Week 13: Chp 63: Bladder Cancer Flashcards
Most important risk factor for Bladder cancer
smoking
Risk factors for Bladder Cancer
aromatic amine exposure from the rubber and chemical industries, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure from the coal and aluminum industries, chronic infection or inflammation from chronic catheter use, or incomplete bladder emptying
-In some third-world countries, schistosomiasis, a parasitic infection, is the leading risk factor
Pathophysiology of Bladder Cancer
tumor formation in bladder cancer is attributed to genetic changes in target cells
- target cells are normal cells of the body that have undergone some alteration, synthesize abnormal proteins, and then undergo malignant changes
- the process is thought to be caused by the activation of oncogenes (genes that when altered promote the uncontrolled proliferation of cancer cells) that act in one of two ways: by inactivation of tumor suppression genes or by activation of genes that cause cells to grow in a rapid, random manner
What system is used for staging all types of cancer
The tumor, nodes, metastasis (TNM) staging system
Bladder Cancers are classified as?
- non-muscle invasive cancer (T1), affecting the inner lining of the bladder (urothelium)
- muscle invasive cancer (T2-T4), the cancer has extended through the urothelium and into the detrusor muscle
Most common presenting symptoms of bladder cancer
painless hematuria
Diagnostic Tests
- urine cytology
- blood and urine tests (to look for tumor markers)
- urine cultures (to rue out infection)
- cystoscopy (this is coupled with a biopsy of any lesions that are discovered during the examination)
What diagnostic test is used to make a definitive diagnosis?
cystoscopy
-examination of the bladder with a scope
Imaging Studies
-CT
-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
-positron emission tomography
-ultrasound
>these may be used to determine whether there is spread of the cancer outside the bladder
Drug therapy for low-grade bladder cancers
- topical therapy or installations of solutions into the bladder, intravesical therapy
- this can be either intravesical immunotherapy or chemotherapy
- Intravesical immunotherapy, such as bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG), is aimed at “jumped starting” the body’s own immune defenses to battle the invasion of cancer
- Intravesical chemotherapy instills medications given to kill actively growing
Intravesical Immunotherapy; Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG)
used for low-grade bladder cancers
-aimed at “jump starting” the body’s own immune defenses to battle the invasion of cancer
Intravesical Chemotherapy
used for low-grade bladder cancers
-instills medications given to kill actively growing cancer cells
Treatment for later-stage bladder cancer
-systemic immunotherapy
Systemic Immunotherapy
treatment for later-stage bladder cancer
- in a healthy individual, “check point” molecules keep the immune system from attacking the body’s normal cells; cancer cells avoid being attacked by the immune system by using these checkpoint molecules
- systemic immunotherapy targets checkpoint molecules
ex: atezolizumab (Tecentriq), durvalumab (Imfinzi), avelumab (Bavencio), nivolumab (Opdivo) and pembrolizumab (Keytruda)
Management and Treatment for high-grade metastatic bladder cancer
- precision medicine
- target therapy (individuals with cancers that are likely to recur are candidates)
Target Therapy
- used for high-grade metastatic bladder cancer
- directed at changes in cells that cause them to become cancer: lapatinib (Tykerb) and erlotinib (Tarceva)
- this therapy may also target blood vessels that carry nutrition to the cancer cells using antiangiogenesis drugs; ex: bevacizumab (Avastin), Sorafenib (Nexavar), cabozantinib (Cometriq), and pazopanib (Votrient)
Safety Alert for Bacille Calmette-Guerin
its a live, weakened bacterium
-to ensure that others are not infected by the bacteria, after voiding following treatment, the patient should pour 2 cups of bleach into the toilet and allow it to sit for 20 minutes before flushing
Surgical Interventions for low-grade bladder cancers consist of?
excision or removal of the tumor through fulguration or laser ablation
>fulguration destroys the tumor by using high-frequency electrical current
>laser ablation destroys tissue by irradiating it with a laser beam
Fulguration
used for low-grade bladder cancers
-destroys the tumor by using high-frequency electrical current
Laser ablation
for low-grade bladder cancers
-destroys tissue by irradiating it with a laser beam