ObjectivesTo evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the Xpert Bladder Cancer (BC) Monitor, compared with cystoscopy and cytology in the oncological follow-up of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Material and MethodsA total of 140 patients with a history of NMIBC undergoing routine surveillance at our institution were enrolled prospectively in this study (ISRCTN study registry number 37210907). Urine cytology was evaluated according to the Paris classification system. In addition, urinary specimens were analysed using the Xpert BC Monitor, which measures five target mRNAs (ABL1, CRH, IGF2, UPK1B, ANXA10) using real-time PCR. Descriptive analysis, diagnostic accuracy including sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV), receiver-operating characteristic curve, and area under the curve (AUC) were calculated. ResultsThe overall sensitivity (0. ConclusionIn this study, we report for the first time that the Xpert BC Monitor, a new mRNA-based urine test, outperforms cytology with regard to sensitivity and NPV, even in low-grade and pTa tumours, with no reduction of specificity.

Background: Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is associated with high rates of recurrence, resulting in frequent follow-up cystoscopies. We evaluated the use of two point-of-care tests - the nuclear matrix protein 22 (NMP22) and urinary bladder cancer antigen (UBC) Rapid - compared to routine follow-up in patients with a previous history of NMIBC. Methods: 31 patients with cystoscopy-verified active bladder cancer, and 44 follow-up patients without disease as confirmed by cystoscopy were prospectively enrolled. All urine samples were analyzed by voided urine and bladder washing cytology, NMP22 and UBC rapid test (qualitatively and quantitatively). The best cutoff (highest Youden index; ≥6.7 ng/ml) for the quantitative UBC was determined by receiver operating characteristic curves. Results: Voided urine and barbotage cytology resulted in a sensitivity of 25.8% and 32.3%, and a specificity of 100% and 100%, while the NMP22 showed a sensitivity and specificity of 12.9% and 100%, respectively. The qualitative and quantitative UBC Rapid revealed a sensitivity of 61.3% and 64.5%, with a specificity of 77.3% and 81.8%. Barbotage cytology and qualitative UBC test proved to be the best dual combination with the highest overall sensitivity (77.4%). In contrast to barbotage cytology alone, sensitivity increased from 21.4% to 50% for detecting low-grade tumors, and from 43.8% to 100% for high-grade cancers, but reducing specificity from 100% to 77.3%. Conclusion: Compared to urinary cytology, UBC tests alone as well as UBC tests in combination with bladder washing cytology revealed higher sensitivities in detecting low- and high-grade tumors, but at the expense of a lower specificity. Thus, currently cystoscopy cannot be replaced by any of the evaluated methods.

Lynch syndrome, known as hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), is an autosomal-dominant familial cancer syndrome with an increased risk for urothelial cancer (UC). Mismatch repair (MMR) deficiency, due to pathogenic variants in MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2, and microsatellite instability, are known for development of Lynch syndrome (LS) associated carcinogenesis. UC is the third most common cancer type in LS-associated tumors. The diversity of germline variants in the affected MMR genes and their following subsequent function loss might be responsible for the variation in cancer risk, suggesting an increased risk of developing UC in MSH2 mutation carriers. In this review, we will focus on LS-associated UC of the upper urinary tract (UUT) and bladder, their germline profiles, and outcomes compared to sporadic UC, the impact of genetic testing, as well as urological follow-up strategies in LS. In addition, we present a case of metastatic LS-associated UC of the UUT and bladder, achieving complete response during checkpoint inhibition since more than 2 years.

Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19)-induced effects on deferred diagnosis and treatment of bladder cancer (BC) patients are currently not clarified. The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic by considering its effects on tumor stage and grade, and to create feasible clinical triage decisions. A retrospective single-center analysis of all patients who underwent diagnostic and surgical procedures due to BC, during January 2019 and December 2020, was performed. Due to COVID-19 lockdowns, significantly fewer (diagnostic and therapeutic) endoscopic procedures were performed in the first 6 months of 2020 compared to 2019 (p = 0.002). In patients with a primary diagnosis of BC, a significant increase of high-grade tumors (p < 0.001), as well as advanced tumor stages (p = 0.014), were noticed during 2020 in comparison to 2019. On the contrary, patients with recurrent BC undergoing risk-adapted surveillance, depending on previous tumor histology, showed no adverse outcomes regarding tumor stage and grade when comparing the pre COVID-19 era with 2020. Thus, more awareness in clinical urologic practice is mandatory to avoid adverse consequences, with increased rates of advanced and aggressive tumors in patients with primary BC. In recurrent BC, an individual risk stratification in order to avoid worse outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic seems to be justified.

There is a significant need for real-world evidence that mirrors the outcome from established available treatments in terms of efficacy and safety in clinical practice. RELACS is a retrospective, noninterventional chart review of Austrian patients with renal-cell carcinoma, those receiving systemic treatment during 2010-2016 across 12 centers. This study showed much longer median overall survival than previous reports in realworld setting. Background: Treatment decisions in routine clinical practice are based on reports of clinical trials, which represent highly selected populations. Limited studies reported real-world evidences representing routine clinical practices in patients with renal-cell carcinoma (RCC) in Europe. The aim of this retrospective, noninterventional chart review was to collect data on the treatment landscape for patients with advanced/metastatic RCC in routine clinical practice in a broader patient population in Austria. Patients and Methods: Patients with advanced/metastatic RCC receiving systemic treatment between June 2010 and June 2016 across 12 centers in Austria were included. Parameters were entered into an electronic case report form from the participating sites via the application Hermesoft electronic data capture system. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were the 2 primary end points. Results: The median PFS and OS were 12 months and 44 months, respectively (first-line PFS was 14 months for pazopanib and 13 months for sunitinib; first-line OS was 44 months for pazopanib and 48 months for sunitinib). Factors influencing the OS were sex, with female patients at a significantly higher risk than male patients (hazard ratio ¼ 1.719), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status > 0 increased the risk twice (hazard ratio ¼ 2.048), and number of metastases > 3 before the first line doubled the risk compared to metastases (hazard ratio ¼ 2.064). Conclusion: OS in this retrospective chart review was considerably longer than the previous reports in real-world patients, underlining the benefit of current RCC treatment options in routine clinical practice.