Stacy Wendell

Payment for services (e.g., consulting fees, honoraria, paid authorship)

Roles of Nitric Oxide and Superoxide in Cystitis

Pelvic organ tumors in men and women are estimated to account for 48% and 21%, respectively, of new tumors diagnosed in the United States in 2012 according to the American Cancer Society (Cancer Facts & Figures, 2012). While irradiation is a key therapy for treating these malignancies, the radiation dose is limited by the potential for developing radiation cystitis. Typically, radiation cystitis is present between 6 months and 10 years after treatment, with its prevalence reaching ~7%. Common acute symptoms include urgency, frequency, dysuria and incontinence. The main presenting feature for the chronic phase is hematuria which can range from mild to life-threatening and may include urinary retention, secondary to clots obstructing the urethra. Treatments for the acute phase may include antimuscarinic agents, while the chronic phase may require transurethral catheterization with bladder washout and irrigation, laser fulguration or electrocoagulation, pentosan polysulfate and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. These chronic treatments are invasive and often fail to demonstrate optimal efficacy. Moreover, the mechanism for the development of radiation cystitis is not fully understood. Accordingly, the aims of this proposal are to determine the cells and ion channels responsible for the development of radiation cystitis, focusing on the urothelium and sensory nerves, and to test new pharmacological methods to prevent and treat this condition.