Clinical Research Directory

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).

Comparison of Safety and Efficacy of Detaenial Sigmoid Neobladder and Ileal Neobladder

Bladder cancer is a common malignant tumor of the urinary system, radical resection plus urinary diversion is the first choice of treatment for muscle invasive bladder cancer. Urinary diversion of surgical options related to patient' survival and quality of life. In 1988, Hautmann firstly reported an orthotopic urinary diversion method: Hautmann neobladder. As the urine can be controlled from the original urethra, the patient's quality of life has been greatly improved, so the new bladder surgery gradually accepted and welcomed by urologists and patients. However, in order to achieve low-pressure and large-volume storage capacity of the urine reservoir, the 40-70cm long interception of terminal ileum need to be detubularized. Only after split, folded, re-stitched and a series of treatment, the intestinal can be used. Such complicated procedures make so many urologists give it up. In addition, the interception of the long ileum may lead to reduced absorption of vitamin B12 which caused anemia, metabolic acidosis, intestinal dysfunction. Not only that, as time goes by, this kind of neobladder will be unlimited expansion and resulting in a serious increase in residual urine volume, hydronephrosis, or even the occurrence of neobladder spontaneous rupture. In 2000, professor Chunxiao Liu invented "detaenial sigmoid neobladder", this surgical method overset the traditional intestinal detubularization approach, which detached the serosal layer with smooth muscle from the bowel without split it. This kind of neobladder is easier to construct and have less impact on intestinal function. So far, it has been implemented for more than 600 cases in Zhujiang hospital, the age of patients range from 9 months (bladder rhabdomyosarcoma) to 84 years old. So far as now, no multicenter prospective clinical study on orthotopic urinary diversion has been performed worldwide, neither the head-to-head studies on detaenial sigmoid neobladder and ileal neobladder. Our project is going to perform a multicenter randomized controlled trial for these two neobladder methods and look forward to assess the safety and efficacy of these two procedures which provide an objective basis for the patients undergoing orthotopic urinary diversion in the future.

Study on the Quality of Life and Pathological State in Patients Who Underwent Radical Cystectomy

Observational study on the quality of life and pathological state of patients underwent radical cystectomy.