Skip to main content

Novel Drug for Treatment of Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer

October 22, 2020

Tufts Medical Center announced today that it has become the first center in New England to use the drug Jelmyto (UroGen Pharma, Inc.) for treatment of upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC), a malignancy found in the kidney lining or the ureter, the thin tube connecting the bladder to the kidneys.

Tufts Medical Center announced today that it has become the first center in New England to use the drug Jelmyto (UroGen Pharma, Inc.) for the treatment of upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC), a malignancy found in the kidney lining or the ureter, the thin tube connecting the bladder to the kidneys. The therapy was administered to a patient with UTUC at Tufts MC in October 2020.

If left untreated, UTUC can cause bleeding, blockage of the kidney and lead to pain, infection, inflammation and reduced organ function. Jelmyto, the first-ever FDA-approved drug for UTUC, received regulatory approval in April 2020. Previously, UTUC was often treated with invasive surgery to remove a kidney and ureter.

Tony Luongo, MD is a urologist at Tufts Medical Center.

“We are very excited to offer this new, non-invasive therapy to our patients with UTUC,” said Tony Luongo, MD, Urologist at Tufts Medical Center. “Jelmyto has been shown to be safe - it is not absorbed into the body - and it delivers similar clinical outcomes to surgery for this patient population.”

Jelmyto is administered once per week for six weeks in an outpatient procedure via direct injection through a catheter into the renal pelvis and calyces (collecting system of the kidney). After six weeks, if the patient has a complete response, they can continue to receive the drug monthly for an additional 11 months.

“The drug’s phase III clinical trial (OLYMPUS) revealed that 58 percent of patients who received Jelmyto weekly saw their tumors completely disappear after six weeks of treatment. Additionally, 46 percent of these complete responders were tumor free at 12 months,” said Nick Capote, PharmD, MS, BCSCP, Pharmacy Manager of Sterile Compounding at Tufts Medical Center. “We are proud to be the first center in the region to provide this cutting edge, surgery-free therapy option to our patients with UTUC.”

Articles
During Pandemic, Innovation Shines at MelroseWakefield Hospital
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a stressful time for healthcare workers everywhere. But at MelroseWakefield Hospital, creative and proactive thinking by experienced and highly skilled staff throughout the organization has led to new levels of innovation to respond to the challenges.
Announcements
New, Personalized Therapy for Treatment of Deadly Brain Cancer Found To Increase Median Life Expectancy by 40%
For years, glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, has frustrated scientists and researchers. But while there is no known cure for this deadly disease, new, cutting-edge research may provide a life-prolonging option for glioblastoma patients and their families.
Press Releases
MelroseWakefield Hospital Is the First in New England To Offer New, Minimally Invasive, Robotic Treatment for Enlarged Prostates
MelroseWakefield Hospital is the first in New England to offer Aquablation therapy for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Be among the first to know

Enjoy the latest health updates from Tufts Medicine by signing up for our e-newsletter today.

Jump back to top