Photocure ASA, The Bladder Cancer Company, announces the presentation of clinical data and its breakout session in the scientific program at the International Bladder Cancer Network Meeting held September 29th–October 2nd in Barcelona, Spain. Dr. Steven Williams, of University of Texas-Medical Branch, Galveston, presented the study abstract “The Impact of Blue Light Cystoscopy Use Among Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer Patients in an Equal Access Setting: Implications on Recurrence and Time to Recurrence Stratified by Race”. In addition, Photocure sponsored an industry breakout entitled “Photodynamic Detection (PDD) and Photodynamic Therapy (PDT): Applications in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC).”
The IBCN meeting brings together international Bladder Cancer Experts and scientists, with the mission to improve the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of bladder cancer.
The abstract “The Impact of Blue Light Cystoscopy Use Among Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer Patients in an Equal Access Setting: Implications on Recurrence and Time to Recurrence Stratified by Race”* was presented by Dr. Williams on September 30th. The study was conducted with support from Photocure and aims at describing bladder cancer outcomes and the impact of blue light cystoscopy (BLC®) among non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients in an equal access setting, i.e., the Veterans Affairs Healthcare System (VA).
NMIBC patients within the VA receiving BLC were assessed to determine overall recurrence rates as well as the association between race and recurrence, progression, and overall survival outcomes.
A total of 378 patients were included in the analysis, of which 43 (11%) and 300 (79%) were African American and Caucasian, respectively. The results showed that the median time to first recurrence following BLC vs. white light cystoscopy (WLC) was significantly longer overall (40 vs. 26 months, p<0.001) and across all time points, respectively, in the cohort. A significant decrease in risk of recurrence following BLC utilization compared to WLC alone (HR, 0.70, p=0.005) was also determined. With regard to race stratification, the analysis showed no significant difference between African American and Caucasian patients for recurrence, progression and overall survival.
“In the present study, we found a significant decrease in risk of recurrence following BLC utilization compared to WLC alone and longer time interval to recurrence. There was no difference by race. Our findings demonstrate increased support for BLC’s clinical role in reducing bladder cancer recurrence, and that equal access to health care can achieve equitable outcomes by race,” Dr. Steven Williams, Professor and Chief of the Division of Urology, at the University of Texas-Medical Branch, one of the study authors, concluded.
