Challenges in Abdominal Organ Transplantation During the COVID-19 Pandemic

© Copyright © 2020 Esagian, Ziogas, Giannis, Hayat, Elias and Tsoulfas. As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has rapidly evolved into a global pandemic, abdominal organ transplantation programs are currently facing multiple challenges. Transplant candidates and recipients are considered high-risk populations for severe disease and death due to COVID-19 as a result of their numerous underlying comorbidities, advanced age and impaired immune function. Emerging reports of atypical and delayed clinical presentations in these patients generate further concerns for widespread disease transmission to medical personnel and the community. The striking similarities between COVID-19 and other outbreaks that took place over the past two decades, like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome, highlight the severity of the situation and dictate that extra measures should be taken by the transplant programs to avoid adverse outcomes. Transplant organizations are currently calling for strict screening and isolation protocols to be established in all transplant programs, for both organ donors and recipients. As the situation escalates, more radical measures might be necessary, including a temporary hold on non-urgent transplantations, resulting in serious ethical dilemmas between the survival of these patients and the safety of the community. Further data about these special populations could result in more individualized guidelines for abdominal organ transplantation in the era of COVID-19

Immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced upper and lower tract urothelial carcinoma: a comparison of outcomes

Objectives: To compare clinical outcomes between patients with locally advanced (unresectable) or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (aUC) in the upper and lower urinary tract receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Patients and Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study collecting clinicopathological, treatment, and outcome data for patients with aUC receiving ICIs from 2013 to 2020 across 24 institutions. We compared the objective response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) between patients with upper and lower tract UC (UTUC, LTUC). Uni- and multivariable logistic and Cox regression were used to assess the effect of UTUC on ORR, OS, and PFS. Subgroup analyses were performed stratified based on histology (pure, mixed) and line of treatment (first line, subsequent line). Results: Out of a total of 746 eligible patients, 707, 717, and 738 were included in the ORR, OS, and PFS analyses, respectively. Our results did not contradict the hypothesis that patients with UTUC and LTUC had similar ORRs (24% vs 28%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.43–1.24), OS (median 9.8 vs 9.6 months; adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.93, 95% CI 0.73–1.19), and PFS (median 4.3 vs 4.1 months; aHR 1.01, 95% CI 0.81–1.27). Patients with mixed-histology UTUC had a significantly lower ORR and shorter PFS vs mixed-histology LTUC (aOR 0.20, 95% CI 0.05–0.91 and aHR 1.66, 95% CI 1.06–2.59), respectively). Conclusion: Overall, patients with UTUC and LTUC receiving ICIs have comparable treatment response and outcomes. Subgroup analyses based on histology showed that those with mixed-histology UTUC had a lower ORR and shorter PFS compared to mixed-histology LTUC. Further studies and evaluation of molecular biomarkers can help refine patient selection for immunotherapy. © 2021 The Authors BJU International © 2021 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Lt

Immune checkpoint inhibitors in advanced upper and lower tract urothelial carcinoma: a comparison of outcomes

Objectives To compare clinical outcomes between patients with locally advanced (unresectable) or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (aUC) in the upper and lower urinary tract receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Patients and Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study collecting clinicopathological, treatment, and outcome data for patients with aUC receiving ICIs from 2013 to 2020 across 24 institutions. We compared the objective response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), and progression‐free survival (PFS) between patients with upper and lower tract UC (UTUC, LTUC). Uni‐ and multivariable logistic and Cox regression were used to assess the effect of UTUC on ORR, OS, and PFS. Subgroup analyses were performed stratified based on histology (pure, mixed) and line of treatment (first line, subsequent line). Results Out of a total of 746 eligible patients, 707, 717, and 738 were included in the ORR, OS, and PFS analyses, respectively. Our results did not contradict the hypothesis that patients with UTUC and LTUC had similar ORRs (24% vs 28%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.73, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.43–1.24), OS (median 9.8 vs 9.6 months; adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 0.93, 95% CI 0.73–1.19), and PFS (median 4.3 vs 4.1 months; aHR 1.01, 95% CI 0.81–1.27). Patients with mixed‐histology UTUC had a significantly lower ORR and shorter PFS vs mixed‐histology LTUC (aOR 0.20, 95% CI 0.05–0.91 and aHR 1.66, 95% CI 1.06–2.59), respectively). Conclusion Overall, patients with UTUC and LTUC receiving ICIs have comparable treatment response and outcomes. Subgroup analyses based on histology showed that those with mixed‐histology UTUC had a lower ORR and shorter PFS compared to mixed‐histology LTUC. Further studies and evaluation of molecular biomarkers can help refine patient selection for immunotherapy