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558 Background: Fibroblast growth factor 3 (FGFR3) is the most common mutation in UTUC and is altered in approximately 75% of tumors. Tumors harboring FGFR3 mutations (FGFR3-M) have a T-cell impaired tumor microenvironment (TME) which may explain the incomplete response to immune checkpoint blockade. We performed scRNA-seq on 8 untreated tumors to further characterize the T-cell immune phenotype of FGFR3-M tumors. Methods: scRNA-seq (10x Genomics platform) was performed on 8 UTUC tissue specimens from 8 different patients who had not received treatment (chemotherapy or immunotherapy) using an established institutional process. We also performed targeted gene sequencing (MSK-IMPACT) on all samples to identify mutational calls. We assessed the phenotype of defined cell clusters and the immune composition of each sample according to known marker gene expression as well as SingleR prediction. We then performed the gene set enrichment analysis over the differentially expressed genes with the Gene Ontology Biologic Process (GO:BP) to identify unique biologic processes and possible functional state of each immune cluster. Results: Among the 8 samples, 4 (50%) had altered FGFR3 (Table). We identified 19 immune cell clusters (8 T-cell clusters) with unique biologic function. Within the CD4 compartment, FGFR3-M was enriched with exhausted/active CD4 cells characterized with Th17 cell differentiation/immune regulatory function (cluster 4) and yet with lower frequency of naive-like CD4 cells possessing alpha-beta T cell activation functions and lower T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling (cluster 2). Regulatory T cells (cluster 5) were less frequently found in FGFR3-M tumors compared to their wild-type counterpart. In the CD8 compartment, FGFR3-M tumors had higher infiltration specifically in cluster 3 which corresponds to a naïve state with lower exhausted/active markers, lower cytotoxic activity, leukocyte apoptotic process, and alpha-beta T cell differentiation regulation. There was also a lower proportion among cluster 9, a mixture of NK and CD8 cytotoxic cells, which is characterized with response to interleukin (IL)-1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and NK cell chemotaxis. Additionally, this cluster had high cytotoxic activity and lower exhausted/active markers. Conclusions: FGFR3 mutated patients have a T-cell phenotype with more active/exhausted Th17-like CD4, lower Treg, and more CD8/cytotoxic cells in naïve state with lower response to IL-1 and TNF. scRNA-seq revealed enrichment of different functional states among T-cell compartments which may lead to improved therapeutic decision making in the future. [Table: see text]

Background Despite guidelines recommending genetic counseling for patients with early-onset renal cell carcinoma (RCC), studies interrogating the spectrum of germline mutations and clinical associations in patients with early-onset RCC are lacking. Objective To define the germline genetic spectrum and clinical associations for patients with early-onset RCC diagnosed at age ≤46 yr who underwent genetic testing. Design, setting, and participants We retrospectively identified patients with early-onset RCC who underwent germline testing at our institution from February 2003 to June 2020. Outcome measurement and statistical analysis The frequency and spectrum of pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants were determined. Clinical characteristics associated with mutation status were analyzed using two-sample comparison (Fisher’s exact or χ2 test). Results and limitations Of 232 patients with early-onset RCC, 50% had non–clear-cell histology, including unclassified RCC (12.1%), chromophobe RCC (9.7%), FH-deficient RCC (7.0%), papillary RCC (6.6%), and translocation-associated RCC (4.3%). Overall, 43.5% had metastatic disease. Germline P/LP variants were identified in 41 patients (17.7%), of which 21 (9.1%) were in an RCC-associated gene and 20 (8.6%) in a non–RCC-associated gene, including 17 (7.3%) in DNA damage repair genes such as BRCA1/2, ATM, and CHEK2. Factors associated with RCC P/LP variants include bilateral/multifocal renal tumors, non–clear-cell histology, and additional extrarenal primary malignancies. In patients with only a solitary clear-cell RCC, the prevalence of P/LP variants in RCC-associated and non–RCC-associated genes was 0% and 9.9%, respectively. Conclusions Patients with early-onset RCC had high frequencies of germline P/LP variants in genes associated with both hereditary RCC and other cancer predispositions. Germline RCC panel testing has the highest yield when patients have clinical phenotypes suggestive of underlying RCC gene mutations. Patients with early-onset RCC should undergo comprehensive assessment of personal and family history to guide appropriate genetic testing. Patient summary In this study of 232 patients with early-onset kidney cancer who underwent genetic testing, we found a high prevalence of mutations in genes that increase the risk of cancer in both kidneys and other organs for patients and their at-risk family members. Our study suggests that patients with early-onset kidney cancer should undergo comprehensive genetic risk assessment.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) has unique clinical and molecular characteristics compared to bladder UC. Prior investigations have used bulk profiling of tumor t...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Prostate cancers with high microsatellite instability/deficient mismatch repair (MSI-H/dMMR) and high tumor mutational burden (TMB-H) are rare but recognized as molecular...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Prior studies have found 14% to 24% of patients with urothelial carcinoma (UC) have germline pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants, most of which are in moderate/h...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Tumor sequencing is increasingly used for therapeutic selection in men with advanced prostate cancer (PC). If tumor-only sequencing is performed without matched germline,...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:While lower tract urothelial carcinoma has undergone multiple large gene expression profiling initiatives, upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) has had relatively litt...

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Recently, bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) unresponsive criteria was established based on expert opinion to facilitate single arm Phase II/III trials for patients with NMIB...

With improved understanding of cancer biology and technical advancements in non-invasive management of urological malignancies, there is renewed interest in photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a means of focal cancer treatment. The application of PDT has also broadened as a result of development of better-tolerated and more effective photosensitizers. Vascular-targeted PDT (VTP) using padeliporfin, which is a water-soluble chlorophyll derivative, allows for tumor-specific cytotoxicity and has demonstrated efficacy in the management of urologic malignancies. Herein, we describe the evolution of photodynamic therapy in urologic oncology and the role of VTP in emerging treatment paradigms.

Prior studies suggest that nationally endorsed quality measures for prostate cancer care are not linked closely with outcomes. Using a prospective, population based cohort we measured clinically relevant variation in structure, process and outcome measures in men undergoing radical prostatectomy.The Comparative Effectiveness Analysis of Surgery and Radiation (CEASAR) Study enrolled men with clinically localized prostate cancer diagnosed from 2011 to 2012 with 1,069 meeting the final inclusion criteria. Quality of life was assessed using the Expanded Prostate Index Composite (EPIC-26) and clinical data by chart review. Six quality measures were assessed, including pelvic lymphadenectomy with risk of lymph node involvement 2% or greater, appropriate nerve sparing, negative surgical margins, urinary and sexual function, treatment by high volume surgeon, and 30-day and 1-year complications. Receipt of high quality care was compared across categories of race, age, surgeon volume and surgical approach via multivariable analysis.There were no significant differences in quality across race, age or surgeon volume strata, except for worse urinary incontinence in Black men. However, robotic surgery patients experienced fewer complications (3% vs 9.3% short-term and 11% vs 16% long-term), were more likely to be treated by a high volume surgeon (47% vs 25%) and demonstrated better sexual function.In this cohort we did not identify meaningful variation in quality of care across racial groups, age groups and surgeon volume strata, suggesting that men are receiving comparable quality of care across these strata. However, we did find variation between open and robotic surgery with fewer complications, improved sexual function and increased use of high volume surgeons in the robotic group, possibly reflecting differences in quality between approaches, differences in practice patterns and/or biases in patient selection.

523 Background: Despite being a rare cancer, upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is the third most common core cancer associated with Lynch syndrome (LS) after colorectal and endometrial cancers. Yet, there is no established guideline to identify patients with UTUC who are at risk of carrying germline mutations in LS-associated genes. The objective of this study is to define selection criteria for patients with UTUC for LS screening. Methods: We retrospectively identified patients with UTUC who underwent germline sequencing of ≥77 cancer susceptibility genes using next generation sequencing (NGS) as part of a prospective matched tumor-normal genomic profiling initiative from 04/2015 to 04/2021. Mismatch repair protein status was evaluated by immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for MMR genes MSH2, MSH6, MLH1, and PMS2. Microsatellite instability (MSI) status was determined using NGS. Diagnostic performance of clinical and tumor-based screening criteria was assessed by the presence of germline pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants (PGVs) in MMR genes. Results: A total of 232 patients with UTUC underwent germline testing; median age of diagnosis was 67 years (interquartile range 59 – 73). Of these patients, 70% were male, 43% had UTUC diagnosed before the age of 65, 85% had high grade UTUC,12% had bilateral UTUC, 11% had metastasis at diagnosis, 10% and 31% had personal and family history of LS-associated cancers, respectively. PGVs in moderate or high-penetrance genes were identified in 31 (13%) patients including 6 (3%) in BRCA1/ 2 and 21 (9%) in MMR genes (13 MSH2, 4 MSH6, 4 MLH1). A total of 10/21 (48%) patients with MMR PGVs developed UTUC as their first cancer diagnosis. Of patients with MMR PVGs, 15/16 (94%) had MMR-deficient tumors and 12/18 (67%) had MSI-high tumors. Personal and family history of LS core cancers (p < 0.001), age of diagnosis < 65 (p = 0.008), MSI-high (p < 0.001), and MMR-deficiency (p < 0.001) were associated with MMR carrier status. Female gender (p = 0.7), HG UTUC (p = 0.5), and bilateral UTUC (p = 0.7) were not associated with MMR PGVs. Current NCCN genetic referral criteria for Lynch syndrome has high specificity in identifying patients with LS (100%) but missed 11/21 (52%) patients with UTUC and MMR PGVs. Conclusions: Current genetic referral guidelines for Lynch syndrome may miss a significant portion of patients with LS-associated UTUC. UTUC tumor should be investigated for MMR protein and MSI status with IHC or next generation sequencing methods to augment LS-screening of patients with UTUC and inform systemic treatment selection.

Background: Nephrogenic adenoma is a benign lesion found in the genitourinary tract, often at sites of prior inflammation, and is characterized by tubular, papillary, or tubulopapillary structures. It is thought to arise from distal migration and implantation of renal tubular cells into the renal pelvis, ureter, bladder, or urethra. These tumors often resemble malignant neoplasms. Morphologic variants include small tubules, signet ring-like pattern, papillary formations, flat pattern, and vessel-like structures. A fibromyxoid variant was first described in 2007. Here, we present the first known cases of fibromyxoid nephrogenic adenoma of the ureter. Case Presentations: A 79-year-old white man presented with asymptomatic right hydroureteronephrosis to the level of the mid-ureter with associated right ureteral wall thickening found on surveillance CT scan for lymphoma. A 59-year-old white man presented with a right ureteral stricture after ureteroscopic ureteral injury and underwent effective robotic ureteroureterostomy. Pathology analysis in both cases revealed fibromyxoid nephrogenic adenoma. Conclusion: Fibromyxoid nephrogenic adenoma may occur in the ureter. Knowledge of this rare tumor is important for urologists and pathologists to prevent misdiagnosis and overtreatment of a typically benign process.

5022 Background: Tumor sequencing is increasingly used for therapeutic selection in men with advanced prostate cancer (PC). If tumor-only sequencing is performed without matched germline, identified mutations could be of somatic or germline origin. Germline mutations could confer additional risk for other cancers to the patient and at-risk family members. The objective of this study is to determine the overall and gene-specific probability of pathogenic/likely pathogenic germline mutations based on tumor-only sequencing. Methods: We investigated mutations found in a cohort of men with PC who underwent targeted next generation sequencing of PC tumor and matched peripheral blood using the MSK-IMPACT assay between 01/2015 and 01/2020. A germline probability for each gene was determined by dividing the number of germline mutations by the total number of somatic and germline mutations. Cancer susceptibility genes commonly sequenced on tumor-based tests for PC were assessed, including ATM, BRCA1/ 2, BRIP1, CHEK2, HOXB13, MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, NBN, PALB2, PMS2 (henceforth referred to as PC genes). Results: A total of 1883 men with PC were included, with median age of diagnosis of 62.0 ± 8.8 years. 84% had high risk PC, 52% had metastasis, 38% had family history of PC. A total of 364 (19%) men had at least one mutation (either somatic or germline) in PC genes. Overall, 189 (10%) men had at least one germline mutation that would not have been reported as germline without matched normal. The average germline probability of PC genes was 40% (range: 0% in MLH1 to 83% in CHEK2). The number of total mutations, germline mutations, and germline probability of genes found in > 0.5% of the study cohort are summarized in Table. All these genes are moderate/high penetrance autosomal dominant genes with established guidelines for cascade testing, enhanced cancer screening, or potential risk-reducing surgery. Conclusions: In this study, an average of 40% of mutations found in cancer susceptibility genes on PC tumor sequencing were germline mutations. Men undergoing tumor-only sequencing should be counseled on the possibility of uncovering a germline mutation. In addition to BRCA1/ 2, mutations in certain genes, such as CHEK2 and PALB2, have a high probability of being germline and should prompt referral for genetic counseling and germline testing.[Table: see text]

484 Background: Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) comprises 5-10% of urothelial malignancies but demonstrates unique clinical and molecular characteristics compared to urothelial carcinoma of the bladder. Prior investigations have used bulk profiling of tumor tissue to identify molecular subtypes, classifying the majority of UTUC as luminal and T-cell depleted. However, bulk sequencing does not allow for analysis of the significant heterogeneity known to be present in urothelial tumors. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) allows examination of intra-tumoral heterogeneity, clonality, and the complex interactions of the immune tumor microenvironment (TME). We sought to apply this technology to better characterize UTUC and the TME. Methods: Single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was performed on nine UTUC tissue specimens from six different patients collected fresh via ureteroscopic biopsy using an established institutional process and the 10X Genomics platform. Sequencing reads were normalized and analyzed using R/Seurat package. We assessed the composition of each tumor specimen with known marker genes for molecular subtypes (luminal, basal, squamous, EMT, and claudin-low). We then assessed the composition of immune cells in each specimen using known marker genes. We compared high- and low-grade specimens by subtype composition and immune cell infiltrates. Results: Lineage density analyses demonstrate the intra- and inter-tumoral heterogeneity of the nine endoscopic samples analyzed by molecular subtype composition. There is higher expression of luminal and claudin-low subtypes across all samples. The high-grade samples have higher expression of squamous markers. There is significant heterogeneity of immune cell infiltrates in seven specimens (two specimens were excluded due to low CD45+ cell counts). There is higher macrophage infiltration in high-grade samples, which was the only significant difference (Wilcoxon two-sided p-value = 0.05). Conclusions: This is the first known study using scRNA-seq expression analysis to characterize the notable heterogeneity of high and low-grade UTUC and the associated TME. Lineage density analysis demonstrates high luminal gene expression across samples, which has been demonstrated on prior bulk sequencing studies. The immune TME is also heterogeneous, with notable increased infiltration of macrophages in high-grade disease. There are unique limitations to performing and analyzing scRNA-seq of fresh UTUC tissue specimens, thus data should be interpreted cautiously. However, this study demonstrates the marked heterogeneity of UTUC tumors and frames our current approaches to bulk molecular subtyping of urothelial cancers and immune deconvolution. Further high-resolution studies are needed to characterize UTUC and inform bulk-sequencing efforts.

460 Background: Localized treatment of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is technically challenging which limits the ability to provide organ-sparing therapies to preserve renal function and representing a serious unmet need. Vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy (VTP) using intravascular photosensitizing agent padeliporfin (WTS11) has demonstrated preclinical safety and effective tumoricidal activity. Endoluminal application of this therapy offers a promising alternative to radical surgery for patients with upper tract cancers seeking to avoid extirpative surgery. Herein we present early results from a phase I dose-finding study of padeliporfin VTP for UTUC. Methods: Fourteen patients with recurrent UTUC were treated with up to 2 sessions of endoscopic padeliporfin VTP treatment. Eligibility included residual or recurrent urothelial carcinoma of the ureter or renal pelvis failing prior endoscopic treatment in patients who were unable or unwilling to undergo surgical management by resection of the involved ureter or kidney. WST-11 was administered at 4mg/kg and infused over 10 minutes. An intermedic diode laser was used to illuminate tumors with light at a wavelength 753 nm through a flexible ureteroscope. A light dose escalation model was employed with increasing light fluence from 100mW/cm up to a maximally tolerated dose of 200mW/cm. The primary endpoint was the determination of maximally tolerated laser light fluence rate, with the secondary objective to evaluate treatment efficacy defined by absence of visible tumor and negative urine cytology following treatment. Results: Among 14 treated patients, complete response and tumor recurrence rates at 30 days after treatment were 64% and 29%, respectively. A second VTP treatment was performed in 6 (43%) patients. The efficacy rates were comparable among patients who received the intermediate and highest light fluence and between the first and second treatment. At the last follow-up (mean: 11.5 months), 13 patients (93%) had maintained their affected kidney and renal function was not significantly affected. Graded adverse events related to treatment were rigorously evaluated prospectively as the primary endpoint of the trial to be reported separately in detail. Treatment related toxicities were limited, and no ureteral strictures were identified with the procedure. No evidence of increased toxicity was identified among patients who received a second VTP treatment. Conclusions: WST11-VTP shows promising evidence of therapeutic treatment effect in low- and high-grade upper tract urothelial tumors with limited treatment related toxicity. These early results provide support for further investigation to evaluate the curative potential for this therapy in a planned multicenter trial. Clinical trial information: NCT03617003.

418 Background: Gender differences exist in bladder cancer incidence, stage at diagnosis, and outcomes. Women have lower incidence of bladder cancer but are diagnosed with more advanced disease at presentation. They also have less favorable outcomes even after adjusting for tumor stage and treatment modality. The biologic mechanisms underlying gender disparities in bladder cancer remain unknown. Methods: We leveraged a prospective matched tumor-normal genomic profiling initiative to determine the prevalence and spectrum of pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) germline variants in women with bladder cancer. Germline DNA was tested for mutations in ≥77 cancer susceptibility genes using next-generation sequencing in 686 patients with bladder cancer. Mutation frequency and clinical characteristics were assessed by gender. Results: A total of 184 (27%) women and 502 (73%) men with bladder cancer underwent germline testing; median age of diagnosis was 66 ± 11.3 and 65 ± 11.3 years, respectively. Twenty-two women (12%) had bladder cancer diagnosis at age ≤ 50 years. Both groups had similar rate of tobacco exposure (57% vs 63%, p = 0.1), family history of bladder cancer (10% vs 10%, p = 0.5), and disease stage at diagnosis (non-muscle invasive bladder cancer [NMIBC] 54% vs 54%, MIBC 38% vs 39%, and metastatic disease 8% vs 6%, p = 0.7). Women had more non-urothelial carcinoma histology than men (adenocarcinoma 5% vs. 1%; squamous cell carcinoma 1% vs 0.2%, p = 0.001). More P/LP germline variants were found in women than men (38 [21%] vs. 70 [14%], p = 0.04). Twenty-eight women (15%) had P/LP variants in DNA-damage repair (DDR) genes; 23 (13%) carried moderate/high penetrance germline mutations, the most common were BRCA1/ 2, CHEK2, NBN, ATM, and MITF. Current clinical guideline for referral for genetic testing failed to identify 12 (52%) women with moderate/high penetrance germline mutations. Nine women (5%) carried germline mutations associated with increased risk of ovarian/endometrial cancers ( BRCA1/ 2 [5], ATM [2], MLH1 [1], TP53 [1]). Conclusions: Deleterious germline alterations are commonly present in women with high-risk bladder cancer. The presence of germline variants in some genes, such as BRCA1/2, can guide cancer screening and risk-reducing surgeries for patients and their families. Women with high-risk bladder cancer should be evaluated for suitability of germline testing, especially those who desire preservation of uterus and ovaries at the time of radical cystectomy, to rule out the presence of P/LP variants that increase risk of future gynecologic malignancies.

296 Background: An estimated 5% of kidney cancers are associated with hereditary RCC syndromes. Current germline genetic testing guidelines for patients with kidney cancer were developed to identify carriers of known RCC-associated genes and have evolved in the panel-testing era. We evaluated the utility of the recent National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommendation of testing all patients with early-onset RCC (defined as age of diagnosis ≤ 46 years) for germline variants in genes implicated in hereditary RCC syndromes. Methods: We retrospectively identified patients with RCC diagnosed at age ≤ 46 years who underwent targeted germline testing at our institution through referral to clinical genetics service (n = 68, 29%) or through broad germline testing of ≥77 cancer susceptibility genes using next generation sequencing as part of a prospective matched tumor-normal genomic profiling initiative (n = 165, 71%). Diagnostic performance of referral criteria was assessed by the presence of pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) germline variants in RCC-associated genes and incidental cancer susceptibility genes. Results: Of 233 patients, 61% were male, 74% were Caucasian, 15% had family history of RCC, 15% had RCC-syndromic features, including 9% with multifocal renal tumors. Most patients (54%) had clear cell RCC (ccRCC). P/LP germline variants were identified in 42 (18%) patients but only 21 (9%) had mutations in RCC genes (12 FH, 4 VHL, 2 SDHB, 1 each in BAP1, TSC1, and FLCN). All 21 early-onset patients with germline variants in an RCC-associated gene also had one of the following risk factors: non-ccRCC histology, family history, or syndromic features. In 91 patients (39%) with a non-RCC germline variants or no alteration, none of these three risk factors were found. Of 21 patients with non-RCC P/LP germline variants, 9 had mutations in moderate/high penetrance genes ( BRCA1 [2], ATM [2], CHEK2 [1], TP53 [2] , PALB2 [1], and RET [1]); 8/9 (89%) met standard criteria for testing for those genes independent of early-onset RCC diagnosis. Conclusions: Patients with early-onset clear cell RCC and no suspicious personal or family history are unlikely to have an RCC-associated germline mutation. RCC-gene panel testing has highest utility in early-onset patients with either non-ccRCC histology, family history of RCC, or RCC-associated syndromic features. Given the high frequency of non-RCC P/LP variants, early-onset RCC patients should be counseled regarding broader testing beyond RCC-associated genes.

470 Background: Up to 25% of tumors are of pure variant or mixed urothelial and variant histology. The presence of variant histology may be associated with more advanced stage at presentation and a poorer response to systemic therapy. While histomorphologic assessment provides important prognostic information, genomic analysis of tumors can provide important insight into the biology of disease and inform treatment. In this analysis we performed genomic sequencing of tumors from patients with bladder cancer with variant histology. Methods: Our prospectively generated institutional cohort of molecularly profiled bladder and upper tract tumors contains over 2,000 samples including nearly 300 primary bladder tumor samples from patients with variant histology. Targeted sequencing with MSK-IMPACT was used to identify alterations in cancer-associated genes and to describe trends across variant subtypes. To explore and compare tumor and immune cell heterogeneity, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was performed on a subset of specimens. Results: Our cohort included patients with pure urothelial carcinoma not otherwise specified (NOS), as well as squamous, small cell, pure adenocarcinoma and urothelial carcinoma with glandular differentiation, micropapillary, nested, and plasmacytoid variants. Compared with urothelial carcinoma NOS, nearly all small cell tumors had mutations in TP53, RB1, and TERT. Squamous tumors had similar mutational frequencies as urothelial carcinoma NOS. Pure adenocarcinoma had frequent mutations in TP53, KRAS, and PIK3CA, resembling colorectal adenocarcinomas, while urothelial carcinoma with glandular differentiation resembled NOS. Micropapillary variant commonly had ERBB2 amplifications. Nested variant was more commonly found to have RHOA mutations and FOXA1 amplifications. Finally, nearly all plasmacytoid variants had pathognomonic alterations in CDH1. To further explore heterogeneity in tumor and immune cell populations, scRNA-seq was performed on four samples from patients with urothelial carcinoma NOS, squamous, micropapillary, and nested variants, showing distinct tumor cell clusters and varying contributions of immune cells from each variant. Conclusions: While the distribution of oncogenic mutations differed among distinct histologic variants, a pathognomonic DNA alteration was not found for most variant histologic subtypes. Within the context of a larger effort to characterize bladder cancer with variant histology, scRNA-seq may reveal differences in immune cell population infiltrates. Further efforts will aim to characterize these cohorts with whole exome sequencing and mutational signatures, and increase the number of samples per histology and representation of variant histologies for scRNA-seq.

The optimal management of high-grade T1 (HGT1) urothelial carcinoma (UC) is complex given its high rate of recurrence, progression, and cancer-specific mortality as well as its clinical variability. Our current treatment paradigm has been supplemented by recent data describing the expanding options for salvage intravesical therapy, bladder preservation, and the promising role of molecular epidemiology. In the current review, we attempt to summarize and critically analyze these studies. Evidence describing new intravesical therapies has demonstrated an adequate safety profile and some efficacy in BCG-unresponsive patients who desire bladder preservation. However, response rates are still poor in this high-risk patient population, and it is important to keep these data in perspective when counseling patients. Concomitantly, the continued molecular characterization of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer may suggest potential therapeutic targets as well as predictors of treatment response in the future. The integration of new intravesical therapies and molecular data into the current treatment paradigm for HGT1 urothelial carcinoma will be critical to improving oncologic outcomes in this particularly high-risk population.

African-American men exhibit higher-risk prostate cancer and exhibit worse outcomes when compared to other racial and ethnic groups. There remain important knowledge gaps specifically surrounding the implications of this observed outcome disparity with respect to appropriateness and intensity of active surveillance in African-American men. Only approximately a tenth of the men in most active surveillance programs are African-American, yet the results are generalized as applying to all men equally. Nevertheless, because even “very low-risk” prostate cancer appears different pathologically and epidemiologically, African-American men must understand these risks when they elect management for prostate cancer. Most specifically, they must be aware that if they decide on active surveillance, aggressive cancer may be missed.