AUA Journal of Urology Editorial Supports Cxbladder

Pacific Edge welcomes an editorial in the American Urological Association’s Journal of Urology supporting the use of Cxbladder to reduce unnecessary cystoscopies on patients at risk of bladder cancer. 

Published in the September issue¹, the editorial - entitled ‘What Is the Future of Cystoscopy for Detecting Urothelial Carcinoma?’ – focuses heavily on evidence pointing to the clinical value of Cxbladder in helping clinicians to evaluate patients both presenting with hematuria and those under surveillance for bladder cancer recurrence, specifically citing the recent STRATA² study that demonstrated the clinical utility of Cxbladder Triage.

The editorial notes: “Although these novel biomarker studies raise important questions about evaluating patients at risk for UCB³, these tests have the potential to improve the management of our patients with suspected UCB who would otherwise require an invasive procedure for diagnosis. This also holds true for nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer patients who require cystoscopic surveillance.”

Pacific Edge Chief Executive Dr Peter Meintjes said: “We are delighted to see our Cxbladder test recognized in the Journal of Urology editorial. Such supportive commentary on our recent clinical evidence in such an influential urology journal shows how leading urologists are coming to understand the clinical value of our tests in hematuria evaluation and monitoring patients for the recurrence of bladder cancer. 

“It reinforces both our first-mover advantage in the commercialization of urine biomarkers of bladder cancer and the importance of clinical utility studies in updating the standard of care. It also provides further validation of our investment in medical affairs to educate the urological community on the value of our tests and our investment into our clinical research program, which we have configured to deliver the end points required for coverage decisions and guideline inclusion. We expect this editorial to build further momentum in the adoption of Cxbladder.”

Authored by Journal of Urology Assistant Editor Christopher Anderson, the editorial first critiques the AUA’s guidelines for the evaluation of asymptomatic microscopic hematuria, which it says results in urologists performing many unnecessary cystoscopies and missing opportunities to evaluate at-risk patients.

It then focuses on the clinical evidence to overcome these limitations, regularly referencing Pacific Edge’s STRATA study, which was published in the May edition of the Journal of Urology. The study showed clinicians undertook 59% fewer cystoscopies if they were able to use the information generated by a Cxbladder Triage test. The editorial also notes the potential cost savings that come from reducing unnecessary procedures using non-invasive urine-based biomarkers such as Cxbladder.  

The editorial concludes by acknowledging the continued need for cystoscopy in bladder cancer diagnosis but underscores the importance of reducing negative cystoscopies.

“If these biomarkers are employed in the first-line setting, it may ultimately improve appropriate hematuria referrals to urology and avoid the referral delays that some hematuria patients face… we are challenged to understand these tests, educate patients about them, and determine how to best incorporate them into our practice.”

¹ Anderson C. (2024) What Is the Future of Cystoscopy for Detecting Urothelial Carcinoma? J Urol. Vol. 212, 399-400, September 2024.  
² Lotan et al (2024). A multicenter prospective randomized controlled trial comparing Cxbladder triage to cystoscopy in patients with microhematuria. The safe testing of risk for asymptomatic microhematuria trial. J Urol. Published online May 3, 2024.
³ Urothelial Bladder Carcinoma.