Jeffrey M. Holzbeierlein, MD

Jeffrey M. Holzbeierlein, MD, Director of the Division of Urologic Oncology at the University of Kansas Hospital and Director of Clinical Research for the Urology Department at KUMC, discusses how using Blue Light Cystoscopy (BLC), an enhanced imaging technique that creates a visible contrast between normal urothelium and cancer cells, can improve detection of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). The AUA, EAU, and NCCN recommend BLC for use in many bladder cancer patients, especially those with positive cytology but negative white light cystoscopy (WLC), but many practitioners eschew BLC due to the expensive equipment required. Dr. Holzbeierlein suggests that the benefits may outweigh the costs, citing multiple studies that have reported increased rates of detection and lower rates of recurrence of NMIBC with BLC vs. WLC, although he acknowledges that researchers have yet to prove that the use of BLC improves progression. Dr. Holzbeierlein concludes by discussing BLC’s particular utility in detecting carcinoma in situ (CIS), which he believes leads to improved resection of CIS and thus better patient response to bacillus Calmette-Guérin.

Jeffrey M. Holzbeierlein, MD, Director of the Division of Urologic Oncology at the University of Kansas Hospital and Director of Clinical Research for the Urology Department at KUMC, discusses the variability associated with ERAS pathways & the impact of utilizing this methodology following cystectomy. He goes on to discuss how to optimize cystectomy through ERAS-based prehab, pre-operative, intraoperative, and post-operative pathways and presents data that demonstrates how these pathways may improve patient outcomes. Finally, Dr. Holzbeierlein discusses the preliminary results of a University of Kansas research program that adapted interactive, iPad-based cystectomy tutorials to understand if personalized education platforms could help improve perioperative care and outcomes within this patient population.

Jeffrey M. Holzbeierlein, MD, Director of the Division of Urologic Oncology at the University of Kansas Hospital and Director of Clinical Research for the Urology Department at KUMC, talks about how to manage high-grade T1 bladder cancer (HGT1BC). He discusses 5-year progression rates of HGT1BC, pathological substratification of the disease, and risk calculators to estimate patient progression. Dr. Holzbeierlein concludes by discussing enhanced cystoscopy, the value of re-resection, and the importance of bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) maintenance in HGT1BC.

Jeffrey M. Holzbeierlein, MD, Director of the Division of Urologic Oncology at the University of Kansas Hospital and Director of Clinical Research for the Urology Department at KUMC, discusses the role of immunonutrition in bladder cancer. He highlights some of the research showing why nutrition should play an important role in improving outcomes for radical cystectomy, a treatment for bladder cancer that is underutilized due to the high number of poor outcomes. Dr. Holzbeierlein goes on to discuss the SIMMUNE trial (S1600), which he is leading at the KU Medical Center. In the pilot, they gave patients a specialized immunomodulating drink, which Dr. Holzbeierlein emphasizes is a commercially available drink that patients can purchase themselves online, prior to surgery. He outlines the methods of the study as well as the results and the conclusions that were drawn. Finally, Dr. Holzbeierlein stresses that this is an easy intervention that most doctors could implement immediately.

Jeffrey M. Holzbeierlein, MD, Director of the Division of Urologic Oncology at the University of Kansas Hospital and Director of Clinical Research for the Urology Department at KU, discusses how to improve outcomes around cystoprostatectomy. Even when this treatment is technically successful, many patients still suffer from post-surgical complications and it has a high morbidity rate. Dr. Holzbeierlein highlights significant weight loss and muscle wasting post-surgery as being associated with these increased rates of complication and death. He hypothesizes that this issue, known as cachexia, could be caused by hypogonadism, and could lead to poor outcomes after radical prostatectomies. Dr. Holzbeierlein and his colleagues conducted a study to test this hypothesis and he goes over its methods, results, limitations, and conclusions. He also previews his and his colleagues’ next steps and how their research might impact cystoprostatectomy.