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Item does not contain fulltext, OBJECTIVES: To determine if a re-transurethral resection (TUR), in the presence or absence of muscle at the first TUR in patients with T1-high grade (HG)/Grade 3 (G3) bladder cancer, makes a difference in recurrence, progression, cancer specific (CSS) and overall survival (OS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: In a large retrospective multicentre cohort of 2451 patients with T1-HG/G3 initially treated with bacille Calmette-Guerin, 935 (38%) had a re-TUR. According to the presence or absence of muscle in the specimen of the primary TUR, patients were divided in four groups: group 1 (no muscle, no re-TUR), group 2 (no muscle, re-TUR), group 3 (muscle, no re-TUR) and group 4 (muscle, re-TUR). Clinical outcomes were compared across the four groups. RESULTS: Re-TUR had a positive impact on recurrence, progression, CSS and OS only if muscle was not present in the primary TUR specimen. Adjusting for the most important prognostic factors, re-TUR in the absence of muscle had a borderline significant effect on time to recurrence [hazard ratio (HR) 0.67, P = 0.08], progression (HR 0.46, P = 0.06), CSS (HR 0.31, P = 0.07) and OS (HR 0.48, P = 0.05). Re-TUR in the presence of muscle in the primary TUR specimen did not improve the outcome for any of the endpoints. CONCLUSIONS: Our retrospective analysis suggests that re-TUR may not be necessary in patients with T1-HG/G3, if muscle is present in the specimen of the primary TUR.

Item does not contain fulltext, BACKGROUND: Potential differences in efficacy of different bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) strains are of importance for daily practice, especially in the era of BCG shortage. OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively compare the outcome with BCG Connaught and BCG TICE in a large study cohort of pT1 high-grade non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer patients. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Individual patient data were collected for 2,451 patients with primary T1G3 tumors from 23 centers who were treated with BCG for the first time between 1990 and 2011. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Using Cox multivariable regression and adjusting for the most important prognostic factors in this nonrandomized comparison, BCG Connaught and TICE were compared for time to recurrence, progression, and the duration of cancer specific survival and overall survival. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Information on the BCG strain was available for 2,099 patients: 957 on Connaught and 1,142 on TICE. Overall, 765 (36%) patients received some form of maintenance BCG, 560 (59%) on Connaught and 205 (18%) on TICE. Without maintenance, Connaught was more effective than TICE only for the time to first recurrence (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.48; 95% CI: 1.20-1.82; P<0.001). With maintenance, TICE was more effective than Connaught for the time to first recurrence (HR = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.47-0.93; P = 0.019) with a trend for cancer specific survival (HR = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.14-0.92; P = 0.033). For time to progression and overall survival, Connaught and TICE had a similar efficacy. Compared to no maintenance therapy, maintenance BCG significantly reduced the risk of recurrence, progression and death, both overall, and disease specific, for TICE, but not for Connaught. CONCLUSIONS: We found that BCG Connaught results in a lower recurrence rate as compared with BCG TICE when no maintenance is used. However, the opposite is true when maintenance is given. PATIENT SUMMARY: As there is currently a BCG shortage, informatio

Contains fulltext : 153742.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access), BACKGROUND: The impact of prognostic factors in T1G3 non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (BCa) patients is critical for proper treatment decision making. OBJECTIVE: To assess prognostic factors in patients who received bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) as initial intravesical treatment of T1G3 tumors and to identify a subgroup of high-risk patients who should be considered for more aggressive treatment. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Individual patient data were collected for 2451 T1G3 patients from 23 centers who received BCG between 1990 and 2011. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Using Cox multivariable regression, the prognostic importance of several clinical variables was assessed for time to recurrence, progression, BCa-specific survival, and overall survival (OS). RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: With a median follow-up of 5.2 yr, 465 patients (19%) progressed, 509 (21%) underwent cystectomy, and 221 (9%) died because of BCa. In multivariable analyses, the most important prognostic factors for progression were age, tumor size, and concomitant carcinoma in situ (CIS); the most important prognostic factors for BCa-specific survival and OS were age and tumor size. Patients were divided into four risk groups for progression according to the number of adverse factors among age >/= 70 yr, size >/= 3 cm, and presence of CIS. Progression rates at 10 yr ranged from 17% to 52%. BCa-specific death rates at 10 yr were 32% in patients >/= 70 yr with tumor size >/= 3 cm and 13% otherwise. CONCLUSIONS: T1G3 patients >/= 70 yr with tumors >/= 3 cm and concomitant CIS should be treated more aggressively because of the high risk of progression. PATIENT SUMMARY: Although the majority of T1G3 patients can be safely treated with intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin, there is a subgroup of T1G3 patients with age >/= 70 yr, tumor size >/= 3 cm, and concomitant CIS who have a high risk of progression and thus require aggressive treatment.

1 april 2010, Contains fulltext : 88362.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access), CONTEXT: Compared with standard white-light cystoscopy, photodynamic diagnosis with blue light and the photosensitiser hexaminolevulinate has been shown to improve the visualisation of bladder tumours, reduce residual tumour rates by at least 20%, and improve recurrence-free survival. There is currently no overall European consensus outlining specifically where hexaminolevulinate is or is not indicated. OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to define specific indications for hexaminolevulinate-guided fluorescence cystoscopy in the diagnosis and management of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A European expert panel was convened to review the evidence for hexaminolevulinate-guided fluorescence cystoscopy in the diagnosis and management of NMIBC (identified through a PubMed MESH search) and available guidelines from across Europe. On the basis of this information and drawing on the extensive clinical experience of the panel, specific indications for the technique were then identified through discussion. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: The panel recommends that hexaminolevulinate-guided fluorescence cystoscopy be used to aid diagnosis at initial transurethral resection following suspicion of bladder cancer and in patients with positive urine cytology but negative white-light cystoscopy for the assessment of tumour recurrences in patients not previously assessed with hexaminolevulinate, in the initial follow-up of patients with carcinoma in situ (CIS) or multifocal tumours, and as a teaching tool. The panel does not currently recommend the use of hexaminolevulinate-guided fluorescence cystoscopy in patients for whom cystectomy is indicated or for use in the outpatient setting with flexible cystoscopy. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence is available to support the use of hexaminolevulinate-guided fluorescence cystoscopy in a range of indications, as endorsed by an expert panel.

1 maart 2010, Contains fulltext : 87719.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access), CONTEXT: Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) remains the most effective intravesical treatment for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), but the clinical development of BCG has been accompanied by controversy. Recent publications have called into question a number of aspects related to its use. OBJECTIVE: To review the current clinical role of BCG in NMIBC, focusing on efficacy and tolerability as primary objectives and on strategies to predict response and decrease toxicity as secondary objectives. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: We performed a systematic literature search of published articles in PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases for the period from 1976 to November 2008. The following "free text" combination was used in the first instance: "BCG and intravesical and bladder cancer." Further free text searches were performed by separately adding the following keywords to the combination "BCG and intravesical": survival, progression, recurrence, maintenance, dosing, toxicity, tolerability, side effects, prognostic factors. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: BCG is the most effective intravesical agent for preventing NMIBC recurrence, but its role in disease progression remains controversial. In intermediate-risk NMIBC, the superiority of BCG over chemotherapy is well established for disease recurrence but not for progression and needs to be balanced against higher toxicity. With regard to high-risk NMIBC, there is sufficient evidence to show that BCG is the most effective treatment of carcinoma in situ for ablation, disease-free interval, and progression, but the impact of BCG on the natural history of T1G3 tumors relies on a low level of evidence. Maintenance remains crucial for efficacy. The dose can be safely and effectively reduced to decrease its toxicity, which is slightly greater than chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: BCG should still be viewed as the most effective intravesical agent, but its role in the progression of papillary tumors needs

Contains fulltext : 80018.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access), BACKGROUND: Patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer with an intermediate or high risk need adjuvant intravesical therapy after surgery. Based largely on meta-analyses of previously published results, guidelines recommend using either bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) or mitomycin C (MMC) in these patients. Individual patient data (IPD) meta-analyses, however, are the gold standard. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of BCG and MMC based on an IPD meta-analysis of randomised trials. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Trials were searched through Medline and review articles. The relevant trial investigators were contacted to provide IPD. MEASUREMENTS: The drugs were compared with respect to time to recurrence, progression, and overall and cancer-specific death. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Nine trials that included 2820 patients were identified, and IPD were obtained from all of them. Patient characteristics were 71% primary, 54% Ta, 43% T1, 25% G1, 58% G2, and 16% G3, and 7% had prior intravesical chemotherapy. Based on a median follow-up of 4.4 yr, 43% recurred. Overall, there was no difference in the time to first recurrence (p=0.09) between BCG and MMC. In the trials with BCG maintenance, a 32% reduction in risk of recurrence on BCG compared to MMC was found (p<0.0001), while there was a 28% risk increase (p=0.006) for BCG in the trials without maintenance. BCG with maintenance was more effective than MMC in both patients previously treated and those not previously treated with chemotherapy. In the subset of 1880 patients for whom data on progression, survival, and cause of death were available, 12% progressed and 24% died, and, of those, 30% of the deaths were due to bladder cancer. No statistically significant differences were found for these long-term end points. CONCLUSIONS: For prophylaxis of recurrence, maintenance BCG is required to demonstrate superiority to MMC. Prior intravesical chemotherapy was not a confounder. There were no statistically significan

Contains fulltext : 53441.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access), OBJECTIVES: The individual recurrence-free period after primary surgery of patients with Ta urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) cannot be predicted accurately. This study aims at discriminating between patients with primary Ta UCC and long or short recurrence-free periods. METHODS: We investigated mRNA expression of 23 genes in 44 primary Ta tumours (23 and 21 tumours were from patients with long [>or=4 yr] or short [

Contains fulltext : 49679.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access), Accurate prediction of tumor recurrence in patients with superficial urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) might result in a significant reduction of invasive follow-up cystoscopies. A recent study identified a panel of 26 genes from a large cDNA microarray analysis of bladder tumors that discriminated between early- and late-recurring patients with superficial Ta tumors (Dyrskjot et al., Nat Genet 2003;33:90-6). We aimed to validate this panel of genes in 44 primary Ta UCCs (23 and 21 tumors from patients with short or prolonged recurrence-free periods, respectively), by real-time quantitative PCR. Statistical analysis showed marginal significant different mRNA expression levels between the 2 patient groups. To evaluate a supplementary effect of genes for the identification of patients with short or prolonged recurrence-free intervals, forward logistic regression analysis was applied. This revealed that a combination of the expression profiles of the genes HNRPK, LTB4DH and ANP32B resulted in the best performance, although the combination only marginally increased the predictive value of HNRPK alone. Comparing the receiver-operating-characteristic curves for HNRPK expression among patients with short or prolonged recurrence-free periods, revealed an area under the curve of 0.696 (95% CI, 0.537-0.855). Using the median HNRPK expression level as cut-off, a sensitivity of 69.6% and a specificity of 71.4% were obtained for the identification of patients with short or prolonged recurrence-free periods, respectively. In conclusion, we were not able to confirm the microarray gene expression pattern of the 26 genes shown by Dyrskjot et al. The discovery of accurate recurrence predictive markers, therefore, remains a challenge.