Background: Despite the revolutionary impact of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) on the treatment of metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC), the clinical utility of reliable prognostic biomarkers to foresee survival outcomes remains underexplored.
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to ascertain the prognostic significance of serum inflammatory markers in mUC patients undergoing ICI therapy.
Design: This is a retrospective, multicenter study.
Urothelial carcinoma (UC) predominantly arises in the bladder, but upper tract urothelial carcinomas (UTUCs) comprise 5-10% of cases. Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are at increased risk for UC, and erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are frequently used to manage anemia in ESRD. However, ESA use in cancer patients raises concerns about tumor progression and survival outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUrothelial carcinoma (UC) is a common cancer characterized by high morbidity and mortality rates. Despite advancements in treatment, challenges such as recurrence and low response rates persist. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) have emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for various cancers, although their application in UC is currently limited.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Studies on the correlation between high body mass index (BMI) and extended survival among patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been made, although findings have shown variability. Our research explored the phenomenon of the "obesity paradox" in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma (mUC) undergoing treatment with ICIs.
Materials And Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with mUC who received a minimum of one cycle of ICI treatment at two medical centers in Taiwan from September 2015 to January 2023.
Purpose: To investigate the prognostic impact of variant histology (VH) on oncological outcomes in patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) who had undergone radical nephroureterectomy (RNU).
Patients And Methods: A total of 1239 patients with clinically localized UTUC who underwent RNU at a single institution between January 2005 and June 2020 were included. The VH was reviewed by a uro-pathologist at our institution.
Purpose: Numerous studies have produced conflicting findings regarding the efficacy of statins in prostate cancer treatment. Our objective was to examine the correlation between statin usage and clinical outcomes in Taiwanese men with metastatic prostate cancer.
Materials And Methods: We identified patients diagnosed with metastatic prostate cancer from the Chang Gung Research Database spanning the years 2007 to 2020.
Objective: This study aimed to assess the impact of preoperative chronic kidney disease (CKD) on the oncological outcomes of patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) who underwent standard radical nephroureterectomy (RNU).
Methods: A total of 1172 UTUC patients who received RNU at a single center in Taiwan between February 2005 and August 2019 were included. The patients were categorized into two groups based on their preoperative CKD stage: CKD stage ≤3 (811 patients) and CKD stage >3 (361 patients).
Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC), including renal, pelvic, and ureteral carcinoma, has a high incidence rate in Taiwan, which is different from that in Western countries. Therefore, it is imperative to elucidate the mechanisms underlying UTUC growth and metastasis. To explore the function of miR-145-5p in UTUC, we transfected the BFTC909 cell line with miR-145-5p mimics and analyzed the differences in protein levels by performing two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUrothelial carcinoma (UC) is characterized by a high incidence of mutation, and overcoming resistance to cisplatin-based chemotherapy in UC is a major concern. Wee1 is a G2/M phase regulator that controls the DNA damage response to chemotherapy in -mutant cancers. The combination of Wee1 blockade with cisplatin has shown synergistic efficacy in several types of cancers, but little is known regarding UC.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVersican (VCAN), also known as extracellular matrix proteoglycan 2, has been suggested as a potential biomarker in cancers. Previous research has found that VCAN is highly expressed in bladder cancer. However, its role in predicting outcomes for patients with upper urinary tract urothelial cancer (UTUC) is not well understood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLymphovascular invasion (LVI) predicts poor survival in patients with pathologically localized or locally advanced upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UT-UC). However, LVI is associated with high tumor grade, tumor necrosis, advanced tumor stage, tumor location, concomitant carcinoma in situ, lymph node metastasis, and sessile tumor architecture. These factors might interfere with the analysis of the impact of LVI on oncological prognosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWhile radium (Ra)-223 is among the multiple, known life-prolonging treatments in bone-predominant metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), optimal treatment sequencing has not been determined, particularly in the Asia-Pacific context. Hence, we aimed to compare treatment outcomes of docetaxel-naïve and post-docetaxel mCRPC patients undergoing Ra-223 therapy in Taiwan. Using a single-center retrospective cohort design, we reviewed records of adult patients receiving Ra-223 for bone-metastatic mCRPC from 2018 to 2021.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: To evaluate the prognostic impact of the lowest level of tumor location for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) treated with radical nephroureterectomy (RNU).
Materials And Methods: Data were collected from patients with UTUC treated with RNU (01/2005- 06/2020) at a single center in Taiwan. Patients were stratified by the lowest level of tumor location into three groups: renal pelvis only (RPO), above upper ureter (AUU), and below upper ureter (BUU).
We introduced a novel surgery that combines ultrasound guidance, miniaturization and Galdakao-modified supine Valdivia (GMSV) position in percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) and evaluated the safety and efficacy. This retrospective, single-center study retrospectively reviewed 150 patients who underwent ultrasound-guided mini-PCNL in the GMSV position from November 2019 to March 2022. All perioperative parameters were collected.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCancer immunotherapy uses the immune system to achieve therapeutic effects; however, its effect is still limited. Therefore, in addition to immune checkpoint-based treatment, the development of other strategies that can inhibit cancer cells from resisting immune cytotoxicity is important. There are currently few studies on the mechanism of tumors using cytoskeletal proteins reorganization to participate in immune escape.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: To investigate the role of tumor galectin-1 and galectin-3 in patients with lung adenocarcinoma after definitive radiation therapy.
Methods: A total of 41 patients with localized lung adenocarcinoma undergoing thoracic radiation therapy without concurrent chemotherapy were enrolled. Their paraffin-embedded lung tissues were sent for immunohistochemical staining for galectin-1 and galectin-3.
Urothelial carcinoma includes upper urinary tract cancer (UTUC) and bladder cancer. Although nephroureterectomy is the standard treatment for UTUC, the recurrence rate is approximately half and the tumor is associated with poor prognoses. Metastases are the most devastating and lethal clinical situation in urothelial carcinoma.
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