Maryland
‘We call it ‘the pretzel’: First-of-its-kind bladder cancer treatment now in use in Maryland – WTOP News
An innovative new treatment option for bladder cancer, recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has been performed for the first time in Maryland.
An innovative new treatment option for bladder cancer, recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has been performed for the first time in Maryland.
Dr. Heather Chalfin, a urological oncologist and surgeon at Frederick Health, recently administered Maryland’s first gemcitabine intravesical system, under the brand name Inlexzo, which was approved by the FDA in September.
“We call it ‘the pretzel,’ because it’s a device that curls up like a pretzel shape in someone’s bladder and releases chemotherapy over three weeks,” Chalfin told WTOP.
Until now, patients with bladder cancer that has not invaded the bladder muscle, but are unresponsive to immunotherapy called Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (oftentimes abbreviated BCG) — and have chosen not to have or are unable to have bladder removal surgery — have been treated with chemotherapy.
“The problem with that is patients can only spend about an hour with that chemotherapy in their bladder in our office,” Chalfin said.
With Inlexzo, made by Johnson & Johnson, the device remains in the bladder for three weeks per treatment cycle, for up to 14 cycles.
“And then they come back and we swap it out for a new ‘pretzel,’ as opposed to just having that chemotherapy active for only an hour inside the bladder,” Chalfin said.
In the SunRISe-1 clinical trial, 82% patients had no signs of cancer after treatment. Fifty-one percent of the patients stayed cancer-free for at least one year, while long-term survival data on the new device is still being gathered.
How ‘the pretzel’ works
Chalfin said the intravesical drug releasing system begins as a straight, springy device.
“The way we get it in is very similar to how we put in a urine catheter for many other situations, so it’s a very minimally invasive procedure,” Chalfin said.
Once the Inlexzo has been inserted, “A good way to think about is if you think about a Slinky — if you pull it a Slinky, it becomes straight, but then when you release it, it curls back up into a Slinky,” she said.
Every three weeks, the Inlexzo is replaced with another one.
“It’s a simple procedure that bladder cancer patients are already having regularly, which is called a cystoscopy, or a camera in the bladder,” Chalfin said.
The procedure is done in the office, and patients go home the same day, Chalfin said.
According to Frederick Health, 9,471 new cases of bladder cancer are diagnosed each year. The National Cancer Institute projects there will be almost 85,000 new bladder cancer diagnoses and approximately 17,420 deaths from bladder cancer in the U.S. in 2025, making it the sixth most common cancer in the U.S.
In addition to Inlexzo, Frederick Health is using blue-light cystoscopy technology, which enhances the visibility of certain bladder tumors that may have been missed with a traditional white light cystoscopy. The advancement improves detection rates, especially for early-stage or hard-to-see cancers.
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ARLINGTON, Va. (7News) — The names Liam and Oliva topped the list of the most common baby names selected in 2025, according to the Social Security Administration.
An annual list of popular baby names has been released since 1997, many providing a glimpse into naming trends over the year.
Here’s what names were commonly picked across D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
Listed in order of ranking
Girls
Washington D.C. – Emma, Sophia, Isabella, Lucy, Zoe
Maryland – Ailany, Charlotte, Olivia, Mia, Sophia
Virginia – Charlotte, Emma, Sophia, Olivia, Amelia
Boys
Washington, D.C. – Noah, Theodore, Henry, Liam, William
Maryland – Liam, Noah, Lucas, Theodore, Oliver
Virginia – Liam, Noah, Theodore, Oliver, Henry
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The Maryland Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 13, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from May 13 drawing
22-31-52-56-67, Powerball: 15, Power Play: 2
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 numbers from May 13 drawing
Midday: 0-7-1
Evening: 0-7-2
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from May 13 drawing
Midday: 8-8-2-4
Evening: 2-2-3-8
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 5 numbers from May 13 drawing
Midday: 6-0-9-7-9
Evening: 5-4-7-4-6
Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from May 13 drawing
9 a.m.: 02
1 p.m.: 15
6 p.m.: 12
11 p.m.: 09
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Bonus Match 5 numbers from May 13 drawing
09-13-22-37-38, Bonus: 21
Check Bonus Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from May 13 drawing
08-13-39-63-66, Powerball: 02
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Keno
Drawings are held every four minutes. Check winning numbers here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Maryland Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $600. For prizes above $600, winners can claim by mail or in person from the Maryland Lottery office, an Expanded Cashing Authority Program location or cashiers’ windows at Maryland casinos. Prizes over $5,000 must be claimed in person.
Claiming by Mail
Sign your winning ticket and complete a claim form. Include a photocopy of a valid government-issued ID and a copy of a document that shows proof of your Social Security number or Federal Tax ID number. Mail these to:
Maryland Lottery Customer Resource Center
1800 Washington Boulevard
Suite 330
Baltimore, MD 21230
For prizes over $600, bring your signed ticket, a government-issued photo ID, and proof of your Social Security or Federal Tax ID number to Maryland Lottery headquarters, 1800 Washington Boulevard, Baltimore, MD. Claims are by appointment only, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This location handles all prize amounts, including prizes over $5,000.
Winning Tickets Worth $25,000 or Less
Maryland Lottery headquarters and select Maryland casinos can redeem winning tickets valued up to $25,000. Note that casinos cannot cash prizes over $600 for non-resident and resident aliens (tax ID beginning with “9”). You must be at least 21 years of age to enter a Maryland casino. Locations include:
- Horseshoe Casino: 1525 Russell Street, Baltimore, MD
- MGM National Harbor: 101 MGM National Avenue, Oxon Hill, MD
- Live! Casino: 7002 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, MD
- Ocean Downs Casino: 10218 Racetrack Road, Berlin, MD
- Hollywood Casino: 1201 Chesapeake Overlook Parkway, Perryville, MD
- Rocky Gap Casino: 16701 Lakeview Road NE, Flintstone, MD
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at Maryland Lottery.
When are the Maryland Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 11 p.m. ET Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3, Pick 4 and Pick 5 Midday: 12:27 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, 12:28 p.m. ET Saturday and Sunday.
- Pick 3, 4 and 5 Evening: 7:56 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, 8:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.
- Cash4Life: 9 p.m. ET daily.
- Cash Pop: 9 a.m., 1 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. daily.
- Bonus Match 5: 7:56 p.m. ET Monday through Saturday, 8:10 p.m. ET on Sunday.
- MultiMatch: 7:56 p.m. Monday and Thursday.
- Powerball Double Play: 11 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Maryland editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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