Higher Risk Of Bladder Cancer Research Articles

Clinical characteristics and molecular mechanisms underlying bladder cancer in individuals with spinal cord injury: a systematic review

BackgroundPatients with spinal cord injury have a relatively high risk for bladder cancer and often complicated with bladder cancer in advanced stages, and the degree of aggressiveness of malignancy is high. Most of the literature is based on disease clinical features while, our study reviews the clinical characteristics and molecular mechanisms of spinal cord injury patients with bladder cancer, so that it might help clinicians better recognize and manage these patients.MethodWe searched PubMed, Web of Science and Embase, using retrieval type like (“Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction” OR “Spinal cord injury” OR “Spinal Cord Trauma”) AND (“bladder cancer” OR “bladder neoplasm” OR “bladder carcinoma” OR “Urinary Bladder Neoplasms” OR “Bladder Tumor”). In Web of Science, the retrieval type was searched as “Topic”, and in PubMed and Embase, as “All Field”. The methodological quality of eligible studies and their risk of bias were assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. This article is registered in PROSPERO with the CBD number: CRD42024508514.ResultIn WOS, we searched 219 related papers, in PubMed, 122 and in Embase, 363. Thus, a total of 254 articles were included after passing the screening, within a time range between 1960 and 2023. A comprehensive analysis of the data showed that the mortality and incidence rates of bladder cancer in spinal cord injury patients were higher than that of the general population, and the most frequent pathological type was squamous cell carcinoma. In parallel to long-term urinary tract infection and indwelling catheterization, the role of molecules such as NO, MiR 1949 and Rb 1. was found to be crucial pathogenetically.ConclusionThis review highlights the risk of bladder cancer in SCI patients, comprehensively addressing the clinical characteristics and related molecular mechanisms. However, given that there are few studies on the molecular mechanisms of bladder cancer in spinal cord injury, further research is needed to expand the understanding of the disease.

Abstract 832: Gender differences in urinary tract cancer susceptibility associated with radon in water: A population based study from Finland

Abstract Background: Radon as a common source of environmental radiation, while its carcinogenic effect on urinary tract cancer has not been fully investigated. Methods: Men and women who have continuously lived in Finland from year 1987 onward and reached 40+ years old at the beginning of 2017 were followed up for urinary tract cancer, including bladder cancer (ICD-O 3 code C67) and kidney cancer (C64-C66 and C68) for 5 years until the end of 2021. The residential location and type of buildings of the cohort members were traced from year 1987 until 2016 annually and linked to the average cumulative exposure of radon concentration in well water on municipality level. Newly diagnosed UTC cases were identified based on the Finnish cancer register. Pre-existing health conditions, such as hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, calculus of kidney and lower urinary tract, family history of cancer, as well as socioeconomic factors were ascertained from multiple registry databases. Data were analyzed with Cox proportional hazards model conditional on birth cohorts and adjusted with available covariates. Findings: Among 1,019,331 men and 1,192,960 women with 30-years average radon exposure, 4206 and 2226 urinary tract cancer cases were diagnosed during follow-up period from 2017 until correspondingly. Men with higher radon exposure (>500 Bq/m3) had about 14% higher risks of UTC in total (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.07-1.21), 19% higher risks of bladder cancer (HR 1.19, 95%CI 1.09-1.32), 10% higher risks of kidney cancer (HR 1.10, 95%CI 1.02-1.20) comparing with lower exposed samples. Women with higher radon exposure had about 1% higher risks of UTC in total (HR 1.01, 95%CI 0.93-1.10), 3% higher risks of bladder cancer (HR 1.03, 95%CI 0.88-1.22), 1% higher risks of kidney cancer (HR 1.01, 95%CI 0.92-1.11). In the sub-population who only lived in houses during the 30-years exposure period, men with higher radon exposure had about 24% higher risks of UTC (HR 1.24, 95% CI 1.12- 1.36), 30% higher risks of bladder cancer (HR 1.30, 95%CI 1.12-1.51), 20% higher risks of kidney cancer (HR 1.20, 95%CI 1.06-1.36). No significant association was observed in women who only lived in houses during exposure period. Conclusions: For men, higher radon exposure was significantly associated with elevated risks of UTC. No significant association was observed in women. Further investigates were needed to explore the mechanisms of gender differences in UTC susceptibility associated with radon exposure. Keywords: Radon, Radiation, Cancer, Urinary tract cancer, Kidney cancer, Bladder cancer Citation Format: Peng Yunzhi Li. Gender differences in urinary tract cancer susceptibility associated with radon in water: A population based study from Finland [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 832.

Genetic factors, adherence to healthy lifestyle behaviors, and risk of bladder cancer

BackgroundGenetic and lifestyle factors both contribute to the pathogenesis of bladder cancer, but the extent to which the increased genetic risk can be mitigated by adhering to a healthy lifestyle remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association of combined lifestyle factors with bladder cancer risk within genetic risk groups.MethodsWe conducted a prospective study of 375 998 unrelated participants of European ancestry with genotype and lifestyle data and free of cancer from the UK biobank. We generated a polygenic risk score (PRS) using 16 single nucleotide polymorphisms and a healthy lifestyle score based on body weight, smoking status, physical activity, and diet. Cox models were fitted to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of genetic and lifestyle factors on bladder cancer.ResultsDuring a median follow-up of 11.8 years, 880 participants developed bladder cancer. Compared with those with low PRS, participants with intermediate and high PRS had a higher risk of bladder cancer (HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.07–1.56; HR 1.63, 95% CI 1.32–2.02, respectively). An optimal lifestyle was associated with an approximately 50% lower risk of bladder cancer than a poor lifestyle across all genetic strata. Participants with a high genetic risk and a poor lifestyle had 3.6-fold elevated risk of bladder cancer compared with those with a low genetic risk and an optimal lifestyle (HR 3.63, 95% CI 2.23 –5.91).ConclusionsAdhering to a healthy lifestyle could substantially reduce the bladder cancer risk across all genetic strata, even for high-genetic risk individuals. For all populations, adopting an intermediate lifestyle is more beneficial than a poor one, and adhering to an optimal lifestyle is the ideal effective strategy for bladder cancer prevention.

Secondary Primary Cancer Risk After Radiation Therapy in Rectal Cancer: A Population-Based Cohort Study With Propensity Score Matching

BackgroundIt remains unclear whether radiation therapy (RT) has an impact on the development of secondary primary cancer (SC) in rectal cancer (RC) patients, especially within the true pelvis. AimTo examine the incidence of SC in a population-based cohort of RC after surgical treatment with or without radiation therapy (RT, NRT). Patients and MethodsThe epidemiological cohort consisting of 13,919 RC patients with primary M0 stage diagnosed between 1998 and 2019 was collected from cancer registry data of Upper Bavaria. Competing risk analyses were conducted regarding the development of SC on 11 687 first malignancies, stratified by RT/NRT. A propensity score (PS) was generated by logistic regression modeling of RT to repeat competing risk analyses on a PS-matched cohort. ResultsThe median age (interquartile range) of the epidemiological cohort was 68.9 years (60.4-76.7). About 60.8%, were men, 38.7% had UICC III, 35.8% of tumors were localized lower than 8 cm, 41.3% underwent RT. Only 17.1% of patients older than 80 years at diagnosis received RT. In general, RT patients were 5 years younger than NRT patients (65.9 years [58.0-73.0] vs. 71.3 years [62.4-79.2], P < .0001). The 20-year cumulative incidence of SC was 16.5% in RT and 17.4% in NRT patients (P = .2298). Men with RT had a lower risk of prostate cancer (HR = 0.55, 95%CI [0.34-0.91], P = .0168). In the PS-matched cohort, RT patients had a significantly higher risk of bladder cancer during follow-up (10-year cumulative incidence of 1.1% vs. 0.6% in NRT). The direction of the RT effects in men and women and different tumor sites may cancel each other. ConclusionA protective effect of RT in rectal cancer patients on developing prostate SC by half is reproduced. Further analyses studying the long-term SC risks of RT should essentially focus on stratification by sex, and focus on more recent data.

Mutation Hotspots Found in Bladder Cancer Aid Prediction of Carcinogenic Risk in Normal Urothelium.

More than 80,000 new cases of bladder cancer are estimated to be diagnosed in 2023. However, the 5-year survival rate for bladder cancer has not changed in decades, highlighting the need for prevention. Numerous cancer-causing mutations are present in the urothelium long before signs of cancer arise. Mutation hotspots in cancer-driving genes were identified in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) tumor samples. Mutation burden within the hotspot regions was measured in normal urothelium with a low and high risk of cancer. A significant correlation was found between the mutation burden in normal urothelium and bladder cancer tissue within the hotspot regions. A combination of measured hotspot burden and personal risk factors was used to fit machine learning classification models. The efficacy of each model to differentiate between adjacent benign urothelium from bladder cancer patients and normal urothelium from healthy donors was measured. A random forest model using a combination of personal risk factors and mutations within MIBC hotspots yielded the highest AUC of 0.9286 for the prediction of high- vs. low-risk normal urothelium. Currently, there are no effective biomarkers to assess subclinical field disease and early carcinogenic progression in the bladder. Our findings demonstrate novel differences in mutation hotspots in NMIBC and MIBC and provide the first evidence for mutation hotspots to aid in the assessment of cancer risk in the normal urothelium. Early risk assessment and identification of patients at high risk of bladder cancer before the clinical presentation of the disease can pave the way for targeted personalized preventative therapy.

Increased Burden of Second Bladder Cancer and Rectal Cancer in Prostate Cancer Treated With Radiotherapy: Results From Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results.

Previous studies have confirmed the higher risk of bladder cancer (BC) and rectal cancer (RC) development among prostate cancer (PCa) patients receiving radiotherapy. In this study, we intend to explore the long-term trend in second BC and RC incidence among PCa patients undergoing radiotherapy. We identified first primary PCa patients diagnosed between 1975 and 2014 from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)-9 cancer registries. Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated by calendar year of diagnosis among PCa patients receiving radiotherapy and not. P trends were evaluated using Poisson regression. 10-year cumulative incidence of BC and RC was calculated utilizing competing risk regression model. Of PCa patients treated with radiotherapy, SIRs of BC increased from .82 (95% CI: .35- 1.61) in 1980-1984 to 1.58 (95% CI: 1.48-1.68) in 2010-2014 (Ptrend=.003). SIRs of RC increased from 1.01 (95% CI: .27-2.58) in 1980-1984 to 1.54 (95% CI: 1.31-1.81) in 2010-2014 (Ptrend=.025). No statistically significant change in both BC and RC incidence was observed. The 10-year cumulative incidence of BC increased from 1975-1984 (.04%) to 2005-2014 (.15%) among PCa treated with radiotherapy. Simultaneously, the 10-year cumulative incidence of RC was demonstrated to range from 1975-1984 (.02%) to 2005-2014 (.11%). we have observed an increasing trend in second BC and RC incidence in PCa patients receiving radiotherapy. There was no significant change in the incidence of second BC and RC in PCa without radiotherapy. These results reflect the increasing clinical burden of second malignant tumors in PCa patients undergoing radiotherapy.

The association between pioglitazone consumption and incidence of bladder cancer in type II diabetic patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies

Background: Bladder cancer is the single most prevalent urinary tract malignancy in humans with a higher risk in diabetic patients. Pioglitazone is among the conventional antidiabetic drugs. The present study thus seeks to investigate the association between the administration of pioglitazone and the incidence of bladder cancer in type II diabetic patients through a meta-analysis and systematic analysis. Materials and Methods: International databases including Web of Science, Medline/PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar search engine were explored. To integrate the results of studies odds ratio (OR), risk ratio (RR) or hazard ratio (HR) logarithm was extracted from each study, and the I2 index or the Cochran’s Q test were conducted to examine the heterogeneities across studies. Data analysis was carried out in STATA version14 considering a significance level of p&lt;0.05. Results: The 15 examined studies had investigated a total of 5,353,528 patients (1,536,723 patients in case groups and 3,816,805 patients in control groups). The relative risk of bladder cancer was [RR: 1.20 (95% CI: 1.09-1.32)] in pioglitazone users. Bladder cancer risk in pioglitazone users was higher by [RR: 1.14 (95% CI: 1.03-1.25)] compared to those who had never taken pioglitazone, [RR: 1.32 (95% CI: 1.02-1.70] compared to sulfonylurea users, and [RR: 1.57 (95% CI: 1.23-2)] compared to dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) users. Moreover, the relative risk between pioglitazone consumption and bladder cancer was reported to be [RR: 1.27 (95% CI: 0.96-1.68)] in patients with a follow-up shorter than five years and [RR: 1.24 (95% CI: 1.09-1.41)] is patients with a follow-up of five years or longer. On the other hand, the relative risk between pioglitazone consumption and bladder cancer was [RR: 1 (95% CI: 0.69-1.45)] in 50-59 age group, [RR: 1.20 (95% CI: 1.04-1.38)] in the 60-69 age group, and [RR: 1.33 (95% CI: 1.14-1.56)] in the 70-79 age group. Conclusion: Patients who receive pioglitazone had a 20% higher risk of bladder cancer compared to those who had not taken pioglitazone or prescribed other medication such as sulfonylurea and DPP-4s. Registration: This study has been compiled based on the PRISMA checklist, and its protocol was registered on the PROSPERO website (ID: CRD42023391151).

Genetically supported causality between benign prostate hyperplasia and urinary bladder neoplasms: A mendelian randomization study.

Background: Observational studies have suggested a possible association between benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) and bladder cancer (BLCA). However, these studies are prone to errors and limitations or confounding factors, making them unsuitable for assessing the causal relationship between BPH and BLCA. Objective: Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) was performed to determine a possible association between genetically predicted BPH and the risk of BLCA. Methods: A two-sample MR analysis was performed utilizing the Integrative Epidemiology Unit genome-wide association (GWAS) database of the Medical Research Council, United Kingdom A series of control steps, including five primary methods, were performed to identify the most suitable instrumental variables (IVs) for MR analysis. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to avoid statistical errors, including heterogeneity and pleiotropic bias. Results: Genetic variants associated with BPH (P < 5 × 10-8) and BLCA (P < 5 × 10-6) were identified as instrumental variables and assessed using GWAS summary data (BPH, 4,670 cases vs. 458,340 controls; BLCA, 1,279 cases vs. 372,016 controls). BPH exhibited a positive effect on the occurrence of BLCA (inverse variance weighted (IVW), odds ratio (OR) = 1.095, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.030-1.165, p = 0.003), but there was no causal effect for BLCA on BPH (IVW, OR = 1.092, 95% CI = 0.814-1.465, p = 0.554). Conclusion: Genetically predicted BPH was associated with a higher risk of BLCA in all histological subtypes. In contrast, the evidence was not significant to back the causality of genetically induced BLCA on BPH. These findings indicate that BPH plays a key role in developing BLCA in the European population. Further studies are needed to uncover the underlying mechanisms.

PSUN250 Empagliflozin Induced Bladder Cancer in an Adult Patient With Latent Autoimmune Diabetes

Abstract Sodium glucose cotransporter type 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor is a novel class of antidiabetic agent. The association of SGLT2 inhibitors and incidence of bladder cancer has not been well established due to few numbers of cases and not enough length of exposure. Here we describe a case of bladder cancer developed one year after empagliflozin exposure in a patient with latent autoimmune diabetes. Case description A 51-year-old man presented to our endocrine clinic with a one-year diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus. His glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) was 8% on maximum dose metformin and well adherence to diet. The patient had no significant past medical history and his body mass index was 23.6 kg/m2. Empagliflozin 25 mg daily was added to his regimen, in addition to sulfonylurea and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor drugs. The patient continued to have persistent hyperglycemia despite medical therapy with HbA1c ranged between 7.5-7.9%. After one year, he presented with fatigue, unintentional 7-kg weight loss and perianal pain. A transrectal ultrasound of the pelvis showed a 10-mm solid lesion in the urinary bladder. He underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumor; pathology showed a low grade papillary urothelial carcinoma with focal areas of high grade. Empagliflozin was discontinued and due to persistent hyperglycemia, further labs were requested. Fasting blood glucose of 265 mg/dl, HA1c of 7.9%, anti-GAD antibody was positive 37.52 u/ml (&amp;lt;10.0), C-peptide of 0.51 ng/ml (0.37-1.47), insulin of 2.0 mu/ml (2.6-24.9). These findings suggested latent autoimmune diabetes with mild pancreatic reserve. Patient was then started on insulin therapy of Glargine and Aspart. Conclusion The use of SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with autoimmune diabetes may have a higher risk of bladder cancer as compared to patients with type 2 diabetes. An individualized selection of antidiabetic agent with consideration of proper diagnosis is recommended to prevent a serious consequence. Presentation: Sunday, June 12, 2022 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Susceptibility Loci in SLC15A1, UGT1A3, and CWC27 Genes Associated with Bladder Cancer in the Northeast Chinese Population.

Bladder cancer (BCa) is an increasingly severe clinical and public health issue. Therefore, we aim to investigate BCa susceptibility loci in the Chinese population. In this study, 487 BCa patients and 563 controls were recruited from the First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University from July 2015 to September 2020. A total of ten single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in solute carrier family 15 member 1 (SLC15A1), CWC27 spliceosome associated cyclophilin (CWC27), or UDP glucuronosyltransferase family 1 member A3 (UGT1A3) genes were genotyped. The associations between the candidate SNPs and BCa were analyzed using genotype and haplotype analysis. The results demonstrated that Rs4646227 of SLC15A1 has a significant association with BCa. The patients with CG (OR =2.513, p < 0.05) and GG (OR =2.859, p < 0.05) genotypes had an increasing risk of BCa compared with the CC genotype. For the CWC27 gene, genotypic frequency analysis revealed that the GT or TT genotype of rs2042329 and the CT or TT genotype of rs1870437 were more frequent in BCa patients than those in the control group, indicating that these genotypes were associated with a higher risk of BCa (all p < 0.05). Haplotypes of SLC15A1, UGT1A3, and CWC27 genes found that the C-C-C haplotype of SLC15A1 was associated with a lower risk of BCa while the C-G-C haplotype was associated with a higher risk. For the UGT1A3 gene, a moderate protective effect was observed with the most frequent T-T-C haplotype, and for the CWC27 gene, most of the haplotypes showed no association with BCa, except the G-G-C-T haplotype (order of SNPs: rs2042329-rs7735338-rs1870437-rs2278351, OR =0.81, p =0.038). In sum, this study indicated that rs2042329 and rs1870437 in the CWC27 gene and rs4646227 in the SLC15A1 gene are independent indicators for BCa risk in Chinese people. Further large-scale studies are required to validate these findings. Also, this study provided the theoretical basis for developing new therapeutic drug targeting of BCa.

Pioglitazone use in Australia and the United Kingdom following drug safety advisories on bladder cancer risk: An interrupted time series study

PurposeNational regulators in Australia and the United Kingdom issued safety advisories on the association between pioglitazone use and bladder cancer in July 2011. The Australian advisory noted that males were at higher risk of bladder cancer than females, while the UK advisory highlighted a new recommendation, suggest careful consideration in the elderly due to increasing risk with age. This study examined whether these differences in the advisories had different age‐ and sex‐based impacts in each country.MethodsInterrupted time series analysis was used to compare pioglitazone use (prescriptions/100000 population) in Australia and the United Kingdom for the 24 months before and 11 months after the July 2011 safety advisories (study period July 2009–June 2012). Separate models were used to compare use by sex and age group (≥65 years vs. <65 years) in each country.ResultsPioglitazone use fell in Australia (17%) and the United Kingdom (24%) following the safety advisories. Use of pioglitazone fell more for males (18%) than females (16%) in Australia, and more for females (25%) than males (23%) in the United Kingdom; however, neither difference was statistically significant (Australia p = 0.445, United Kingdom p = 0.462). Pioglitazone use fell to a similar extent among older people than younger people in the United Kingdom (23% vs. 26%, p = 0.354), and did not differ between age groups in Australia (both 18%, p = 0.772).ConclusionsThe results indicate that differences in the Australian and UK safety advisories resulted in substantial reductions in pioglitazone use at the population level in both countries, however, differences by sub‐groups were not observed.

Prevalence of Human Papilloma Virus Infection in Bladder Cancer: A Systematic Review.

The etiology of bladder cancer is known to be associated with behavioral and environmental factors. Moreover, several studies suggested a potential role of HPV infection in the pathogenesis with controversial results. A systematic review was conducted to assess the role of HPV. A total of 46 articles that reported the prevalence of HPV infection in squamous (SCC), urothelial (UC), and transitional cell carcinomas (TCC) were selected. A pooled prevalence of 19% was found, with a significant difference in SCC that was mainly driven by HPV-16. Moreover, infection prevalence in case-control studies showed a higher risk of bladder cancer in HPV-positive cases (OR: 7.84; p-value < 0.00001). The results may suggest an etiologic role of HPV in bladder cancer. HPV vaccine administration in both sexes could be key to prevent the infection caused by high-risk genotypes.

Diet quality, common genetic polymorphisms, and bladder cancer risk in a New England population-based study.

We examined the interaction between common genetic bladder cancer variants, diet quality, and bladder cancer risk in a population-based case-control study conducted in New England. At the time of enrollment, 806 bladder cancer cases and 974 controls provided a DNA sample and completed a diet history questionnaire. Diet quality was assessed using the 2010 Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI-2010) score. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) reported in genome-wide association studies to be associated with bladder cancer risk were combined into a polygenic risk score and also examined individually for interaction with the AHEI-2010. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using logistic regression. A 1-standard deviation increase in polygenic risk score was associated with higher bladder cancer risk (OR, 1.34; 95% CI 1.21-1.49). Adherence to the AHEI-2010 was not associated with bladder cancer risk (OR, 0.99; 95% CI 0.98-1.00) and the polygenic risk score did not appear to modify the association between the AHEI-2010 and bladder cancer risk. In single-SNP analyses, rs8102137 (bladder cancer risk allele, C) modified the association between the AHEI-2010 total score and bladder cancer risk, with the strongest evidence for the AHEI-2010 long chain fat guideline (OR for TT, 0.92; 95% CI 0.87-0.98; OR for CT, 1.02; 95% CI 0.96-1.08; OR for CC, 1.03; 95% CI 0.93-1.14; p for interaction, 0.02). In conclusion, rs8102137 near the cyclin E1 gene ( CCNE1 ) may be involved in gene-diet interactions for bladder cancer risk.

Gender and Age Differences of Genitourinary Cancers Among Chronic Dialysis Patients in Taiwan.

To investigate the age and gender differences among chronic dialysis patients who developed genitourinary cancers in Taiwan. Incident hemodialysis patients aged 20 years or older were selected for retrospective cohort study from the National Health Insurance Research Database between 2002 and 2015, and the Taiwan Cancer Registry Database between 2007 and 2015. A two-step approach was employed to find the respective matched controls of non-dialysis patients. Finally, 65,450 dialysis patients and 261,800 non-dialysis patients were matched for further analysis. New diagnosis of genitourinary cancers during follow-up was the primary outcome of interest. Dialysis was significantly associated with increased risk of all types of genitourinary cancers (P < .001), substantially within the first two years after dialysis initiation. Cox proportional hazard analysis showed a significantly increased hazard ratio (HR 6.58, 95% CI 6.05-7.16) among dialysis patients after multivariate adjustment, and the highest risk was bladder cancer (HR 7.85, 95% CI 6.97-8.84). Subgroup analysis showed younger dialysis patients (20-49 years old) had the highest risk of genitourinary cancer, especially females, in this subgroup with the highest risk of bladder cancer (HR 58.08, 95% CI 13.88-243.06). The risks of all site-specific genitourinary cancers were increased in chronic dialysis patients, especially in younger females. Developing different screening strategies for these high-risk patients is necessary. This study compared the effect of sex, age and dialysis duration on the susceptibility to develop genitourinary cancers in dialysis patients through the national health database linkage in Taiwan. We matched 65,450 dialysis patients and 261,800 non-dialysis patients for further analysis. Younger and female dialysis patients were at higher risk of kidney and bladder cancers.

A murine MODEL of e-cigarettes exposure to evaluate the carcinogenic effects of vaping on the bladder urothelium.

566 Background: Data evaluating the carcinogenic potential of e-cigarette (ECS) by-products on the bladder urothelium is scarce, and to date, no group has studied the direct impact of ECS on the urothelium at the genomic and epigenetic level. While it has been published that ECS exposure causes bladder hyperplasia in mice, no bladder tumors formed and the field is therefore lacking appropriate preclinical models to be able to study ECS related bladder cancer. Importantly, whole organ mapping studies of tumor bearing human bladders have identified DNA methylation field changes in “adjacent normal” urothelium as early events in bladder carcinogenesis. Whether ECS exposure results in early field alterations of DNA methylation in the urothelium is unknown. Methods: Mice (4 females, 4 males; 35 weeks old) were exposed to 12% nicotine (120mg/ml) in 1:1 polyethylene glycol: vegetable glycerol (PG/VG) or vehicle (PG/VG) daily: 3 hr sessions, 3 sec vape duration, 10 min interval between vapes. Nicotine and cotinine serum concentrations were measured at 3 hrs, and then at 5 days using LC-MS. Bladders were harvested after 4 weeks. DNA was extracted from microdissected urothelial layer. Reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) was performed (Zymo Research) using 100ng of DNA input and paired-end chemistry. Alignment was performed using Bismark. Number of loci covered by each sample was determined and data was filtered to only include loci with &gt; 10 reads. Differentially methylated loci were determined. Adjusted p-value &lt; 0.01 was used as threshold to generate heatmaps. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis was performed to contextualize the DNA methylation changes. Results: Acute and repeated exposure resulted in significantly higher levels of nicotine and cotinine serum concentration in the nicotine group vs. the vehicle group without significant adverse events. No tumors were observed on gross visualization at the time of urothelium harvest. The number of loci in the RRBS libraries with &gt; 10 reads ranged from 130,000 to 250,000. 53 loci were differentially methylated between nicotine and vehicle. These loci did not correspond to the top hyper/hypo methylated genes in premalignant bladder tissue from recently reported whole-cystectomy mapping. Conclusions: We established an effective and safe murine model of ECS exposure closely resembling the human experience of vaping. Significant changes of DNA methylation were observed in mice exposed to ECS vapor vs. a vehicle control after four weeks of daily exposure. Ongoing experiments include longer vaping exposures as well as comparison of RRBS to a recently developed commercial mouse methylarray. Understanding epigenetic and genomic changes as a result of ECS exposure in preclinical models can serve as a foundation for studies developing assays to identify ECS users whose bladders contain early field defects that may place them at higher risk for bladder cancer.

Renin-Angiotensin System Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Are Associated with Bladder Cancer Risk.

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS), besides being a major regulator of blood pressure, is also involved in tumor angiogenesis. Emerging evidence suggests a correlation between the use of pharmacologic RAS inhibitors and a delay in urothelial bladder cancer (BC) progression. However, it is unknown whether RAS gene variants may predispose to the development of BC. This study examined the association of RAS single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) including AT1R rs5186, AT2R rs11091046, REN rs12750834, ANG rs4762, and ANG rs699 with the risk of developing non-invasive BC. Peripheral blood samples from 73 patients with T1 urothelial BC (66 men, seven women) and an equal number of healthy subjects (control group) were collected. The TT genotype of the REN rs12750834 SNP (OR: 2.8 [1.3–6.05], p = 0.008) and to a lesser extent the presence of the T allele (OR: 2.3 [1.2–4.48], p = 0.01) conferred a higher risk of BC. The highest risk for BC within SNP carriers of the RAS system was associated with the presence of the CC genotype (OR: 17.6 [7.5–41.35], p < 0.001) and C allele (OR: 17.7 [8.8–35.9], p < 0.001) of the ANG rs699 SNP. The presence of the AT2R rs11091046 SNP, particularly the AA genotype, was associated with a protective effect against developing BC (OR: 0.268 [0.126–057], p < 0.001). In conclusion, these results support the clinical utility of RAS gene SNPs AT2R rs11091046, REN rs12750834, and ANG rs699 in the genetic cancer risk assessment of patients and families with BC.

Analysis of MNS16A VNTR polymorphic sequence variations of the TERT gene and associated risk for development of bladder cancer.

Background:The MNS16A variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene acts as a regulator of hTERT promoter activity and has been shown to have a role in the predisposition toward various cancers. The current study aimed to investigate the association between MNS16A VNTR alleles and genetic predisposition to bladder cancer in the Kashmir region of northern India.Materials and methods:A total of 130 patients with bladder cancer and 170 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were included in this study. Primer-specific polymerase chain reaction was used to genotype the different variants of VNTR alleles of the MNS16A VNTR polymorphism.Results:Short allele VNTR-243 (SS) genotype frequency significantly differed between cases (9.23%) and controls (3.52%) (OR = 3.08 [95% CI = 1.10–8.61], p = 0.042). The VNTR-243 short allele (S) was found significantly more frequent in bladder cancer cases (28.46%) than controls (20.88%) (OR = 1.50 [95% CI = 1.03–2.19], p = 0.034). Likewise, the long allele (LL) hTERT MNS16A genotype was distributed more frequently in low stage disease versus high stage disease (60.29% vs. 39.70%) (OR = 0.79 [95% CI = 0.39–1.60], p = 0.595).Conclusion:The MNS16A VNTR short allele (S) was associated with a higher risk for bladder cancer in our population as compared to long alleles.

Modifying Effect of Smoking on GSTM1 and NAT2 in Relation to the Risk of Bladder Cancer in Mongolian Population: A Case-Control Study.

Objectives:Tobacco smoking is the predominant risk factor for bladder cancer as it contains cancer-causing chemicals. However, genetic factors may play important role in response towards chemical carcinogens. In this study we aim to investigate genetic polymorphisms of glutathione S-transferase M1 (GSTM1) and N-acetyltransferase 2 (NAT2) as determinants of bladder cancer risk, independently and in combination with tobacco use in the Mongolian population. Materials and Methods:The current study was a hospital-based case-control study including 60 histologically confirmed bladder cancer patients and 60 cancer-free controls. PCR-RFLP assay was used to determine the presence of GSTM1 and NAT2 polymorphisms in bladder cancer patients and controls. GSTM1 and NAT2 were tested using binary logistical regression analysis with adjustment or stratification according to the smoking. Results:There were 46 men and 14 women diagnosed with bladder cancer, with mean age was 58±4. The controls included 37 men and 23 women with a mean age of 57±3. The frequency of GSTM1 null genotype was higher in controls (71.67%) than in bladder cancer patients (58.33%) without statistical significance (OR=0.5534; 95% CI=0.2586-1.1843), (p=0.128). The NAT2 low acetylator phenotype was more common in patients with bladder cancer (15%) than in controls (5%). Furthermore, individuals with NAT2 low acetylator phenotype had a nearly 3.35-fold increased risk to develop bladder cancer (OR=3.35; 95% CI=0.8604-13.0657), (p=0.081) while the risk was even higher when combined with null GSTM1 genotype (OR=4; 95% CI=0.4459-37.5308), (p=0.213) but there was no statistical significance. Prevalence of smoking in bladder cancer patients was higher than controls and increased significantly the risk of bladder cancer (OR=8.31; 95% CI=3.66-18.88). Smokers with GSTM1 null genotype were at 5-fold higher risk of bladder cancer (OR=5.0; 95% CI=1.55-16.16), (p=0.007) while NAT2 low acetylator phenotype increased bladder cancer risk by 20-fold (OR=20.5; 95% CI=2.33-80.86), (p=0.006). Conclusion:The current study shows that tobacco smokers with the NAT2 low acetylator phenotype and GSTM1 null genotype have the highest risk of bladder cancer in the Mongolian population.

Hepatocellular carcinoma and the risk of de novo malignancies after liver transplantation - a multicenter cohort study.

Patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are at high risk of second primary malignancies. As HCC has become the leading indication of liver transplant (LT), the aim of this study was to investigate whether the presence of HCC before LT could influence the onset of de novo malignancies (DNM). A cohort study was conducted on 2653 LT recipients. Hazard ratios (HR) of DNM development for patients transplanted for HCC (HCC patients) were compared with those of patients without any previous malignancy (non-HCC patients). All models were adjusted for sex, age, calendar year at transplant, and liver disease etiology. Throughout 17903 person-years, 6.6% of HCC patients and 7.4% of non-HCC patients developed DNM (202 cases). The median time from LT to first DNM diagnosis was shorter for solid tumors in HCC patients (2.7 vs 4.5years for HCC and non-HCC patients, respectively, P<0.01). HCC patients were at a higher risk of bladder cancer and skin melanoma. There were no differences in cumulative DNM-specific mortality by HCC status. This study suggests that primary HCC could be a risk factor for DNM in LT recipients, allowing for risk stratification and screening individualization.

Association between arsenic exposure, DNA damage, and urological cancers incidence: A long-term follow-up study of residents in an arseniasis endemic area of northeastern Taiwan

Arsenic is a well-established human carcinogen and is considered a health risk worldwide, especially where groundwater is consumed as drinking water. In 2018, bladder and kidney cancers were the 14th and 17th leading causes of global cancer mortality, respectively. Our aim was to investigate the association between arsenic exposure, DNA damage, and the incidence of bladder and kidney cancers. A total of 788 participants aged ≥40 years were enrolled in a prospective cohort study in Taiwan between 1991 and 1994, with follow-up between 2011 and 2014. Well-water and first-morning spot urine samples were collected between 1991 and 1994 to estimate arsenic exposure, and the baseline urinary levels of 8-Oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and N7-methylguanine (N7-MeG) were quantified to assess DNA lesions. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the effects of arsenic exposure and DNA adduct levels on the risk of bladder or kidney cancer. Urinary arsenic species were associated with significantly increased 8-OHdG and N7-MeG after adjusting for age, sex, and cigarette smoking. Only non-statistically significant mediation effects of 8-OHdG were observed. In a fully adjusted Cox model, participants with arsenic exposure and urinary 8-OHdG levels higher than the median had a higher risk of bladder cancer (HR = 4.60, confidence interval: 1.43–14.85). Overall, the combined effects of high cumulative arsenic exposure from artesian well-water and advanced DNA damage predicted the risk of bladder cancer.