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Objective: To identify factors associated with survival after palliative urinary diversion (UD) for patients with malignant ureteric obstruction (MUO) and create a risk-stratification model for treatment decisions., Patients and Methods: We prospectively collected clinical and laboratory data for patients who underwent palliative UD by ureteric stenting or percutaneous nephrostomy (PCN) between 1 January 2009 and 1 November 2011 in two tertiary care university hospitals, with a minimum 6-month follow-up. Inclusion criteria were age >18 years and MUO confirmed by computed tomography, ultrasonography or magnetic resonance imaging. Factors related to poor prognosis were identified by Cox univariable and multivariable regression analyses, and a risk stratification model was created by Kaplan-Meier survival estimates at 1, 6 and 12 months, and log-rank tests., Results: The median (range) survival was 144 (0-1084) days for the 208 patients included after UD (58 ureteric stenting, 150 PCN); 164 patients died, 44 (21.2%) during hospitalisation. Overall survival did not differ by UD type (P = 0.216). The number of events related to malignancy (≥4) and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) index (≥2) were associated with short survival on multivariable analysis. These two risk factors were used to divide patients into three groups by survival type: favourable (no factors), intermediate (one factor) and unfavourable (two factors). The median survival at 1, 6, and 12 months was 94.4%, 57.3% and 44.9% in the favourable group; 78.0%, 36.3%, and 15.5% in the intermediate group; and 46.4%, 14.3%, and 7.1% in the unfavourable group (P < 0.001)., Conclusions: Our stratification model may be useful to determine whether UD is indicated for patients with MUO., (© 2014 The Authors BJU International © 2014 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To create a preoperative multivariable model to identify patients at risk of muscle-invasive (pT2+) upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) and/or non-organ confined (pT3+ or N+) UTUC (NOC-UTUC) who potentially could benefit from radical nephroureterectomy (RNU), neoadjuvant chemotherapy and/or an extended lymph node dissection., Patients and Methods: We retrospectively analysed data from 324 consecutive patients treated with RNU between 1995 and 2008 at a tertiary cancer centre. Patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer were excluded, resulting in 274 patients for analysis. Logistic regression models were used to predict pT2+ and NOC-UTUC. Pre-specified predictors included local invasion (i.e. parenchymal, renal sinus fat, or periureteric) on imaging, hydronephrosis on imaging, high-grade tumours on ureteroscopy, and tumour location on ureteroscopy. Predictive accuracy was measured by the area under the curve (AUC)., Results: The median follow-up for patients without disease recurrence or death was 4.2 years. Overall, 49% of the patients had pT2+, and 30% had NOC-UTUC at the time of RNU. In the multivariable analysis, only local invasion on imaging and ureteroscopy high grade were significantly associated with pathological stage. AUC to predict pT2+ and NOC-UTUC were 0.71 and 0.70, respectively., Conclusions: We designed a preoperative prediction model for pT2+ and NOC-UTUC, based on readily available imaging and ureteroscopic grade. Further research is needed to determine whether use of this prediction model to select patients for conservative management vs RNU, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and/or extended lymphadenectomy will improve patient outcomes., (© 2011 THE AUTHORS. BJU INTERNATIONAL © 2011 BJU INTERNATIONAL.)

Objective: • To evaluate feasibility, safety and oncological efficacy of salvage laparoscopic radical prostatectomy for pathology-proven biochemical recurrence after primary radiation therapy or cryotherapy for prostate cancer., Materials and Methods: • This retrospective pilot study examined 15 patients from 2004 to 2010 with biochemical recurrence after external beam radiation therapy (N= 8), brachytherapy (N= 6) or cryotherapy (N= 1). • Patients were treated with salvage laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (11 conventional, four robotic-assisted) with bilateral pelvic dissection., Results: • Median duration of surgery was 235 min. None of the following occurred: conversion to open surgery, transfusion, urethrovesical stenosis or perioperative or postoperative mortality. One patient presented with a rectal injury, repaired using uninterrupted sutures and a colostomy. One patient had anastomotic leak treated with prolonged Foley catheterization. • Pathological stage was pT2a in three, pT2b in three, pT3a in four, pT3b in three and pT4 in two patients; two patients had nodal metastasis. Within an 8-month median follow-up, 11 patients were disease-free and three had persistent postoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) elevation; the remaining patient experienced PSA recurrence after 21 months. • Seven patients achieved continence (no pads) by 8.4 months (median), one patient manifested severe incontinence corrected by implanting an artificial sphincter, and seven patients with a 12.6-month mean follow-up continued to need one or two pads per day. • Erectile dysfunction was present in five patients before surgery and in 14 patients after surgery., Conclusion: • Salvage laparoscopic radical prostatectomy seems to offer a safe therapeutic alternative for patients failing primary radiation or cryotherapy. However, larger studies with longer-term data are required., (© 2010 THE AUTHORS. BJU INTERNATIONAL © 2010 BJU INTERNATIONAL.)