The decrease in REIC/Dkk-3 mRNA and protein levels was observed irrespective of tumor grade and stage, indicating the involvement of REIC/Dkk-3 in an initial step of malignant conversion. Consequently REIC/Dkk-3 could be a new molecular target for therapeutic measures against RCCC.
Study Type – Therapy (RCT)
Level of Evidence 1b
OBJECTIVE
To confirm the recurrence‐preventing efficacy and safety of 18‐month bacillus Calmette‐Guérin (BCG) maintenance therapy for non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
The enrolled patients had been diagnosed with recurrent or multiple non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer (stage Ta or T1) after complete transurethral resection of bladder tumours (TURBT).
The patients were randomized into three treatment groups: a maintenance group (BCG, 81 mg, intravesically instilled once weekly for 6 weeks as induction therapy, followed by three once‐weekly instillations at 3, 6, 12 and 18 months after initiation of the induction therapy), a non‐maintenance group (BCG, 81 mg, intravesically instilled once weekly for 6 weeks) and an epirubicin group (epirubicin, 40 mg, intravesically instilled nine times). The primary endpoint was recurrence‐free survival (RFS).
RESULTS
Efficacy analysis was performed for 115 of the full‐analysis‐set population of 116 eligible patients, including 41 maintenance group patients, 42 non‐maintenance group patients and 32 epirubicin group patients.
At the 2‐year median point of the overall actual follow‐up period, the final cumulative RFS rates in the maintenance, non‐maintenance and epirubicin groups were 84.6%, 65.4% and 27.7%, respectively.
The RFS following TURBT was significantly prolonged in the maintenance group compared with the non‐maintenance group (generalized Wilcoxon test, P= 0.0190).
CONCLUSION
BCG maintenance therapy significantly prolonged the post‐TURBT RFS compared with BCG induction therapy alone or epirubicin intravesical therapy.
Long-term LH-RH agonist therapy has remarkable effects on serum T level that last for a significant time after cessation, a fact that should be applied to the interpretation of both PSA and serum T levels after cessation of androgen deprivation therapy.
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