Bladder Cancer VL

Clearing the Smoke: Underreporting of Smoking Status in Bladder Cancer Clinical Trials - Hannah Kay & Marc Bjurlin

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Ruchika Talwar hosts Hannah Kay and Marc Bjurlin to unravel their study on the sparse reporting of smoking status in bladder cancer trials. Their research, "Clearing the Smoke," highlights a concerning discrepancy: only 41.2% of bladder cancer trials over the past decade reported participants' smoking status, starkly contrasting with higher reporting rates in lung cancer trials. This gap suggests...

AIM High: Epigenetic Modulation and Immune Stimulation in Bladder Cancer - Elizabeth Koehne

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Sam Chang engages in an conversation with Elizabeth Koehne who delves into her research, AIM HIGH: DNA Methyltransferase Inhibition and Immune Stimulation in Bladder Cancer. The project explores the potential of making bladder cancer more susceptible to immunotherapy by reversing epigenetic mechanisms, like DNA methylation and chromatin remodeling, that the cancer uses to evade the immune system....

Sequential Gemcitabine and Docetaxel Shows Promise for Intermediate-Risk NMIBC - Vignesh Packiam

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Sam Chang hosts a conversation with Vignesh Packiam to discuss the emerging role of intravesical gemcitabine and docetaxel (gem/doce) for treating non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), spotlighting Dr. Packiam's recent publication in Urologic Oncology. The study, a retrospective review focusing on AUA intermediate-risk NMIBC patients, demonstrates the regimen's efficacy and tolerability. It...

Guidelines Aim to Harmonize and Optimize Urothelial Carcinoma Clinical Trials - Ashish Kamat and Matthew Galsky

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Sam Chang leads a discussion with Ashish Kamat and Matt Galsky on their co-authored article, focusing on new trial parameters for urothelial carcinoma. This collaboration, involving SITC, IBCG, FDA stakeholders, and patient advocates, responds to the urgent need for detailed clinical trial guidelines due to the dynamic landscape of bladder cancer treatment. The dialogue highlights the transition t...

Intravesical Gemcitabine-Docetaxel Shows Durable Response in Recurrent High-Risk NMIBC After BCG - Mark Preston

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Sam Chang hosts a conversation with Mark Preston discussing innovative chemotherapy combinations for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Drawing inspiration from Dr. Mike O'Donnell's work with gemcitabine and docetaxel, Dr. Preston's team sought to replicate these promising results. Their multi-institutional retrospective analysis examined over 100 patients treated with this regimen after BCG ther...

Age Alone Should Not Preclude BCG Therapy in NMIBC - Ashish Kamat

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Sam Chang converses with Ashish Kamat about a study exploring age's influence on treatment outcomes for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer patients. Despite common beliefs that older patients may not respond as well to intravesical therapy, their research challenges this notion, suggesting age should not deter from appropriate treatment. Utilizing a robust dataset, they found no significant differ...

Understanding BCG Unresponsive NMIBC: Patient Perspectives, Treatment Options, and Clinical Guidance - Gautam Jayram

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Ashish Kamat is joined by Gautam Jayram to unravel the complexities of BCG unresponsiveness in bladder cancer treatment. Dr. Jayram emphasizes the importance of understanding what constitutes adequate BCG treatment, highlighting the necessity of more than just six initial doses for accurate classification of BCG unresponsiveness. He sheds light on the challenges and disparities in BCG access, part...

Understanding Risk Stratification in Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer: Applying AUA Guidelines in Clinical Practice - Neal Shore

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Ashish Kamat is joined by Neal Shore to delve into risk stratification in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Dr. Shore highlights the crucial role of the AUA guidelines, developed with significant contributions from Dr. Kamat and others, in differentiating patients into low, intermediate, and high-risk categories. This stratification informs the frequency of cystoscopies, the intensity of...

Impact of Agent Orange Exposure on Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer Outcomes - Kyle Richards

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Kyle Richards delves into the subject of environmental factors influencing bladder cancer, particularly focusing on the potential carcinogenic effects of Agent Orange on non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Dr. Richards highlights the recognition of Agent Orange by the VA as a linked carcinogen to bladder cancer, allowing veterans exposure benefits. Through an observational retrospective study invo...

Disparities and Underutilization of Aggressive Therapy in Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: An NCDB Analysis - James Ferguson

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Sam Chang is joined by James (Jed) Ferguson to explore disparities in the treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Dr. Ferguson's team delved into the National Cancer Database, revealing that a significant percentage of patients do not receive aggressive treatments post-TURBT, with factors such as age, comorbidity, race, insurance status, and treatment facility type playing crucial roles in th...