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Background Current European Association of Urology, American Urological Association, and National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommend active surveillance (AS) for selected intermediate-risk prostate cancer (PCa) patients. However, limited evidence exists regarding which men can be selected safely. Objective To externally validate the Gandaglia risk calculator (Gandaglia-RC), designed to predict adverse pathology (AP) at radical prostatectomy (RP) and thus able to improve selection of intermediate-risk PCa patients suitable for AS, and to assess whether addition of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings (MAP model) improves the predictive ability of Gandaglia-RC. Design, setting, and participants This is a retrospective analysis of a single-center cohort of 1284 consecutive men with low- and intermediate-risk PCa treated with RP between 2013 and 2019. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis AP was defined as non–organ-confined disease and/or lymph node invasion and/or pathological grade group ≥ 3 at RP. Logistic regression was used to calculate the predictors of AP; calculated coefficients were used to develop a risk score. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and decision curve analysis were performed to evaluate the net benefit within models. Results and limitations At multivariable analysis, age at surgery, prostate-specific antigen, systematic and targeted biopsy Gleason grade group, MRI prostate volume, Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System score, and MRI extraprostatic extension were significantly associated with AP. The model significantly improved the ability of Gandaglia-RC to predict AP (area under the curve 0.71 vs 0.63 [p Conclusions Compared with Gandaglia-RC, the MAP model significantly increased the number of patients eligible for AS without significantly increasing the risk of AP at RP. Patient summary In this report, we have developed a risk prediction tool to select men for conservative treatment of prostate cancer. Using the novel tool, more men could safely be allocated to conservative treatment rather than surgery or radiation.

Background A common side effect following radical prostatectomy is urinary incontinence. Here, we describe a novel surgical technique to reduce postoperative urinary incontinence and facilitate early return of continence. Objective To describe the novel “hood technique” for robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). Design, setting, and participants This is an institutional review board–approved prospective study of 300 patients (median age 64 yr) with localized prostate cancer treated with the RARP hood technique at a major urban hospital between April 2018 and March 2019. The exclusion criteria were as follows: patients with anterior tumor location based on biopsy or multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging. All but one patient participated in follow-up over 12 mo after the procedure. Surgical procedure The RARP “hood technique” was performed to preserve the detrusor apron, puboprostatic ligament complex, arcus tendineus, endopelvic fascia, and pouch of Douglas. Measurements Clinical data collected included pre- and intraoperative variables, and postoperative functional and oncological outcomes and complications. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. Results and limitations Continence rates at 1, 2, 4, 6 12, 24, and 48 wk after catheter removal were 21%, 36%, 83%, 88%, 91%, 94%, and 95%, respectively. Positive surgical margin rate was 6%. Thirty patients (9.7%) experienced complications after RARP: 17 (5.7%), 11 (3.6%), and one (0.4%) had Clavien-Dindo grade I, II, and III complications, respectively. This study was conducted within a single health system and may not be generalizable. The study lacked randomization and a comparative arm. Conclusions Results indicate that the hood technique spares musculofascial structures anterior to the urethral sphincter complex with early return of continence after surgery, without compromising positive surgical margin rates. Exclusion of anterior tumor location contributed to a reduction in positive surgical margins. Patient summary By better preservation of anatomical structures around the urethra, we were able to achieve early return of urinary continence without a negative impact on complications and cancer outcomes.

Urothelial carcinoma with an inverted growth pattern (UC-IGP) is a peculiar entity within the spectrum of urothelial lesions. While efforts have been made over the last few decades to unravel its carcinogenesis and relationship with conventional urothelial carcinoma, the exact classification of inverted urothelial lesions is a matter of debate. The morphological features of UC-IGP pose several issues in differential diagnosis with other mostly benign lesions. Various techniques, including immunohistochemistry, UroVysion, and many molecular methods, have been employed to study the exact nature of this lesion. The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of the morphological and immunophenotypical aspects of UC-IGP. Moreover, we present and discuss the immunohistochemical and molecular markers involved in diagnosis and prognosis of UC-IGP lesions.

Background: Accurate detection of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa), Gleason Grade Group ≥ 2, remains a challenge. Prostate MRI radiomics and blood kallikreins have been proposed as tools to improve the performance of biparametric MRI (bpMRI). Purpose: To develop and validate radiomics and kallikrein models for the detection of csPCa. Study Type: Retrospective. Population: A total of 543 men with a clinical suspicion of csPCa, 411 (76%, 411/543) had kallikreins available and 360 (88%, 360/411) did not take 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors. Two data splits into training, validation (split 1: single center, n = 72; split 2: random 50% of pooled datasets from all four centers), and testing (split 1: 4 centers, n = 288; split 2: remaining 50%) were evaluated. Field strength/Sequence: A 3 T/1.5 T, TSE T2-weighted imaging, 3x SE DWI. Assessment: In total, 20,363 radiomic features calculated from manually delineated whole gland (WG) and bpMRI suspicion lesion masks were evaluated in addition to clinical parameters, prostate-specific antigen, four kallikreins, MRI-based qualitative (PI-RADSv2.1/IMPROD bpMRI Likert) scores. Statistical Tests: For the detection of csPCa, area under receiver operating curve (AUC) was calculated using the DeLong's method. A multivariate analysis was conducted to determine the predictive power of combining variables. The values of P-value < 0.05 were considered significant. Results: The highest prediction performance was achieved by IMPROD bpMRI Likert and PI-RADSv2.1 score with AUC = 0.85 and 0.85 in split 1, 0.85 and 0.83 in split 2, respectively. bpMRI WG and/or kallikreins demonstrated AUCs ranging from 0.62 to 0.73 in split 1 and from 0.68 to 0.76 in split 2. AUC of bpMRI lesion-derived radiomics model was not statistically different to IMPROD bpMRI Likert score (split 1: AUC = 0.83, P-value = 0.306; split 2: AUC = 0.83, P-value = 0.488). Data Conclusion: The use of radiomics and kallikreins failed to outperform PI-RADSv2.1/IMPROD bpMRI Likert and their combination did not lead to further performance gains. Level of Evidence: 1. Technical Efficacy: Stage 2. publishedVersion

Racial disparities in prostate cancer have not been well characterized on a genomic level. Here we show the results of a multi-institutional retrospective analysis of 1,152 patients (596 African-American men (AAM) and 556 European-American men (EAM)) who underwent radical prostatectomy. Comparative analyses between the race groups were conducted at the clinical, genomic, pathway, molecular subtype, and prognostic levels. The EAM group had increased ERG (P, Walter Rayford, Alp Tuna Beksac et al. investigated gene expression alterations in African-American and European-American men who underwent radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer. The observed differences include higher expression of inflammation genes and lower expression of mismatch repair genes in African-American men.

Background The RENAL (radius [R], exophytic/endophytic [E], nearness to collecting system/sinus [N], anterior/posterior [A], and location relative to polar lines [L]) and the PADUA (preoperative aspects and dimensions used for an anatomical classification) scores help in quantifying tumor complexity. However, nephrometry scoring systems have low interobserver variability. To simplify and improve score reproducibility, a new Simplified PADUA Renal (SPARE) scoring system was introduced. Objective To externally validate the SPARE nephrometry scoring system and to determine its interobserver variability. Design, setting, and participants A total of 202 patients were included in the analysis. We performed a retrospective analysis of robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) cases for a single renal mass performed at a single academic institution during the period 2008–2018. For each renal mass, PADUA, RENAL, and SPARE nephrometry scores were calculated. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis Three urology residents (URs), two urology attendings (UAs), two radiology residents (RRs), and one radiology attending (RA) retrospectively reviewed computed tomography scans blinded to clinical outcomes. The accuracy of the SPARE nephrometry score in the prediction of any complication (Clavien grade ≥1) was compared with other scoring systems in a univariable and a multivariate fashion. The area under the curve (AUC) and kappa statistics were used to assess interobserver variability of the SPARE score. Results and limitations The SPARE score was not inferior to the PADUA and RENAL scores (AUC 0.61, 0.59, and 0.57, respectively, p = 0.43). Patients with intermediate to high SPARE scores had longer operative time (158 vs 135 min, p = 0.10) and a higher rate of complications (28% vs 14%, p = 0.012). Univariable analysis predicting overall complications showed that RRs performed slightly better than URs and UAs using the SPARE score. Interobserver agreement was 84% between an RA and an RR (kappa 0.42), 85% between an RA and a UA (kappa 0.39), and 85% between an RA and a UR (kappa 0.45). Conclusions These findings confirm that the SPARE nephrometry scoring system is a reproducible and easy tool offering overall fair interobserver agreement regardless of years of training or type of practice, while maintaining the predictive capabilities of more established nephrometry scores. Patient summary In this study, a novel and simple classification system was assessed using a sample of cases from our institution to define surgical complexity renal masses detected on radiological imaging. Our findings suggest that this tool can be useful in clinical practice to facilitate the characterization of renal masses and predict the complications of surgical treatment.

Purpose of review Recent years witnessed significant changes in the endourological management of renal tones because of the development of new, more advanced instruments. Retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) has gained particular advantage from such technological progress and now tends to be considered the gold standard treatment for uncomplicated less than 20 mm renal stones. Using a step-by-step approach, this review aims to highlight current achievements but also unsolved problems in RIRS. Recent findings Several technical details of RIRS, including preoperative stenting, use of ureteral access sheets, lithotripsy method, and renal drainage, remain open to discussion and linked to surgeon's preference. Moreover, there is a wide range of variation in efficacy and safety data, with major complications being episodic but often under-reported. Summary RIRS has gained increased popularity among the urological community. This is certainly because of the continuous technological advancements, which have continuously improved the RIRS performance but also to the perception of ease and safety of this procedure when compared with the other available treatment modalities, particularly percutaneous nephrolitotomy. Indeed, the reported advances in RIRS technique have significantly improved the outcomes of this procedure but care should be taken not to underestimate its potential challenges.

Introduction and Objective: Patients presenting with a urinary tract infection with kidney or ureteral stones is a urologic emergency often achieve early clinical stability but remain hospitalized ...

Objective To compare transperineal (TP-TBx) and transrectal (TR-TBx) targeted prostate biopsy in a prospective non randomized single surgeon series of MR/US fusion-guided targeted biopsy performed using an electromagnetic tracking platform (NCT04026763). Materials and Methods In this single-institution prospective study, 168 patients who underwent transperineal systematic 12-core biopsy and TP-TBx with electromagnetic tracking (UroNav, Invivo, Gainesville, FL) were compared to 211 patients who underwent a similar procedure by a transrectal approach. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess if biopsy technique impacted all cancer detection rates or clinically significant (Gleason score >3+4) cancer detection rates. Results Patients who underwent TP-TBx were older (68 vs 65 y, P = .014), with a slightly higher rate of PI-RADSv2.0 score (39% vs 28%, P = .039) and higher lesion volume on mpMRI (0.54 vs 0.41 cc, P = .039). The rates of CS disease detection by TP-TBx and TR-TBx were 59% and 54%, respectively. In a multivariate analysis adjusting for PSA, previous biopsy status, prostate volume, PI-RADS score, lesion volume, and lesion location, there was no statistically significant difference in likelihood to detect any PCa (OR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.56-1.71; P = .940) or CS PCa (OR, 0.94, 95% CI, 0.58-1.51; P = .791). Conclusion Transperineal targeted biopsy with electromagnetic-tracking is comparable to the transrectal fusion-guided approach in the detection of any PCa and csPCa cancer.

Background Over the years, several techniques for performing robot-assisted prostatectomy have been implemented in an effort to achieve optimal oncological and functional outcomes. Objective To provide an evidence-based description and video-based illustration of currently available dissection techniques for robotic prostatectomy. Design, setting, and participants A literature search was performed to retrieve articles describing different surgical approaches and techniques for robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) and to analyze data supporting their use. Video material was provided by experts in the field to illustrate these approaches and techniques. Surgical procedure Multiple surgical approaches are available: extraperitoneal, transvesical, transperitoneal posterior, transperitoneal anterior, Retzius sparing, and transperineal. Surgical techniques for prostatic dissection sensu strictu are the following: omission of the endopelvic fascia dissection, bladder neck preservation, incremental nerve sparing by means of an antegrade or retrograde approach, and preservation of the puboprostatic ligaments and dorsal venous complex. Recently, techniques for total or partial prostatectomy have been described. Measurements Different surgical approaches and techniques for robotic prostatectomy have been analyzed. Results and limitations Two randomized controlled trials evaluating the extraperitoneal versus the transperitoneal approach have demonstrated similar results. Level I evidence on the Retzius-sparing approach demonstrated earlier return to continence than the traditional anterior approach. The question whether Retzius-sparing RARP is associated with a higher rate of positive surgical margins is still open due to the intrinsic bias in terms of surgical expertise in the available comparative studies. This technique also offers an advantage in patients who have received kidney transplantation. Retrospective evidence suggests that the more the anatomical dissection (eg., more periprostatic tissue is preserved), the better the functional outcome in terms of continence. Yet, two randomized controlled trials evaluating the different techniques of dissection have so far been produced. Partial prostatectomies should not be offered outside clinical trials. Conclusions Several techniques and approaches are available for prostate dissection during RARP. While the Retzius-sparing approach seems to provide earlier return to continence than the traditional anterior transperitoneal approach, no technique has been proved to be superior to other(s) in terms of long-term outcomes in randomized studies. Patient summary We have summarized available approaches for the surgical treatment of prostate cancer. Specifically, we described the different techniques that can be adopted for the surgical removal of the prostate using robotic technology.

The 2019 European Association of Urology guidelines recommend multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) for biopsy-naive patients with clinical suspicion of prostate cancer (PC) and avoiding biopsy in patients with negative mpMRI and low clinical suspicion. However, consensus on the optimal definition of low clinical suspicion is lacking. We evaluated 266 biopsy-naive patients who underwent mpMRI, the 4Kscore test, and prostate biopsy to define the best strategy to avoid unnecessary testing and biopsies. The European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer risk calculator (ERSPC-RC) and prostate-specific antigen density (PSAd) were also considered. For men with Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System v2.0 (PI-RADS) 1⿿2 lesions, the highest negative predictive value was observed for those with low or intermediate 4Kscore risk (96.9% and 97.1%), PSAd 7.5% and a subsequent biopsy if the mpMRI was positive (PI-RADS 3⿿5) or the 4Kscore was ⿥18%. This would result in missing 2.7% (2/74) of clinically significant PCs (csPCs) and avoiding 34.2% of biopsies. Initial mpMRI followed by biopsy for negative mpMRI (PI-RADS 1⿿2) if the 4Kscore was ⿥18% or PSAd was ⿥0.10ng/ml/cm3 resulted in a similar percentage of csPC missed (2.7% [2/74] and 1.3% [1/74]) but slightly fewer biopsies avoided (25.2% and 28.1%). Physicians should consider clinical risk screening tools when ordering and interpreting mpMRI results to avoid unnecessary testing and diagnostic errors. PATIENT SUMMARY: Performing the 4Kscore test in conjunction with multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging for men with a clinical suspicion of prostate cancer may help to reduce unnecessary biopsies.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate if the blood biomarker, 4Kscore, in addition to multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging information could identify patients who would benefit from undergoing only a targeted biopsy. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed a population of 256 men with positive multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging who underwent standard + targeted biopsy at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, NY, USA. 4Kscore (OPKO Health, Miami, FL, USA) was sampled from all patients before biopsy. Uni- and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were carried out to predict clinically significant prostate cancer, defined as International Society of Urological Pathology grade group ≥2, in standard biopsy cores. The model with the best area under the curve was selected and internal validation was carried out using the leave-one-out cross-validation. RESULTS The developed model showed an area under the curve of 0.86. Carrying out only targeted biopsy in patients with a model-derived probability

As the medical field is moving toward personalized and tailored approaches, we entered the era of precision surgery for the management of genitourinary cancers1. This is facilitated by the implementation of new technologies, among which robotic surgery stands out for the significant impact in the surgical field over the last two decades.This article reviews the latest evidence on robotic surgery for the treatment of urologic cancers, including prostate, kidney, bladder, testis, and penile cancer. Functional and oncologic outcomes, new surgical techniques, new imaging modalities, and new robotic platforms are discussed.Robotic surgery had a growing role in the management of genitourinary cancers over the past 10 years. Despite a lack of high-quality evidence comparing the effectiveness of robotic to open surgery, the robotic approach allowed a larger adoption of a minimally invasive surgical approach, translating into lower surgical morbidity and shorter hospital stay. New robotic platforms might allow to explore novel surgical approaches, and new technologies might facilitate surgical navigation and intraoperative identification of anatomical structures, allowing a more tailored and precise surgery. It is an exciting time for robotic surgery, and upcoming technological advances will offer better outcomes to urologic cancer patients.

Objective To evaluate the ability to detect clinically significant prostate cancer (PCa) using a novel electromagnetically (EM) tracked transperineal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/ultrasonography (US) fusion-guided targeted biopsy (transperineal TBx) platform and the impact of inter-reader variability on cancer detection. Materials and methods A total of 176 patients with suspicious lesions detected on multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) underwent a systematic modified Barzel template biopsy (12-core) transperineal biopsy (transperineal SBx) and transperineal TBx with EM tracking (UroNav; Philips Healthcare, Best, the Netherlands) in the same setting. Cancer detection rates (CDRs) were stratified by Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) v2 scores and compared with Fisher's exact test. Area under the curve (AUC) was calculated for prostate-specific antigen (PSA), PSA density (PSAD), PI-RADS score, and subgroup analysis of individual readers' PI-RADS scores with respect to overall CDR and clinically significant CDR. Results The overall CDR was 76.7% (135/176), of which 76.3% (103/135) was clinically significant PCa. Among the 135 patients with PCa, transperineal TBx detected 90.4% of cases (122/135), either alone or in combination with transperineal SBx. The remaining 9.6% of cases (13/135) missed by transperineal TBx were diagnosed by transperineal SBx alone, of which three were clinically significant. Conversely, transperineal SBx missed 14% of cases (19/135), 14 of which were clinically significant PCa. Sensitivities for transperineal TBx and transperineal SBx were 90.4% and 85.9%, respectively. On a per-lesion basis, PI-RADS score (AUC 0.74) outperformed both PSA (AUC 0.59) and PSAD (AUC 0.63) in discriminating clinically significant from non-clinically significant PCa on transperineal TBx. Although not formally statistically tested, AUCs amongst different mpMRI readers appeared to display considerable variability. There were no adverse events, including sepsis. Conclusions Electromagnetically tracked transperineal TBx of MRI-visible lesions enhanced the ability of transperineal SBx to detect PCa, with greater sensitivity for clinically significant disease. These findings suggest transperineal TBx is a safe, alternative fusion platform for patients with a suspicious lesion on prostate MRI. The assessment of inter-reader variability, in conjunction with prediction of clinically significant PCa and CDR, is an important first step for quality control in implementing an MRI-based screening programme.

Background Multiparametric MRI of the prostate has been shown to improve the risk stratification of men with an elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA). However, long acquisition time, high cost, and inter-center/reader variability of a routine prostate multiparametric MRI limit its wider adoption. Purpose To develop and validate nomograms based on unique rapid biparametric MRI (bpMRI) qualitative and quantitative derived variables for prediction of clinically significant cancer (SPCa). Study type Retrospective analyses of single (IMPROD, NCT01864135) and multiinstitution trials (MULTI-IMPROD, NCT02241122). Population 161 and 338 prospectively enrolled men who completed the IMPROD and MULTI-IMPROD trials, respectively. Field strength/sequence IMPROD bpMRI: 3T/1.5T, T2 -weighted imaging, three separate diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) acquisitions: 1) b-values 0, 100, 200, 300, 500 s/mm2 ; 2) b values 0, 1500 s/mm2 ; 3) values 0, 2000 s/mm2 . Assessment The primary endpoint of the combined trial analysis was the diagnostic accuracy of the combination of IMPROD bpMRI and clinical variables for detection of SPCa. Statistical tests Logistic regression models were developed using IMPROD trial data and validated using MULTI-IMPROD trial data. The model's performance was expressed as the area under the curve (AUC) values for the detection of SPCa, defined as ISUP Gleason Grade Group ≥2. Results A model incorporating clinical variables had an AUC (95% confidence interval) of 0.83 (0.77-0.89) and 0.80 (0.75-0.85) in the development and validation cohorts, respectively. The corresponding values for a model using IMPROD bpMRI findings were 0.93 (0.89-0.97), and 0.88 (0.84-0.92), respectively. Further addition of the quantitative DWI-based score did not improve AUC values (P Data conclusion A prediction model using qualitative IMPROD bpMRI findings demonstrated high accuracy for predicting SPCa in men with an elevated PSA. Online risk calculator: http://petiv.utu.fi/multiimprod/ Level of Evidence: 1 Technical Efficacy Stage: 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;51:1556-1567.

Background Biochemical recurrence (BCR) affects a significant proportion of patients who undergo robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP). Purpose To evaluate the performance of a routine clinical prostate multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) and Decipher genomic classifier score for prediction of biochemical recurrence in patients who underwent RALP. Study type Retrospective cohort study. Subjects Ninety-one patients who underwent RALP performed by a single surgeon, had mpMRI before RALP, Decipher taken from RALP samples, and prostate specific antigen (PSA) follow-up for >3 years or BCR within 3 years, defined as PSA >0.2 mg/ml. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: mpMRI was performed at 27 different institutions using 1.5T (n = 10) or 3T scanners and included T2 w, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), or dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI. Assessment All mpMRI studies were reported by one reader using Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System v. 2.1 (PI-RADsv2.1) without knowledge of other findings. Eighteen (20%) randomly selected cases were re-reported by reader B to evaluate interreader variability. Statistical tests Univariate and multivariate analysis using greedy feature selection and tournament leave-pair-out cross-validation (TLPOCV) were used to evaluate the performance of various variables for prediction of BCR, which included clinical (three), systematic biopsy (three), surgical (six: RALP Gleason Grade Group [GGG], extracapsular extension, seminal vesicle invasion, intraoperative surgical margins [PSM], final PSM, pTNM), Decipher (two: Decipher score, Decipher risk category), and mpMRI (eight: prostate volume, PSA density, PI-RADv2.1 score, MRI largest lesion size, summed MRI lesions' volume and relative volume [MRI-lesion-percentage], mpMRI ECE, mpMRI seminal vesicle invasion [SVI]) variables. The evaluation metric was the area under the curve (AUC). Results Forty-eight (53%) patients developed BCR. The best-performing individual features with TLPOCV AUC of 0.73 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.64-0.82) were RALP GGG, MRI-lesion-percentage followed by biopsy GGG (0.72, 0.62-0.82), and Decipher score (0.71, 0.60-0.82). The best performance was achieved by feature selection of Decipher+Surgery and MRI + Surgery variables with TLPOCV AUC of 0.82 and 0.81, respectively DATA CONCLUSION: Relative lesion volume measured on a routine clinical mpMRI failed to outperform Decipher score in BCR prediction. Level of evidence 3 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2020;51:1075-1085.

OBJECTIVE To describe the natural history of untreated muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and compare the oncological outcomes of treated and untreated patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS We utilised a database encompassing all patients with newly diagnosed bladder cancer in Stockholm, Sweden between 1995 and 1996. The median follow-up for survivors was 14.4 years. Overall, 538 patients were diagnosed with bladder cancer of whom 126 had clinically localised MIBC. Patients were divided into two groups: those who received radical cystectomy or radiation therapy, and those who did not receive any form of treatment. Multivariable Cox or competing-risks regressions were adopted to predict metastasis, overall survival (OS), and cancer-specific mortality (CSM), when appropriate. Analyses were adjusted for age at diagnosis, sex, tumour stage, clinical N stage, and treatment. RESULTS In all, 64 (51%) patients did not receive any definitive local treatment. In the untreated group, the median (interquartile range) age at diagnosis was 79 (63-83) vs 69 (63-74) years in the treated group (P

We determined whether prostate multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging and genomic biomarkers might help further define patients with favorable intermediate risk prostate cancer which could safely be considered suitable for active surveillance.From our institutional database we identified 509 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy with preoperative magnetic resonance imaging and a postoperative Decipher® prostate cancer test. According to the NCCN® (National Comprehensive Cancer Network®) risk stratification 125 men had favorable intermediate and 171 had unfavorable intermediate risk disease. Univariable and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were done to test the utility of different variables in predicting adverse pathology, defined as Gleason Grade Group greater than 2, pT3b or pN1.On univariable analysis favorable intermediate risk, multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging and the prostate cancer test significantly predicted adverse pathology. On multivariable analysis favorable intermediate risk and the prostate cancer test maintained independent predictive value while multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging did not meet statistical significance (p = 0.059). The 19 patients at favorable intermediate risk with high genomic risk had an adverse pathology rate slightly higher than patients at unfavorable intermediate risk (42.1% vs 39.8%, p = 0.56). Those at low genomic risk had an adverse pathology rate slightly lower than patients at very low or low risk (7.5% vs 10.2%, p = 0.84). The 31 patients at favorable intermediate risk but at high multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging and genomic risk had an adverse pathology rate slightly lower than patients at unfavorable intermediate risk (25.8% vs 39.8%, p = 0.14). Those at low multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging and genomic risk had an adverse pathology rate slightly lower than patients at very low or low risk (8.5% vs 10.2%, p = 0.89).Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging and the Decipher test allowed us to better define the risk of adverse pathology in patients at favorable intermediate risk who were diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Objective To analyze the factors associated with Grade group (GG) downgrading post-radical prostatectomy. Patients and Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of 536 patients who underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy from February 2014 to October 2015. We have analyzed the clinical, radiological, and pathologic factors associated with GG downgrading in final pathology. Downgrading was defined as those patients who downgraded from GG 3, 4, or 5 on biopsy to GG 1 or 2 on final pathology as well as patients who downgraded from GG 2 on biopsy to GG 1 on final pathology. Categorical values were compared with chi-square and Fischer's exact tests. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis were used for analysis of independent variables associated with GG downgrading. Results Ninety-three patients underwent fusion biopsy (FB) and 443 underwent the standard 12 core biopsy. Baseline clinical characteristics were similar between the 2 groups except for race (P = .009). Downgrading was observed in 76 patients (14.1%). Rate of downgrading was higher in the FB group (n = 22, 23.7% vs n = 54, 12.2%, P = .008). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, FB (OR:2.39, P = .004) and maximum percentage of core involvement (OR:1.01, P = .013) were associated with downgrading after robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. After 1:2 propensity score matching, FB was still associated with an increased rate of downgrading (P = .034). Downgrading had no significant effect on pathologic outcome. Conclusion FB and maximum percentage of core involvement are the only factors associated with GG downgrading in final pathology. However, downgrading did not influence surgical outcome.

IntroductionTo get better insight into the management of non-metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (M0 CRPC), in this meta-analysis and review we aimed to present an updated evaluation of the efficacy and safety of novel hormonal therapies (nHT) for M0 CRPC according to final analyses with mature overall survival (OS) and safety data.MethodsWe analyzed metastasis-free survival (MFS), OS, time to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression, second-line therapies data, adverse events (AEs), including all AEs, serious AEs (SAEs), AEs leading to discontinuation of trial regimen, AEs leading to death, fatigue, dizziness, cardiovascular events, and fractures; moreover, we evaluated the impact of PSA doubling time (PSA-DT), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score, use of bone-targeted therapy, lymph lodes (LN) status, and prior HT on final OS data. A comparison among the placebo arms of the included trials in terms of survival and safety profiles was assessed.ResultsAccording to the pooled analysis with updated and mature OS data, OS was significantly improved with nHT compared to placebo (hazard ratio (HR)= 0.74, 95% confidence interval (CI)= 0.66–0.84). nHT significantly improved OS over placebo across all pre-specified subgroups. Subgroup analysis revealed a greater OS benefit in patients with PSA-DT >6 months than ≤6 months (HR= 0.69 versus HR= 0.75), ECOG 0 than 1 (HR= 0.70 versus HR= 0.80), N1 disease than N0 (HR= 0.61 versus HR= 0.78), and in those receiving bone-targeted therapy (HR= 0.65 versus HR= 0.74), and a comparable OS by number of prior HT (HR= 0.75 versus HR= 0.76, for HT= 1 and ≥2); yet, differences between pre-specified subgroups were not significant (all p> 0.05). Overall, the nHT arm was significantly associated with higher rates of AEs, when compared with the placebo arm. The long-term analysis showed a worse safety profile with nHT than the interim analysis.ConclusionsAccording to final analyses, nHT have shown to improve OS over placebo in the setting of high-risk M0 CRPC. The long-term analysis showed a worse safety profile with nHT than the interim analysis, whit distinct profiles among different nHT. The lack of survival data regarding second-line therapies remains a major issue.

The association between PSA density, prostate cancer (PCa) and BPH is well established. The aim of the present study was to establish whether PSA density can be used as a reliable parameter to predict csPCa and to determine its optimal cutoff to exclude increased PSA levels due to intraprostatic inflammation. This is a large prospective single-center, observational study evaluating the role of PSA density in the discrimination between intraprostatic inflammation and clinically significant PCa (csPCa). Patients with PSA ≥ 4 ng/ml and/or positive digito-rectal examination (DRE) and scheduled for prostate biopsy were enrolled. Prostatic inflammation (PI) was assessed and graded using the Irani Scores. Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was used to assess if PSA density was associated with clinically significant PCa (csPCa) rather than prostatic inflammation. A total of 1988 patients met the inclusion criteria. Any PCa and csPCa rates were 47% and 24% respectively. In the group without csPCa, patients with prostatic inflammation had a higher PSA (6.0 vs 5.0 ng/ml; p=0.0003), higher prostate volume (58 vs 52 cc; p4 ng/ml) were 0.10 ng/ml2 in biopsy naïve patients and 0.15 ng/ml2 in patients with a previous negative biopsy. PSA density rather than PSA, should be used to evaluate patients at risk of prostate cancer who may need additional testing or prostate biopsy. This readily available parameter can potentially identify men who do not have PCa but have an elevated PSA secondary to benign conditions.

Simple Summary Prostate-specific antigen and digital rectal examination, used to guide prostate biopsy, often result in overdiagnosis of indolent prostate cancer (PCa) while missing clinically significant PCa (csPCa). The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of SelectMDx and its association with multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) in predicting PCa in prostate biopsies. SelectMDx was revealed to be a good predictor of PCa, while with regards to csPCa detection, it was demonstrated to be less effective, showing results similar to mpMRI. The best diagnostic strategy to avoid unnecessary biopsy is performing SelectMDx after an initial negative mpMRI. Biopsy could be proposed for all cases of positive mpMRI and to those with a negative mpMRI followed by a positive SelectMDx. Abstract Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing as the sole indication for prostate biopsy lacks specificity, resulting in overdiagnosis of indolent prostate cancer (PCa) and missing clinically significant PCa (csPCa). SelectMDx is a biomarker-based risk score to assess urinary HOXC6 and DLX1 mRNA expression combined with traditional clinical risk factors. The aim of this prospective multi-institutional study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of SelectMDx and its association with multiparametric magnetic resonance (mpMRI) when predicting PCa in prostate biopsies. Overall, 310 consecutive subjects were included. All patients underwent mpMRI and SelectMDx prior to prostate biopsy. SelectMDx and mpMRI showed sensitivity and specificity of 86.5% vs. 51.9%, and 73.8% vs. 88.3%, respectively, in predicting PCa at biopsy, and 87.1% vs. 61.3%, and 63.7% vs. 83.9%, respectively, in predicting csPCa at biopsy. SelectMDx was revealed to be a good predictor of PCa, while with regards to csPCa detection, it was demonstrated to be less effective, showing results similar to mpMRI. With analysis of strategies assessed to define the best diagnostic strategy to avoid unnecessary biopsy, SelectMDx appeared to be a reliable pathway after an initial negative mpMRI. Thus, biopsy could be proposed for all cases of mpMRI PI-RADS 4–5 score, and to those with Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) 1–3 score followed by a positive SelectMDx.

Purpose: To test and internally validate serum Pentraxin-3 (PTX3) levels as a potential PCa biomarker to predict prostate biopsy (PBx) results. Materials and Methods: Serum PSA and serum PTX3 were prospectively assessed in patients scheduled for PBx at our Institution due to increased serum PSA levels or abnormal digital rectal examination. Uni- and multivariable logistic regression analysis, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and decision curve analysis (DCA), were used to test the accuracy of serum PTX3 in predicting anyPCa and clinically significant PCa (csPCa) defined as Gleason Grade (GG) ≥ 2. Results: Among the 455 eligible patients, PCa was detected in 49% and csPCa in 25%. During univariate analysis, PTX3 outperformed other variables in predicting both anyPCa and csPCa. The addition of PTX3 to multivariable models based on standard clinical variables, significantly increased each model’s predictive accuracy for anyPCa (AUC from 0.73 to 0.82, p &lt, 0.001) and csPCa (AUC from 0.79 to 0.83, 0.001). At DCA, PTX3, and PTX3, density showed higher net benefit than PSA and PSA density and increased the net benefit of multivariable models in deciding when to perform PBx. Conclusions: Serum PTX3 levels might be of clinical utility in predicting prostate biopsy results. Should our findings be confirmed, this novel reflex test could be used to reduce the number and burden of unnecessary prostate biopsies.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the field of computer science that aims to build smart devices performing tasks that currently require human intelligence. Through machine learning (ML), the deep learning (DL) model is teaching computers to learn by example, something that human beings are doing naturally. AI is revolutionizing healthcare. Digital pathology is becoming highly assisted by AI to help researchers in analyzing larger data sets and providing faster and more accurate diagnoses of prostate cancer lesions. When applied to diagnostic imaging, AI has shown excellent accuracy in the detection of prostate lesions as well as in the prediction of patient outcomes in terms of survival and treatment response. The enormous quantity of data coming from the prostate tumor genome requires fast, reliable and accurate computing power provided by machine learning algorithms. Radiotherapy is an essential part of the treatment of prostate cancer and it is often difficult to predict its toxicity for the patients. Artificial intelligence could have a future potential role in predicting how a patient will react to the therapy side effects. These technologies could provide doctors with better insights on how to plan radiotherapy treatment. The extension of the capabilities of surgical robots for more autonomous tasks will allow them to use information from the surgical field, recognize issues and implement the proper actions without the need for human intervention.

Purpose To determine the need for routine bladder biopsies (BBs) in assessing response to the induction cycle of intravesical bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) for high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Methods Our prospectively maintained NMIBC database was queried to identify patients with high-risk disease (carcinoma in situ, high-grade Ta/T1) who underwent BBs after BCG induction cycle. Urine cytology, cystoscopy, and BBs findings were evaluated. Results A total of 219 patients met the inclusion criteria. Urine cytology was positive in 20 patients and negative in 199; cystoscopy was positive in 35 patients, suspicious in 32 and normal in 152 patients. BBs yielded bladder cancer (BCa) in 43 (19.6%) patients, with a BCa rate of 9.3% in patients with negative cytology and cystoscopy as opposed to 38.0% in patients whereby one or both exams were suspicious/positive. The diagnostic accuracy of urine cytology, cystoscopy, and combined tests was 0.56, 0.70, and 0.71, respectively. The negative predictive value of combined tests was 90.7%. Performing BBs only in patients with positive cytology and/or positive/suspicious cystoscopy would have spared 140 (64%) patients to undergo this procedure while missing BCa in 13 (9.3%) of them, representing 30% of all BCa cases. Conclusion Performing BBs only in patients with positive cytology and suspicious/positive cystoscopy would spare 64% of un-necessary BBs but miss a non-negligible number of BCas. While no data are available regarding the potential consequences of missing such BCas, such information should be taken into account in patient’s counselling.

Background Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the most common urologic disease among elderly men. The diagnosis of BPH is usually driven by lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) that can significantly affect patients’ quality of life. This phase II prospective, randomized double-blinded, placebo-controlled study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of a novel whole tomato-based food supplement on LUTS of patients diagnosed with BPH. Methods Forty consecutive patients with histologically proved BPH were randomized 1:1 to receive daily for 2 months a sachet (5 g) of a newly developed whole tomato food supplement (WTFS) (treatment = Group A) or placebo (Group B). Patients were asked to fill the International Prostatic Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire before and after treatment. Results All but 1 patient in Group B successfully completed the scheduled regimen. No side effects were recorded. Unlike placebo, treatment significantly reduced (P Conclusions The new WTFS may represent a valid option for the treatment of symptomatic BPH patients. Unlike pharmacological treatments, the supplement is side effects free and highly accepted among patients.

Background: The role of race on functional outcomes after robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN) is still a matter of debate. We aimed to evaluate the clinical and pathologic characteristics of African American (AA) and Caucasian patients who underwent RPN and analyzed the association between race and functional outcomes. Methods: Data was obtained from a multi-institutional database of patients who underwent RPN in 6 institutions in the USA. We identified 999 patients with complete clinical data. Sixty-three patients (6.3%) were AA, and each patient was matched (1:3) to Caucasian patients by age at surgery, gender, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) and renal score. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate predictors of acute kidney injury (AKI). Kaplan-Meier method and multivariable semiparametric Cox regression analyses were performed to assess prevalence and predictors of significant eGFR reduction during follow-up. Results: Overall, 252 patients were included. AA were more likely to have hypertension (58.7% vs. 35.4%, P=0.001), even after 1:3 match. Overall 42 patients (16.7%) developed AKI after surgery and 35 patients (13.9%) developed significant eGFR reduction between 3 and 15 months after RAPN. On multivariate analysis, AA race did not emerge as a significant factor for predicting AKI (OR 1.10, P=0.8). On Cox multivariable analysis, only AKI was found to be associated with significant eGFR reduction between 3 and 15 months after RAPN (HR 2.49, P=0.019). Conclusions: Although African American patients were more likely to have hypertension, renal function outcomes of robotic partial nephrectomies were not significantly different when stratified by race. However, future studies with larger cohorts are necessary to validate these findings.

Background: Today, the goal of surgery is to achieve oncological efficacy with the lowest complication rate. Computed Tomography (CT)-guided cryoablation is proposed as a safe and effective technique. We report, our series of small renal masses treated with cryoablation in elderly (> 70 years). Methods: From May 2014 to April 2019, 32 patients with median (IQR) age of 75.5 years (range 71-80) with small renal masses (< T1a) diagnosis, clinical anesthesia contraindications to nephron-sparing surgery or patient’s will previous informed consent have been selected at our Urology Department. All patients underwent CT-guided cryoablation, preceded by needle biopsy. The cryoablation consisted in a procedure with an argon/helium gas-based system under local anesthesia. The follow-up included CT abdomen at 3, 6 and 12 months. The definition of incomplete treatment was the persistence of the lesion contrast enhancement (CE) at the end of the scan; the definition of relapse was the appearance of the CE to the 6-month control CT.Results: The median follow-up was 30 months (IQR 1-59). The median size of the tumor was 3.85 cm (IQR 1.6-4.5). All patients underwent lesion biopsy resulting in diagnosis of Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) in 29 patients (90.7%) and oncocytoma in 3 patients (9.3%). A median of 2 cryoprobes (IQR 1- 3) was used and 2/3 cycles of freeze-thaw of the duration of 10 minutes or 5 minutes were performed. Complications were: 3 asymptomatic transitional perirenal effusion, 2 lumbar pain well-controlled by analgesic drug. Hospital stay was 2 days (range 1-3). No case showed incomplete treatment and local relapse or metastates at the CT abdomen-pelvis with contrast medium at 12 months. Conclusions: This study shows the efficacy and safety of percutaneous cryoablation of small renal masses in elderly population. The procedure is easy to perform, with low complication rates and well tolerated by the elderly patients.

Background Prediction of extra-prostatic extension (EPE) in men undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) is of utmost importance. Great variability in the performance of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) has been reported for prediction of EPE. The present study aimed to determine the diagnostic performance of mpMRI for predicting EPE in different National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) risk categories. Methods Overall 664 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy with a staging mpMRI were enrolled in this single-center, retrospective study. Patients with mpMRI report non-compliant with PI-RADSv2.0, were excluded. Patients were stratified according to NCCN criteria: very low/low (VLR-LR) to High Risk (HR) in order to assess final pathology EPE rates (focal and established). Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of staging mpMRI were computed in each group. Univariable and multivariable analysis were used to evaluate predictors of positive surgical margins. Results Pathological evaluation demonstrated established and focal EPE in 60 (9%) and 106 (16%) patients, respectively, while mpMRI suspicion for EPE was present in 180 (27%) patients. Age, preoperative PSA, PSA density, number of positive cores, NCCN groups, prostate volume, mpMRI suspicion for EPE, PIRADSv2.0 and lesion size differed significantly between the patients with any EPE and without EPE (all P≤0.05). The sensitivity of mpMRI in detecting any EPE varied from 12% (95% CI: 0.6-53%) in VLR-LR to 83% (66-93%) in HR while the corresponding values for the specificity were 92% (85-96%) and 63% (45-78%), respectively. Patients with false-negative mpMRI EPE prediction were more likely to have positive surgical margins in univariable (OR: 2.14; CI: 1.18, 3.87) as well as multivariable analysis adjusting for NCCN risk categories (OR: 1.97; CI: 1.08, 3.60). Conclusions The performance of mpMRI for prediction of EPE varies greatly between different NCCN risk categories with a low positive predicting value in patients at low to favorable intermediate risk and a low negative predictive value in patients at Unfavorable intermediate to high risk PCa. Given that mpMRI EPE misdiagnosis could have a negative impact on oncological and functional outcomes, NCCN risk categories should be considered when interpreting mpMRI findings in PCa patients.

Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging is a diagnostic tool for prostate cancer with limited data on prognostic use. We sought to determine whether multiparametric magnetic resonance could predict aggressive prostate cancer features.We retrospectively analyzed the records of 206 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy between 2013 and 2017. All patients had available RNA expression data on the final pathology specimen obtained from a location corresponding to a lesion location on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging. The association between the PIRADS™ (Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System) score and adverse pathology features were analyzed. We also performed differential transcriptomic analysis between the PIRADS groups. Factors associated with adverse pathology were analyzed using a multivariable logistic regression model.Lesion size (p = 0.03), PIRADS score (p = 0.02) and extraprostatic extension (p = 0.01) associated significantly with the Decipher® score. Multivariable analysis showed that the PIRADS score (referent PIRADS 3, OR 8.1, 95% CI 1.2-57.5, p = 0.04), the Gleason Grade Group (referent 3, OR 5.6, 95% CI 1.5-21.1, p = 0.01) and prostate specific antigen (OR 1.103, 95% CI 1.011-1.203) were risk factors for adverse pathology findings. The difference between PIRADS 4 and 5 did not reach significance (OR 1.9, 95% CI 0.8-4.5, p = 0.12). However, the PI3K-AKT-mTOR, WNT-β and E2F signaling pathways were more active in PIRADS 5 than in PIRADS 4 cases.The PIRADS score is associated with adverse pathology results, increased metastatic risk and differential genomic pathway activation.

We compared the performance of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging for the prediction of extraprostatic extension in African American and Caucasian American men and evaluated racial disparities in pathological outcomes after radical prostatectomy.We identified 975 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy with preoperative multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging between January 2013 and April 2019 at our institution. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed predicting pathological extraprostatic extension, high grade prostate cancer (final pathology GGG [Gleason Grade Group] 3 or greater) in the overall population and pathological upgrading (final pathology GGG 3 or greater) in patients with a diagnosis of GGG 1-2 prostate cancer. Adverse pathology was defined as pT3 and/or GGG 3 or greater.A total of 221 (23%) patients were African American. Preoperatively 594 (60.9%) were GGG 1-2 (low risk group) and 381 (39.1%) GGG 3 or greater (high risk group). In the low risk group rates of pathological extraprostatic extension (18% vs 12.8%, p=0.14), adverse pathology (18% vs 13.4%, p=0.2) or upgrading (9.4% vs 12.1%, p=0.4) were similar between races. Similarly, in the high risk group there was no difference in rates of pathological extraprostatic extension. On multivariable analysis multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging predicted the presence of extraprostatic extension (OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.29-2.50) and high grade prostate cancer (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.25-2.67) on final pathology. Conversely, race did not predict the outcomes of interest (all values p0.05). Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging showed comparable sensitivity (22.22% vs 27.84%), specificity (89.2% vs 79.2%), positive predictive value (89.2% vs 83.4%) and negative predictive value (89.2% vs 83.4%) between African American and Caucasian America men, respectively.The accuracy of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging in staging prostate cancer was similar in African American and Caucasian American patients and no difference was found between races in pathological outcomes after radical prostatectomy. These findings suggest that access to and use of advanced diagnostic tests may help mitigate prostate cancer racial disparities.

To evaluate the prognostic value of tumor location in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma.Within the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Incidence Database, 6619 upper tract urothelial carcinoma cases were identified, including 3719 confined to the renal pelvis and 2971 to the ureter. Predictors of surgical technique (kidney sparing surgery versus radical nephroureterectomy), as well as 2- and 5-year cancer-specific survival and overall survival were evaluated.Median follow-up time was 29 months (interquartile range 0-126 months) for both groups. Multivariate logistic analysis showed tumor dimension as the only factor associated with radical nephroureterectomy (odds ratio 1.02; P 0.001). Ureteral 2- and 5-year overall survival were lower (log-rank P = 0.001) compared with renal pelvis. When stratifying tumor location according to dimensions, a ureteral carcinoma3 cm was associated with the worst 2- and 5-year cancer-specific mortality (Pepe-Mori P 0.001), and overall survival (log-rank P 0.001). The 2- and 5-year cancer-specific mortality (Pepe-Mori P 0.001) and overall survival were the worst for ureteral ≥T3 tumors (log-rank P 0.001). The 2- and 5-year cancer-specific mortality (Pepe-Mori P 0.001) and overall survival (log-rank P 0.001) were the worst for ureteral grade III-IV cancers. Ureteral tumor location (subdistribution hazard ratio 1.18, P 0.001), tumor dimension ≥3 (subdistribution hazard ratio 1.25, P 0.001), T staging (T2-4 all P 0.001), grading (grade III subdistribution hazard ratio 2.20, P = 0.001; grade IV subdistribution hazard ratio 2.39, P 0.001) were found to be associated with higher cancer mortality.Ureteral tumor location in upper tract urothelial carcinoma seems to be associated with worse oncological outcomes, especially in the case of advanced disease. Although the type of surgical treatment does not seem to impact survival, surgeons should use caution in adopting a kidney-sparing surgery for patients with ureteral upper tract urothelial carcinoma.

Radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) represents the standard of care for high-risk upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). In selected patients with ureteral UTUC, a conservative approach such as segmental ureterectomy (SU) can be considered. However, this therapeutic option remains controversial. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies assessing the outcomes of SU versus RNU in patients with UTUC. Three search engines (Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science) were queried up to May 2019. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Statement (PRISMA Statement) was used as a guideline for study selection. The clinical question was established as stated in the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome) process. Patients in the SU group were more likely to have history of bladder cancer (odds ratio [OR], 1.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-3.51; P = .02), but less likely to present with preoperative hydronephrosis (OR, 0.52; 95% CI: 0.31-0.88; P = .02). A higher rate of ureteral tumor location was found in the SU group (OR, 7.54; 95% CI, 4.15-13.68; P < .00001). The SU group presented with a lower rate of higher (pT ≥ 2) stage (OR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53-0.82; P = .0002), and high-grade tumors (OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.50-0.78; P < .0001). The SU group was found to have shorter 5-year relapse-free survival (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.43-0.95; P = .03), but higher postoperative estimated glomular filtration rate (weighted mean difference, 10.97 mL/min; 95% CI, 2.97-18.98; P = .007). Selected patients might benefit from SU as a therapeutic option for UTUC. In advanced high-risk disease, RNU still remains the standard of care.

Background Presently, no level I evidence is available to support the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (N)(AC) in patients diagnosed with high-grade upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). We aimed to compare outcomes of patients treated with radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) who received NAC vs. those who received AC. Methods The National Cancer Database was queried for UTUC patients with cT2-4N0M0 disease treated with RNU and NAC or AC. The role of NAC or AC on overall survival (OS) was evaluated by means of a multivariable Cox regression. Time to death was evaluated from diagnosis. Results Overall, 936 patients were identified, 128 (14%) received NAC whereas 808 (86%) received AC. No difference was observed between NAC vs. AC in terms of OS (P = 0.9). When sub-stratifying patients who received NAC in responders (cT>pT, given pN0; n = 46 [36%]) vs. nonresponders (n = 82 [64%]), we found that, relatively to AC, the subgroup of patients who did not respond to NAC had higher risk of dying from any cause (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03,1.91; P = 0.03), whereas the sub-group who responded to NAC had better OS (HR: 0.45; 95% CI: 0.24,0.85; P = 0.01). The 5-year OS rates for responders to NAC vs. nonresponders vs. AC were: 71% vs. 26% vs. 43%, respectively. A landmark analysis fitted at 6 months after diagnosis, including 903 patients (NAC: 126 vs. AC: 777) confirmed our findings. Conclusion while we found no difference in outcomes between NAC vs. AC in high-grade UTUC, we found a hypothesis-generating association between survival and response to NAC. Further studies aimed at identifying potential responders to NAC are warranted.

To determine the impact of time to restaging transurethral resection (Re-TUR) on recurrence-free survival (RFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and cancer specific survival (CSS) of patients with high-grade T1 bladder cancer (BC) treated with intravesical Bacillus Calmette–Guerin (BCG). Our prospectively maintained NMIBC databases were queried to identify patients with high-grade T1 BC who underwent Re-TUR before receiving intravesical BCG treatment (induction + 1-year maintenance). Patients were divided into three groups based on time to Re-TUR (group A: ≤ 6 weeks; group B: > 6–12 weeks; group C: > 12–18 weeks). Kaplan–Meier plots were used to estimate differences in RFS, PFS, and CSS. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to assess the impact of time to Re-TUR on oncological outcomes. Overall, 269 high-grade T1 BC patients were eligible for the analysis. Nineteen (7.1%) had concomitant CIS. Median follow-up was 49.3 (IQR 25–65) months. Kaplan–Meier plots showed no differences in RFS, PFS, and CSS between the three groups. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that Group B had a slightly better RFS, while the other outcomes were not affected by time to Re-TUR. This is the first study testing the role of time to Re-TUR in a homogeneous population of patients with high-grade T1 BC who received complete BCG treatment. The study challenged the concept the sooner the Re-TUR the better, since time to Re-TUR did not significantly affect oncological outcomes.

BACKGROUND The presence of capsular abutment or bulging can raise concern when planning surgery. In this study we aimed to test the clinical implications of capsular abutment or bulging on preoperative multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI). METHODS We analyzed the data of 291 patients who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) for a cT1-2N0 prostate cancer in a single surgeon series. All patients underwent preoperative staging with mpMRI. PIRADS v2 was used for characterizing lesions. The role of capsular abutment or bulging was tested in a multivariable logistic regression adjusting for prostate-specific antigen and highest ipsilateral biopsy Gleason grade. The presence of focal versus extensive extracapsular extension (ECE) was investigated. RESULTS Overall, ECE on final pathology was documented in 35 (12%) cases and ECE was focal in 32 (91%) patients. Overall, mpMRI demonstrated capsule bulging or abutment in 12 (24%) cases. After adjusting for confounders, capsule bulging or abutment on mpMRI emerged as predictor for ECE (OR=6.70; 95% CI: 2.97-15.12, P

Introduction Obesity can lead to pelvic floor disorders, interfering with women’s sexual life; Prolapse/Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire-International Urogynecology Association–Revised (PISQ-IR) is a new instrument to measure sexual life in women with pelvic floor disorders. Aims To assess the utility of using PISQ-IR in morbidly obese women undergoing bariatric surgery and to show the improvement of bariatric surgery on sexuality. Methods This prospective monocentric study included all women who underwent bariatric surgery from June 2016–May 2017. Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) was performed by 1 surgeon, and data were collected by 1 researcher. Demographics, medical history, number of deliveries, and type of bariatric surgery (SG or RYGB) were collected at baseline. At the 1-year follow-up consultation, postoperative complications, percentage of total body weight loss (TWL) and percentage excess weight loss were assessed. Questionnaires were given at baseline and at 1-year follow-up. Main Outcome Measures Postoperative complications and total weight loss were measured at the 1-year follow-up. Sexual activity, using the PISQ-IR, and pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, and anal incontinence, using the urinary symptom profile and PFDI (Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory) 20, were compared before surgery and at 1-year follow-up. Results 72 patients were included at baseline, 54 (75%) were considered for final analysis (30 RYGB and 24 SG), and 51 patients were considered for PISQ-IR. The mean preoperative body mass index was 41 ± 5.4 kg/m2, and mean age was 43 ± 11.8 years. Both procedures induced an important weight loss (mean TWL of 33%) and had a similar percentage of TWL for each procedure: 31 (15–46) for SG vs 34 (9–51) for RYGB. 9 patients (17 [6%]) became sexually active 1 year after surgery. For the sexually inactive population after 1 year, there was no differences in the PISQ-IR in the follow-up. When body mass index loss was >13 kg/m2, a higher percentage of the sexually active population improved their different scores, and there were significant results for both global quality of life and desire (P = .026 and .046). The other questionnaires showed a significant decrease in urinary incontinence symptoms (P < .001) associated with weight loss, whereas there was no difference in terms of pelvic organ prolapse or anal incontinence. Conclusion PISQ-IR is a useful instrument to measure sexual function regarding pelvic floor disorders. Bariatric surgery improves sexual activity in obese women 1 year after surgery.

Following partial nephrectomy (PN), it is important to prevent any deterioration in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). At present there are no evidence-based recommendations on when a nephrology consultation should be requested and how to adjust postoperative management when the risk of renal function decline is high. In an effort to address this void, we used our previously published nomogram to define risk groups for a significant decline in eGFR at 3-15 mo after PN. We used the nomogram-derived probability as the independent variable for the classification and regression tree and identified four risk groups: low (0-10%), intermediate (10-21%), high (21-65%), and very high (65-100%). Overall, 336 (34%), 386 (39%), 243 (24%), and 34 (4%) patients fell in the low, intermediate, high, and very high risk groups, respectively. The rates of significant eGFR decline across the low, intermediate, high, and very high risk groups were 4%, 14%, 29%, and 79%. With the low risk category as a reference, the hazard ratio for eGFR decline was 3.21 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.83-5.64) for the intermediate, 7.80 (95% CI 4.52-13.48) for the high, and 27.24 (95% CI 13.8-53.8) for the very high risk group (all p

To develop a model based on preoperative variables to predict apical prostate cancer.We performed a retrospective analysis of 459 patients who underwent a robotic assisted radical prostatectomy (RALP) between January 2016 and September 2017. All patients had a preoperative biopsy and mpMRI of the prostate. Significant apical pathology (SAP) was defined as those patients who had a dominant nodule at the apex with a Gleason score 6 and/or ECE at the apex. Binary logistic regression analyses were adopted to predict SAP. Variables included in the model were PSA, apical lesions prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI-RADS) score and apical biopsy Gleason score. The area under the curve (AUC) of the model was computed.A total of 121 (43.2%) patients had SAP. On univariable analysis, all apex-specific variables investigated emerged as predictors of SAP (all p 0.05). On multivariable analysis PSA and apical PI-RADS score 3 (all p 0.05) emerged as significant predictors of SAP. The AUC of the model was 0.722.Patients with PI-RADS 3, 4 or 5 lesions at the apex were three times as more likely to have true SAP compared to those who have PI-RADS 3 or negative mpMRI prior to undergoing RALP.

Background and aims: Prostatic urethral lift (Urolift™) is a minimally invasive technique to treat male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The aim of the present study was to assess safety and medium- to long-term outcomes in the relief of urinary symptoms. Methods: We included 35 men, affected by severe symptomatic BPH evaluated by International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), with normal erectile function (EF) and ejaculatory function (EjF) evaluated by the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction (IIEF-5) and Male Sexual Health Questionnaire for Ejaculatory Dysfunction (MSHQ-EjD-SF). Exclusion criteria were prostate larger than 70 cm3, bladder neck sclerosis, concomitant third prostatic lobe, and/or other cervical urethral obstruction or cancer. All patients, preoperatively, performed uroflowmetry (UFM) with peak flow (Q-max) and post void residual volume (PVR), digital rectal exam, transrectal prostate ultrasound to measure prostate volume, PSA, and cystoscopy. Follow-up was scheduled at 1–3–6 months, then yearly, evaluating UFM, IPSS, IIEF-5, and MSHQ-EjD-SF. Results: All procedures were performed by a single senior surgeon and follow-up was 33.8 ± 12 months. Preoperative PSA was 0.82 ± 0.4 ng/ml and mean operative time was 19.6 ± 10 min and 3 (2–4) implants per patient were used. Parameters reported at last follow-up schedule were: Q-max increase of 68% ( p = 0.001), PVR reduction 68% ( p = 0.005), and IPSS reduction 55% ( p Conclusion: Urolift can improve urinary disorders secondary to BPH, preserving EjF and EF. It is a safe and easy method, reproducible, and with low incidence of complications. Careful selection of patients is mandatory. The main reason for dissatisfaction is the higher expectation of better BPH symptoms relief although patients with high bladder neck and/or prostate volume >45 cm3 were aware of the possible failure.

To determine the potential role of bioptic inflammation (Irani score) in predicting adverse pathology (AP) at radical prostatectomy (RP) in patients with low-grade (ISUP Gleason Group [ISUP GG] 1 and 2) prostate cancer (CaP).After institutional review board-approval, we identified patients who underwent prostate biopsy, had bioptic Irani score assessment, were diagnosed with low-grade CaP (ISUP GG 1-2, prostate-specific antigen [PSA]20 ng/ml), and underwent RP. The impact of standard clinicopathological variables and bioptic Irani Score (G = grade and A = aggressiveness) on AP at RP, defined as stage ≥T3 and/or ISUP GG ≥3, was assessed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis.A total of 282 patients were eligible for this study. AP at RP occurred in 37 of 214 (17.3%) patients with ISUP GG 1, and 26 of 68 (38.2%) with ISUP GG 2. At univariate analysis, serum PSA, PSA density, bioptic ISUP GG, number of positive cores, total percentage of core involvement and Irani G score emerged as significant risk factors of AP. At multivariate analysis, however, only PSA density, bioptic ISUP GG, total percentage of core, and Irani G score kept statistical significance. The area under the curve for the resulting model was 0.75.This is the first study demonstrating that low-grade inflammation is associated with a significantly increased risk of AP at RP. These findings would support the concept of prostatic inflammation being inversely correlated with presence and aggressiveness of CaP. Further studies are needed to externally validate the role of this readily available parameter in the decision-making process of patients with low-grade CaP.

The present study aimed to determine the ability of novel nomograms based onto readily-available clinical parameters, like those related to benign prostatic obstruction (BPO), in predicting the outcome of first prostate biopsy (PBx). To do so, we analyzed our Internal Review Board-approved prospectively-maintained PBx database. Patients with PSA>20 ng/ml were excluded because of their high risk of harboring prostate cancer (PCa). A total of 2577 were found to be eligible for study analyses. The ability of age, PSA, digital rectal examination (DRE), prostate volume (PVol), post-void residual urinary volume (PVR), and peak flow rate (PFR) in predicting PCa and clinically-significant PCa (CSPCa)was tested by univariable and multivariable logistic regression analysis. The predictive accuracy of the multivariate models was assessed using receiver operator characteristic curves analysis, calibration plot, and decision-curve analyses (DCA). Nomograms predicting PCa and CSPCa were built using the coefficients of the logit function. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that all variables but PFR significantly predicted PCA and CSPCa. The addition of the BPO-related variables PVol and PVR to a model based on age, PSA and DRE findings increased the model predictive accuracy from 0.664 to 0.768 for PCa and from 0.7365 to 0.8002 for CSPCa. Calibration plot demonstrated excellent models' concordance. DCA demonstrated that the model predicting PCa is of value between ~15 and ~80% threshold probabilities, whereas the one predicting CSPCa is of value between ~10 and ~60% threshold probabilities. In conclusion, our novel nomograms including PVR and PVol significantly increased the accuracy of the model based on age, PSA and DRE in predicting PCa and CSPCa at first PBx. Being based onto parameters commonly assessed in the initial evaluation of men “prostate health,” these novel nomograms could represent a valuable and easy-to-use tool for physicians to help patients to understand their risk of harboring PCa and CSPCa.

Intravesical instillation of Bacille Calmette–Guèrin (BCG) is the standard adjuvant treatment for high-risk non muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Since its mechanism of action is supposed to be linked to the immune system efficiency and senescence could negatively affect this efficiency, BCG efficacy in the elderly has been questioned. This study aimed to assess the impact of age on BCG efficacy and safety in patients with high-grade T1 bladder cancer (BC). Among 123 patients with high-grade T1 BCG scheduled for BCG treatment, 82 were