Positive Data from the Danish National Patient Registry presented at the 2022 Nordic Urologisk Forening (NUF) Congress in Helsinki
Lower rates of bladder cancer recurrence and progression demonstrated in clinics with a high level of blue light cystoscopy (BLC®) use in primary patients
Photocure sponsor of the Residents Day during the NUF congress
Press Release – Oslo, Norway, June 13, 2022: Photocure ASA (OSE: PHO) announces that positive data from a Danish population registry study featuring nearly 10,000 bladder cancer patients was presented at the Nordisk Urologisk Forening (NUF) congress in Helsinki, Finland last week. NUF was being held June 8-11, 2022 as an in-person event for the first time since 2019. Photocure’s presence at and commitment to NUF was reinforced by sponsoring the Residents Day event for this year’s congress. Nordic Residents in Urology is a NUF group, which aims to increase collaboration and networking between young urologists in the Nordic countries in order to improve overall education and research opportunities.
Nordisk Urologisk Forening is an association of the national urological societies in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland, supporting close cooperation of Nordic urologists in various fields of education, science and clinical work. The NUF meeting is bi-annual, bringing together Nordic urologists, nurses and healthcare industry to meet and share best practice. Photocure, The Bladder Cancer Company, was present in Helsinki during the whole event.
In the scientific program on Bladder Cancer topics, BLC was prominently featured again this year: a Danish population study assessing recurrence and progression impact of BLC using national registries in Denmark was presented at NUF.
The study abstract entitled “Use of photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) at primary TURB*: Potential influence on recurrence and progression rates in NMIBC in a registry-based study using a country cohort” shows beneficial impact on recurrence and progression in patients treated at clinics who have a higher level of use of BLC in primary patients. The results are based on data from nearly 10,000 patients identified through the Danish National Patient Registry, corresponding to all newly diagnosed NMIBC patients in Denmark in the period 2011-2017.
Linea Blichert-Refsgaard (MD, PhD student) presented this study live on June 9 and in a poster, concluding that “Common use of PDD in the primary TURB at department level seems to be associated with lower 5-year recurrence and progression risks”.
Jørgen Bjerggaard Jensen (MD, DMSc, Professor, Consultant in Urology, Chairman of the Danish Bladder Cancer Group and the Nordic Urothelial Cancer Research Group, Department of Urology Aarhus University Hospital put the importance of these study results into perspective, stating: “These real world data results show the true potential of adding better visual diagnostic methods in endoscopy compared to the old standard with conventional white light”.
The abstract is available here: http://www.nuf2021.fi/abstracts/ and will be published in “Scandinavian Journal of Urology” after the congress.
* TURB / TURBT: Transurethral resection of bladder tumor
** NMIBC: Non‐muscle invasive bladder cancer
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About Bladder Cancer
Bladder cancer ranks as the 8th most common cancer worldwide – the 5th most common in men – with 1 720 000 prevalent cases (5-year prevalence rate)1a, 573 000 new cases and more than 200 000 deaths in 2020.1b
Approx. 75% of all bladder cancer cases occur in men.1 It has a high recurrence rate with up to 61% in year one and up to 78% over five years.2 Bladder cancer has the highest lifetime treatment costs per patient of all cancers.3
Bladder cancer is a costly, potentially progressive disease for which patients have to undergo multiple cystoscopies due to the high risk of recurrence. There is an urgent need to improve both the diagnosis and the management of bladder cancer for the benefit of patients and healthcare systems alike.
Bladder cancer is classified into two types, non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) and muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), depending on the depth of invasion in the bladder wall. NMIBC remains in the inner layer of cells lining the bladder. These cancers are the most common (75%) of all BC cases and include the subtypes Ta, carcinoma in situ (CIS) and T1 lesions. In MIBC the cancer has grown into deeper layers of the bladder wall. These cancers, including subtypes T2, T3 and T4, are more likely to spread and are harder to treat.4
1 Globocan. a) 5-year prevalence / b) incidence/mortality by population. Available at: https://gco.iarc.fr/today, accessed [January 2022].
2 Babjuk M, et al. Eur Urol. 2019; 76(5): 639-657
3 Sievert KD et al. World J Urol 2009;27:295–300
4 Bladder Cancer. American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/bladder-cancer.html
About Hexvix®/Cysview® (hexaminolevulinate HCl)
Hexvix/Cysview is a drug that preferentially accumulates in cancer cells in the bladder, making them glow bright pink during Blue Light Cystoscopy (BLC®). BLC with Hexvix/Cysview, compared to standard white light cystoscopy alone, improves the detection of tumors and leads to more complete resection, fewer residual tumors, and better management decisions.
Cysview is the tradename in the U.S. and Canada, Hexvix is the tradename in all other markets. Photocure is commercializing Cysview/Hexvix directly in the U.S. and Europe and has strategic partnerships for the commercialization of Hexvix/Cysview in China, Chile, Australia, and New Zealand. Please refer to https://photocure.com/partners/our-partners for further information on our commercial partners.
About Photocure ASA
Photocure: The Bladder Cancer Company delivers transformative solutions to improve the lives of bladder cancer patients. Our unique technology, making cancer cells glow bright pink, has led to better health outcomes for patients worldwide. Photocure is headquartered in Oslo, Norway and listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange (OSE: PHO). For more information, please visit us at www.photocure.com, www.hexvix.com, www.cysview.com