Background: Bladder cancer (BCa) is a heterogeneous disease with a variable prognosis and natural history. Cardiovascular disease (CVD), although completely different, has several similarities and possible interactions with cancer. The association between them is still unknown, but common risk factors between the two suggest a shared biology. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study that included patients who underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumor at two high-volume institutions. Depending on the presence of a previous history of CVD or not, patients were divided into two groups. Results: A total of 2050 patients were included, and 1638 (81.3%) were diagnosed with bladder cancer. Regarding comorbidities, the most common were hypertension (59.9%), cardiovascular disease (23.4%) and diabetes (22.4%). At univariate analysis, independent risk factors for bladder cancer were age and male sex, while protective factors were cessation of smoking and presence of CVD. All these results, except for ex-smoker status, were confirmed at the multivariate analysis. Another analysis was performed for patients with high-risk bladder cancer and, in this case, the role of CVD was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Our study pointed out a positive association between CVD and BCa incidence; CVD was an independent protective factor for BCa. This effect was not confirmed for high-risk tumors. Several biological and genomics mechanisms clearly contribute to the onset of both diseases, suggesting a possible shared disease pathway and highlighting the complex interplay of cancer and CVD. CVD treatment can involve different drugs with a possible effect on cancer incidence, but, to date, findings are still inconclusive.

Bladder cancer is the ninth most common malignancy worldwide, with two clinically distinct forms: non-muscle-invasive disease, characterized by high recurrence and excellent long-term survival, and muscle-invasive disease, associated with poorer outcomes. Current surveillance-cystoscopy and urine cytology-offers high specificity but is invasive, costly, and insensitive to low-grade tumors, underscoring the need for reliable, non-invasive biomarkers. Liquid biopsy approaches in urine and blood have demonstrated promise for real-time assessment of tumor burden, molecular heterogeneity, and early recurrence. Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assays detect tumor-derived genetic and epigenetic alterations, enabling dynamic monitoring of minimal residual disease and treatment response. Methylation-based tests and CpG-targeted sequencing in urine achieve high diagnostic accuracy, potentially reducing dependence on cystoscopy. Molecular classification of bladder tumors into luminal and basal subtypes has refined therapeutic strategies: FGFR inhibitors for luminal-papillary tumors, EGFR-targeted and chemotherapy approaches for basal/squamous cases, and immune-checkpoint inhibitors guided by immune-infiltration profiles. Integration of artificial intelligence with multi-omic liquid biopsy data further enhances predictive modeling for recurrence, treatment response, and minimal residual disease detection. Despite these advances, clinical implementation faces challenges including pre-analytical variability, lack of standardized assays, limited prospective validation, and unclear cost-effectiveness. Harmonized protocols, large multicenter trials, and health-economic evaluations are essential to translate liquid biopsy technologies into routine practice. Future integration with advanced imaging, tissue biopsy, and digital pathology-supported by multidisciplinary collaboration and formal guideline endorsement-holds the potential to personalize bladder cancer management, reduce invasive procedures, and improve patient outcomes.

Purpose: To evaluate oncological outcomes of partial gland cryoablation (PGC) for localized prostate cancer (PCa) in a cohort of elderly patients who required an active treatment. Methods: Data from 110 consecutive patients treated with PGC for localized PCa were collected. All patients underwent the same standardized follow-up with serum-PSA level and digital rectal examination. Prostate MRI and eventual re-biopsy were performed at twelve months after cryotherapy or in case of suspicion of recurrence. Biochemical recurrence was defined according to Phoenix criteria (PSA nadir + 2 ng/ml). Kaplan–Meier curves and Multivariable Cox Regression analyses were used to predict disease progression, biochemical recurrence- (BCS) and additional treatment-free survival (TFS). Results: Median age was 75 years (IQR 70–79). PGC was performed in 54 (49.1%) patients with low-risk PCa, 42 (38.1%) with intermediate risk and 14 (12.8%) high risk. At a median follow-up of 36 months, we recorded a BCS and TFS of 75 and 81%, respectively. At 5 years, BCS was 68.5% and CRS 71.5%. High-risk prostate cancer was associated with lower TFS and BCS curves when compared with low-risk group (all p values < .03). A PSA reduction < 50% between preoperative level and nadir resulted as an independent failure predictor for all outcomes evaluated (all p values < .01). Age was not associated with worse outcomes. Conclusions: PGC could be a valid treatment for low- to intermediate PCa in elderly patients, when a curative approach is suitable in terms of life expectancy and quality of life.

The International Bladder Cancer Group (IBCG) scoring system has been proposed for identifying patients suitable for active surveillance (AS) within the intermediate-risk (IR) non–muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) population. Given that early recurrence has been associated with higher progression rates, we aimed to assess whether better integration of recurrence-free survival (RFS) into the IBCG risk stratification may further improve AS eligibility criteria. We retrospectively identified 241 recurrent IR-NMIBC patients (during the period 2013–2022) who were eligible for AS at the time of the first transurethral resection of a bladder tumor. Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox regression analyses evaluated the impact of IBCG risk factors and recurrence timing in predicting high-grade (HG) progression-free survival (PFS), while discrimination was assessed using Harrell’s concordance index (C-index). Patients who recurred within 6 mo had significantly worse PFS than those with recurrence at >12 mo from diagnosis (3-yr PFS: 42% vs 74%, p = 0.007), while no difference in progression rates were observed for recurrence between 6 and 12 mo or at >12 mo. At a multivariable analysis, RFS was independently associated with HG progression and outperformed the IBCG risk group in predictive accuracy (C-index 0.78 vs 0.70). Integration of both factors in the model resulted in the highest performance (C-index 0.79). The time to first recurrence adds prognostic information beyond the IBCG criteria when selecting IR-NMIBC patients eligible for AS. Patients recurring within 6 mo should not be considered for surveillance, while those with later recurrences may remain eligible if no more than one IBCG risk factor is present. Prospective validation of the AS criteria in the IR cohort at each recurrence will further help refine patients’ selection and follow-up. In this study, we looked at patients with bladder cancer who might be monitored (active surveillance) without immediate treatment. We found that if the cancer comes back within 6 mo, there is a higher chance that it will become more aggressive.

Socio-economic and demographical factors contribute to disparity in prostate cancer (PCa) outcomes. We examined the impact of area of deprivation index (ADI) and race on PCa incidence and lethality in a North-American cohort. Our cohort included men who received at least one PSA test within our Health System (1995-2022). An ADI score was assigned to each patient based on their residential census block, ranked as a percentile of deprivation relative to the national level. Individuals were further categorized into quartiles, where the fourth one (ADI 75-100) represented those living in the most deprived areas. We investigated PCa incidence and lethality, using cumulative incidence estimates and competing-risk regression. An ADIxRace interaction term examined whether the relationship between ADI and outcomes varied based on race. We included 134,366 patients, 25% of whom were NHB. Median (IQR) follow-up was 8.8 (5-17) years. At multivariate analysis, individuals from the third (ADI 50-74, 95% CI: 0.83-0.95) and the fourth quartile (ADI ≥ 75, 95% CI: 0.75-0.86) showed significant reduced HRs for PCa incidence, when compared with the first quartile (ADI < 25, all p < .001). In contrast to the overall cohort, PCa incidence increased with ADI in NHB men, who were persistently at higher hazard for both PCa incidence and lethality than NHW, across all ADI strata (all p < .001). Living in more deprived areas was associated with lower PCa incidence and higher lethal disease rate. Conversely, PCa incidence increased with ADI for NHB, who consistently showed worse outcomes than NHW individuals, regardless of ADI.