GU Oncology Now

11/11/2023

The results of the SELECT trial show that people who are overweight or obese but do not have diabetes taking semaglutide for more than 3 years had a 20% risk reduction of heart attack, stroke, or death due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) and lost over 9% of body weight. The results were presented in a late-breaking science presentation today at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2023, taking place Nov. 11-13, in Philadelphia, PA, and simultaneously published today in The New England Journal of Medicine.

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Semaglutide reduced major CVD risk by 20% in adults with overweight or obesity, but not diabetes.

16/03/2023

Frequent efforts to turn tyrosine kinase inhibitors and immune-checkpoint inhibitors into adjuvant treatments have occurred over the past decade, as they have had the most beneficial treatment outcomes for . Read more:

A team of researchers reviewed existing literature on adjuvant therapy for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and provided a summary of patient characteristics that may result in the most favorable responses to treatment.

15/03/2023

A team of researchers from the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York, set out to determine the preferred sequence of perioperative systemic therapy for node-positive . Read more:

Adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) is considered a standard-of-care treatment for high-risk upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) based on results from the POUT trial, which examined perioperative chemotherapy versus surveillance for UTUC. AC was found to have superior disease-free survival when compared....

09/03/2023

The Uromigos were joined by Daniel George, MD, to review presentations from ASCO , including triplet versus doublet therapy, the ARASENS trial, and the ZIRCON phase 3 trial. Listen here:

The Uromigos are joined by Daniel George, MD, to review presentations from the 2023 ASCO GU Cancers Symposium, including triplet versus doublet therapy, the ARASENS trial, and the ZIRCON phase 3 trial. Dr. George is a medical oncologist at Duke Health, specializing in genitourinary malignancies.

08/03/2023

A recent study determined the surgical efficacy of RPLND and evaluated recurrence after primary RPLND for CS IIA/IIB to determine if certain clinical factors could predict disease recurrences. Learn more:

Clinical stage (CS) II seminoma is commonly treated with radiotherapy or chemotherapy based on guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Primary retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) has recently demonstrated success as another first-line therapy option for retroperitoneal (...

07/03/2023

The Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative (MUSIC) experience evaluated the 5-year treatment-free survival for patients with favorable intermediate-risk , and recently published their exciting data. Learn more:

It is increasingly common for patients with favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer to be managed with active surveillance, but more information is needed to analyze short- and long-term outcomes.

06/03/2023

We spoke with Rachelle Rodriguez, MS, APRN, AOCNP, the GU advanced practice provider supervisor at Moffitt Cancer Center, on her role in helping Moffitt grow its APP presence as well as the specific challenges for APPs in their treatment of GU patients. Read more:

In January 2023, Rachelle Rodriguez, MS, APRN, AOCNP, the genitourinary (GU) advanced practice provider (APP) supervisor at Moffitt Cancer Center, was honored by Moffitt with the Award of Excellence in Innovations in Clinical Care.

03/03/2023

A recent phase 3 clinical trial demonstrated that intravesical interferon-alpha gene therapy combined with nadofaragene firadenovec is a clinically effective treatment combination for patients with non-muscle-invasive . Read more:

A recent phase 3 clinical trial demonstrated that intravesical interferon-alpha (IFNα) gene therapy plus nadofaragene firadenovec is a clinically effective treatment combination for patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), providing a potential new therapeutic approach for a diseas...

01/03/2023

How does cost of care impact patient decision-making for localized treatment? GU Oncology Now contributor Akhil A Saji highlights the research available on costs related to the treatment of localized prostate cancer—and the associated outcomes—in the US. Read more:

The National Cancer Institute estimates nearly 270,000 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the United States in 2023, and approximately 14% to 15% of patients with prostate cancer will also be diagnosed with advanced-stage disease.1,2

28/02/2023

Howard Korman, MD, and Savitha Balaraman, MD, describe the importance of genetic testing for patients newly diagnosed with , opine on whether genetic testing is underutilized, and offer strategies to improve testing rates in our latest interview. Watch here:

Howard Korman, MD, Comprehensive Urology and Wayne State University; and Savitha Balaraman, MD, Comprehensive Urology, Oakland Medical Group Hematology Oncology, Michigan Health Care Professionals, and Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, describe the importance of genetic testing...

27/02/2023

GU Oncology Now contributor Akhil A Saji details the ongoing QUILT-3.032 trial that is investigating the use of an IL-15 superagonist for the treatment of NMIBC in BCG-unresponsive patients. Read more: https://buff.ly/3EGJ7EL

15/02/2023

Jeanny B. Aragon-Ching, MD, FACP, Clinical Program Director of Genitourinary Cancers at Inova Schar Cancer Institute, describes available treatment options for locally advanced or metastatic carcinoma who progress on maintenance. Watch here:

GU Oncology Now spoke with David Braun, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine and a principal investigator at the Center of Molecular and Cellular Oncology at Yale Cancer Center, regarding currently available later-line therapy options for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), how th...

14/02/2023

Yair Lotan, MD, professor of urology at UT Southwestern Medical Center's Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, talked with us about the real-world use and effectiveness of UGN-101, also known as Jelmyto, as well as how soon UGN-101 may be considered standard-of-care for certain patients with UTUC. Read more:

GU Oncology Now spoke with David Braun, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine and a principal investigator at the Center of Molecular and Cellular Oncology at Yale Cancer Center, regarding currently available later-line therapy options for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), how th...

14/02/2023

Pembrolizumab/axitinib is approved as a first-line treatment for , but how does it fare in later lines of therapy? Researchers studied its safety and efficacy to determine its effectiveness in the second line or beyond. Learn more:

GU Oncology Now spoke with David Braun, MD, PhD, assistant professor of medicine and a principal investigator at the Center of Molecular and Cellular Oncology at Yale Cancer Center, regarding currently available later-line therapy options for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), how th...

13/02/2023

In their latest episode, The Uromigos discuss the cost of quality adjusted life years with Daniel Goldstein, MD, Senior Physician and GU Oncologist at Rabin Medical Center. Listen now:

GU Oncology Now spoke with Rishabh Simhal, MD, a research fellow in the Department of Urology at Thomas Jefferson University, about his recent study on the correlation between baseline fatigue and overall survival in patients with prostate cancer who have undergone stereotactic body radiation therap...

13/02/2023

GU Oncology Now spoke with Rishabh Simhal, MD, a research fellow at Thomas Jefferson University, about the correlation between baseline fatigue and OS in patients with , and how the FACIT-F survey can help. Read more:

GU Oncology Now spoke with Rishabh Simhal, MD, a research fellow in the Department of Urology at Thomas Jefferson University, about his recent study on the correlation between baseline fatigue and overall survival in patients with prostate cancer who have undergone stereotactic body radiation therap...

10/02/2023

Will you be attending the ASCO GU Cancers Symposium next week? Our San Francisco city guide is packed with recommendations for the best local restaurants, can’t-miss attractions and hidden gems. Download the guide on our site to prepare for your trip to the Bay Area:

UGN-101, also known as Jelmyto, is a novel delivery system for intracavitary treatment of upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC) that has the potential to save patients from lifelong dialysis. Its US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval was based on the results of a small study, and a recent po...

09/02/2023

Many cancer drugs can cost over hundreds of dollars per dose, putting additional stress on patients. A recent study sought to determine the gross and OOP prices of first-line drugs for the treatment of mCRPC and identify how payments differ. Read more:

Jeanny B. Aragon-Ching, MD, FACP, Clinical Program Director of Genitourinary Cancers at Inova Schar Cancer Institute, offers her thoughts on whether bladder cancer lends itself to a personalized care approach. Dr. Aragon-Ching: In metastatic urothelial cancer, truly the only “targeted therapy” w...

08/02/2023

Listen to the latest Uromigos episode where Drs. Powles and Rini discuss the use of antibody drug conjugates in bladder cancer with Dr. Petros Grivas from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center:

Jeanny B. Aragon-Ching, MD, FACP, Clinical Program Director of Genitourinary Cancers at Inova Schar Cancer Institute, offers her thoughts on whether bladder cancer lends itself to a personalized care approach. Dr. Aragon-Ching: In metastatic urothelial cancer, truly the only “targeted therapy” w...

07/02/2023

Intracorporeal bladder cuffing and distal ureterectomy may be a safe and effective alternative to radical nephrouretectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma, according to new research. Learn more:

Jonathan A. Coleman, MD, is an attending surgeon and urology specialist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, as well as a Professor of Urology at Weill Cornell Medical of Cornell University. He has been a faculty member at Memorial Sloan Kettering since 2006. His research endeavors have been p...

06/02/2023

Gary Ulaner, MD, PhD, FACNM, Director of Molecular Imaging and Therapy at Hoag Family Cancer Institute, details the application and capabilities of molecular imaging in . Watch the clip from our exclusive interview here:

Pembrolizumab/axitinib is approved as a first-line treatment for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), but its safety and efficacy in later lines of therapy has not been researched. When used as a first-line treatment, the drug combination has demonstrated superior progression free survival (PFS),...

03/02/2023

In the second part of our interview with Dr. Matthew Deek from the Department of Radiation Oncology at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, he shares with us how PSMA imaging was used during the ORIOLE trial to find areas of prostate cancer in patients. Watch the interview here:

The cost of medication that is a part of the overall cost of care for patients with cancer is a growing concern. Many cancer drugs cost hundreds to thousands of dollars per dose. Patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) often choose between multiple first-line drugs as p...

02/02/2023

Dr. Matthew Deek from the Department of Radiation Oncology at Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey spoke with us about the STOMP and ORIOLE trials and their efforts to find other treatment options for patients with omCSPC. Watch the interview here:

The cost of medication that is a part of the overall cost of care for patients with cancer is a growing concern. Many cancer drugs cost hundreds to thousands of dollars per dose. Patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) often choose between multiple first-line drugs as p...

01/02/2023

Cost is one of several factors that come into play when choosing cancer treatment options. A cost-effectiveness analysis of 6 different approved drug combinations for was conducted to determine the best treatments based on cost. Read more:

Matthew Deek, MD, Department of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute, New Brunswick, NJ, shares with us what research should be done to better personalize care for patients with oligometastatic prostate cancer. Dr. Deek: The two realms that we can probably benefit patients a lot are the two....

31/01/2023

We spoke to Joshua J. Meeks, MD, PhD, from the Department of Urology at Northwestern Medicine on the course of his career in bladder cancer, including his ongoing research in treating patients with NMIBC and the future of urothelial carcinoma care. Read the full interview here:

Matthew Deek, MD, Department of Radiation Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute, New Brunswick, NJ, shares with us what research should be done to better personalize care for patients with oligometastatic prostate cancer. Dr. Deek: The two realms that we can probably benefit patients a lot are the two....

30/01/2023

A new study is the first to report on the value of preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in predicting nodal involvement in the preprostatectomy setting, as well as overall survival in pN1 patients in the postprostatecomy setting. Learn more:

Joshua J. Meeks, MD, PhD, is an associate professor of urology, biochemistry, and molecular genetics at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and section chief of robotic surgery at the Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. His expertise is...

27/01/2023

Gary Ulaner, MD, PhD, FACNM, Director of Molecular Imaging and Therapy at Hoag Family Cancer Institute, talks about the data that led to the FDA approval of 177Lu-PSMA-617, as well as its safety profile. Watch the clip from our exclusive interview here:

Joshua J. Meeks, MD, PhD, is an associate professor of urology, biochemistry, and molecular genetics at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and section chief of robotic surgery at the Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois. His expertise is...

26/01/2023

A recent investigative review published in JAMA Oncology () provides evidence that there may be significant room for improvement in the representation of racial and ethnic groups in research that drives prostate cancer clinical trials. Read more:

Intravesical mitomycin C is commonly used in the treatment of bladder cancer immediately after transurethral resection of a tumor to reduce cancer recurrence and progression in non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). However, lack of compliance is common due to associated complications such as...

25/01/2023

A recent study investigated the role of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) as a baseline predictor for overall survival in patients undergoing stereotactic body radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer. Read more:

A recent study investigated the role of the FACIT-F survey as a baseline predictor for overall survival in patients undergoing SBRT for localized PCa.

24/01/2023

In this episode of Healthcare Unfiltered: What do we know about various diets and their association with cancer? Have you ever wondered what the evidence shows?

To answer this important question, Chadi hosts two specialists from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: Urvi Shah, MD, hematologist oncologist (myeloma expert and a cancer survivor herself), and Neil Lyengar, MD, medical oncologist (breast cancer expert). They discuss whether there’s a direct cause-and-effect relationship between lack of exercise and cancer diagnoses and alcohol/food consumption and cancer diagnoses, methodologies of studying these relationships in the breast and myeloma spaces, lifestyle and dietary interventions they are studying, how Keto and plant-based diets factor into the discussion, and a whole lot more.

In this episode of Healthcare Unfiltered: What do we know about various diets and their association with cancer? Have you ever wondered what the evidence

24/01/2023

Dr. David Ambinder details the results from a comparative effectiveness study on the pros and cons of different surgical options for localized prostate cancer, including external beam radiotherapy and low-dose-rate brachytherapy. Read more:

With a lack of randomized trials that address different surgical options for localized prostate cancer, is there any evidence to guide patients appropriately?

23/01/2023

GU Oncology Now Associate Editor David Ambinder, MD interviewed Sarah Psutka, MD, MSc on the use of cytoreductive nephrectomies in patients with metastatic kidney cancer. Read the exclusive interview here:

Cytoreductive nephrectomy is controversial in the metastatic RCC setting, especially in the age of immunotherapy given a paucity of data.

20/01/2023

The 2 largest randomized trials investigating radical cystectomy with urinary diversion - the RAZOR4 trial and the iROC5 trial - are discussed in our latest article by GU Oncology Now's Associate Editor Akhil Saji, MD, along with their differences, similarities, and conclusions. Read more:

An investigation and review of both studies regarding their differences, similarities, and conclusions.

19/01/2023

GU Oncology Now Associate Editor Akhil Saji, MD, gives an overview of the evidence regarding bisphosphate and denosumab therapy, as well as the positive impact that bone-protective agents can have on patients with advanced prostate cancer. Learn more:

A summary of the evidence regarding bisphosphate and denosumab therapy and the positive impact that bone-protective agents can have on patients.

18/01/2023

Pe**le cancer accounts for less than 1% of cancers in men in the United States, but survival remains poor in advanced disease. A study analyzed patients with pe**le cancer who had received pelvic lymph node treatment to gain prognosis insight. Read more:

Pe**le cancer survival is poor in patients with advanced disease - understanding how treatment fails can help further development of new treatment strategies.

17/01/2023

What is the most optimal strategy for prostate cancer screening? The GÖTEBORG-2 trial answered this question by comparing systematic and targeted biopsy for MRI-positive lesions. Learn more:

A review of the design and results of the GÖTEBORG-2 trial and the current recommendations for utilization of mpMRI in prostate cancer screening, diagnosis.

16/01/2023

New research shows that neoadjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine and split-dose cisplatin is well-tolerated and effective in patients with high-risk UTUC. Learn more:

New research found neoadjuvant chemotherapy with gemcitabine and split-dose cisplatin to be well-tolerated and effective in patients with high-risk UTUC.

13/01/2023

A new study has found a novel mechanism of tumor formation in kidney cancer that is driven by an overexpression of the mTORC1 signaling pathway, which can lead to the discovery of potential therapeutic targets for aggressive renal cell cancers. Learn more:

A novel mechanism of tumor formation in kidney cancers driven by an overexpression of the mTORC1 signaling pathway can support the development of new therapies.

12/01/2023

LDR brachytherapy is an effective treatment for prostate cancer, but bladder malignancies can arise after treatment. A recent study characterized the course and prognosis of bladder malignancies that occur after prostate brachytherapy. Read more:

While LDR brachytherapy is an effective treatment for prostate cancer, secondary bladder malignancies can arise after prior brachytherapy treatment.