February 2022
Impressive results regarding long-term efficacy of hyperthermic intravesical chemotherapy (HIVEC) using Combat BRS for BCG-unresponsive, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients was recently published in Urologic Oncology.
Experienced investigation centers such as Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands, Dutch Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands as well as Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford, UK were involved in the retrospective analysis of 56 BCG-unresponsive patients who received ≥5 HIVEC instillations.
Summary:
- Better results than any FDA/EU approved drug/DAT.
- Overall 1year high grade recurrence-free survival was 53%; 2years – 35%, which is better than Nadofaragene and EMDA.
- CIS patients RFS 70% @ 6 months (the FDA only asks for 30%) - better than Pembrolizumab and RITE.
- HIVEC was well-tolerated, and patients experienced limited side-effects, which rarely led to therapy discontinuation.
- Fewer severe adverse events than Pembrolizumab, Nadofaragene, BCG and RITE.
- Limitation of this study was the small sample size.
Conclusion:
HIVEC resulted in a 2-year HG-RFS of 35% for BCG-unresponsive NMIBC patients, without severe side-effects, therefore HIVEC appears to be an alternative treatment option for patients who refuse or are unfit for radical cystectomy.
Read more in European Urology:
Olga M Pijpers, Kees Hendricksen, Hugh Mostafid, M.D., Florus C de Jong, Marloes Rosiera, Nikhil Mayor, Joep J de Jong, Joost L Boormans. Long-term efficacy of hyperthermic intravesical chemotherapy for BCG unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Urol Oncol. 2022 Feb; 40(2):62.e13-62.e20. doi: 10.1016/j.urolonc.2021.07.019
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1078143921003379?via=ihub
