Review Article Open Access

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in the Management of Urothelial Carcinoma

Tina Mayer , Saum Ghodoussipour , Hiren V. Patel , Eric A. Singer , Daniel I. Bisn , Biren Saraiya , Aakash Patel

Bladder cancer is one of the most common and expensive cancers in the United States, with an expected 81,400 new cases and 17,980 deaths in 2020 alone. The incidence is increased among white men and diagnoses often occur in the 7th decade of life.

Commentary Open Access

Early Integration of Palliative Care for Patients Receiving Systemic Immunotherapy for Renal Cell Carcinoma

Megan Stout , Eric A. Singer , Biren Saraiya , Akshay Thaper , Vivien Xu

Palliative care (PC) aims to prioritize the quality of life and comfort of those with complex and terminal illnesses through the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs of the individual. Palliative care can support individuals from the day of their cancer diagnosis through end-of-life and bereavement

Review Article Open Access

The Role of Tumor and Host Microbiome on Immunotherapy Response in Urologic Cancers

Biren Saraiya , Jake Drobner , John Pfail , Krishna Doppalapudi , Saum Ghodoussipour , Vignesh T. Packiam

The role of the microbiome in the development and treatment of genitourinary malignancies is just starting to be appreciated. Accumulating evidence suggests that the microbiome can modulate immunotherapy through signaling in the highly dynamic tumor microenvironment. Nevertheless, much is still unknown about the immuno-oncology-microbiome axis, especially in urologic oncology. The objective of this review is to synthesize our current understanding of the microbiome’s role in modulating and predicting immunotherapy response to genitourinary malignancies.