Three vs. Four Cycles of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy for Localized Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer Undergoing Radical Cystectomy: A Retrospective Multi-Institutional Analysis

Three or four cycles of cisplatin-based chemotherapy is the standard neoadjuvant treatment prior to cystectomy in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Although NCCN guidelines recommend 4 cycles of cisplatin-gemcitabine, three cycles are also commonly administered in clinical practice. In this multicenter retrospective study, we assessed a large and homogenous cohort of patients with urothelial bladder cancer (UBC) treated with three or four cycles of neoadjuvant cisplatin-gemcitabine followed by radical cystectomy, in order to explore whether three vs. four cycles were associated with different outcomes

Neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio predicts mortality in bladder cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical cystectomy

To investigate the prognostic role of neutrophil percentage-to-albumin ratio (NPAR) in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and radical cystectomy (RC)

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

High-Grade T1 on Re-Transurethral Resection after Initial High-Grade T1 Confers Worse Oncological Outcomes: Results of a Multi-Institutional Study

The aim of this multicenter study was to investigate the prognostic impact of residual T1 high-grade (HG)/G3 tumors at re-transurethral resection (TUR of bladder tumor) in a large multi-institutional cohort of patients with primary T1 HG/G3 bladder cancer (BC).M.D.V is supported by the Scholarship Foundation of the Republic of Austria - OeAD and by the EUSP Scholarship - EAU.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Systemic combining inflammatory score (SCIS): a new score for prediction of oncologic outcomes in patients with high-risk non-muscle-invasive urothelial bladder cancer

Background: An accurate and early diagnosis of bladder cancer (BC) is essential to offer patients the most appropriate treatment and the highest cure rate. For this reason, patients need to be best stratified by class and risk factors. We aimed to develop a score able to better predict cancer outcomes, using serum variables of inflammation.Methods: A total of 1,510 high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients were included in this retrospective observational study. Patients with pathologically proven T1 HG/G3 at first TURBT were included. Systemic combined inflammatory score (SCIS) was calculated according to systemic inflammatory markers (SIM), modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS), and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) dichotomized (final score from 0 to 3).Results: After 48 months of follow-up (IQR 40.0-73.0), 727 patients recurred (48.1%), 485 progressed (32.1%), 81 died for cancer (7.0%), and 163 died for overall causes (10.8%). Overall, 231 (15.3%) patients had concomitant Cis, 669 (44.3%) patients had multifocal pathology, 967 (64.1%) patients had tumor size&gt;3 cm. Overall, 357 (23.6%) patients received immediate-intravesical therapy, 1,356 (89.8%) received adjuvant intravesical therapy, of which 1,382 (91.5 %) received BCG, 266 (17.6% ) patients received mitomycin C, 4 (0.5%) patients received others intravesical therapy. Higher SCIS was independently predictive of recurrence (hazard ratio HR 1.5, 1.3 and 2.2) and cancer specific mortality for SCIS 0 and 3 (HR: 1.61 and 2.3), and overall mortality for SCIS 0 and 3 (HR: 2.4 and 3.2). Conversely, SCIS was not associated with a higher probability of progression.Conclusions: The inclusion of the SCIS in clinical practice is simple to apply and can help improve the prediction of cancer outcomes. It can identify patients with high-grade BC who are more likely to experience disease mortality

Type 2 diabetes mellitus predicts worse outcomes in patients with high-grade T1 bladder cancer receiving bacillus Calmette-Guérin after transurethral resection of the bladder tumor

The aim of this multicenter study was to investigate the prognostic role of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) comorbidity in a large multi-institutional cohort of patients with primary T1HG/G3 non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) treated with transurethral resection of the bladder (TURB)

Validation of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in a multi-institutional cohort of patients with T1G3 non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer

The aim of this multicenter study was to investigate the prognostic role of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and to validate the NLR cutoff of 3 in a large multi-institutional cohort of patients with primary T1 HG/G3 non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).M.D.V. is supported by the Scholarship Foundation of the Republic of Austria - OeAD and by the EUSP Scholarship - European Association of Urology

Modified Glasgow Prognostic Score as a Predictor of Recurrence in Patients with High Grade Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer Undergoing Intravesical Bacillus Calmette&ndash;Guerin Immunotherapy

Background: A systemic inflammatory marker, the modified Glasgow prognostic score (mGPS), could predict outcomes in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NIMBC). We aimed to investigate the predictive power of mGPS in oncological outcomes in HG/G3 T1 NMIBC patients undergoing Bacillus Calmette&ndash;Gu&eacute;rin (BCG) therapy. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patient&rsquo;s medical data from multicenter institutions. A total of 1382 patients with HG/G3 T1 NMIBC have been administered adjuvant intravesical BCG therapy, every week for 3 weeks given at 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months. The analysis of mGPS for recurrence and progression was performed using multivariable and univariable Cox regression models. Results: During follow-up, 659 patients (47.68%) suffered recurrence, 441 (31.91%) suffered progression, 156 (11.28%) died of all causes, and 67 (4.84%) died of bladder cancer. At multivariable analysis, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio [hazard ratio (HR): 7.471; p = 0.0001] and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (HR: 0.706; p = 0.006 were significantly associated with recurrence. mGPS has no statistical significance for progression (p = 0.076). Kaplan&ndash;Meier survival analysis showed a significant difference in survival among patients from different mGPS subgroups. Five-year OS was 93% (CI 95% 92&ndash;94), in patients with mGPS 0, 82.2% (CI 95% 78.9&ndash;85.5) in patients with mGPS 1 and 78.1% (CI 95% 60.4&ndash;70) in mGPS 2 patients. Five-year CSS was 98% (CI 95% 97&ndash;99) in patients with mGPS 0, 90% (CI 95% 87&ndash;94) in patients with mGPS 1, and 100% in mGPS 2 patients. Limitations are applicable to a retrospective study. Conclusions: mGPS may have the potential to predict recurrence in HG/G3 T1 NMIBC patients, but more prospective, with large cohorts, studies are needed to study the influence of systemic inflammatory markers in prediction of outcomes in NMIBC for a definitive conclusion

Predictors of residual T1 high grade on re-transurethral resection in a large multi-institutional cohort of patients with primary T1 high-grade/grade 3 bladder cancer

The aim of this multi-institutional study was to identify predictors of residual high-grade (HG) disease at re-transurethral resection (reTUR) in a large cohort of primary T1 HG/Grade 3 (G3) bladder cancer patients. A total of 1155 patients with primary T1 HG/G3 bladder cancer from 13 academic institutions that underwent a reTUR within 6 weeks after first TUR were evaluated. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association of predictive factors with residual HG at reTUR. Residual HG cancer was found in 288 (24.9%) of patients at reTUR. Patients presenting residual HG cancer were more likely to have carcinoma in situ (CIS) at first resection (p=25 kg/m2. On multivariable analysis, independent predictors for HG residual disease at reTUR were tumor size >3cm (OR = 1.37; 95% CI: 1.02-1.84, p=0.03), concomitant CIS (OR 1.92; 95% CI: 1.32-2.78, p=0.001), being overweight (OR= 2.08; 95% CI: 1.44-3.01, p=25 kg/m2.This study was supported by "Fondazione Muto", Naples-Italy. M.D.V is supported by the Scholarship Foundation of the Republic of Austria OeAD and by the EUSP Scholarship - European Association of Urology.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A risk-group classification model in patients with bladder cancer under neoadjuvant cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy

The objective of the current research was to explore the potential prognostic value of readily available clinical and pathologic variables in bladder cancer. The novel association found between cholesterol levels and prognosis may provide the rationale for exploring novel treatments. Patients included had histologically confirmed urothelial bladder cancer and were treated with at least 3 cycles of cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy before radical cystectomy with lymphadenectomy. A total of 245 patients at low, intermediate and high risk, presenting with 0-1, 2 or 3-4 risk factors, including positive lymph nodes, Hb <12.8, NLR ≥2.7 and cholesterol levels ≥199, were included. Five-year cancer-specific survival rate was 0.67, 0.78 and 0.94 at high, intermediate and low risk, respectively. Total cholesterol levels at the time of cystectomy may represent a commonly assessable prognostic factor and may be incorporated in a clinically meaningful risk-group classification model