Adjuvant chemotherapy for invasive bladder cancer: a 2013 updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.

Context: The role of adjuvant chemotherapy remains poorly defined for the management of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). The last meta-analysis evaluating adjuvant chemotherapy, conducted in 2005, had limited power to fully support its use.

Objective: To update the current evidence of the benefit of postoperative adjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy compared with control (ie, surgery alone) in patients with MIBC.

Targeted therapies and the treatment of non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Targeted therapies have shown profound effects on the outcome of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, the optimal treatment for RCC of non-clear cell histology (nccRCC)-typically excluded from trials of targeted agents-remains uncertain.

Materials And Methods: By carrying out extensive searches of PubMed and ASCO databases, we identified and summarised research into the biological characteristics, clinical behaviour and treatment of different histological subtypes of nccRCC, focusing on targeted therapy.

Advances in the management of high-risk localised and metastatic prostate cancer.

At the third annual Interactive Genitourinary Cancer Conference, held in Budapest from 30 April to 1 May 2011, the latest developments in the management of patients with high-risk localised and metastatic prostate cancer were discussed. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in Western men and, for advanced disease, no curative agents are available. For men with high-risk localised disease there is debate about the best treatment approaches, with both radical prostatectomy and radiation therapy shown to improve outcomes.

Expert opinion on the use of first-line sorafenib in selected metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients.

The incidence of renal cell carcinoma is increasing globally. Targeted agents offer treatment options that were not available less than a decade ago. However, it is important to carefully select therapy for each individual patient, weighing both the drug efficacy and tolerability profile and patient-related factors, such as adherence, age and comorbidities.

Castration-resistant prostate cancer: new science and therapeutic prospects.

There is a growing number of new therapies targeting different pathways that will revolutionize patient management strategies in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients. Today there are more clinical trial options for CRPC treatment than ever before, and there are many promising agents in late-stage clinical testing. The hypothesis that CRPC frequently remains driven by a ligand-activated androgen receptor (AR) and that CRPC tissues exhibit substantial residual androgen levels despite gonadotropin-releasing hormone therapy, has led to the evaluation of new oral compounds such as abiraterone and MDV 3100.

Experience with sorafenib and adverse event management.

Sorafenib was the first multikinase inhibitor to be approved for use in renal cell cancer (RCC) in the US (2005) and in Europe (2006). In the Treatment Approaches in Renal Cell Cancer Global Evaluation Trial (TARGET), sorafenib showed a significant progression-free survival advantage over placebo in patients with advanced RCC. Incidence rates of adverse events were significantly higher with sorafenib than with placebo.

Activity of a multitargeted chemo-switch regimen (sorafenib, gemcitabine, and metronomic capecitabine) in metastatic renal-cell carcinoma: a phase 2 study (SOGUG-02-06).

Background: Maximum tolerated dose (MTD) chemotherapy followed by metronomic chemotherapy (low doses given on a frequent schedule) acts on tumour vascular endothelial cells by increasing the anti-tumour effect of anti-angiogenic agents. This multicentre, phase 2 study investigated the effectiveness of MTD gemcitabine combined with metronomic capecitabine plus the multikinase inhibitor sorafenib for the treatment of metastatic renal-cell carcinoma (RCC).

Methods: Patients were enrolled at eight centres across Spain between Dec 13, 2006, and April 17, 2008.

Predictive modelling in hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC).

Because the evidence is not yet solid enough to strongly recommend whether or not to treat hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) patients at certain stages of the disease, predictive models might help in decision making. The importance of prognostic models lies in their ability to capture clinically relevant and measurable variables for routine use by clinicians to inform patients, and improve palliation and treatment decisions. Basically this allows for the creation of homogeneous prognostic strata for randomised comparative trials of therapeutic agents.