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Objectives To investigate the outcome of retzius-sparing robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (RS-RARP) compared with conventional RARP in the early learning curve. Methods Consecutive patients with prostate cancer who underwent RS-RARP were included to compare against conventional RARP of the same period. Propensity-score matching was performed based on age, prostate size, nerve-sparing approach, and final pathological risk categories. All patients were re-admitted to undergo trial without Foley catheter from post-operative day 7-10. Clinical follow-up was performed with monitoring of continence (day 0, 3 months, and the latest continence during the study period) and surveillance of PSA level. Results Between July 2017 and August 2019, 24 consecutive patients received RS-RARP in our centre. Propensity score matching was performed with the best matched 24 controls receiving conventional RARP. Overall median follow-up duration was 15.5 months. A majority of the patients belonged to the intermediate-risk group, with most of them harbouring pT2 disease (RS-RARP: 87.5%; conventional RARP: 79.2%). More patients in RS-RARP group achieved day-0 continence (33.3% vs 0%, p = 0.002) and 3-month continence (66.7% vs 12.5%, p = 0.001). During the whole study period, more RS-RARP achieved continence with 0 pad (91.7% vs 66.7%, p = 0.033). The mean months to continence is shorter in RS-RARP group (4.0 months vs 13.6 months, p = 0.002). No statistically significant differences between the two groups with respect to surgical margins, post-operative PSA detection, and the use of adjuvant radiotherapy. Conclusions RS-RARP showed better continence rates when compared to conventional RARP even during the learning curve phase.

Purpose of review To investigate the features and optimal management of pN+ cM0 prostate cancer (PCa) according to registry-based studies. Recent findings Up to 15% of PCa patients harbor lymph node invasion (pN+) at radical prostatectomy plus lymph node dissection. Nonetheless, the optimal management strategy in this setting is not well characterized. Summary We performed a systematic review including n = 13 studies. Management strategies comprised 13 536 men undergoing observation, 11 149 adjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (aADT), 7,075 adjuvant radiotherapy (aRT) +aADT and 705 aRT. Baseline features showed aggressive PCa in the majority of men. At a median follow-up ranging 48-134months, Cancer-related death was 5% and overall-mortality 16.6%. aADT and aRT alone had no cancer-specific survival or overall survival advantages over observation only and over not performing aRT, respectively. aADT plus aRT yielded a survival benefit compared to observation and aADT, which in one study, were limited to certain intermediate-risk categories. Age, Gleason, Charlson score, positive surgical margins, pathological stage, and positive nodes number, but not prostate specific antigen, were most relevant prognostic factors. Our work further confirmed pN+ PCa is a multifaceted disease and will help future research in defining its optimal management based on different risk categories to maximize survival and patient's quality of life.

Purpose:We performed a systematic review comparing the incidence of infectious complications following transperineal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TPB) in cases utilizing antibiotic prophylaxi...

Background: Although China accounts for 7.8% of worldwide new prostate cancer (PCa) cases and 14.5% of new deaths according to GLOBOCAN 2020, the risk of PCa associated with germline mutations is poorly defined, hampered in part by lack of nationwide evidence. Here, we sequenced 19 PCa predisposition genes in 1,836 Chinese patients with PCa and estimated disease risk associated with inherited mutations. Patients and Methods: Patients were recruited from 4 tertiary cancer centers (n=1,160) and a commercial laboratory (n=676). Germline DNA was sequenced using a multigene panel, and pathogenic/likely pathogenic (P/LP) mutation frequencies in patients with PCa were compared with populations from the gnomAD (Genome Aggregation Database) and ChinaMAP (China Metabolic Analytics Project) databases. Clinical characteristics and progression-free survival were assessed by mutation status. Results: Of 1,160 patients from hospitals, 89.7% had Gleason scores ≥8, and 65.6% had metastases. P/LP mutations were identified in 8.49% of Chinese patients with PCa. Association with PCa risk was significant for mutations in ATM (odds ratio [OR], 5.9; 95% CI, 3.1–11.1), BRCA2 (OR, 15.3; 95% CI, 10.0–23.2), MSH2 (OR, 15.8; 95% CI, 4.2–59.6), and PALB2 (OR, 5.9; 95% CI, 2.7–13.2). Compared with those without mutations, patients with mutations in ATM, BRCA2, MSH2, or PALB2 showed a poor outcome with treatment using androgen deprivation therapy and abiraterone (hazard ratio, 2.19 [95% CI, 1.34–3.58] and 2.47 [95% CI, 1.23–4.96], respectively) but similar benefit from docetaxel. Conclusions: The present multicenter study confirmed that a significant proportion of Chinese patients with PCa had inherited mutations and identified predisposition genes in this underreported ethnicity. These data provide empirical evidence for precision prevention and prognostic estimation in Chinese patients with PCa.

Urological cancers are common malignancies worldwide. Several conventional models, for example, two-dimensional cell culture and animal models have been used for decades to study tumor genetics. Nonetheless, these methods have limitations in reflecting the real tumor microenvironment in vivo, thereby hindering the development of anti-cancer therapeutic agents. Recently, three-dimensional culture models have gained attention because they can overcome the drawbacks of traditional methods. Above all, three-dimensional organoid models are able to mimic the tumor microenvironment in human bodies more closely as they are able to demonstrate the interactions between cells and extracellular matrix. This type of model has therefore extended our understanding of urological cancers. Tumor cells in organoid models can also be co-cultured with other cellular components, such as peripheral blood lymphocytes, and allow further understanding of the effect of tumor microenvironments on tumor growth. Furthermore, organoid models allow a prolonged culturing period, therefore, tumor evolution, progression and maintenance can also be assessed. Organoid models can be derived from each specific patient, and this facilitates investigation of individual cancer-specific mutations and their subtypes. As a result, the development of personalized medication targeting the signaling pathways or biomolecules of interest will be possible. In the present review, we summarize the development and applications of three-dimensional organoid cultures in urological cancers, mainly focusing on prostate, urinary bladder and kidney cancers, and assess the future prospects of this model.

Background: Men with elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and initial negative prostate biopsy may have risk of prostate cancer (PCa) in the future. The role of Prostate Health Index (phi) in determining future PCa risk has not been studied before. This study aims to investigate the role of initial phi and phi density in predicting future PCa risk in men with initial negative biopsy. Methods: Five hundred sixty nine men with PSA 4–10 ng/mL were recruited between 2008 and 2015 for prostate biopsy with prior phi. Electronic clinical record of men with initial negative biopsy was reviewed. Patients and follow-up doctors were blinded to phi. Kaplan–Meier curves were used to analyze the PCa-free survival in different baseline phi and phi density groups. Results: Four hundred sixty-one men with complete follow-up data were included. Median follow-up is 77 months. PCa and HGPCa was diagnosed in 8.2% (38/461) and 4.8% (22/461) of cohort respectively. A higher baseline phi value was associated with PCa (p = 0.003) and HGPCa (p < 0.001). HGPCa was diagnosed in 0.6% (1/163) of phi < 25, 4.6% (9/195) of phi 25–34.9, and 11.7% (12/103) of phi ≥ 35 (p < 0.001). HGPCa was diagnosed in 0% (0/109) and 21.0% (13/62) with phi density of

To investigate the value of machine learning(ML) in enhancing prostate cancer(PCa) diagnosis. Consecutive systematic prostate biopsies performed from Jan 2003–June 2017 were used as the training cohort, and prospective biopsies performed from July 2017-November 2019 were used as validation cohort. Men were included if PSA was 0.4–50 ng/mL, and information of digital rectal examination (DRE), Transrectal ultrasound(TRUS) prostate volume, TRUS abnormality were known. Clinically significant PCa(csPCa) was defined as Gleason 3 + 4 or above cancers. Area-under-curve (AUC) of receiver-operating characteristics (ROC) was compared between PSA, PSA density, European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) risk calculator (ERSPC-RC), and various ML techniques using PSA, DRE and TRUS information. ML techniques used included XGBoost, LightGBM, Catboost, Support vector machine (SVM), Logistic regression (LR), and Random Forest (RF), where cost sensitive learning was applied. Training and validation cohorts included 3881 and 778 consecutive men, respectively. RF model performed better than other ML techniques and PSA, PSA density and ERSPC-RC for prediction of PCa or csPCa in the validation cohort. In csPCa prediction, AUC of PSA, PSA density, ERSPC-RC and RF was 0.71, 0.80, 0.83 and 0.88 respectively. At 90–95% sensitivity for csPCa, RF model achieved a negative predictive value (NPV) of 97.5–98.0% and avoided 38.3–52.2% unnecessary biopsies. Decision curve analyses (DCA) showed RF model provided net clinical benefit over PSA, PSA density and ERSPC-RC. By using the same clinical parameters, ML techniques performed better than ERSPC-RC or PSA density in csPCa predictions, and could avoid up to 50% unnecessary biopsies.

Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the cancellation or deferment of many elective cancer surgeries. We performed a systematic review on the oncological effects of delayed surgery for patients with localised or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in the targeted therapy (TT) era. Method The protocol of this review is registered on PROSPERO(CRD42020190882). A comprehensive literature search was performed on Medline, Embase and Cochrane CENTRAL using MeSH terms and keywords for randomised controlled trials and observational studies on the topic. Risks of biases were assessed using the Cochrane RoB tool and the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale. For localised RCC, immediate surgery [including partial nephrectomy (PN) and radical nephrectomy (RN)] and delayed surgery [including active surveillance (AS) and delayed intervention (DI)] were compared. For metastatic RCC, upfront versus deferred cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) were compared. Results Eleven studies were included for quantitative analysis. Delayed surgery was significantly associated with worse cancer-specific survival (HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.23–2.27, p

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), either by medical or surgical castration, is the backbone for standard treatment of locally advanced or metastatic prostate cancer, yet it is also associated with various metabolic and cardiovascular complications. Recent evidence have shown that obesity, insulin resistance, or metabolic disturbances can be associated with changes in the gut microbiome, while animal studies also show that castration is associated with changes in the gut microbiome. This study aims to investigate whether the fecal microbiota in prostate cancer patients who had undergone prostatectomy or ADT are different, and explore changes in phylogeny and pathways that may lead to side effects from ADT. A total of 86 prostate cancer patients (56 patients on ADT and 30 patients with prostatectomy) were recruited. The fecal microbiota was analyzed by the 16S rRNA gene for alpha- and beta-diversities by QIIME2, as well as the predicted metabolic pathways by Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States 2. The alpha-diversity was significantly lower in the ADT group. The beta-diversity was significantly different between the groups, in which Ruminococcus gnavus and Bacteroides spp were having higher relative abundance in the ADT group, whereas Lachnospira and Roseburia were reduced. The Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio is noted to be lower in the ADT group as well. The functional pathway prediction showed that the biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide (endotoxin) and propanoate was enriched in the ADT as well as the energy cycle pathways. This study is limited by the cross-sectional design and the clinical heterogeneity. There is a significant difference in gut microbiome between prostate cancer patients on ADT and prostatectomy. We theorize that this difference may contribute to the development of metabolic complications from ADT. Further longitudinal studies are awaited.

BackgroundDouble-stranded DNA in plasma is known to carry single-stranded ends, called jagged ends. Plasma DNA jagged ends are biomarkers for pathophysiologic states such as pregnancy and cancer. It remains unknown whether urinary cell-free DNA (cfDNA) molecules have jagged ends.MethodsJagged ends of cfDNA were detected by incorporating unmethylated cytosines during a DNA end-repair process, followed by bisulfite sequencing. Incorporation of unmethylated cytosines during the repair of the jagged ends lowered the apparent methylation levels measured by bisulfite sequencing and were used to calculate a jagged end index. This approach is called jagged end analysis by sequencing.ResultsThe jagged end index of urinary cfDNA was higher than that of plasma DNA. The jagged end index profile of plasma DNA displayed several strongly oscillating major peaks at intervals of approximately 165 bp (i.e., nucleosome size) and weakly oscillating minor peaks with periodicities of approximately 10 bp. In contrast, the urinary DNA jagged end index profile showed weakly oscillating major peaks but strongly oscillating minor peaks. The jagged end index was generally higher in nucleosomal linker DNA regions. Patients with bladder cancer (n = 46) had lower jagged end indexed of urinary DNA than participants without bladder cancer (n = 39). The area under the curve for differentiating between patients with and without bladder cancer was 0.83.ConclusionsJagged ends represent a property of urinary cfDNA. The generation of jagged ends might be related to nucleosomal structures, with enrichment in linker DNA regions. Jagged ends of urinary DNA could potentially serve as a new biomarker for bladder cancer detection.

As the conventional workup for diagnosing prostate cancer, transrectal systematic biopsy carries the risk of sepsis and overdiagnosis of insignificant prostate cancer. In recent years, multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) has revolutionized the diagnostic approach to prostate cancer. With widespread use of the prostate imaging and data system (PIRADS), MRI reporting has been more standardized. Several landmark papers have indicated that mpMRI in combination with targeted or combined biopsy can confidently diagnose more clinically significant prostate cancer while reducing diagnoses of insignificant disease. In this review, we aim to discuss the advantages of pre-biopsy MRI based on the current literature and to address its reliability in ruling out prostate cancer, reproducibility, and cost-effectiveness.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are closely related. The effect of AKI on the clinical outcomes of these two conditions is unclear. METHODS: This retrospective, territory-wide cohort study used an electronic public healthcare database in Hong Kong to identify patients with SARS or COVID-19 by diagnosis codes, virologic results, or both. The primary endpoint was a composite of intensive care unit admission, use of invasive mechanical ventilation, and/or death. RESULTS: We identified 1670 patients with SARS and 1040 patients with COVID-19 (median ages, 41 versus 35 years, respectively). Among patients with SARS, 26% met the primary endpoint versus 5.3% of those with COVID-19. Diabetes mellitus, abnormal liver function, and AKI were factors significantly associated with the primary endpoint among patients with either SARS or COVID-19. Among patients with SARS, 7.9%, 2.1%, and 3.7% developed stage 1, stage 2, and stage 3 AKI, respectively; among those with COVID-19, 6.6%, 0.4%, and 1.1% developed stage 1, stage 2, and stage 3 AKI, respectively. In both groups, factors significantly associated with AKI included diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Among patients with AKI, those with COVID-19 had a lower rate of major adverse clinical outcomes versus patients with SARS. Renal function recovery usually occurred within 30 days after an initial AKI event. CONCLUSIONS: AKI rates were higher among patients with SARS than those with COVID-19. AKI was associated with major adverse clinical outcomes for both diseases. Patients with diabetes mellitus and abnormal liver function were also at risk of developing severe consequences after SARS and COVID-19 infection.

We conducted a systematic review of the literature on primary clear cell carcinoma (CCC) of the urinary bladder. A literature search using keywords and MeSH terms related to “clear cell carcinoma”, “clear cell adenocarcinoma”, “mesonephroma” and “urinary bladder” in EMBASE, MEDLINE and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials was performed. A manual search was performed with web-based search engine Google Scholar. Reference lists of the included studies were screened for additional articles. Articles up till 16th July 2020 were retrieved. Observational human studies on primary CCC in urinary bladder with English full-text were included for further analysis. 904 articles were identified and 44 articles were included for further analysis. Data including clinical features, tumour characteristics, treatment and oncological outcomes were reviewed. There were 70 patients (44 females and 26 males) reported in literatures and included in this review. Gross haematuria was the most common presentation (79.7%), followed by irritative urinary symptoms (47.5%). Regarding the histology, tubulocystic pattern is the most common histologic pattern (49.1%), and 52.6% had muscle invasion. Most cases were CK7 (96.6%) and CK20 (88.9%) positive. CA125 (96%) was commonly positive, indicating its potential origin from mullerian duct. Most patients received surgery (95.5%) as primary treatment. However, the oncological outcomes were unsatisfactory with a 2-year survival rate of 60.0%. Clear cell carcinoma is an uncommon subtype of bladder cancer which can be diagnosed by histology and immunohistochemical staining result. The majority of patients presented with muscle invasion and had a poor survival despite aggressive treatment.

BACKGROUND To investigate the feasibility of a freehand transperineal (TP) systematic prostate biopsy protocol under local anaesthesia (LA) and the value of different sectors in diagnosing prostate cancer (PCa). METHODS A total of 611 consecutive freehand TP biopsies under LA in 2 hospitals were prospectively evaluated. Cancer detection rate in each of the four different sectors (anterior, mid, posterior, basal) was recorded to evaluate the value of each sector. Procedure tolerability was assessed by pain score and complications were documented. RESULTS Systematic biopsies were performed in 556 out of 611 men with a median of 20 (IQR 12-24) biopsy cores taken. The median PSA was 9.9 (Inter-quartile range[IQR] 6.4-16.2) ng/mL, and 89.0% were first biopsies. All PCa and ISUP grade group (GG) ≥ 2 PCa (HGPCa) were diagnosed in 41.4% (230/556) and 28.2% (157/556) biopsies respectively. 77.0% HGPCa was diagnosed in ≥2 sectors. Single-sector HGPCa was predominantly found in anterior or posterior sector. Omitting base sector would have missed 1.5% (1/65) HGPCa out of the 219 cases with ≥24-core biopsies performed. Further omission of mid sector would have missed 3.1% (2/65) HGPCa and 7.4% (7/94) ISUP GG1 PCa (in which 3/7 involved 2 sectors). LA TP biopsy was well tolerated and the mean pain scores of the different steps of the procedure were between 1.9-3.1 (out of 10). Post-biopsy fever occurred in 0.3% of patients (2/611) and no sepsis was reported. The risk of urinary retention in men with ≥20 cores in ≥60 ml prostate was 7.8% (14/179), compared with 1.7% (7/423) in other groups (p

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are strongly linked with obesity. Whether bariatric surgery can effectively alleviate LUTS in morbidly obese men is unknown. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of bariatric surgery in reducing the prevalence and severity of male LUTS in obese patients. This was a prospective observational study on consecutive morbidly obese men undergoing bariatric surgery. The International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) was used to assess for LUTS before and at 1–3 years after surgery. The 3-year changes in IPSS, the changes in LUTS severity, and the factors associated with LUTS improvement were evaluated. This study recruited 143 morbidly obese men (mean age 43.0 ± 10.4 years) undergoing sleeve gastrectomy (n = 89) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (n = 54). The rates of follow-up after surgery were 94.4% (n = 119/126) at 1 year, 90.6% (n = 96/106) at 2 years, and 81.2% (n = 69/85) at 3 years. After surgery, there was significant body mass index reduction from 39.1 ± 5.2 kg/m2 preoperatively to 30.1 ± 4.8 kg/m2 at 1 year and 31.5 ± 4.9 kg/m2 at 3 years (P

Background Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and prostate health index (PHI) have been used as biomarkers for prostate cancer detection. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of PHI for prostate cancer detection in Chinese men. Method We developed a Markov model for Chinese male patient aged 50-75 years old. The PSA strategy was to offer TRUS-PB for all patients with elevated PSA of 4-10 ng/mL. The PHI strategy was to offer PHI for patients with elevated PSA of 4-10 ng/mL. TRUS-PB would only be offered for patients with PHI >35.0. Model inputs were extracted from local data when available. The cost per quality-adjusted life years gained for both strategies were calculated. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios in relation to the willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold were compared. One-way sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed. Cost-effectiveness acceptability curves were also constructed. Results With a Markov model of 25 screening cycles from age 50 to 75 years, the mean total costs per man were estimated to be USD 27,439 in the PSA strategy and USD 22,877 in the PHI strategy. The estimated effects were estimated to be 15.70 in the PSA strategy and 16.05 in the PHI strategy. The PHI strategy was associated with an expected decrease in cost of USD 4562 and an expected gain of 0.35 QALY, resulting in an ICER of USD -13056.56. The results were shown to be robust upon one-way sensitivity analysis. Upon Monte Carlo simulation, the PHI strategy was more cost-effective for 100% of the iterations. The PHI strategy demonstrated dominance over the PSA strategy regardless of what WTP threshold we use. Conclusions A PHI-based screening strategy may be more cost-effective than a PSA-based strategy for prostate cancer detection in Chinese men. These results support consideration of a PHI-based approach for prostate cancer in Hong Kong.

Emerging studies demonstrate that PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are associated with various human cancers. This study aimed to evaluate the urinary extracellular vesicles (EVs) piRNAs as non-invasive biomarkers for prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis. RNA was extracted from urinary EVs from five PCa patients and five healthy controls (HC), and the piRNAs were analyzed by small RNA sequencing. Dysregulated piRNAs were identified and then validated in another 30 PCa patients and 10 HC by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The expressions of novel_pir349843, novel_pir382289, novel_pir158533, and hsa_piR_002468 in urinary EVs were significantly increased in the PCa group compared with the HC group. The area under the curve (AUC) of novel_pir158533, novel_pir349843, novel_pir382289, hsa_piR_002468, and the combination of the four piRNA in PCa diagnosis was 0.723, 0.757, 0.777, 0.783, and 0.853, respectively. After the RNAhybrid program analysis, all four piRNAs had multiple potential binding sites with key mRNAs in PTEN/PI3K/Akt, Wnt/beta-catenin, or androgen receptor pathway, which are critical in PCa development and progression. In conclusion, our findings indicate that specific piRNAs in urinary EVs may serve as non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers for PCa.

Background: Most prevalence surveys on nocturia have focused on older populations. This study aimed to measure the nocturia prevalence across the full spectrum of male adults living in Hong Kong, where severity and associated quality-of-life (QoL) were also explored. Methods: A cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted in men aged 18 or above using the ICIQ-NQoL Questionnaire. Results: With 1,239 respondents at age ranged 18-99, the overall nocturia prevalence were found to be 63.0% (ranged 41.6-84.6% at different age groups) and 31.2% (ranged 13.0-56.3% at different age groups), for ≥1 and ≥2 bedtime voiding episodes, respectively. The chance of nocturia was dramatically increased at age 60 or above while both prevalence and voiding frequency were increased with advancing age. About 83% of the nocturia men experienced 1-2 voiding episodes per night, but many of them had self-rated their QoL poor or very poor and indicated moderate-to-high bothersome. Younger men at age 18-39 were found to have high prevalence as 41.6% and almost 30% of them rated poor or very poor QoL. Conclusions: Nocturia was not only affecting the older populations but also caused significant bothersome and negative impacts on QoL in younger males.

Purpose To evaluate the presence of intravesical prostatic protrusion (IPP) and its thickness-to-height (T/H) ratio as a predictor for the clinical outcome and morbidity of prostatic artery embolization (PAE) for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Materials and Methods This was a prospective, single-center, institutional review board-approved study from June 2015 to December 2018 of 82 consecutive patients (age, 53–79 years; median, 66 years) with International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) ≥15 and quality-of-life (QOL) score ≥3. The presence of IPP and its T/H ratio were assessed on baseline magnetic resonance imaging for their correlation with the clinical outcomes of suboptimal IPSS (IPSS ≥10) and suboptimal QOL (QOL ≥3) up to 12 months after PAE and the occurrence of post-procedure complications (≤30 days), which caused a certain degree of urinary outflow obstruction. The chi-squared test was used for analysis. Results IPP was present in 57 of 82 patients (69.5%). The presence of IPP correlated with the occurrence of post-procedure complications (P = .009) but not with suboptimal IPSS at 12 months (P = .758). IPP with a T/H ratio ≤1.3 correlated with suboptimal IPSS at 12 months (P = .025) and suboptimal QOL at 6 months (P = .025) and 12 months (P = .008), as well as with the occurrence of post-procedure complications (P = .009). Conclusions IPP with a T/H ratio ≤1.3 predicted the occurrence of post-procedure complications with urinary obstruction. A T/H ratio ≤1.3 but not the presence of IPP alone predicted the clinical outcome up to 12 months after PAE.

Background: The Rotterdam European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer risk calculators (ERSPC-RCs) help to avoid unnecessary transrectal ultrasound-guided systematic biopsies (TRUS-Bx). Multivariable risk stratification could also avoid unnecessary biopsies following multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI). Objective: To construct MRI-ERSPC-RCs for the prediction of any- and high-grade (Gleason score ≥3 + 4) prostate cancer (PCa) in 12-core TRUS-Bx ± MRI-targeted biopsy (MRI-TBx) by adding Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) and age as parameters to the ERSPC-RC3 (biopsy-naïve men) and ERSPC-RC4 (previously biopsied men). Design, setting, and participants: A total of 961 men received mpMRI and 12-core TRUS-Bx ± MRI-TBx (in case of PI-RADS ≥3) in five institutions. Data of 504 biopsy-naïve and 457 previously biopsied men were used to adjust the ERSPC-RC3 and ERSPC-RC4. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: Logistic regression models were constructed. The areas under the curve (AUCs) of the original ERSPC-RCs and MRI-ERSPC-RCs (including PI-RADS and age) for any- and high-grade PCa were compared. Decision curve analysis was performed to assess the clinical utility of the MRI-ERSPC-RCs. Results and limitations: MRI-ERSPC-RC3 had a significantly higher AUC for high-grade PCa compared with the ERSPC-RC3: 0.84 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.81–0.88) versus 0.76 (95% CI 0.71–0.80, p < 0.01). Similarly, MRI-ERSPC-RC4 had a higher AUC for high-grade PCa compared with the ERSPC-RC4: 0.85 (95% CI 0.81–0.89) versus 0.74 (95% CI 0.69–0.79, p < 0.01). Unlike for the MRI-ERSPC-RC3, decision curve analysis showed clear net benefit of the MRI-ERSPC-RC4 at a high-grade PCa risk threshold of ≥5%. Using a ≥10% high-grade PCa risk threshold to biopsy for the MRI-ERSPC-RC4, 36% biopsies are saved, missing low- and high-grade PCa, respectively, in 15% and 4% of men who are not biopsied. Conclusions: We adjusted the ERSPC-RCs for the prediction of any- and high-grade PCa in 12-core TRUS-Bx ± MRI-TBx. Although the ability of the MRI-ERSPC-RC3 for biopsy-naïve men to avoid biopsies remains questionable, application of the MRI-ERSPC-RC4 in previously biopsied men in our cohort would have avoided 36% of biopsies, missing high-grade PCa in 4% of men who would not have received a biopsy. Patient summary: We have constructed magnetic resonance imaging-based Rotterdam European Randomized study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (MRI-ERSPC) risk calculators for prostate cancer prediction in transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy and MRI-targeted biopsy by incorporating age and Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System score into the original ERSPC risk calculators. The MRI-ERSPC risk calculator for previously biopsied men could be used to avoid one-third of biopsies following MRI. The magnetic resonance imaging-based Rotterdam European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (MRI-ERSPC) risk calculators include age and Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System as parameters, and predict (Gleason ≥3 + 4) prostate cancer in transrectal ultrasound-guided systematic biopsy and MRI-targeted biopsy. The MRI-ERSPC risk calculator could help avoid one-third of biopsies following MRI in previously biopsied men.

Background: To investigate the role of urine spermine and Spermine Risk Score in prediction of high-grade prostate cancer (HGPCa, ISUP grade group ≥2). Methods: Nine hundred and five consecutive men with elevated PSA were prospectively recruited from two hospitals. Core analyses focused on consecutive men with PSA 4–20 ng/mL (n = 600). Pre-biopsy urine without prior prostatic massage was analyzed for spermine level with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS/MS). The proportions of PCa and HGPCa were compared across different spermine ranges. Logistic regressions were used to form different models, and their performances were compared using area under curve (AUC) and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: PCa and HGPCa were diagnosed in 30.8% (185/600) and 17.2% (103/600) men, respectively, and were significantly associated with lower urine spermine levels. Between the lowest and highest quartiles of spermine results, a threefold increase in PCa risk (49.3% vs. 16.7%) and 3.5-fold increase in ISUP grade group ≥2 PCa risk (31.3% vs. 8.7%) were observed. Multivariate analysis showed PSA, prostate volume (PV), digital rectal examination (DRE), and spermine, which were independent predictors for PCa and HGPCa, and a Spermine Risk Score with these factors achieved the highest AUC of 0.78 for PCa and 0.82 for HGPCa. At 90% sensitivity for HGPCa, 36.7% biopsies and 24.4% ISUP grade group 1 diagnoses could have been avoided, with a negative predictive value of 95.4%. DCA revealed net clinical benefit of the Spermine Risk Score. Internal validation with bootstrapping showed good discrimination and calibration. Conclusion: Urine spermine and Spermine Risk Score identified men at higher risk of HGPCa and reduced unnecessary biopsies.

Introduction COVID-19 have delayed treatments for cancer; hence we performed a systematic review on the oncological effects of active surveillance (AS), delayed intervention (DI) and sequencing of cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) and target therapy (TT) on localised and metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). PROSPERO: CRD42020190882 Method Both randomised controlled trials and observational studies related to the study were included in this review after a comprehensive search and screening. Results A total of 2065 potential eligible records were identified. 23 studies were included for quantitative analysis. In meta-analysis, no significant difference was found between the patients who underwent AS/DI and PN/RN for overall survival (OS) (HR 1.36, 95% CI 0.99-1.87, p = 0.06), while cancer-specific survival is significantly worsened (CSS) (HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.23-2.27, p Conclusions Based on low quality evidence, AS and DI is no inferior to immediate surgical intervention in well selected T1a patient’s OS but not CSS. Upfront TT followed by deferred CN improves OS and progression free survival.

The development of castration resistance is an inevitable pathway for the vast majority of patients with advanced prostate cancer. Recently, there have been significant breakthroughs in the understanding and management options of castration-resistant prostate cancer. Three novel hormonal agents showed survival benefits in non-metastatic patients. As for metastatic disease, there was an even wider range of management options being investigated. This review summarized advances in the management of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) including emerging data on novel imaging techniques and treatment strategies.

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the standard treatment for advanced prostate cancer, but its effect on cardiovascular and metabolic function in Asian patients is still inconclusive. We prospectively assess the effects of ADT on 36 patients with advanced prostate cancer, with reference to another 24 prostate cancer patients not requiring ADT, for 2 years. Patients’ anthropometric, metabolic and vascular parameters were assessed every six-monthly. The baseline parameters of the two groups were comparable. There was a significant negative effect of the usage of ADT on the changes in BMI (p = 0.020), waist to hip ratio (p = 0.005), body fat percentage (p = 0.012), and high-density-lipoprotein (p = 0.012). ADT-patients were 4.9 times more likely to have metabolic syndrome at 24 months. (CI 0.889–27.193, p = 0.068). The Framingham risk score (p = 0.018) and pulse-wave-velocity (p = 0.024) for ADT-group were also significantly higher than controls, which signified increase in cardiovascular risk. Although there was no statistically significant difference in ischemic cardiovascular events between two groups, a trend for more events in ADT-group was observed. Therefore, Asian patients have increased cardiovascular and metabolic risks after being treated with ADT for two years. Appropriate counselling and monitoring of associated complications with ADT are essential.

Kidney cancer is a major urological disease globally, with more than 400 000 new cases diagnosed every year.To investigate incidence and mortality trends for kidney cancer and their associations with modifiable risk factors for kidney cancer.The most up-to-date figures on kidney cancer incidence and mortality were collected from the GLOBOCAN database and the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents (CI5). Data on total alcohol consumption and the prevalence of smoking, overweight, diabetes, and hypertension were extracted from the World Health Organization Global Health Observatory data repository.Age-standardized rates (ASRs) for incidence and mortality and their correlations with potential risk factors for kidney cancer were investigated. Multivariable linear regression analysis was also conducted. The 10-yr temporal patterns for incidence are presented as the average annual percent change with 95% confidence interval using joinpoint regression analysis.Globally, there is wide variation in kidney cancer incidence and mortality. There were positive correlations between rates of smoking, alcohol consumption, and overweight and ASRs of kidney cancer incidence and mortality. Multivariable regression analysis revealed that alcohol consumption and overweight were significant risk factors for kidney cancer incidence, while smoking and alcohol consumption were significant risk factors for kidney cancer mortality. There was an increasing trend for the incidence of kidney cancer globally, with a particularly prominent trend for European countries. Of note, increasing incidence of kidney cancer is evident even for younger individuals aged50 yr. However, cancer registries vary by country and period and there is a lack of data regarding the severity of risk factors and disease characteristics such as the distribution of histological groups, tumor grading, and staging.There is an increasing trend for kidney cancer incidence globally, particularly in European countries and the younger population. Modifiable risk factors for kidney cancer incidence and mortality have been identified. The increasing incidence of kidney cancer among younger individuals is worrying and warrants early action on possible preventive measures.The incidence of kidney cancer has been increasing globally, particularly in European countries and the younger population. Risk factors include smoking, alcohol consumption, overweight, and hypertension, and these factors are all modifiable.

It has been hypothesized that endothelial dysfunction and pelvic atherosclerosis may contribute to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). We assessed the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and LUTS severity in male patients presented to urology clinic. It is a cross-sectional study on patients who presented between 2013 and 2015 with LUTS. A total of 1176 male patients were encountered, and 966 were included for analysis after excluding patients with urinary tract malignancy, urethral stricture, bladder stone and history of urinary tract surgery. Cardiovascular risk factors including components of Framingham risk score, body mass index, uroflowmetry, International Prostate Symptoms Score, fasting blood glucose and serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) were assessed. Correlation between Framingham risk score, cardiovascular risk factors and severity of LUTS was investigated. Multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that severe LUTS significantly associated with Framingham score (P = 0.008) and its components of total cholesterol (OR = 1.318; P = 0.010) and age (OR = 1.032; P = 0.006) compare with mild symptoms. Framingham risk score was found to correlate with storage symptoms (CC = 0.083; P

Objective To investigate biopsy complications and hospital admissions that could be reduced by the use of European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) risk calculators. Materials and Methods All biopsies performed in the Rotterdam section of the ERSPC between 1993 and 2015 were included. Biopsy complications and hospital admission data were prospectively recorded in questionnaires that were completed 2 weeks after biopsy. The ERSPC risk calculators 3 (RC3) and 4 (RC4) were applied to men attending the first and subsequent rounds of screening, respectively. Applying the predefined RC3/4 probability thresholds for prostate cancer (PCa) risk of ≥12.5% and high-grade PCa risk ≥3%, we assessed the number of complications, admissions and costs that could be reduced by avoiding biopsies in men below these thresholds. Results A total of 10 747 biopsies with complete questionnaires were included. For these biopsies a complication rate of 67.9% (7294/10 747), a post-biopsy fever rate of 3.9% (424/10747) and a hospital admission rate of 0.9% (92/10747) were recorded. The fever rate was found to be static over the years, but the hospital admission rate tripled from 0.6% (1993–1996) to 2.1% (2009–2015). Among 7704 biopsies which fit the criteria for RC3 or RC4, 35.8% of biopsies (2757/7704), 37.4% of complications (1972/5268), 39.4% of fever events (128/325) and 42.3% of admissions (30/71) could have been avoided by using one of the risk calculators. More complications could have been avoided if RC4 had been used and for more recent biopsies (2009–2015). Our findings show that 35.9% of the total cost of biopsies and complication treatment could have been avoided. Conclusion A significant proportion of biopsy complications, hospital admissions and costs could be reduced if biopsy decisions were based on ERSPC risk calculators instead of PSA only. This effect was most prominent in more recent biopsies and in men with repeated biopsies or screening.

A recent study showed that the Prostate Health Index may avoid unnecessary biopsies in men with prostate specific antigen 4-10ng/ml and normal digital rectal examination in the diagnosis of prostate cancer in Hong Kong. This study aimed to conduct an economic evaluation of the impact of adopting this commercially-available test in the Hong Kong public health service to determine whether further research is justified. A cost-consequence analysis was undertaken comparing the current diagnostic pathway with a proposed diagnostic pathway using the Prostate Health Index. Data for the model was taken from a prospective cohort study recruited at a single-institution and micro-costing studies. Using a cut off PHI score of 35 to avoid biopsy would cost HK$3,000 and save HK$7,988 per patient in biopsy costs and HK$511 from a reduction in biopsy-related adverse events. The net cost impact of the change was estimated to be HK$5,500 under base case assumptions. At the base case sensitivity and specificity for all grades of cancer (61.3% and 77.5% respectively) all grade cancer could be missed in 4.22% of the population and high grade cancer in 0.53%. The introduction of the prostate health index into the diagnostic pathway for prostate cancer in Hong Kong has the potential to reduce biopsies, biopsy costs and biopsy-related adverse events. Policy makers should consider the clinical and economic impact of this proposal.

Objective To investigate the safety and feasibility of robot-assisted single-port radical prostatectomy using the da Vinci single-port surgical system. Methods This was a prospective phase 1 clinical study of prostate cancer patients undergoing robot-assisted single-port radical prostatectomy using the da Vinci single-port surgical system. Primary outcome measures included the conversion rate and 30-day complications after surgery. Secondary outcome measures included operative time, blood loss, hospital stay, duration of catheterization, final pathological outcomes and number of lymph nodes yielded at pelvic lymphadenectomy. Results From February to August 2017, 20 patients were included in the present study. The mean age was 67.7 ± 6.0 years. The mean preoperative prostate-specific antigen level was 15.3 ± 11.3 ng/mL, and the mean prostate size was 36.6 ± 15.5 mL. Preoperatively, 12 (60%) patients had a Gleason score of 6, four (20%) had a Gleason score of 7 and four (20%) had a Gleason score of 8-10. The mean operative time was 208.9 ± 35.2 min, and the mean blood loss was 296.3 ± 220.7 mL. None of the patients required conversion. The mean hospital stay was 5.0 ± 1.7 days. Among the patients, six (15%) had T2a disease, one (5%) had T2b disease, seven (35%) had T2c disease and nine (45%) had T3a disease on final pathology. A mean number of 8.3 ± 7.1 lymph nodes were yielded at pelvic lymphadenectomy. There were no intraoperative complications. The observed postoperative complications were Clavien grade I-II, and all resolved with conservative management. Conclusion Robot-assisted single-port radical prostatectomy using the da Vinci surgical system is safe and technically feasible.

It is largely unknown whether lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) or acute retention of urine (AROU) is linked to shorter life expectancy in men. We conducted a multicenter, retrospective database analysis of patients undergoing transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) to study their relationships. Multivariate Cox regression analysis and Kaplan–Meier analysis with stratification to age and indication of TURP were performed. We further performed an age- and sex-matched survival analysis with the general population using data from the Census and Statistics Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (Hong Kong, China). From January 2002 to December 2012, 3496 patients undergoing TURP were included in our study, with 1764 patients in the LUTS group and 1732 patients in the AROU group. Old age, ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular accident, and AROU were risk factors of mortality. Patients aged 80 years. Compared to the general population, younger patients in the LUTS group appeared to have better survival (80 years, survival was similar with the general population in both the LUTS and AROU groups. In conclusion, AROU at young age was associated with mortality, while early detection and management of LUTS may improve survival.

Asians have a lower incidence of prostate cancer (PC). We compared the performance of the Prostate Health Index (PHI) for 2488 men in different ethnic groups (1688 Asian and 800 European men from 9 sites) with PSA 2-20ng/ml and PHI test and transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy results available. Of these, 1652 men had PSA 2-10ng/ml and a normal digital rectal examination and underwent initial biopsy. The proportions of PC (Gleason ≥6) and higher-grade PC (HGPC, Gleason ≥7) across different PHI ranges were compared. The performance of PSA and PHI was compared using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and decision curve analyses (DCA). Among Asian men, HGPC would be diagnosed in 1.0%, 1.9%, 13%, and 30% of men using PHI thresholds of25, 25-35, 35-55, and55, respectively. At 90% sensitivity for HGPC (PHI30), 56% of biopsies and 33% of Gleason 6 PC diagnoses could have been avoided. Among European men, HGPC would be diagnosed in 4.1%, 4.3%, 30%, and 34% of men using PHI thresholds of25, 25-35, 35-55, and55, respectively. At 90% sensitivity for HGPC (PHI40), 40% of biopsies and 31% of Gleason 6 PC diagnoses could have been avoided. AUC and DCA confirmed the benefit of PHI over PSA. The benefit of PHI was also seen at repeat biopsy (n=397) and for PSA 10-20ng/ml (n=439). PHI is effective in cancer risk stratification for both European and Asian men. However, population-specific PHI reference ranges should be used. PATIENT SUMMARY: The Prostate Health Index (PHI) blood test helps to identify individuals at higher risk of prostate cancer among Asian and European men, and could significantly reduce unnecessary biopsies and overdiagnosis of prostate cancer. Different PHI reference ranges should be used for different ethnic groups.

While varicocele is considered to be a predominantly left-sided disease in 90% cases, the existence and implication of a contralateral varicocele over the right side, whether low grade or subclinical, are being largely overlooked. The concept of unilateral left varicocele exerting influence only on the ipsilateral testis could not sufficiently explain the overall decline in fertility as observed in infertile patients with varicocele. The lack of efficacy after varicocele repair in a significant number of patients represents another pitfall in the current practice. The deleterious effect of a left varicocele over the right testis has been shown in the absence of a varicocele over the right side. In addition, the high prevalence of a concomitant low-grade or subclinical right varicoceles in the presence of a clinical left varicocele represents another piece of evidence supporting the notion that varicocele may be a bilateral disease. Moreover, bilateral varicocelectomy resulted in better improvement in semen parameters in patients with clinical varicocele on one side with a contralateral low-grade or subclinical varicocele compared to unilateral varicocele repair. Although the conceptualization of varicocele as a bilateral disease seems reasonable, large-scale well-designed studies are eagerly required to further validate this hypothesis.

MRI prostate has emerged as the most accurate imaging available for detection of significant prostate cancer. Standardized reporting using the The Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) system for MRI prostate is important for clinical management and for professional communication. Besides diagnosis of prostate cancer, MRI prostate also enabled targeted prostate biopsy, and MRI-Ultrasound fusion biopsy has been increasingly utilized for targeting of suspicious MRI lesions during real-time ultrasound scanning of prostate. The elements of a successful MRI-Ultrasound fusion biopsy program include high quality MRI imaging and reporting, and the proper usage of fusion biopsy machines in achieving an accurate targeted biopsy.

Spermine, a member of polyamines, exists in all organisms and is essential for normal cell growth and function. It is highly expressed in the prostate compared with other organs and is detectable in urine, tissue, expressed prostatic secretions, and erythrocyte. A significant reduction of spermine level was observed in prostate cancer (PCa) tissue compared with benign prostate tissue, and the level of urinary spermine was also significantly lower in men with PCa. Decreased spermine level may be used as an indicator of malignant phenotype transformation from normal to malignant tissue in prostate. Studies targeting polyamines and key rate-limiting enzymes associated with spermine metabolism as a tool for PCa therapy and chemoprevention have been conducted with various polyamine biosynthesis inhibitors and polyamine analogues. The mechanism between spermine and PCa development are possibly related to the regulation of polyamine metabolism, cancer-driving pathways, oxidative stress, anticancer immunosurveillance, and apoptosis regulation. Although the specific mechanism of spermine in PCa development is still unclear, ongoing research in spermine metabolism and its association with PCa pathophysiology opens up new opportunities in the diagnostic and therapeutic roles of spermine in PCa management.

Urinary bladder cancer is a common urological cancer. Although flexible cystoscopy is widely employed in bladder cancer detection, it is expensive, invasive, and uncomfortable to the patients. Recently, urinary cell-free DNA (ucfDNA) isolated from urine supernatant has been shown to have great potential in bladder cancer detection and surveillance. Molecular features, such as integrity and concentration of ucfDNA, have been shown to be useful for differentiating bladder cancer patients from healthy controls. Besides, bladder cancer also exhibits unique genetic features that can be identified from sequencing and expression of ucfDNA. Apart from bladder cancer detection, ucfDNA is also useful for molecular classification. For example, ucfDNA exhibits significant differences, both molecularly and genetically, in non-muscle-invasive and muscle-invasive bladder cancers. There is no doubt that ucfDNA is a very promising tool for future applications in the field of bladder cancer.

Robotic-assisted radical cystectomy with intracorporeal urinary diversion (iRARC) has been proposed as the most minimally invasive surgical approach in performing radical cystectomy for patients with bladder cancer. However, iRARC is a highly technical and complex procedure with a steep learning curve. Without appropriate training and adequate experiences, iRARC may become a lengthy procedure and may lead to significant morbidities with a prolonged hospital stay. Essentially, the robotic approach in performing RARC is to replicate what is being done in the open approach, and the key steps in performing iRARC were described in this article. There were five randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing between RARC and open radical cystectomy (ORC). RARC has been shown to have a lower blood transfusion rate and short hospital stay than ORC. When compared to ORC, RARC had a similar positive surgical margin rate and time of recurrence. Given such potential benefits, a decision-analytic model has shown that RARC might be a more cost-effective treatment approach than ORC. On the other hand, previous RCTs focused mainly on RARC with extracorporeal urinary diversion; high-quality studies on the total intracorporeal approach are lacking. The iROC trial is a multicenter study comparing between iRARC and ORC. Preliminary results showed that iRARC is well tolerated by patients. The iROC trial has completed patient recruitment and the final results are eagerly awaited. By then, hopefully, we will be able to understand the true value of iRARC in managing patients with bladder cancer.

To adapt the well-performing European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC) risk calculator to the Chinese setting and perform an external validation. The original ERSPC risk calculator 3 (RC3) for prostate cancer (PCa) and high-grade PCa (HGPCa) was applied to a development cohort of 3006 previously unscreened Hong Kong Chinese men with initial transrectal biopsies performed from 1997 to 2015, age 50–80 years, PSA 0.4–50 ng ml−1 and prostate volume 10–150 ml. A simple adaptation to RC3 was performed and externally validated in a cohort of 2214 Chinese men from another Hong Kong hospital. The performance of the models were presented in calibration plots, area under curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) and decision curve analyses. PCa and HGPCa was diagnosed in 16.7% (503/3006) and 7.8% (234/3006) men in the development cohort, and 20.2% (447/2204) and 9.7% (214/2204) men in the validation cohort, respectively. The AUCs using the original RC3 model in the development cohort were 0.75 and 0.84 for PCa and HGPCa, respectively, but the calibration plots showed considerable overestimation. In the external validation of the recalibrated RC3 model, excellent calibration was observed, and discrimination was good with AUCs of 0.76 and 0.85 for PCa and HGPCa, respectively. Decision curve analyses in the validation cohort showed net clinical benefit of the recalibrated RC3 model over PSA. A recalibrated ERSPC risk calculator for the Chinese population was developed, and it showed excellent discrimination, calibration and net clinical benefit in an external validation cohort.

Purpose: We investigated the extended use of Prostate Health Index (PHI) and percentage of [-2]pro-prostate-specific antigen (%p2PSA) in Chinese men with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) 10–20 ng/mL and normal digital rectal examination (DRE). Materials and Methods: All consecutive Chinese men with PSA 10–20 ng/mL and normal DRE who agreed for transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided 10-core prostate biopsy were recruited. Blood samples were taken immediately before TRUS-guided prostate biopsy. The performances of total PSA (tPSA), %free-to-total PSA (%fPSA), %p2PSA, and PHI were compared using logistic regression, receiver operating characteristic, and decision curve analyses (DCA). Results: From 2008 to 2015, 312 consecutive Chinese men were included. Among them, 53 out of 312 (17.0%) men were diagnosed to have prostate cancer on biopsy. The proportions of men with positive biopsies were 6.7% in PHI55 (chi-square test, p55 (chi-square test, p

Aim The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of an autologous fibrin sealant (Vivostat) on the prevention of lymphatic leakage after radical cystectomy. Patients and Methods Patients who underwent laparoscopic radical cystectomy (LRC) or robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) for the treatment of bladder cancer were enrolled. Autologous fibrin sealant was applied after the completion of bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection. The data were compared with those from matched RARC patients in a historical cohort. Results Ten consecutive RARC or LRC were performed using an autologous fibrin sealant. A statistically nonsignificant reduction in drain output (1165.5 mL, range = 225–3150 mL) was observed compared with 10 matched historical RARC patients who did not receive the autologous fibrin sealant (1927.2 mL, range = 240–4010 mL). No difference in the number of days of in-situ drainage or the length of hospital stay was found. Two patients in the control group developed asymptomatic lymphocele. One patient in the group treated with the autologous fibrin sealant developed deep vein thrombosis after RARC. Conclusion The use of an autologous fibrin sealant did not reduce lymphatic leakage after radical cystectomy.

To investigate PSA- and PHI (prostate health index)-based models for prediction of prostate cancer (PCa) and the feasibility of using DRE-estimated prostate volume (DRE-PV) in the models. This study included 569 Chinese men with PSA 4–10 ng/mL and non-suspicious DRE with transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) 10-core prostate biopsies performed between April 2008 and July 2015. DRE-PV was estimated using 3 pre-defined classes: 25, 40, or 60 ml. The performance of PSA-based and PHI-based predictive models including age, DRE-PV, and TRUS prostate volume (TRUS-PV) was analyzed using logistic regression and area under the receiver operating curves (AUC), in both the whole cohort and the screening age group of 55–75. PCa and high-grade PCa (HGPCa) was diagnosed in 10.9 % (62/569) and 2.8 % (16/569) men, respectively. The performance of DRE-PV-based models was similar to TRUS-PV-based models. In the age group 55–75, the AUCs for PCa of PSA alone, PSA with DRE-PV and age, PHI alone, PHI with DRE-PV and age, and PHI with TRUS-PV and age were 0.54, 0.71, 0.76, 0.78, and 0.78, respectively. The corresponding AUCs for HGPCa were higher (0.60, 0.70, 0.85, 0.83, and 0.83). At 10 and 20 % risk threshold for PCa, 38.4 and 55.4 % biopsies could be avoided in the PHI-based model, respectively. PHI had better performance over PSA-based models and could reduce unnecessary biopsies. A DRE-assessed PV can replace TRUS-assessed PV in multivariate prediction models to facilitate clinical use.

Objectives The aim of the present study was to establish the safety and efficacy profile of transurethral resection in saline (TURis) bipolar vaporization of the prostate relative to monopolar transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) and to test the hospital stay efficiency after TURis vaporization. Materials and Methods in this multicenter, double-blinded, prospective, randomized controlled trial, men aged 50–75 years old were randomized into two arms: TURis bipolar vaporization and monopolar TURP. Intraoperative details, perioperative parameters, and postoperative functional outcomes were assessed after intervention. Follow-up with symptom score assessment, prostate volume measurement, and uroflowmetry were performed at 3 and 6 months. Results Eighty-four patients (mean age, 65.0 ± 5.6 years) were randomized into each study arm. TURis bipolar vaporization had a longer operative time than monopolar TURP (51.6 ± 24.5 vs 38.5 ± 20.3 min, P

Screening for cancer aims to find cancers as early as possible when the chance of cure is highest and as such involves healthy people who don’t have any symptoms at that point in time. Overdiagnosis is the diagnosis of a latent disease that would not have been diagnosed during a person’s lifetime (and would not have affected the person at all) without screening. Whether the diagnosis of a cancer in a particular patient can be considered as overdiagnosis is an interaction of how latent the disease is and how long the patient will live. A relatively rapid-growing cancer might not necessarily harm the patient or be the cause of death if the patient had a short remaining lifetime. On the other hand, a slow-growing cancer might harm the patient if he or she lives long enough. Prostate cancer is particularly amenable to overdiagnosis as there is a considerable reservoir of so-called latent disease which can be detected by a relatively simple procedure, the systematic prostate biopsy. Although obvious as it may seem, prostate cancer screening is frequently mixed up with PSA-based screening. While systematic large-scale screening for prostate cancer by a PSA-only approach may not be appropriate, it does not mean that there should be no prostate cancer screening at all. The issue is not that black and white. Better tools for detection of (potentially aggressive) prostate cancer have emerged since the PSA era, which include multivariate approaches, i.e., combining relevant information from multiple sources like clinical data, blood, urine markers, genetic tools, and novel imaging techniques. Such an approach may help to reduce unnecessary testing (e.g., biopsy) and overdiagnosis of nonlethal cancers while, and this is crucial, not missing the diagnosis of a potentially lethal prostate cancer.

Background The associations of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with its adverse events in the Asian population remained largely unknown. We investigated the risk of new-onset diabetes mellitus (DM) after ADT for prostate cancer in the Asian population. Methods All prostate cancer patients who were treated primarily with radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy, with or without further ADT from 2000 to 2009 were reviewed. Clinical parameters including age, clinical T stage, Gleason score, hypertension, dyslipidemia, impaired fasting glucose, ischemic heart disease, history of stroke, new-onset DM, follow-up duration, form and duration of ADT were reviewed. The risk of DM after ADT was analyzed with Kaplan–Meier method and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Results A total of 388 patients were included, consisting of 169 patients in the non-ADT group and 219 patients in the ADT group. Upon Kaplan–Meier analysis, the ADT group had a higher risk of new-onset DM (P = 0.011). Upon multivariate Cox regression analysis, dyslipidemia (HR 2.32, 95% CI 1.07–5.00, P = 0.032), impaired fasting glucose (HR 5.92, 95% CI 1. 2.27–15.45, P

Aim To evaluate the progression-free survival (PFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) of Chinese metastatic prostate cancer patients following primary androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in relation to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) nadir level. Methods All Chinese prostate cancer patients with bone metastases who were treated with primary ADT from 2000 to 2009 were included. Patients' and disease characteristics were recorded. Patients were categorized into two PSA nadir groups (≤1.0 and >1.0 ng/mL). Associations of PSA nadir with PFS, CSS and OS were analyzed with Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analyses. The survival outcomes of the two PSA nadir groups were presented. Results Four hundred nineteen patients were included in the study. PSA nadir appeared to be a good predictor for PFS (hazard ratio [HR] 1.86, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.35–2.56, P 1.0 ng/mL, the median PFS were 15 and 10 months, and the 1-year PFS rates were 64% and 40%, respectively; the median CSS were 42 and 27 months, and the 5-year OS rates were 53% and 28%, respectively; and the median OS were 41 and 24 months, and the 5-year OS rates were 45% and 19%, respectively. Conclusions Higher PSA nadir was associated with shorter PFS, CSS and OS in Chinese metastatic prostate cancer patients following primary ADT. The survival outcomes may serve as references in deciding the best treatment strategy in Chinese prostate cancer patients.

To compare the performance of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) density in the diagnosis of prostate cancer in obese and non-obese Chinese men.The results of transrectal ultrasound-guided (TRUS) prostate biopsies of Chinese men with PSA20 ng/mL were reviewed. Parameters including age, body mass index (BMI), TRUS prostate volume, and TRUS biopsy results were recorded. The diagnostic yields of PSA density (0.15 ng/mL as positive) in obese and non-obese men with PSA20 ng/mL were compared. Obesity was defined as BMI ≥ 27 kg/m(2) according to WHO recommendation for Hong Kong Chinese.TRUS biopsy, BMI, and PSA density data were available for 854 men (mean age 65.9 ± 7.3). The mean PSA values for the obese and non-obese patients were 7.9 ± 3.7 and 8.2 ± 4.1 ng/mL, respectively (p = 0.416). TRUS volumes in obese and non-obese men were 63.2 ml and 51.6 ml, respectively (t test, p0.001), and PSA density was significantly lower in obese men (0.145 vs. 0.188, p0.001). For obese men, positive PSA density was associated with four times (41.1 vs. 9.5 %, p0.001) the risk of prostate cancer, compared to only twice the risk (18.8 vs. 9.7 %, p = 0.001) in non-obese men. The specificity and area under the curve of PSA density were 74.2 % and 0.731, respectively, for obese men, and 51.4 % and 0.653, respectively, for non-obese men. Among patients with a diagnosis of prostate cancer, the obese patient group had a significantly higher proportion of patients with Gleason 7-10 prostate cancer than the non-obese patient group (48.9 vs. 32.7 %, Chi-square test, p = 0.035), and a trend toward a higher proportion of bilateral lobe involvement.PSA density had better performance in obese men. Positive PSA density in obese men was associated with four times the risk of prostate cancer.

Objective To investigate the risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) after androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer in a Chinese population. Patients and methods All Chinese patients with prostate cancer who were treated primarily with radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy, with or without further ADT at our hospital from the year 2000 to 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. We compared the risk of AMI in the patients who were given further ADT (ADT group) with those who were not given any ADT (non-ADT group). Potential risk factors of AMI including age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, history of stroke, ischaemic heart disease, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG PS) and duration of ADT were reviewed. The risk of AMI after ADT was first analysed using the Kaplan–Meier method, followed by Cox regression analyses including the potential risk factors mentioned. Results In all, 452 patients were included, with 200 patients in the non-ADT group and 252 patients in the ADT group. The mean (sd) age was 68.2 (5.9) years in the non-ADT group and 69.5 (6.5) years in the ADT group, and the difference was statistically significant (P = 0.031). There were no significant differences in their pre-existing medical conditions or ECOG PS. The ADT group was associated with an increased risk of AMI when compared with the non-ADT group (P = 0.004) upon Kaplan-Meier analysis. Upon multivariate Cox regression analysis, hyperlipidaemia, poor ECOG PS and the use of ADT were the only three significant factors that were associated with increased risk of developing new AMI. Conclusions There was increased risk of AMI after ADT for prostate cancer in a Chinese population. Hyperlipidaemia and poor ECOG PS were also significant risk factors for developing AMI. The risk of AMI should be considered when deciding on ADT, especially in patients with history of hyperlipidaemia and relatively poor ECOG PS.

To investigate the efficacy of selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) on urinary symptoms and bladder function in cerebral palsy children. Selective dorsal rhizotomy was performed in 56 children with spastic cerebral palsy. Intraspinal nerve root divisions over the cauda equina from L1/2 to S1/2 levels were performed. Urinary symptoms and urodynamic study (UDS) parameters before and after SDR were analyzed. Fifty-four out of 56 children (mean age 7.7) with SDR performed had complete urinary symptoms for analysis, of which 90 % had diplegic cerebral palsy. Fifty-one children had preoperative UDS performed, and 20 children had both preoperative and postoperative UDS. All UDS were performed within 4 weeks before SDR, and the mean time from SDR to post-op UDS was 8.4 months. Before operation, 22 out of 54 (40.7 %) children had urgency or frequency, and 16 out of 54 (29.6 %) children had incontinence. Twelve out of 22 (54.5 %) children with urgency or frequency became completely asymptomatic after SDR (p = 0.013), while 9 out of the 10 children with residual urgency or frequency had significant improvement. Twelve out of 16 (75.0 %) incontinent children became continent after SDR (p = 0.013). Bladder capacity at first incontinence significantly increased from 70 to 130 ml (p = 0.016). Other parameters had no significant difference after SDR. There was a trend that S2 rootlet division had major contribution in achieving continence. Selective dorsal rhizotomy significantly improved urgency, frequency, incontinence, and urodynamic bladder capacity at first incontinence in a significant proportion of spastic cerebral palsy children.

Introduction: We evaluated the factors associated with secondary hemorrhage after bipolar transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) and vaporization of prostate. Materials and Methods: The perioperative data of patients undergoing endoscopic surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were prospectively collected. Procedures involved included bipolar TURP, bipolar vaporization of prostate, and hybrid bipolar TURP/vaporization of prostate. Secondary hemorrhage was defined as bleeding between 48 h and 30 days postsurgery requiring hospital attendance with or without admission. Risk factors for secondary hemorrhage were analyzed. Results: From 2010 to 2013, 316 patients underwent bipolar surgery for BPH. Bipolar TURP accounted for 48.1% of the procedures, bipolar vaporization accounted for 20.3% of the procedures, and the rest were hybrid TURP/vaporization of prostate. Among this cohort of patients, fifty patients had secondary hemorrhage with hospital attendance. Consumption of platelet aggregation inhibitors (PAIs) was found to be associated with secondary hemorrhage (P < 0.0005). Age, prostate volume, operation type, the use of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors, and being with a urethral catheter before operation were not found to be statistically significant risk factors for secondary hemorrhage. Conclusions: Secondary hemorrhage after bipolar surgery for BPH is a common event. Consumption of PAI is a risk factor for such complication.