Publications by authors named "Solomon Woldu"

Background And Objective: Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients treated with additional bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) may become unresponsive to BCG. Recently, sequential intravesical gemcitabine and docetaxel (gem/doce) are being used for NMIBC. This study aims to compare oncologic outcomes between sequential intravesical gem/doce versus additional BCG in patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC.

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Article Synopsis
  • Researchers created AI-based histologic assays to predict the likelihood of recurrence and progression in patients with high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer after treatment with intravesical BCG.
  • They analyzed whole-slide images from bladder tumor resections and clinical data from multiple centers, successfully categorizing cases into high or low risk for various outcomes.
  • The validation cohort showed that high-risk patients had significantly worse survival outcomes, indicating that these AI assays provide crucial predictive information beyond traditional clinical factors.
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Unlabelled: In this study we evaluated outcomes of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma who received immunotherapy before surgery. We found that receiving immunotherapy combinations before surgery can offer patients benefits in reducing tumor size and improving disease control.

Background: Immunotherapy (IO) has improved outcomes for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC).

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Article Synopsis
  • - The study aimed to compare the cancer risks of bladder-sparing therapy (BST) versus radical cystectomy (RC) in patients with BCG-unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).
  • - Data from 578 patients showed no significant differences in survival outcomes between the two treatment options, but the BST group had higher rates of high-grade recurrences and progressions to muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) over time.
  • - The findings suggest that while BST and upfront RC provide similar survival rates in the intermediate term, patients receiving BST face increasing recurrence and progression risks, particularly with additional treatment attempts.
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Most kidney cancers are metabolically dysfunctional, but how this dysfunction affects cancer progression in humans is unknown. We infused C-labelled nutrients in over 80 patients with kidney cancer during surgical tumour resection. Labelling from [U-C]glucose varies across subtypes, indicating that the kidney environment alone cannot account for all tumour metabolic reprogramming.

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Objectives: Immunotherapy (IO) drugs have been increasingly utilized in locally advanced or metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UC). Multiple trials have demonstrated clear survival benefit, however, there are often barriers to access for these advanced therapies which has been demonstrated in other non-urologic malignancies. The goal of this study was to assess socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with the receipt of IO for advanced ccRCC and UC.

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Background: Penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) is a rare malignancy that may be cured in cases of local disease by resection of the primary tumor. Risk factors and patterns of local recurrence (LR) have not been well described in cases requiring partial or radical penectomy. In this study, we evaluated risk factors for LR and the impact of frozen and final margin assessment.

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There are multiple ongoing and planned clinical trials that are evaluating novel therapies to treat patients with BCG-unresponsive high grade nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Importantly, there is considerable variation in surveillance strategies between these clinical trials, specifically with regards to the use of advanced imaging, enhanced cystoscopy, and mandatory biopsies, which could impact landmark efficacy assessments of investigational agents. To present guideline recommendations for the standardization of cystoscopic evaluation, surveillance, and efficacy assessments for patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC participating in clinical trials.

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Purpose: Racially driven outcomes in cancer are challenging to study. Studies evaluating the impact of race in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) outcomes are inconsistent and unable to disentangle socioeconomic disparities from inherent biological differences. We therefore seek to investigate socioeconomic determinants of racial disparities with respect to overall survival (OS) when comparing Black and White patients with RCC.

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Objective: UGN-101 has been approved for the chemoablation of low-grade upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC) involving the renal pelvis and calyces. Herein is the first reported cohort of patients with ureteral tumors treated with UGN-101.

Patients And Methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients treated with UGN-101 for UTUC at 15 high-volume academic and community centers focusing on outcomes of patients treated for ureteral disease.

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Purpose: We present a case study of the treatment of localized squamous cell carcinoma on the glans penis with a custom-fabricated high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy applicator.

Methods And Materials: A cylindrically shaped applicator was fabricated with eight embedded channels suitable for standard plastic brachytherapy catheters. An additional custom silicone bolus/sleeve was designed to be used with the 3D-printed applicator to provide an additional offset from the source to skin to reduce the surface dose and for patient comfort.

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Introduction: Testicular germ cell tumors are the most common malignancy in young adult males. Patients with metastatic disease receive standard of care chemotherapy followed by retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for residual masses >1cm. However, there is a need for better preoperative tools to discern which patients will have persistent disease after chemotherapy given low rates of metastatic germ cell tumor after chemotherapy.

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Circulating miR-371a-3p has excellent performance in the detection of viable (non-teratoma) germ cell tumor (GCT) pre-orchiectomy; however, its ability to detect occult disease is understudied. To refine the serum miR-371a-3p assay in the minimal residual disease setting we compared performance of raw (Cq) and normalized (∆Cq, RQ) values from prior assays, and validated interlaboratory concordance by aliquot swapping. Revised assay performance was determined in a cohort of 32 patients suspected of occult retroperitoneal disease.

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Background: UGN-101 can be used for chemoablation of low-grade upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). The gel can be administered via a retrograde route through a ureteral catheter or an antegrade route via a nephrostomy tube.

Objective: To report outcomes of UGN-101 by route of administration.

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Purpose: Assess the real-world ablative effect of mitomycin reverse thermal gel for low-grade upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) in patients who undergo biopsy only or partial ablation and evaluate utility of complete ablation prior to UGN-101.

Material And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed low-grade UTUC patients treated with UGN-101 from 15 high-volume centers. Patients were categorized based on initial endoscopic ablation (biopsy only, partial ablation, or complete ablation) and by size of remaining tumor (complete ablation, <1cm, 1-3cm, or >3cm) prior to UGN-101.

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Objective: To evaluate utilities of multiparametric MRI and targeted biopsy to detect clinically significant prostate cancer in men with prostatomegaly.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of multiparametric MRI obtained for elevated PSA between 2017 and 2020. We selected patients with prostates ≥80 g who had undergone biopsy.

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Background: Intracavitary UGN-101 is approved for the treatment of low-grade noninvasive upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). Post-commercialization studies underscore the benefit of UGN-101 administration for patients with imperative indications for whom radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) is not a viable option.

Objective: To describe the use, efficacy, and safety of UGN-101 in patients with UTUC with imperative indications for renal preservation, including high-grade disease.

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Circulating miR-371a-3p has excellent performance in the detection of viable (non-teratoma) GCT pre-orchiectomy; however, its ability to detect occult disease is understudied. To refine the serum miR-371a-3p assay in the minimal residual disease setting we compared performance of raw (Cq) and normalized (∆Cq, RQ) values from prior assays, and validated interlaboratory concordance by aliquot swapping. Revised assay performance was determined in a cohort of 32 patients suspected of occult retroperitoneal disease.

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Background: Most renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) are localized and managed by active surveillance, surgery, or minimally invasive techniques. Stereotactic ablative radiation (SAbR) may provide an innovative non-invasive alternative although prospective data are limited.

Objective: To investigate whether SAbR is effective in the management of primary RCCs.

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Most kidney cancers display evidence of metabolic dysfunction but how this relates to cancer progression in humans is unknown. We used a multidisciplinary approach to infuse C-labeled nutrients during surgical tumour resection in over 70 patients with kidney cancer. Labeling from [U-C]glucose varies across cancer subtypes, indicating that the kidney environment alone cannot account for all metabolic reprogramming in these tumours.

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Purpose: We describe a novel application of the reverse thermal polymer gel of mitomycin C (UGN-101) as adjuvant therapy after complete endoscopic ablation of upper tract urothelial carcinoma.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients treated with UGN-101 from 15 high-volume centers. Adjuvant therapy was defined as treatment administered following visually complete endoscopic ablation.

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