A new treatment of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer with ultrasound-assisted intravesical chemotherapy.

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K16721
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56030:Urology-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto University (2020); Tohoku University (2018-2019)
• Principal Investigator: SATO TAKUMA 京都大学, 医学研究科, 助教 (80804856)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 膀胱がん / ドラッグデリバリーシステム / ソノポレーション

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Ultrasound (US) irradiation in the presence of US contrast agents induces transient and reversible membrane poration of target cells that enhances delivery of exogenous molecules and improves the antitumor activity of chemotherapeutic drugs. In the present study, the synergistic antitumor activity of chemotherapeutic drugs combined with microbubbles (MBs) and US exposure on bladder cancer cells (in vitro) and experimental bladder cancer model (in vivo) was investigated. In the specific condition, cell viability was significantly lower in the chemotherapeutic drugs + MBs + US group than in the chemotherapeutic drugs + MBs and US + MBs groups. In vivo study showed that, in comparison with other groups, the chemotherapeutic drugs + MBs + US group expressed higher antitumor activity against tumor in the bladder, although statistical significance was not reached.

Free Research Field

泌尿器科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

筋層非浸潤性膀胱がんに対し、標準治療である手術（経尿道的膀胱腫瘍切除術）の代替の治療法となることを目指した薬物治療（ソノポレーション法を用いた膀胱内への抗がん剤注入療法）の抗腫瘍効果について解析を行った。動物実験において、ソノポレーション法を用いた抗がん剤膀胱内注入療法は抗がん剤（膀注）単独よりも高い抗腫瘍効果を示したが、統計的有意差を得られなかった。本研究で用いた手法は現状において、手術の代替となりうる治療効果を示すには至っていない。