FORT SMITH, Ark. — Kyle Basham, MD, a urologist at Baptist Health-Fort Smith, is now offering a new treatment for patients with a rare and difficult-to-treat form of kidney cancer.
Jelmyto provides an effective, kidney-sparing option for patients with low-grade upper tract urothelial cancer (LG UTUC). LG UTUC is a rare cancer that develops in the lining of the upper urinary tract, ureters and kidneys. It is a challenging condition to treat due to the complex anatomy of the urinary tract system.
Jelmyto was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last spring. Dr. Basham is the first in Arkansas to offer the Jelmyto treatment.
“Traditional treatment involves a radical nephrectomy, which is an invasive surgery to remove an entire kidney, and a long hospital stay with potential complications, but Jelmyto is a series of outpatient procedures,” Dr. Basham said. “We are excited to be the first in the state to bring this option to patients in the River Valley and improve their quality of life.”
Jelmyto consists of mitomycin, an established chemotherapy, and sterile hydrogel. During the procedure, it is injected into the urinary tract with a catheter. Jelmyto’s innovative gel technology is a liquid when chilled and turns into a gel at body temperature allowing the physician to place the treatment right in the area where the kidney tumors are. This makes Jelmyto different from traditional chemotherapy, which goes everywhere in the body. The gel bathes the tissue until it is naturally flushed out by the body. The process is repeated once a week for at least six weeks.
Dr. Basham practices at Baptist Health Urology Clinic-Fort Smith.
For more information on the treatment or to schedule an appointment, call (479)-709-7295.