Genitourinary Cancers

Study findings point to “a concept that has haunted clinical trialists for years,” says one expert.

An immune checkpoint inhibitor provides “a real opportunity to change clinical practice” for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, a study author says.

Researchers have recently made progress in understanding a fundamental signaling cascade, the Programmed Death 1 (PD-1) receptor-ligand pathway,1 which holds long-awaited promise in bladder cancer intervention.

In this installment of "Product Preview," also look for information on products in the pipeline for renal cell carcinoma and interstitial cystitis.

A new study reports no statistically significant increase in the risk of bladder cancer among patients treated with the diabetes drug pioglitazone (Actos), despite previous studies suggesting an association.

In this round-up of new urology products and services, learn about an app that helps moviegoers with OAB, a new mesh for sacrocolpopexy, and device/smartphone app that help women with pelvic floor exercises.

Urology Times’ “Best of AUA 2015” report provides a guide to the meeting’s take-home messages in 15 therapeutic areas-an information-packed, condensed summary of the top papers and presentations.

The survival benefit associated with high-dose IL-2 in metastatic renal cell carcinoma may be better than previously believed.

Other products featured include: Radiosurgery collimator allows treatment of broad rang of tumors and Phi prostate cancer test and more.

Products in the pipeline for prostate cancer, bladder cancer, and much more.

Near-infrared fluorescence-guided selective clamping with indocyanine green fluorescent dye in robot-assisted partial nephrectomy appears to be a promising technique to delineate renal tumor anatomy for the bloodless resection of renal masses while minimizing ischemic damage to the kidney.

Remaining on preventive antiplatelet therapy with aspirin significantly increases the risk of bleeding complications in patients undergoing partial nephrectomy, according to research presented at the European Association of Urology annual congress in Madrid, Spain.

Other products featured include a spacer system to protect men undergoing PCa radiotherapy, a pelvic floor exercise app, and more.

Two case studies of stereotactic ablative radiation therapy yielded survival times comparable to those seen with surgical treatment.

Products in the pipeline for prostate cancer, bladder cancer, stress urinary incontinence, chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome, hypoactive sexual desire disorder.

Two angiogenesis inhibitors that are widely used in metastatic renal cell carcinoma did not improve survival compared with placebo when used as adjuvant treatment, a new study found.

A novel optical imaging technology is showing promise as a potential diagnostic tool for renal cell carcinoma.

New, large-scale studies on active surveillance, IMRT complications, and robotic versus open prostatectomy were among the highlights of this year’s Genitourinary Cancers Symposium.

If further work with irreversible electroporation refines its capacity for discrete tissue ablation deep within the kidney and adjacent to large blood vessels, and especially if larger tumors can be addressed, then this would be a major step forward in the minimally invasive treatment of localized renal cancer.

Percutaneous irreversible electroporation is showing promise as a novel minimally invasive approach for treating small renal tumors, according to the experience of urologists at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.

Urologists at the University of Southern California’s Institute of Urology in Los Angeles are taking robotic kidney surgery to a new level. Inderbir S. Gill, MD, MCh, executive director of the USC Institute of Urology, has pioneered the use of the robot in patients with complex (level III) inferior vena cava thrombi.

New products and services from Samsung Electronics America, Syneron Medical, American Medical Systems, New Star, Buffalo Filter, Cook Medical, Endo International, Trimel BioPharma Metamark, and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.

In this interview, Arie Belldegrun, MD, discusses the benefits of cancer immunotherapy, the importance of a multidisciplinary treatment approach, and what the future holds for this treatment.

Drugs and devices in the pipeline from Actavis, Genomic Health, Lipella Pharmaceuticals, Polaris Group, Innocrin Pharmaceuticals, OncoGenex Pharmaceuticals, Heat Biologics, Repros Therapeutics, and Sophiris Bio.

Olympus has announced the FDA 510(k) clearance of Narrow Band Imaging as enabling effective targeting of biopsies not seen under white light and improved visualization of tumor margins in nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Kidney cancer patients were more likely to undergo partial nephrectomy when treated in hospitals that were early adopters of robotic surgery, according to a recent report that one leading expert calls “some of the best evidence to date of a favorable impact of surgical robots in urologic care.”

Other products discussed in this article include a prosthesis for underactive bladder, a prostate cancer test, and an erectile dysfunction drug.

Blue light cystoscopy with hexaminolevulinate HCl (HAL-BLC) should be considered for initial diagnosis of nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer, an expert panel of urologists recently concluded.

Survivors of bladder, kidney, and two other forms of cancer who smoked 20 or more cigarettes a day prior to their cancer diagnoses have an up to fivefold higher risk of developing a second smoking-associated cancer compared to survivors of the same cancers who never smoked.

Other products featured include a 16-slice CT scanner, new generic testosterone gel, prostate cancer risk calculator, and more.