The Incidence of Smoking-related Bladder Cancer May Be Increasing(11/19/2009) Researchers from the National Cancer Institute and Dartmouth Medical School have reported that the risk of developing smoking-related bladder cancer has increased in New Hampshire over the risk observed in the 1990s. The details of this study appeared in the November 18, 2009 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
HIV-associated Bladder Cancer Occurs at an Early Age(9/9/2009) Researchers from the Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital have reported that bladder cancer can be added to the list of cancers associated with HIV infection in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The details of this study appeared in BMC Urology in an early online report on August 31, 2009.
Delay of Surgery Increases Mortality from Bladder Cancer(9/2/2009) Researchers from Canada have reported that a delay of 40 or more days between diagnosis of bladder cancer by transurethral resection and cystectomy significantly increases mortality. The details of this study were published early online in the Journal of Urology on August 13.
Students Report High Level of Exposure to Secondhand Smoke(10/3/2007) According to an international survey of students between the ages of 13 and 15 years, almost half of the nonsmokers reported that they were exposed to secondhand smoke at home and a similar number reported that they were exposed to secondhand smoke outside of the home. These results were published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Intravesical Taxotere® Maintenance Therapy May Improve Treatment of Superficial Bladder Cancer Refractory to BCG(11/18/2009) Researchers from Columbia University have reported that induction and maintenance therapy with intravesical Taxotere® (docetaxel) is well tolerated and effective for treatment of patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer who are refractory to Bacilli Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy. The details of this study were reported in the October 2009 issue of British Journal of Urology International.
Multimodality Therapy with Hyperthermia Promising for High-risk Bladder Cancer(10/22/2009) Researchers from Germany have reported that a strategy of transurethral resection followed by chemoradiotherapy with regional deep hyperthermia results in local recurrence-free survival of 85% in patients with high-risk Stage I and II bladder cancer. The details of this study were published early online in Radiotherapy and Oncology on October 19, 2009.
Arsenic Exposure May Be Related to Survival of Patients with Bladder Cancer(10/21/2009) Researchers from Dartmouth Medical School have reported that patients with bladder cancer with high arsenic exposure had a lower survival rate than patients with bladder cancer without a high arsenic exposure. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication in the World Journal of Urology on October 16, 2009.
High Time Costs for Informal Care Givers of Cancer Patients(9/10/2009) Researchers from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) have reported that the time spent by informal caregivers is significant and an important component in the overall burden of cancer care. The details of this study appeared in the September 4, 2009 issue of Cancer.
Long-Term Mitomycin C Improves Bladder Cancer Control(5/17/2007) Researchers from Germany have reported that monthly bladder instillation of mitomycin C (MMC) for 3 years decreases recurrences in patients with superficial bladder cancer. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication on Mach 12, 2007 in European Urology.
Arsenic Exposure May Be Related to Survival of Patients with Bladder Cancer(10/21/2009) Researchers from Dartmouth Medical School have reported that patients with bladder cancer with high arsenic exposure had a lower survival rate than patients with bladder cancer without a high arsenic exposure. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication in the World Journal of Urology on October 16, 2009.
Delaying Surgery Shortens Survival in Stage II Bladder Cancer(3/18/2009) Researchers at UCLA and the Rand Corporation involved in the Urologic Diseases in America Project have reported that patients with Stage II bladder cancer who undergo surgery more than 12 weeks after diagnosis have a higher risk of death. These results were published in the March 1, 2009 issue of Cancer.
Approvable Letter Received for Valstar®(8/28/2007) An approvable letter from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been received by Indevus Pharmaceuticals, Inc for Valstar.
Ixabepilone Evaluated in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), Bladder Cancer and Prostate Cancer(8/17/2007) There have been three recent clinical trials evaluating ixabepilone, in NSCLC, bladder cancer and prostate cancer. Ixabepilone is an epothilone B analog that binds to microtubules and results in microtubule stabilization and mitotic arrest. There have been several recent publications demonstrating significant activity for single agent ixabepilone in patients with metastatic breast cancer.
Chemotherapy Underused in Stage III Bladder Cancer(8/1/2007) Researchers from Cornell University, University of California at San Francisco and the American College of Surgeons have reported that less than 15% of patients with stage III bladder cancer received perioperative chemotherapy in the period from 1998 to 2003. The details of this study appeared in the August, 2007 issue of The Journal of Urology.
Carbogen and Nicotinamide Improves Survival of Patients with Advanced Bladder Cancer Receiving Radiotherapy(11/11/2009) Researchers from the UK have reported that patients with locally advanced bladder cancer treated with concomitant carbogen, nicotinamide, and radical accelerated radiotherapy have a 13% improved three-year survival compared with patients treated with radiotherapy alone. The details of this Phase III randomized trial were presented at the 2009 meeting of the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO) in the first week of November.
Avastin® (Bevacizumab) and Taxol® (Paclitaxel) Improves Progression-Free Survival in Metastatic Breast Cancer(1/7/2008) Researchers affiliated with the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) reported the final analysis of the E2100 trial in which the addition of Avastin (bevacizumab) to Taxol (paclitaxel) was shown to increase progression-free survival compared to Taxol alone. The details of this study appeared in the December 27, 2007 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Improved Outcomes with Higher Volumes for Radical Cystectomy(8/1/2007) Researchers from Vanderbilt have reported that there were differences in outcomes of radical cystectomy performed in academic medical centers based on the number of procedures. The details of this study appeared as an early on-line publication in The Journal of Urology on July 28, 2007.
Herceptin® Combination Chemotherapy Regimen Targets HER-2 Positive Bladder Cancer(7/9/2007) Researchers involved in a multi-center National Cancer Institute trial have documented the feasibility of treating Her-2 positive advanced bladder cancer with a regimen of Herceptin (trastuzumab), Taxol® (paclitaxel), Paraplatin® (carboplatin) and Gemzar® (gemcitabine). The details of this study appeared in the June 1, 2007 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
Gemzar® More Effective than Mutamycin® for Recurrent Superficial Bladder Cancer(10/23/2009) Researchers from Italy have reported that intrabladder treatment with Gemzar® (gemcitabine) is more effective than Mutamycin® (mitomycin C) for the treatment of recurrent bladder cancer. The details of this randomized trial were published early online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology on October 19.
Thermo-chemotherapy May Improve Outcomes of Patients with Superficial Bladder Cancer Failing BCG(9/16/2009) Researchers from Israel have reported that thermo-chemotherapy with mitomycin C in patients with recurrent superficial bladder cancer after treatment with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) results in an 85% one-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate. The details of this study appeared in the October 2009 issue of the Journal of Urology.
Long-Term Mitomycin C Improves Bladder Cancer Control(5/17/2007) Researchers from Germany have reported that monthly bladder instillation of mitomycin C (MMC) for 3 years decreases recurrences in patients with superficial bladder cancer. The details of this study appeared in an early online publication on Mach 12, 2007 in European Urology.
Intravesical Taxotere® Effective in Recurrent Superficial Bladder Cancer(7/24/2006) Researchers from Columbia University Medical Center in New York have reported that intravesical Taxotere® (docetaxel) appears to be an effective treatment option for patients with superficial bladder cancer that has recurred following standard therapies. The details of this phase I-II study appeared in the July 1, 2006 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.