. RESULTS: Forty-five patients enrolled from January 2019 to May 2021 were analyzed. The most common clinical T stage was T2 (73.3%), followed by T1 (15.6%) and T3 (11.1%). Most tumors were solitary (77.8%), small (<3 cm) (57.8%), and without concurrent carcinoma in situ (88.9%). Thirty-eight patients (84.4%) achieved pCR. High pCR rates were achieved in older patients (90.9%) and in patients with high PD-L1-expressing tumors (95.8% vs 71.4%). Adverse events (AEs) occurred in 93.3% of patients, with diarrhea being the most common (55.6%), followed by frequent urination (42.2%) and dysuria (20.0%). The frequency of grade 3 AEs was 13.3%, whereas no grade 4 AEs were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Combination therapy with radiation therapy and atezolizumab provided high pCR rates and acceptable toxicity, indicating it could be a promising option for bladder preservation therapy.

[Outcome of simple prophylactic procedure of inguinal hernia after radical prostatectomy].

Blunt dissection of the peritoneum at the internal inguinal ring and isolation of the spermatic cord from the peritoneum have been demonstrated to be effective for the prevention of post radical prostatectomy (RRP) inguinal hernia. We tested the efficacy of this simple procedure and analyzed the factors affecting the incidence of inguinal hernia. Of the 298 patients who underwent open RRP for clinically localized prostate cancer between February 2005 and March 2011 at Saitama Cancer Center hospital, 186 patients received the simple prophylactic procedure of inguinal hernia. We evaluated the risk factors of inguinal hernia (age, time of operation, intraoperative bleeding, prophylactic procedure of inguinal hernia, previous history of abdominal surgery, previous history of inguinal hernia surgery, nerve sparing, lymph node dissection, body-mass-index (BMI), hypertension, diabetes, and smoking) by univariate and multivariate analysis. Effects of the simple prophylactic procedure on incidence of inguinal hernia were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier plots. The incidence of inguinal hernia was 29.6% in those without the prophylactic procedure, and 11.4% in those with the prophylactic procedure. In univariate and multivariate analysis, only low BMI was a significant risk factor for inguinal hernia after RRP. Accordingly, the incidence of inguinal hernia was not affected by the prophylactic procedure in Kaplan-Meier analysis. Though the simple prophylactic procedure might be useful for prevention of post-radical prostatectomy inguinal hernia, its efficacy was demonstrated to be limited.

Dedifferentiated solitary fibrous tumor of the kidney: A case report.

The kidney is a relatively rare site for solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs). Previously, rare cases of SFT with dedifferentiation that showed an abrupt transition between low- and high-grade areas, similar to other dedifferentiated sarcomas, have been described. Herein, we report the case of a 75-year-old man who presented with gross hematuria. Computed tomography revealed a left renal tumor; a laparoscopic left nephrectomy was performed. The tumor was pathologically diagnosed as dedifferentiated SFT of the kidney. Dedifferentiated SFT may have worse prognosis than conventional SFT. Although this patient has been disease-free for 7 months, careful long-term follow-up is still required.