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March 4, 2026Journal of Clinical Oncology6 citations

Urinary tumor DNA (utDNA) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in patients (pts) with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) who received perioperative durvalumab (D) in NIAGARA.

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MHMichiel S. Van Der HeijdenMGMatthew D. GalskyRJRicky Joshi

Key Points

  • Evaluate the role of urinary tumor DNA (utDNA) alongside circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in predicting outcomes for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) patients receiving durvalumab.
  • Conducted a randomized trial comparing perioperative durvalumab plus neoadjuvant chemotherapy to standard treatment in MIBC patients.
  • Utilized personalized Signatera assay to analyze utDNA and ctDNA levels at baseline and pre-radical cystectomy.
  • Exploratory analysis focused on dual primary endpoints of event-free survival (EFS) and pathological complete response (pCR).
  • Lower baseline levels of utDNA correlated with longer event-free survival (EFS).
  • The rate of utDNA positivity decreased significantly from baseline to pre-radical cystectomy.
  • Patients achieving utDNA clearance had a higher likelihood of improved EFS compared to those who did not.

Abstract

636 Background: In NIAGARA (NCT03732677), addition of perioperative D to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and radical cystectomy (RC) demonstrated a significant improvement in event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival and a numerical increase in pathological complete response (pCR) vs NAC and RC alone in pts with MIBC. In a prior exploratory analysis, negative plasma ctDNA status after neoadjuvant treatment prior to RC (pre-RC) was associated with prolonged EFS but not pCR. Here we assess utDNA as a complementary approach in this setting. Methods: Cisplatin-eligible pts with MIBC (cT2-T4aN0/1M0) were randomized 1:1 to receive perioperative D plus NAC (cisplatin + gemcitabine) and RC (D arm) or NAC and RC alone (comparator C arm). Dual primary endpoints were EFS and pCR. Exploratory analysis of utDNA and ctDNA was completed using the personalized Signatera assay (Natera, Inc, Austin, TX, USA) at baseline (BL; n=205) and pre-RC (n=183). Results: Of 1063 pts, 265 (25%) comprised the biomarker-evaluable population (BEP; 134 D arm; 131 C arm). At BL, lower utDNA levels were associated with longer EFS (low vs high utDNA HR 0.65, 95% CI 0.40−1.04). From BL to pre-RC, utDNA+ rate decreased from 85% to 55%. utDNA clearance was associated with longer EFS (HR 0.24, 95% CI 0.09−0.62) and was 12% higher in the D vs C arm (39% vs 27%). Pre-RC utDNA status was associated with a pCR (utDNA−; 72% 55/76 vs utDNA+; 18% 17/96). Pre-RC utDNA and ctDNA status differentially correlated with disease stage at RC, with utDNA+ correlating with noninvasive disease (<T2N0M0) and ctDNA+ with invasive disease (≥T2N0M0) or systemic spread (N+ and/or M+) (Table). Estimated 24-month EFS rate was highest for pts with dual-negative status at pre-RC (utDNA− ctDNA−; 90%, 95% CI 83–97), followed by pts with utDNA+ only (utDNA+ ctDNA−; 75%, 95% CI 65–87), and was lowest for pts with dual-positive status (utDNA+ ctDNA+; 55%, 95% CI 41–75). Conclusions: This analysis suggests that lower BL levels and pre-RC clearance of utDNA are associated with better EFS and shows the addition of D to NAC increased utDNA clearance. utDNA status at pre-RC was more closely associated with pCR vs prior findings for ctDNA status. Combined pre-RC ctDNA and utDNA analysis was associated with EFS and may provide complementary insights into disease stage at RC. utDNA status could provide clinically relevant information on the primary bladder tumor, particularly in ctDNA− pts, highlighting the potential value of combining utDNA and ctDNA to inform future management of MIBC. Clinical trial information: NCT03732677 . Pre-RC utDNA and ctDNA correlation with disease stage a at RC. Status n T0N0M0 (%) <T2N0M0 (%) ≥T2N0M0 (%) T any N+ M+ (%) ctDNA− utDNA− 72 73.6 12.5 12.5 1.4 ctDNA− utDNA+ 62 24.2 30.7 37.1 8.1 ctDNA+ utDNA− 6 16.7 0.0 0.0 83.3 ctDNA+ utDNA+ 33 6.1 0.0 48.5 45.5 a By locally collected pathological assessment.

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Cite This Study

Heijden et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69a7cd8cd48f933b5eeda015https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.2026.44.7_suppl.636
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Also Consider

Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

  1. 1Prognostic value of circulating tumor DNA in muscle-invasive bladder cancer treated with radical cystectomy: A systematic review and meta-analysis.2026
  2. 2Integrating genomic profiling and circulating tumor DNA monitoring to optimize surveillance strategies in muscle-invasive bladder cancer.2026 · 1 citations
  3. 3Urinary tumor DNA as a biomarker of pathologic response and molecular residual disease in muscle-invasive bladder cancer: A systematic review.2026
  4. 4Prognostic value of post-operative circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in real-world treatment and outcomes among patients (pts) with muscle invasive (MIBC) and locally advanced (LA) bladder cancer (BC).2026 · 1 citations
  5. 5Monitoring of plasma and urine tumor-derived DNA to inform bladder-sparing approaches for patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer2026 · 12 citations