Bladder Cancer News Archives

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Screening for Bladder Cancer is Beneficial

Friday, May 26th, 2006

Urine tests that screen for bladder cancer can help people get treated for the disease before it spreads and save money by reducing the need for expensive care, as reported during the AUA Annual Meeting in Atlanta.  According to Dr. Edward Messing, chairman of Urology at the University of Rochester Medical Center, testing healthy men for hematuria—microscopic amounts of blood in their urine—can reduce the number of bladder cancer deaths by 20 percent.  Dr. Messing and fellow urologist, Dr. Ralph Madeb, analyzed bladder cancer rates and deaths for a group of 1,575 men over age 50 who took a home urine test between 1987 and 2002 and a similar group not screened for bladder cancer.  In all, 530 men were diagnosed with bladder cancer.  No one who was in the screening group died of bladder cancer, but 20% of those in the unscreened group died of the disease.  According to Dr. Messing, “I think we have proven that screening for bladder cancer is important and that it will save lives.  We even have better tools now that we can look at the molecular make-up of the cells and see if they are likely to become cancerous.  We need a major study to do this.”  For more details, please click here.

STUDY FINDS TAP WATER MAY RAISE BLADDER CANCER RISK

Monday, May 8th, 2006

Pooled data from six case-control studies suggest that higher consumption of tap water-based drinks may slightly increase the risk of bladder cancer among men.  The study, which appeared in the International Journal of Cancer, was led by Dr. Christina M. Villanueva from Institute Municipal d’Investigacio Medica in Barcelona, Spain.

The investigators found that the increased risk of bladder cancer with tap water consumption was “consistently found in all six studies, making chance an unlikely explanation.”  However, they cautioned that for now, the finding that tap water “is associated with a slight increased risk of bladder cancer” does not readily translate into public health recommendations.

The results are based on 2,749 bladder cancer cases and 5,150 cancer-free controls.  Most of the subjects resided in the U.S., Canada or Finland, with data from subjects in Franc and Italy also included.  The study founded that the risk of bladder cancer was 50% higher in men who drank more than 2 liters of tap water daily compared with those who drank 0.5 liters or less.  Results among women were less constant.

The association between bladder cancer and tap water consumption suggest to investigators that the increased risk may be related to the cancer-causing contaminants in tap waters, such as disinfection by-products.  For the complete story, please click here.

NEW BLADDER CANCER DRUG FAST TRACKED BY FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION

Monday, May 8th, 2006

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted “fast track” designation to Bioniche Life Sciences” Urocidin to be used for the treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer in patients who are not responsive to BCG, the current standard therapy.  BCG—bacillus calmette-guerin—is a live, attenuated strain of mycobacterium bovis (cow tuberculosis), a therapy that is often associated with treatment-limiting side effects.

Fast Track designation means that when data from the ongoing phase III clinical trial with Urocidin becomes available, the company could expect an expedited review by FDA of its biologics licensing application for the drug.  This ultimately means that Urocidin could be available for use by uro-oncologists in patients who are non-responsive to BCG in a shorter amount of time.

Bioniche will be starting another Phase III program with Urocidin.  This second trial will involve approximately 630 patients and will compare Urocidin to BCG as a first-line therapy in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer at high risk of recurrence or progression.  For more details, please click here

HEAVY MARIJUANA USE LINKED TO INCREASED RISK FOR BLADDER CANCER

Wednesday, February 8th, 2006

Pot smokers could be putting themselves at risk for developing bladder cancer, according to the results of a study of middle-aged men who were seen at two Veterans Administration facilities.  Marijuana smoking “might be an even more potent stimulant” of malignancy than cigarette smoking, according to Dr. Martha K. Terris of the Medical College of Georgia.  The study was published in the medical journal Urology.

The study involved 52 men, ages 44 to 60, with transitional cell carcinoma.  88.5 percent of the patients had a history of smoking marijuana, and nearly 31 percent still smoked pot at the time of the study.  According to the investigators, marijuana could be more cancer-promoting than tobacco because it has a longer half-life and because marijuana is smoked without a filter and is held longer in the lungs. The researchers advise that younger patients with symptoms that might suggest bladder cancer, who aren’t usually considered high risk, should be questioned about a history of marijuana use.  In addition, bladder cancer patients may want to reconsider the use of marijuana to treat the side effects of chemotherapy.  For the text of the news article, please click here.

SEX HORMONES AFFECT BLADDER CANCER RISK IN WOMEN

Wednesday, February 8th, 2006

Menopausal status as well as age at menopause may modify the risk of women developing bladder cancer, researchers suggest in the American Journal of Epidemiology.  The risk in men is greater than that in women. Hormonal factors may be involved, according to the investigators, because “gender differences in cigarette smoking patterns, occupational exposures and other differences in known risk factor distributions cannot explain the excess bladder cancer observed for males.”

Dr. Monica McGrath and colleagues from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School used the Nurses’ Health study to examine hormonal and reproductive factors in relation to bladder cancer risk in women.  During 26 years of follow up, 336 women developed bladder cancer.  Those past menopause were nearly twice as likely to develop the cancer compared with pre-menopausal women.   The researchers also observed a significant increase in bladder cancer risk with earlier menopause (age 45 years or younger) compared with later menopause (50 years or older).  This association, however, was influenced by cigarette smoking status.

The investigators note that the drop in estrogen levels with menopause has been associated with bladder dysfunction and frequent urinary tract infections.  It may be “that women who experience early menopause are at an increased risk of bladder cancer because they have recurrent urinary tract infections and concurrent inflammation starting at an earlier age.”  For the text of the article, please click here.

NEW URINE TEST HELPS DETECT RECURRING BLADDER CANCER

Monday, January 23rd, 2006

A new urine test used in combination with cystoscopy, a visual exam of the bladder using a long lighted tube, detects 99 percent of recurring bladder cancers, according to a recent study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The new BladderChek test measures the protein NMP22.  High levels of this protein in urine may signal bladder cancer.  On its own, the NMP22 test has not been very accurate at finding bladder cancers. But researchers thought it might be better than urine cytology at finding cancers that cystoscopy missed.

The  BladderChek test has advantages over urine cytology in that it can be done in a doctor’s office and usually gives results within 30-50 minutes.  It is also less expensive and less complicated than urine cytology, which must be performed by trained specialists in a laboratory.

The study was led by H. Barton Grossman,M.D., Professor of Urology at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.  There were 668 bladder cancer survivors in the study across 23 facilities in the United States.  Bladder cancer was diagnosed in 103 patients.  Cystoscopy was the most accurate test, finding 94 of the cancers (91%) all by itself.  The BladderChek test alone found only 51 cancers.  But combining  Bladderchek with cystoscopy found 99% of the cancers.  In contrast, urine cytology alone found only 12 cancers, and combined with cystoscopy, found 94% of cancers, but that improvement was statistically no better than cystoscopy alone.

These results suggest that the BladderChek test could be a useful tool for improving detection of bladder cancer recurrences and reducing the cost of follow-up care.  According to Dr. Grossman, given the high rate of recurrence for bladder cancer, patients and doctors need better ways to find recurrences early so that patient can be treated promptly.  If a relapse is caught early, the patient has a better chance of surviving.  For more information about this study, click here.

STUDY SHOWS LONG-TERM USE OF NSAIDS CUTS RISK OF COLO-RECTAL CANCER

Tuesday, October 25th, 2005

The August 24-31 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association reports on a study conducted at Harvard University that shows that long-term use of  NSAIDS, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and other anti-inflammatory medications, substantially reduced the risk of colo-rectal cancer. The degree of protection was found proportional to the dosage of the NSAIDS taken. The report cautions that heavy usage of NSAIDS can cause serious
side effects in some people, such as gastro-intestinal bleeding. More detail can be found by clicking here.

GREEN TEA - MIRACLE OR MYTH?

Tuesday, October 25th, 2005

Many articles have appeared in the news media about the general health benefits of green tea. Some articles have suggested that green tea also has anti-cancer effects. These benefits supposedly accrue from the rich supply of anti-oxidants in green teas, plus the presence of a substance that is believed to block the spread of cnceer cells while leaving normal cells unaffected. At least one study, being conducted at UCLA, has even narrowed the investigative focus to green tea’s effects on bladder cancer. Preliminary lab tests have shown some promising results, This study is still underway. Details can be found by clicking here.

How much green tea extract is needed? Studies to date do not answer this question conclusively. However, the July, 2005 issue of Prevention Magazine reports on a study performed by UCLA on green tea extracts vs either black or green tea. The researchers gave 30 people either green tea, black tea, or green tea extract capsules containing identical amounts of antioxidants, called flavonoids. Green tea extracts were found to produce up to 123% higher blood antioxidant levels than either of the teas. The article recommends the intake of at least 400 mg of flavonoids a day. Unfortuantely, the article does not tell how many cups of tea or capsules of extract this represents.

A recent news release from the FDA states that they have reviewed several studies of green tea benefits, and cannot confirm any efficacy against cancer, or at best see only weak effects. This article may be viewed by clicking here.

The comments of Sin Hang Lee, M.D., who had requested that the FDA approve health claims made for green tea, made rebuttal comments in response to the FDA statement. His opinion can be viewed by clicking here.

As is frequently the case, until more conclusive studies are completed, the patient/consumer must weigh both sides of this issue and reach their own conclusion as to whether to consume green tea or green tea extracts for its possible health benefits.

BLADDER SURGERY SAFER IN HIGH-VOLUME HOSPITALS

Tuesday, October 25th, 2005

As has been often suggested by bladder cancer survivors and in various publications, consideration should be given to having a cystectomy performed at a hospital that has handled a high volume of such surgeries. The overall success and safety of any major surgical procedure is dependent not only on the skills of the surgeon, but also on the skills of the cadre of medical professionals at the hospital who also attend the patient, such as the anesthesiologist, nurses and duty physicians. A study was recently performed at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas to determine the safety of the number of bladder operations performed by hospitals in Texas. Data from 133 hospitals and 1302 cystectomies was examined to compare the mortality rate to the volume of operations. As was expected, the mortality rate varied significantly by the volume of cystectomies performed. The highest mortality rate of 3.1 percent was observed in hospitals that performed less than 3 cystectomies a year. Hospitals performing 4 to 10 cystectomies a year had a lower mortality rate of 2.9 percent. Hospitals performing more that 10 cystectomies a year experienced a much lower mortality rate of 0.7 percent. However, mortality rates at lower-volume hospitals which had a high ratio of registered nurses to patients were similar to that of high-volume hospitals, which provides an alternative to those who cannot have surgery performed at a high-volume hospital. The full article may be read by clicking here.

BREAST CANCER DRUG MAY HELP BLADDER CANCER PATIENTS

Tuesday, October 25th, 2005

Two studies published recently in the New England Journal of Medicine and cited in numerous news articles show that treatment with trastuzumab (Herceptin) can dramatically improve outcomes in women with breast cancers that are HER2-positive. Approximately 20% of breast-cancer patients express large amounts of a protein called HER-2. When these patients are treated with traditional chemotherapy plus Herceptin, the rate of breast-cancer recurrence is cut in half and the risk of death is reduced by 33%. For more information about this breast-cancer finding, please click here:

A study at the University of Michigan suggests that Herceptin  may also be of value in treating metastatic bladder cancer. This study, the results of which were presented at the May 2005 meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology,  showed that half of patients with advanced bladder cancer also had high levels of the HER2 protein, which is targeted by the  Herceptin drug. The patients in the study were given both Herceptin and traditional chemotherapy, and 70% of the patients had shrinkage in their tumors. Maha Hussain, M.D., professor of internal medicine and urology at the University of Michigan Medical School, said of the findings:  “I think this trial provides an approach for metastatic bladder cancer that has not previously been explored.  This opens up the possibility of targeted therapies for bladder cancer.” For more information about this study, please click here.

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