Clinical Research Directory

Pilot Study of a New Nerve Grafting Method During Bladder Cancer Surgery to Help Preserve Erections.

This pilot study will evaluate the safety and 1-year erectile function recovery in 10 patients undergoing a novel Nerve Restoring Radical Cystectomy (NR-RC), which includes a genitofemoral nerve graft. Erectile function will be assessed using IIEF-5, SF-MPQ, and CEEF questionnaires at baseline and at multiple post-operative intervals (4 weeks, 3, 6, 12, and 18 months). Safety will be monitored through peri- and post-operative complications, and additional demographic and clinical data will be collected for analysis.

Treatment Expedition With MRI Processing and Optimization for Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer

The TEMPO-MIBC trial is a phase III, single-center, two-arm, randomized, controlled trial. Its primary objective is to evaluate the efficacy of a simplified diagnostic and treatment pathway for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). This study investigates the role of multiparametric bladder MRI (mpMRI) in patients with biopsy proven cancer of the bladder with clinical features of detrusor muscle invasion. In the experimental arm, enrolled patients will receive a bladder mpMRI, if this exam will confirm the high suspicion of muscle invasion a conventional endoscopic transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBt) for staging purposes will be foregone and patients will immediately access the next step of their clinical management. Experimental arm outcomes will be compared to a control arm in which all enrolled patients will be receiving TURBt as part of the standard management of bladder cancer. The aim of this study is demonstrating a significant reduction of the time needed to offer patients the definitive treatment for their disease, possibly ensuring better long-term oncological outcomes. A blood sample will be collected from each patient enrolled in the study at pre-planned time points to measure the levels of circulating tumour (ctDNA), a primer will be built from bladder cancer biopsies performed at enrolment. ctDNA has been shown to be a proxy measure of tumour burden and residual molecular disease after treatment. The ctDNA levels in the experimental arm will be compared to those of the control arm to investigate wether foregoing endoscopic resection of the tumour and reducing time to definitive cancer treatment might be associated to lower ctDNA levels.

A Feasibility Randomized Trial Evaluating Early vs Late Stent Removal Following Radical Cystectomy and Ileal Conduit Formation for Bladder Cancer

Bladder cancer is the 4th most common cancer in men and 5th most common type of cancer in Canada. Urothelial cancer accounts for approximately 90% of malignancies. At diagnosis, over 75% of cases are classified as non-muscle invasive (NMIBC), and with appropriate treatment, the majority of these patients achieve positive outcomes. The progression rate of NMIBC to Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) varies between 5-50% at 5 years dependent on histopathological features such as grade, stage, presence of CIS and age (Carcinoma in Situ). The optimal treatment of MIBC (T2-T4N0M0) consists of neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy followed by Radical cystectomy and urinary diversion (RCUD). In the last couple of decades, RCUD has also gained attention for treating patients with high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Despite advancements in surgical techniques and the rise of minimally invasive alternatives, complications after surgery remain frequent, with morbidity rates of approximately 50%. Several uncertainties persist in surgical practice, including the role of perioperative ureteric stenting during RCUD. Perioperative ureteric stenting is intended to minimize urinary leakage from the newly created uretero-enteric anastomosis and to prevent early obstruction caused by anastomotic swelling. However, stenting may increase the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and necessitate additional follow-up for stent removal. Peng et al. conducted the most recent systematic review in 2021, demonstrating that ureteral stents in RCUD were linked to higher rates of anastomotic strictures. Their review did not provide evidence that these stents were more effective than not using stents in preventing post-diversion urinary leakage. The review underscored the scarcity of prospective randomized controlled trials examining the safety and effectiveness of stenting in this context. The sole prospective (non-randomized) study assessing stent dwell / retention time after RCUD demonstrated early stent removal (2 weeks) had decreased 90-day readmissions and UTIs. Therefore, the investigators aimed to determine the feasibility of conducting a definitive randomized trial to evaluate patients undergoing radical cystectomy and ileal conduit formation to receive either early stent removal (5-7 days) or late stent removal (4-6 weeks).

Clinical Trial Testing Whether Targeted Antibiotic Prophylaxis Can Reduce Infections After Cystectomy Compared to Empiric Prophylaxis

The aim of this trial is to test whether postoperative antibiotics targeted towards bacteria in the urine can reduce the risk of infection after surgical removal of the bladder (cystectomy) compared to a standardised antibiotic prophylaxis. Participants undergoing cystectomy will be randomly assigned to postoperatively receive (A) a standardised orally administered antibiotic prophylaxis currently given at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen or (B) a conventional orally administered antibiotic prophylaxis targeting bacteria found in the urine postoperatively. The investigators' hypothesis is that the targeted prophylactic antibiotic strategy will reduce the number of infection-related readmissions within 90 days of surgery compared to the standardised prophylaxis.