Published papers

Purpose: Several preoperative factors have been suggested to be risk factors of disease recurrence after radical cystectomy. There is no study focusing on the impact on prognosis of bladder tumor ureteral invasion in preoperative imaging. Methods: The study population consisted of 136 patients, all of whom underwent radical cystectomy during the period between 2007–2019. We excluded patients with concurrent or a history of upper tract urothelial carcinoma and who underwent radical cystectomy for other cancers or nononcologic reasons. The starting point of this study was the timing of neoadjuvant chemotherapy or radical cystectomy and the endpoint was the timing of disease recurrence. To identify the factors influencing recurrence, univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using the Cox proportional hazard model. Recurrence-free survival curves were constructed using the Kaplan–Meier method. Results: Ureteral invasion was observed in 20 (14.7%) patients. Disease recurrence was observed in 11 (55.0%) of 20 ureteral invasion positive patients and 35 (30.2%) of 116 ureteral invasion negative patients, respectively. In the ureteral invasion positive group, clinical T and N stage were higher and hydronephrosis were more common than in the ureteral invasion negative group. According to the multivariate analysis, ureteral invasion (hazard ratio: 2.307, p = 0.016) and clinical N stage ≥ 1 (hazard ratio: 2.140, p = 0.028) were independent risk factors for postoperative recurrence. In the ureteral invasion positive group, more local recurrences were observed. Conclusion: This study suggested that ureteral invasion in preoperative imaging is a significant risk factor for postoperative recurrence.

Objective: To develop an artificial intelligence (AI) system for anatomical recognition that can automatically identify key anatomical structures during bladder neck dissection in robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), a critical yet technically demanding step. Materials and Methods: We constructed an AI model and evaluated its accuracy using 210 RARP videos from two institutions. A total of 1353 frames of bladder neck dissection were extracted from 25 videos, and the boundaries of the prostate, bladder and retrotrigonal layer were annotated. The DeepLabV3+ model was employed in developing the anatomical recognition AI model. An active learning approach was applied by iteratively retraining the model using frames with poor initial performance. The model was further evaluated using 202 independent test frames derived from seven surgeons. Segmentation performance was evaluated using the intersection over union (IoU) and Dice similarity coefficient. Results: The IoU of the initial AI model was 0.41 for the prostate and 0.44 for the bladder. The retrained model demonstrated improved segmentation performance, with final IoU values of 0.75 and 0.68, respectively. In an independent test dataset derived from seven surgeons, segmentation performance for the prostate and bladder was maintained. Conclusion: We developed an AI system for anatomical recognition and improved its accuracy by using retraining processes. The retrained AI model demonstrated high accuracy, and its use is anticipated to support surgeons and aid in the education of novice surgeons.

Background: In robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), surgical techniques aimed at preserving urinary continence—such as bladder neck preservation, nerve sparing, and dorsal venous complex (DVC) preservation—are increasingly adopted to improve postoperative quality of life. However, whether an excessive emphasis on functional preservation compromises oncological outcomes remains unclear. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 235 consecutive patients who underwent RARP performed by a single experienced surgeon. Patients were stratified according to (1) extent of bladder neck preservation (< 8 mm, 8–16 mm, > 16 mm), (2) nerve-sparing status (bilateral, unilateral, none), and (3) degree of DVC preservation (long, standard, short). Urinary continence at 3 months postoperatively (≤ 1 safety pad/day), positive surgical margin (PSM) rates, and biochemical recurrence (BCR) were evaluated. Results: Bladder neck preservation was associated with improved early continence recovery without increasing PSM or BCR rates. Bilateral nerve sparing resulted in superior continence outcomes; higher PSM rates in the non–nerve-sparing group reflected a more advanced pathological stage. DVC preservation showed the strongest association with continence recovery; however, aggressive DVC preservation was associated with a significantly higher PSM rate, predominantly at the apical and anterior regions. No significant differences in BCR were observed among groups. Conclusions: Bladder neck preservation and nerve sparing can improve urinary continence without compromising oncological outcomes when appropriately applied. In contrast, aggressive DVC preservation may increase the risk of positive surgical margins and should be performed cautiously with careful patient selection.

Tumor structure is heterogeneous and complex, and it is difficult to obtain complete characteristics by two-dimensional analysis. The aim of this study was to visualize and characterize volumetric vascular information of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) tumors using whole tissue phenotyping and three-dimensional light-sheet microscopy. Here, we used the diagnosing immunolabeled paraffin-embedded cleared organs pipeline for tissue clearing, immunolabeling, and three-dimensional imaging. The spatial distributions of CD34, which targets blood vessels, and LYVE-1, which targets lymphatic vessels, were examined by calculating three-dimensional density, vessel length, vessel radius, and density curves, such as skewness, kurtosis, and variance of the expression. We then examined those associations with ccRCC outcomes and genetic alteration state. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor samples from 46 ccRCC patients were included in the study. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses revealed the associations between blood vessel and lymphatic vessel distributions and pathological factors such as a high nuclear grade, large tumor size, and the presence of venous invasion. Furthermore, three-dimensional imaging parameters stratified ccRCC patients regarding survival outcomes. An analysis of genomic alterations based on volumetric vascular information parameters revealed that PI3K-mTOR pathway mutations related to the blood vessel radius were significantly different. Collectively, we have shown that the spatial elucidation of volumetric vasculature information could be prognostic and may serve as a new biomarker for genomic alterations. High-end tissue clearing techniques and volumetric immunohistochemistry enable three-dimensional analysis of tumors, leading to a better understanding of the microvascular structure in the tumor space.

Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is a rare form of urothelial cancer with a high incidence of recurrence and a low survival rate. Almost two-thirds of UTUCs are invasive at the time of diagnosis; therefore, improving diagnostic methods is key to increasing survival rates. Histopathological analysis of UTUC is essential for diagnosis and typically requires endoscopy biopsy, tissue sectioning, and labeling. However, endoscopy biopsies are minute, and it is challenging to cut into thin sections for conventional histopathology; this complicates diagnosis. Here, we used volumetric 3-dimensional (3D) imaging to explore the inner landscape of clinical UTUC biopsies, without sectioning, revealing that 3D analysis of phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 (pS6) could predict tumor grade and prognosis with improved accuracy. By visualizing the tumor vasculature, we discovered that pS6+ cells were localized near blood vessels at significantly higher levels in high-grade tumors than in low-grade tumors. Furthermore, the clustering of pS6+ cells was associated with shorter relapse-free survival. Our results demonstrate that 3D volume imaging of the structural niches of pS6 cells deep inside the UTUC samples improved diagnostic yield, grading, and prognosis prediction.

A 14-year-old boy developed hydronephrosis and worsening renal function due to fibroepithelial polyps of the bladder and left ureter at the age of 12 years. The endoscopic treatment of ureteral polyps was attempted by his previous doctor; however urethral stricture and ureteral stricture developed and was untreatable. Therefore, he was referred to our hospital for further reconstructive treatment. He underwent Palminteri urethroplasty with penile skin graft for urethral stricture at the age of 13 years, followed by ureteroplasty at the age of 14 years. The stenotic ureter was minimally resected, with only complete obstruction and residual polyps, and augmented onlay ureteroplasty with a buccal mucosa graft was performed. Nephrostomy was removed 13 days after surgery, followed by the ureteral stent 4 months after surgery. Retrograde pyelography and ureteroscopy were performed 1 year and 2 years postoperatively, and neither recurrent strictures nor polyps were observed. The patient is doing well 3 years postoperatively.

© 2020 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association. This study aimed to clarify the clinical characteristics and oncological outcomes of patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) who developed muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). We identified 966 pTa-4N0-2M0 patients with UTUC who underwent RNU and clarified the risk factors for MIBC progression after initial intravesical recurrence (IVR). We also identified 318 patients with primary pT2-4N0-2M0 MIBC to compare the oncological outcomes with those of patients with UTUC who developed or progressed to MIBC. Furthermore, immunohistochemical examination of p53 and FGFR3 expression in tumor specimens was performed to compare UTUC of MIBC origin with primary MIBC. In total, 392 (40.6%) patients developed IVR after RNU and 46 (4.8%) developed MIBC at initial IVR or thereafter. As a result, pT1 stage on the initial IVR specimen, concomitant carcinoma in situ on the initial IVR specimen, and no intravesical adjuvant therapy after IVR were independent factors for MIBC progression. After propensity score matching adjustment, primary UTUC was a favorable indicator for cancer-specific death compared with primary MIBC. Subgroup molecular analysis revealed high FGFR3 expression in non-MIBC and MIBC specimens from primary UTUC, whereas low FGFR3 but high p53 expression was observed in specimens from primary MIBC tissue. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that patients with UTUC who develop MIBC recurrence after RNU exhibited the clinical characteristics of subsequent IVR more than those of primary UTUC. Of note, MIBC subsequent to UTUC may have favorable outcomes, probably due to the different molecular biological background compared with primary MIBC.

Background The aims of this study were (1) to clarify the impact of tertiary lymphoid structure (TLS) status on the outcome and immunogenomic profile of human clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and (2) to determine phenotypic differences in TLSs between different types of genitourinary cancer, that is, urinary ccRCC and bladder cancer. Methods We performed a quantitative immunohistological analysis of ccRCC tissue microarrays and conducted integrated genome mutation analysis by next-generation sequencing and methylation array analysis. Since the tumor immune microenvironment of ccRCC often differs from that of other cancer types, we analyzed the phenotypic differences in TLSs between ccRCC and in-house bladder cancer specimens. Results Varying distribution patterns of TLSs were observed throughout ccRCC tumors, revealing that the presence of TLSs was related to poor prognosis. An analysis of genomic alterations based on TLS status in ccRCC revealed that alterations in the PI3K-mTOR pathway were highly prevalent in TLS-positive tumors. DNA methylation profiling also revealed distinct differences in methylation signatures among ccRCC samples with different TLS statuses. However, the TLS characteristics of ccRCC and bladder cancer markedly differed: TLSs had the exact opposite prognostic impact on bladder cancer as on ccRCC. The maturity and spatial distribution of TLSs were significantly different between the two cancer types; TLSs were more mature with follicle-like germinal center organization and likely to be observed inside the tumor in bladder cancer. Labeling for CD8, FOXP3, PD-1, and PD-L1 showed marked differences in the diversity of the immune microenvironment surrounding TLSs. The proportions of CD8-, FOXP3-, and PD-L1-positive cells were significantly higher in TLSs in bladder cancer than in TLSs in ccRCC; rather the proportion of PD-1-positive cells was significantly higher in TLSs in ccRCC than in TLSs in bladder cancer. Conclusion The immunobiology of ccRCC is unique, and various cancerous phenomena conflict with that seen in other cancer types; therefore, comparing the TLS characteristics between ccRCC and bladder cancer may help reveal differences in the prognostic impact, maturity and spatial distribution of TLSs and in the immune environment surrounding TLSs between the two cancers.

症例1(26歳女性)。11歳時に右膀胱尿管逆流(VUR)に対しCohen法による逆流防止術が施行された。今回、右水腎症を契機に下大静脈後尿管(RCU)の合併が明らかになり、右尿管尿管吻合術を行った結果、術後4年半経過現在、水腎症は改善している。尚、本症例は逆流防止術前にRCUの診断がされておらず、尿管の対側への牽引がRCUによる腎盂尿管移行部通過障害を悪化させた可能性が考えられた。症例2(19歳女性)。反復する発熱、右水腎症を主訴とした。超音波検査、CT検査、排尿時膀胱尿道造影の所見を踏まえて、RCU合併の右VURと診断された。尿管の牽引を伴わないLich-Gregoir法による逆流防止術を施行した結果、術後は水腎症の増悪なく、良好である。

A cutting edge therapy for future immuno-oncology is targeting a new series of inhibitory receptors (IRs): LAG-3, TIM-3, and TIGIT. Both immunogenomic analyses and diagnostic platforms to distinguish candidates and predict good responders to these IR-related agents are vital in clinical pathology. By applying an automated single-cell count for immunolabelled LAG-3, TIM-3, and TIGIT, we reveal that individual IR levels with exclusive domination in each tumour can serve as valid biomarkers for profiling human renal cell carcinoma (RCC). We uncover the immunogenomic landscape associated with individual IR levels in human RCC tumours with metastases in various organs and histological subtypes. We then externally validate our results and devise a workflow with optimal biomarker cut-offs for discriminating the LAG-3, TIM-3, and TIGIT tumour profiles. The discrimination of LAG-3, TIM-3, and TIGIT profiles in tumours may have a broad impact on investigations of immunotherapy responses after targeting a new series of IRs.

Background: Cabozantinib is an oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), whose targets include oncogenic AXL and unique ligand GAS6. Critical gaps in basic knowledge need to be addressed to devise an exclusive biomarker and candidate when targeting the AXL/GAS6 axis. Methods: To clarify the effects of the AXL/GAS6 axis on RCC, we herein performed a large-scale immunogenomic analysis and single-cell counts including various metastatic organs and histological subtypes of RCC. We further applied genome-wide mutation analyses and methylation arrays. Results: Varying patterns of AXL and GAS6 expression were observed throughout primary RCC tumours and metastases. Scoring individual AXL/GAS6 levels in the tumour centre and invasive margin, namely, the AXL/GAS6 score, showed a good ability to predict the prognosis of clear cell RCC. Metastasis- and histological subtype-specific differences in the AXL/GAS6 score existed since lung metastasis and the papillary subtype were weakly related to the AXL/GAS6 axis. Cell-by-cell immunohistological assessments clarified an immunosuppressive environment in tumours with high AXL/GAS6 scores. Genomic alterations in the PI3K-mTOR pathway and DNA methylation profiling revealed distinct differences with the AXL/GAS6 score in ccRCC. Conclusion: The AXL/GAS6 scoring system could predict the outcome of prognosis and work as a robust biomarker for the immunogenomic state in RCC.

Background: Analysis of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) localisation at both the tissue and subcellular levels can provide important insights into the cell types that are important for their function. Methods: By applying new fluorescent in situ hybridisation technique called hybridisation chain reaction (HCR), we achieved a high-throughput lncRNA visualisation and evaluation of clinical samples. Results: Assessing 1728 pairs of 16 lncRNAs and clear-cell renal-cell carcinoma (ccRCC) specimens, three lncRNAs (TUG1, HOTAIR and CDKN2B-AS1) were associated with ccRCC prognosis. Furthermore, we derived a new lncRNA risk group of ccRCC prognosis by combining the expression levels of these three lncRNAs. Examining genomic alterations underlying this classification revealed prominent features of tumours that could serve as potential biomarkers for targeting lncRNAs. We then derived combination of HCR with expansion microscopy and visualised nanoscale-resolution HCR signals in cell nuclei, uncovering intracellular colocalization of three lncRNA (TUG1, HOTAIR and CDKN2B-AS1) signals such as those located intra- or out of the nucleus or nucleolus in cancer cells. Conclusion: LncRNAs are expected to be desirable noncoding targets for cancer diagnosis or treatments. HCR involves plural probes consisting of small DNA oligonucleotides, clinically enabling us to detect cancerous lncRNA signals simply and rapidly at a lower cost.

Introduction: Since tumors in different human organs may have different tumor microenvironments, we evaluate time-course changes in all tumor locations after pembrolizumab treatment in urothelial carcinoma (UC) to examine the differences in efficacy of pembrolizumab per organ. Further, we uncover the usefulness of inflammatory markers such as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), CRP, and kinetics of these markers to predict pembrolizumab success and relation to overall survival (OS) in UC. Patients and Methods: A total of 115 cancerous lesions from 44 UC patients were measurable based on RECIST 1.1 criteria. The serum CRP and NLR levels were measured at baseline prior to pembrolizumab treatment and at least every 3 weeks just prior to pembrolizumab administration. Results: Site-specific success (ie, patients with CR/PR/SD by RESIST 1.1) rates for pembrolizumab treatments were as follows: primary tumors: 67%, lymph node: 70%, lung: 44%, liver: 40%, and peritoneal metastasis: 56%. Focusing on the major metastasis sites, lymph nodes and lungs, we examined the relationships between NLR, CRP, or that kinetics and pembrolizumab success. In lymph nodes, both early NLR kinetics (P = .005) and CRP kinetics (P = .035) was a predictor for pembrolizumab success. On the other hand, none of 4 was not in lung metastases. Regarding to the mortality, the multivariate analysis revealed that early NLR kinetics was a prognostic biomarker for OS among the 4, independent of performance status and liver metastasis. Conclusion: We revealed that site-specific pembrolizumab success in UC. Early NLR kinetics was a predictor for lymph node pembrolizumab success and OS in our cohorts.

Background: Previous clinical trials have demonstrated the potential efficacy of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors (PARPis) in patients with cancer involving homologous recombination repair (HRR) gene-mutation. Moreover, HRR gene-mutated cancers are effectively treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) with the increase in tumor mutation burden. We have proposed to conduct a multicenter, single-arm phase II trial (IMAGENE trial) for evaluating the efficacy and safety of niraparib (PARPi) plus programmed cell death-1 inhibitor combination therapy in patients with HRR gene-mutated cancers who are refractory to ICIs therapy using a next generation sequencing-based circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) and tumor tissue analysis. Methods: Key eligibility criteria for this trial includes HRR gene-mutated tumor determined by any cancer gene tests; progression after previous ICI treatment; and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status ≤ 1. The primary endpoint is the confirmed objective response rate (ORR) in all patients. The secondary endpoints include the confirmed ORR in patients with HRR gene-mutation of ctDNA using the Caris Assure (CARIS, USA). The target sample size of the IMAGENE trial is 57 patients. Biomarker analyses will be performed in parallel using the Caris Assure, proteome analysis, and T cell repertoire analysis to reveal tumor immunosurveillance in peripheral blood. Expected outcome: Our trial aims to confirm the clinical benefit of PARPi plus ICI combination therapy in ICI-resistant patients. Furthermore, through translational research, our trial will shed light on which patients would benefit from the targeted combination therapy for patients with HRR gene-mutated tumor even after the failure of ICIs. Trial registration: The IMAGENE trial: jRCT, Clinical trial no.: jRCT2051210120, Registered date: November 9, 2021.

The cutting edge of cancer immunotherapy extends to ecto-5'-nucleotidase (CD73), a cell membrane enzyme that targets the metabolism of extracellular adenosine. We herein focused on the expression of CD73 to clarify the state of CD73 positivity in cancer immunity and tumor microenvironment, thereby revealing a new survival predictor for patients with bladder cancer (BCa). We used clinical tissue microarrays of human BCa and simultaneously performed the fluorescent staining of cell type-specific markers (CD3, CD8, Foxp3, programmed cell death protein 1, and programmed death-ligand 1 [PD-L1]) and CD73 together with DAPI for nuclear staining. In total, 156 participants were included. Multiplexed cellular imaging revealed a unique interaction between CD73 expression and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) and Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells in human BCa, showing the high infiltration of CD8+CD73+ CTLs and Foxp3+CD73+ Treg cells in tumors to be associated with tumorigenesis and poor prognosis in BCa. Interestingly, from a biomarker perspective, the high infiltration of CD73+ Treg cells in tumors was identified as an independent risk factor for overall survival in addition to clinicopathologic features. Regarding the relationship between immune checkpoint molecules and CD73 expression, both CD73+ CTLs and CD73+ Treg cells tended to coexpress programmed cell death protein 1 as tumor invasiveness and nuclear grade increased. Additionally, they may occupy a spatial niche located distantly from PD-L1+ cells in tumors to interfere less with the cancerous effects of PD-L1+ cells. In conclusion, the present results on the status of CD73 in cancer immunity suggest that CD73 expression on specific T-cell types has a negative immunoregulatory function. These findings may provide further insights into the immunobiological landscape of BCa, which may be translationally linked to improvements in future immunotherapy practice.

Targeting novel inhibitory ligands beyond anti-PD-1 and PD-L1 and CTLA-4 therapies is essential for the next decade of the immunotherapy era. Agents for the B7 family molecules B7-H3, B7-H4, and B7-H5 are emerging in clinical trial phases; therefore, further accumulation of evidence from both clinical and basic aspects is vital. Here, we applied a 7-color multiplexed imaging technique to analyze the profile of B7 family B7-H3/B7-H4/B7-H5 expression, in addition to PD-L1, and the spatial characteristics of immune cell infiltrates in urothelial carcinoma (UC). The results revealed that B7-H3 and B7-H4 were mainly expressed on tumor cells and B7-H5 on immune cells in UC, and most of the B7-H3/B7-H4/B7-H5-positive cells were mutually exclusive with PD-L1-positive cells. Also, the expression of B7-H4 was elevated in patients with advanced pathologic stages, and high B7-H4 expression was a significant factor affecting overall mortality following surgery in UC. Furthermore, spatial analysis revealed that the distance from the B7-H4+ cells to the nearest CD8+ cells was markedly far compared with other B7 family-positive tumor cells. Interestingly, the distance from B7-H4+ cells to the nearest CD8+ cells was significantly farther in patients dying from cancer after surgery or immune checkpoint inhibitors compared with cancer survivors; thus, high B7-H4 expression in tumor cells may inhibit CD8 infiltration into the tumor space and that B7-H4-positive cells form a specific spatial niche. In summary, we performed a comprehensive evaluation of B7 family member expression and found that the spatial distribution of B7-H4 suggests the potentially useful role of combination blockade with both B7-H4 and the current anti-PD-1/PD-L1 axis in the treatment of UC.

Background: Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is a promising tool for diagnosing and predicting cancer prognosis. However, its clinical utility in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) remains unclear, particularly in terms of clinical prognosis. Methods: We enrolled 124 patients with mRCC in the MONSTAR-SCREEN study (UMIN 000036749) between August 2019 and February 2022, a national observational ctDNA-based screening study, and performed ctDNA sequencing before and at the time of resistance to systemic therapy. Results: ctDNA were assessed in 178 samples containing 432 mutations. The most frequently altered genes at baseline were VHL (25.0%), PBRM1 (10.9%), TERT2 (8.7%), BAP1 (8.7%), and MTOR (7.6%). Patients receiving first-line therapy with tumor fraction (TF) < 1.2% showed significantly better progression-free survival than those with TF ≥ 1.2% (Hazard ratio (HR) = 0.467; 95% CI 0.229–0.979; p = 0.0425). BAP1 mutational status of ctDNA at baseline led to poor OS (HR = 0.4867; 95% CI 0.322–0.736; p = 0.0003). Serial ctDNA analysis showed that 46.8% of patients developed new ctDNA mutations at disease progression, which was linked to shorter time to progression (p = 0.046). Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated that ctDNA profiling is feasible in mRCC and can predict disease progression after treatment.

Introduction: The present study examined factors preventing the achievement of pentafecta in patients who have already met trifecta criteria following robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN). Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on 103 patients who underwent RAPN for localized renal tumors at Keio University Hospital between 2019 and 2023. Clinical characteristics, surgical parameters, and postoperative renal function were analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent predictors of trifecta and pentafecta achievement. Results: The achievement rates for trifecta and pentafecta were 88% and 27%, respectively. Independent predictors of trifecta achievement were tumor size ≤ 20 mm (OR = 5.496, p = 0.039) and estimated blood loss ≤ 50 cc (OR = 7.983, p = 0.011). Significant predictors of pentafecta achievement were age ≤ 63 years (OR = 3.753, p = 0.026) and tumor exophyticity ≥ 50% (OR = 4.054, p = 0.018). Independent predictors of pentafecta failure despite trifecta achievement were age > 63 years (OR = 0.223, 95% CI: 1.347–14.904, p = 0.014) and tumor exophyticity < 50% (OR = 0.205, 95% CI: 1.474–16.159, p = 0.009). The pentafecta failure rate was 95% in patients who achieved trifecta but had both risk factors, namely, older age and embedded tumors. Conclusion: Older age and tumor exophyticity < 50% are significant predictors of pentafecta failure despite achieving trifecta. The consideration of these factors may help refine surgical planning and postoperative management.

Objective: The indications of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for lymph node-positive upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) have not been investigated regarding improved survival outcomes. Our specific aim was to compare the clinical outcomes of clinically node-positive UTUC patients who were treated by NAC followed by radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) or upfront RNU followed by adjuvant chemotherapy (AC). Materials and methods: Among 966 UTUC patients, we identified 89 with clinical nodal involvement who received either NAC before RNU nor AC after upfront RNU. Cox proportional hazard models were employed to evaluate the impact of chemotherapy modality on the oncological outcomes. Results: Of the patient cohort, 36 (40.4%) received NAC followed by RNU, whereas 53 (59.6%) underwent RNU followed by AC. Multivariate analysis revealed that tumor size ≥3 cm, clinical T4, and gemcitabine and cisplatin regimen were independent risk factors for disease recurrence, whereas NAC followed by RNU was an independent factor for favorable RFS. Furthermore, regarding cancer-specific survival (CSS), NAC followed by RNU remained an independent factor for favorable CSS. According to Kaplan-Meier analysis, the 1-year and 2-year RFS were 67.9% and 47.0%, respectively, in the NAC+RNU group, which were significantly higher than those in the RNU+AC group (43.9% and 24.6%, respectively, P = 0.006). Moreover, the 1-year and 2-year CSS were 80.5% and 64.2%, respectively, in the NAC+RNU group, which were higher than those in the RNU+AC group (68.6% and 48.2%, respectively, P = 0.016). Conclusion: For node-positive UTUC patients, NAC followed by RNU was more clinically beneficial than RNU followed by AC.