Finding hope after a low-grade upper-tract urothelial cancer diagnosis
(BPT) - Kathy has always carried the same vibrant energy - from performing on off-Broadway stages, to raising a family, and to becoming the grandmother who never misses a school pickup or ice cream date.
So, when Kathy went in for what she thought was yet another routine kidney-stone procedure, something she'd dealt with since she was 30, she didn't expect anything new. This time, however, her doctor discovered something very different: a tumor in her ureter.
"I wasn't prepared for that," Kathy remembers. "All I heard was the word cancer."
Understanding a rare disease that often recurs
Most patients with urothelial cancer have tumors in the lower urinary tract - only 5% to 10% occur in the upper tract.1 Low-grade upper-tract urothelial cancer (LG-UTUC) is uncommon, affecting approximately 6,000-7,000 patients per year,2,3 but for those diagnosed, the road can be uniquely difficult. Tumors grow in the upper urinary tract, including the kidney - a narrow, curved passageway where tools and cameras can only reach so far.4 Even with kidney-sparing options like endoscopic surgery, these tumors tend to come back, often requiring repeated procedures. Many patients spend years cycling through laser ablations, scopes, and follow-ups, only to face additional recurrence.4
For decades, this high recurrence rate and the difficulty of completely removing tumors meant that many people faced nephroureterectomy (full kidney and ureter removal), even when their cancer was low-grade. While this surgery can be lifesaving, it also leaves patients with only one kidney and can limit future treatment options.2-4
"These tumors can be difficult to reach and hard to completely eradicate endoscopically," says Trushar Patel, M.D., Associate Professor and Vice Chairman in the Department of Urology at the University of South Florida. "For a long time, patients needed another option that could target the tumor directly, without the need to remove the kidney."
A path forward to treating LG-UTUC
Once Kathy's diagnosis was confirmed as LG-UTUC, her doctor recommended JELMYTO® (mitomycin) for pyelocalyceal solution.
JELMYTO combines mitomycin with a sterile hydrogel, a proprietary reverse-thermal technology (RTGel®), which is liquid when chilled and converts to a semi-solid gel at body temperature. JELMYTO fills hard-to-reach places in the upper urinary tract and stays in the kidney for four to six hours, making chemoablation possible. Unlike systemic chemotherapy, JELMYTO is administered locally and works right where the tumor lives. Afterwards, JELMYTO is excreted through normal urine flow.
JELMYTO was approved for the treatment of LG-UTUC based on the Olympus clinical trial, which evaluated the safety and efficacy of JELMYTO. The study followed adults at different stages of their LG-UTUC journeys, including many who had been treated before and some whose tumors were too difficult to remove with standard endoscopic treatments. After six weeks of once-a-week treatment plan with JELMYTO, 58% of patients achieved complete absence of tumor lesions after three months. More than half of these patients (56%) remained tumor-free a year after.5 The most common side effects observed in Olympus included swelling and narrowing of the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder (ureteric obstruction), bone marrow problems, urinary tract infection, blood in urine, side pain, nausea, trouble with urination, kidney problems, vomiting, tiredness, and stomach (abdomen) pain. You should not receive JELMYTO if you have a hole or tear (perforation) of your bladder or upper urinary tract. See Important Safety Information below.
"Being able to deliver treatment straight to the upper tract with JELMYTO is a major advancement," says Dr. Patel. "It means we're targeting the cancer where it is, with a non-surgical option that doesn't require major surgery."
Kathy felt relieved that there was a localized option and that her doctor believed it was right for her. When she learned that her insurance covered JELMYTO, she didn't hesitate. "Sign me up," she told her doctor.
To receive the therapy, Kathy first had a nephrostomy tube placed in her kidney. Each week for six weeks, she, her husband and daughter, went to the clinic for her outpatient treatment.
Moving forward
After Kathy completed treatment, her doctor performed a biopsy before removing the nephrostomy tube. She still remembers the relief she felt when her doctor walked in smiling. "This really accomplished the goal," he told her.
Today, Kathy describes her experience with gratitude - not only for the outcome, but for the support of her family and the care she received. "I am just so grateful for JELMYTO," she says. This treatment made a difference. To see more of Kathy's story, visit: https://www.jelmyto.com/patient/resources/#materials. Kathy was compensated for participating in this interview.
Individuals with LG-UTUC, including those who have experienced repeat recurrences and want to explore kidney-sparing options, should talk with their doctor about all available treatments, including JELMYTO. To learn more about JELMYTO and access resources designed to support patients through the treatment-coordination process, visit https://www.jelmyto.com/patient/ and speak with your healthcare provider.
Approved Use for JELMYTO
JELMYTO® is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with a type of cancer of the lining of the upper urinary tract including the kidney called low-grade Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer (LG-UTUC).
Important Safety Information
You should not receive JELMYTO if you have a hole or tear (perforation) of your bladder or upper urinary tract.
Before receiving JELMYTO, tell your healthcare provider about all your medical conditions, including if you:
- are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. JELMYTO can harm your unborn baby. You should not become pregnant during treatment with JELMYTO. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you become pregnant or think you may be pregnant during treatment with JELMYTO.
Females who are able to become pregnant: You should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with JELMYTO and for 6 months after the last dose.
Males being treated with JELMYTO: If you have a female partner who is able to become pregnant, you should use effective birth control (contraception) during treatment with JELMYTO and for 3 months after the last dose. - are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. It is not known if JELMYTO passes into your breast milk. Do not breastfeed during treatment with JELMYTO and for 1 week after the last dose.
- Tell your healthcare provider if you take water pills (diuretic).
How will I receive JELMYTO?
- Your healthcare provider will tell you to take a medicine called sodium bicarbonate before each JELMYTO treatment.
- You will receive your JELMYTO dose from your healthcare provider 1 time a week for 6 weeks. It is important that you receive all 6 doses of JELMYTO according to your healthcare provider's instructions. If you miss any appointments, call your healthcare provider as soon as possible to reschedule your appointment. Your healthcare provider may recommend up to an additional 11 monthly doses.
- JELMYTO is given to your kidney through a tube called a catheter.
- During treatment with JELMYTO, your healthcare provider may tell you to take additional medicines or change how you take your current medicines.
After receiving JELMYTO:
- JELMYTO may cause your urine color to change to a violet to blue color. Avoid contact between your skin and urine for at least 6 hours.
- To urinate, males and females should sit on a toilet and flush the toilet several times after you use it. After going to the bathroom, wash your hands, your inner thighs, and genital area well with soap and water.
- Clothing that comes in contact with urine should be washed right away and washed separately from other clothing.
JELMYTO may cause serious side effects, including:
- Swelling and narrowing of the tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder (ureteric obstruction). If you develop swelling and narrowing, and to protect your kidney from damage, your healthcare provider may recommend the placement of a small plastic tube (stent) in the ureter to help the kidney drain. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you develop side pain or fever during treatment with JELMYTO.
- Bone marrow problems. JELMYTO can affect your bone marrow and can cause a decrease in your white blood cell, red blood cell, and platelet counts. Your healthcare provider will do blood tests prior to each treatment to check your blood cell counts during treatment with JELMYTO. Your healthcare provider may need to temporarily or permanently stop JELMYTO if you develop bone marrow problems during treatment with JELMYTO.
The most common side effects of JELMYTO include: urinary tract infection, blood in your urine, side pain, nausea, trouble with urination, kidney problems, vomiting, tiredness, stomach (abdomen) pain.
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit http://www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. You may also report side effects to UroGen Pharma at 1-855-987-6436.
Please visit www.jelmyto.com forJELMYTO Full Prescribing Information, including the Patient Information, for additional information.
JELMYTO® and UroGen® are registered trademarks of UroGen Pharma, Ltd.
©2021 UroGen Pharma, Inc. All rights reserved.
JEL-PT-ISI-002
1. Evmorfopoulos K, Mitrakas L, Karathanasis A, Zachos I, Tzortzis V, Vlachostergios PJ. Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: A Rare Malignancy with Distinct Immuno-Genomic Features in the Era of Precision-Based Therapies. Biomedicines. 2023;11(7):1775. Published 2023 Jun 21. doi:10.3390/biomedicines11071775
2. Upfill-Brown A, Lenis AT, Faiena I, et al. Treatment utilization and overall survival in patients receiving radical nephroureterectomy versus endoscopic management for upper tract urothelial carcinoma: evaluation of updated treatment guidelines. World J Urol. 2019;37(6):1157-1164. doi:10.1007/s00345-018-2506-1
3. Cutress ML, Stewart GD, Zakikhani P, Phipps S, Thomas BG, Tolley DA. Ureteroscopic and percutaneous management of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC): systematic review. BJU Int. 2012;110(5):614-628. doi:10.1111/j.1464-410X.2012.11068.x
4. Raman J, Shore ND. Management of Low-grade Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: An Unmet Need. Rev Urol. 2020;22(1):1-8.
5. JELMYTO [package insert]. Princeton, NJ: UroGen Pharma, Inc.; June 2025.
US-JEL-01040 04/2026
Source: BrandPoint
