Clinical Research Directory

Noninvasive Urine Testing for Urothelial Carcinoma

This is a two-stage, prospective, single-center observational diagnostic accuracy study evaluating noninvasive urine testing for the detection of urothelial carcinoma (UC). The study enrolls adult patients presenting with gross or microscopic hematuria and imaging evidence of a space-occupying lesion in the renal pelvis, ureter, or bladder, who are scheduled for diagnostic cystoscopy and/or surgical tissue sampling. Histopathological examination serves as the reference standard. Stage 1 (Completed, 8th October 2019 - 31st December 2023): A total of 113 participants have been enrolled. Owing to sufficient research funding, all participants in this stage underwent four urine-based tests: cytology, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), DNA methylation, and a 17-gene mutation panel. Stage 2 (Ongoing, from 1st January 2024): The testing protocol was refined to focus on urine DNA methylation alone, owing to limited research funding and the lower cost of DNA methylation compared with the 17-gene mutation panel. As of registration (May 2026), approximately 330 participants have been enrolled. All enrolled participants are categorized into two groups based on histopathology: a UC group (including upper tract urothelial carcinoma \[UTUC\] and bladder cancer \[BC\]) and a non-UC control group. The primary outcome is the diagnostic accuracy (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve \[AUC\] with 95% confidence interval, sensitivity, and specificity) of the four urine-based tests in the Stage 1 cohort. The key secondary outcome is the diagnostic accuracy of urine DNA methylation in the Stage 2 cohort. Other secondary outcomes include paired comparisons of AUCs among the four tests in the Stage 1 cohort. Exploratory analyses will include the diagnostic performance of urine cytology in a subset of Stage 2 participants with UTUC, as well as subgroup analyses by tumor site (UTUC vs. BC). Because this study is purely observational and non-interventional, prospective registration was not a regulatory or institutional requirement when enrollment began in 2019. This record is being submitted prior to any data analysis to ensure consistency with current research transparency standards.

A Comparative Study of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Versus Upfront Radical Surgery for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma

This is a single-center, open-label, non-randomized controlled trial comparing the efficacy and safety of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) followed by radical surgery versus upfront radical surgery alone in patients with high-risk, non-metastatic upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). The study aims to answer the following key questions: Does NAC improve pathologic response rates (defined as downstaging to \<ypT2N0) compared to immediate surgery? What is the rate of pathologic complete response (pCR; ypT0N0) in the NAC group? How do the two treatment strategies compare in terms of overall survival, cancer-specific survival, and recurrence-free survival? What is the safety and tolerability profile of NAC using gemcitabine and cisplatin in this patient population? Eligible participants will be assigned to either the NAC-plus-surgery group or the surgery-only group based on clinical evaluation and patient preference. The study will also explore potential biomarkers (e.g., chromosomal instability in liquid biopsies) for predicting treatment response. Key Eligibility Criteria: Adults with histologically confirmed high-risk UTUC Clinical stage ≤N1 M0 Adequate renal function (GFR ≥45 mL/min) and ECOG performance status 0-1 Primary Outcome: Pathologic response rate (proportion of patients with \<ypT2N0)

Whole-slide Image and CT Radiomics Based Deep Learning System for Prognostication Prediction in Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma

Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma (UTUC), characterized by its anatomical complexity and often aggressive clinical behavior, presents substantial difficulties in accurate diagnosis and reliable prognostication. The stratification of postoperative survival utilizing radiomics features derived from imaging and characteristics from whole slide images could prove instrumental in guiding therapeutic decisions to enhance patient outcomes. In this research, our objective is to construct a deep learning-based prognostic-stratification system designed for the automated prediction of overall and cancer-specific survival in individuals diagnosed with UTUC.

A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study on Monitoring Recurrence of Urothelial Carcinoma Based on Detection of Urinary Microscopic Residual Disease (MRD)

This was a multicenter, prospective, non-interventional, observational cohort study, and the enrolled patients were divided into four cohorts: cohort I was patients with high-risk upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) (pT3-4 or N+); cohort II was patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) (including low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk/very-high-risk); cohort III was patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) to receive neoadjuvant therapy; and cohort IV was patients evaluated for complete response (CR) after standard trimodality therapy (TMT) treatment (i.e. patients with successful bladder preservation). Primary Objectives Cohorts I and IV: MRD score to assess the sensitivity and specificity of imaging recurrence/metastasis; Cohort II: MRD score to assess the sensitivity and specificity of tumor recurrence; Cohort III: MRD score to assess the sensitivity and specificity of tumor remnants. Secondary Objectives Cohorts I and IV: MRD score to assess the sensitivity and specificity of imaging recurrence subgroup and metastasis subgroup; Cohort II: MRD score to assess the sensitivity and specificity of different grades and stages of recurrent tumors; Cohort III: MRD scores to assess the sensitivity and specificity of different grades and stages of residual tumors.

Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in High - Risk Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma

Upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) represents a rare yet aggressive malignancy associated with a dismal prognosis. At the point of diagnosis, nearly half of the patients already have invasive disease, and over 70% present with high-grade UTUC. Currently, radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) remains the gold standard of care for high-risk UTUC. Previous investigations have demonstrated that, in contrast to RNU alone, chemotherapy can effectively reduce the disease recurrence rate and mortality. Moreover, it may confer benefits to patients' overall survival (OS) without impeding the implementation of subsequent definitive surgical treatment. However, the majority of these studies are predominantly retrospective analyses. Although they can, to some degree, reflect the clinical value of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, due to inherent limitations in study design and other confounding factors, there is still a paucity of prospective research evidence for further validation. Considering that RNU can cause a decline in renal function in patients, and in light of prospective trial outcomes, preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) has emerged as a preferred treatment option for chemotherapy-eligible UTUC patients.

A Study of RC48-ADC Combined with JS001 for Postoperative Adjuvant Treatment of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma

This study will evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenous RC48-ADC combined with JS001 in postoperative adjuvant therapy for HER2-positive upper tract urothelial carcinoma.

POST URS Chemotherapy Instillation

The goal of this study is to evaluate the safety and oncological outcomes of single chemotherapy bladder instillation following endoscopic treatment for UTUC in UTUC suspected patients .The main aim is to determine the efficacy of a single, post URS, chemotherapy bladder instillation to reduce IVR. Participants will be given single chemotherapy bladder instillation within 24h following ureteroscopy and will follow routine follow-up for IVR which will include white light cystoscopy ;patients with suspected IVR (based on either imaging or cystoscopy) will undergo TURBT.