San Diego's fight against bladder cancer has enlisted a novel combatant. UC San Diego Health, steeped in a history of innovative treatment approaches, is now the first institution in the county to offer a groundbreaking gene therapy for localized bladder cancer. Nadofaragene firadenovec, commercially known as Adstiladrin, has been greenlit by the FDA specifically for patients with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) who have ceased to respond to the traditional bacillus calmette-guerin (BCG) therapy. This new treatment ushers in an era where the removal of the bladder, a procedure fraught with significant risks, may no longer be the only recourse for patients.
BCG has long stood as the initial line of defense against bladder cancer, but its effectiveness isn't indefinite. UC San Diego Health's adoption of this therapy serves as a beacon of hope for many. Amirali Salmasi, MD, an associate professor of urology at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine and urologist at UC San Diego Health, emphasized the magnitude of this advancement in a press release, stating, "This innovative gene therapy approach holds promise in delaying or even eliminating the necessity for bladder removal", according to UC San Diego Health.
So how does this new player on the medical scene operate? Adstiladrin utilizes a virus to smuggle gene-encoding interferon into bladder cells. Interferon is a substance known for rallying the immune system against diseases, and once integrated into the DNA of the bladder cells, it works to stall or stop the growth of cancer. It's a tailored approach, delivered directly to where it's needed most. Aditya Bagrodia, MD, an associate professor of urology at UC San Diego School of Medicine, highlighted the significance of the therapy, as per UC San Diego Health, saying, "This exciting gene therapy represents a significant milestone for bladder cancer treatment."
Five patients at UC San Diego Health have already undergone this treatment, which involves a procedure performed every three months where the gene therapy is infused into the bladder through a urinary catheter. As Salmasi pointed out, the introduction of gene therapy marks a pivotal development for NMIBC treatment, which accounts for about 75% of bladder cancer cases. Impressively, Moores Cancer Center at UC San Diego Health isn't just a pioneer in bringing Adstiladrin to San Diego; it stands as the sole National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the region. Diane Simeone, MD, director of the center, noted their commitment to integrating new therapies in a comprehensive statement to the press.
