Search

Background: The relationship between venous thromboembolism (VTE) and solid malignancy has been established over the decades. With rising projected rates of bladder cancer (BCa) worldwide as well as increasing number of patients experiencing BCa and VTE, our aim is to assess the impact of a preoperative VTE diagnosis on perioperative outcomes and health-care costs in BCa cases undergoing radical cystectomy (RC)., Methods: Patients ≥18 years of age with BCa diagnosis and undergoing open or minimally invasive (MIS) RC were identified in the Merative™ Marketscan ® Research Databases between 2007 and 2021. The association of previous VTE history with 90-day complication rates, postoperative VTE events, rehospitalization, and total hospital costs (2021 USA dollars) was determined by multivariable logistic regression modeling adjusted for patient and perioperative confounders. Sensitivity analysis on VTE degree of severity (i.e., pulmonary embolism [PE] and/or peripheral deep venous thrombosis [DVT]) was also examined., Results: Out of 8759 RC procedures, 743 (8.48%) had a previous positive history for any VTE including 245 (32.97%) PE, 339 (45.63%) DVT and 159 (21.40%) superficial VTE. Overall, history of VTE before RC was strongly associated with almost any worse postoperative outcomes including higher risk for any and apparatus-specific 90-days postoperative complications (odds ratio [OR]: 1.21, 95% CI, 1.02-1.44). Subsequent incidence of new VTE events (OR: 7.02, 95% CI: 5.93-8.31), rehospitalization (OR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.06-1.48), other than home/self-care discharge status (OR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.28-1.82), and higher health-care costs related to the RC procedure (OR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.22-1.68) were significantly associated with a history of VTE., Conclusions: Preoperative VTE in patients undergoing RC significantly increases morbidity, post-procedure VTE events, hospital length of stay, rehospitalizations, and increased hospital costs. These findings may help during the BCa counseling on risks of surgery and hopefully improve our ability to mitigate such risks.

Background and Objective: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant predictor of worse postoperative morbidity in cancer surgeries. No data have been available for patients with preoperative VTE and upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) undergoing radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). Our aim was to assess the impact of a preoperative VTE diagnosis on perioperative outcomes in the RNU context., Methods: Patients aged 18 yr or older with a UTUC diagnosis undergoing RNU were identified in the Merative Marketscan Research deidentified databases between 2007 and 2021. Multivariable logistic regression adjusted by relevant perioperative confounders was used to investigate the association between a diagnosis of VTE prior to RNU and 90-d complication rates, postoperative VTE, rehospitalization, and total costs. A sensitivity analysis on VTE severity (pulmonary embolism [PE] and/or deep venous thrombosis [DVT]) was examined., Key Findings and Limitations: Within the investigated cohort of 6922 patients, history of any VTE preceding RNU was reported in 568 (8.21%) cases, including DVT (n = 290, 51.06%), PE (n = 169, 29.75%), and superficial VTE (n = 109, 19.19%). The history of VTE before RNU was predictive of higher rates of complications, the most prevalent being respiratory complications (odds ratio [OR]: 1.78, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.43-2.22). Preoperative VTE was found to be associated with an increased risk of VTE following RNU (OR: 14.3, 95% CI: 11.48-17.82), higher rehospitalization rates (OR: 1.26, 95% CI 1.01-1.56) other than home discharge status (OR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.18-1.77), and higher costs (OR 1.42, 95% CI: 1.20-1.68). Limitations include the retrospective nature and the use of an insurance database that relies on accurate coding and does not include information such as pathologic staging., Conclusions and Clinical Implications: The presented findings will contribute to the counseling process for patients. These patients may benefit from enhanced pre/postoperative anticoagulation. More research is needed before the following results can be used in the clinical setting., Patient Summary: Patients aged 18 yr or older with an upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) diagnosis undergoing radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) were identified in the Merative Marketscan Research deidentified databases between 2007 and 2021. Multivariable logistic regression adjusted by relevant perioperative confounders was used to investigate the association between a diagnosis of venous thromboembolism (VTE) prior to RNU and 90-d complication rates, postoperative VTE, rehospitalization, and total costs. A sensitivity analysis on VTE severity (pulmonary embolism and/or deep venous thrombosis) was examined. The presented findings will contribute to the counseling of patients with UTUC and preoperative VTE., (Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Purpose: To identify trends, costs, and predictors in the use of different surgical procedures for post-radical prostatectomy incontinence (PPI)., Materials and Methods: We identified 21,589 men who were diagnosed with localized prostate cancer (PCa) and treated with radical prostatectomy (RP) from 2003 to 2017. The primary outcome was the incontinence procedure performances. Optum's de-identified Clinformatics ® Data Mart Database was queried to define the cohort of interest. The average costs of the different incontinence procedures were obtained and compared. Also, demographic, and clinical predictors of incontinence surgery were evaluated by multivariable regression analysis., Results: Of the 21,589 men with localized PCa treated with RP, 740 (3.43%) underwent at least one incontinence procedure during a median of 5 years of follow-up. In total, there were 844 unique incontinence procedures. Male slings were the most common procedure (47.5%), had an intermediate cost compared to the other treatment options, and was the first-choice treatment for the majority of patients (50%). The use of an artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) was the second most common (35.3%), but also was the most expensive treatment and was first-choice-treatment for 32.3% of patients. On multivariable analysis, metabolic syndrome related disorders, adjuvant/salvage radiation therapy as well as a history of neurological comorbidities were independently associated with an increased likelihood of incontinence surgery., Conclusions: The receipt of male slings increased and then subsequently decreased, while AUS utilization was stable, and the use of urethral bulking agents was uncommon. From a cost standpoint, AUS was the most expensive option. Finally, patient's comorbidity history and RP related factors were found to influence the choice for primary or subsequent PPI interventions., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Purpose: Inflammatory reaction has been linked to bladder cancer. Diet, which drives systemic inflammation, may be considered a modifiable risk factor for bladder cancer. We examined the association of diet with pro-inflammatory potential and bladder cancer risk using the novel EDIP (empirical dietary inflammatory pattern) score comprising predefined food groups determining a pattern most predictive of plasma inflammatory markers., Materials and Methods: We followed a total of 172,802 women in the NHS (Nurses' Health Study) from 1984 to 2012 and the NHS II from 1991 to 2013 as well as 45,272 men in the HPFS (Health Professionals Follow-Up Study) from 1986 to 2012. Multivariable adjusted Cox regression models were used to estimate the RR and 95% CI of bladder cancer across EDIP score quintiles. We performed inverse variance weighted meta-analysis to pool estimates across cohorts stratified by smoking status., Results: During 4,872,188 person-years of observation 1,042 incident bladder cancer cases were identified. Overall, high EDIP scores reflecting dietary patterns with pro-inflammatory potential were not associated with a higher risk of bladder cancer (quintile 5 vs 1 pooled multivariable adjusted RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.75-1.12, p trend = 0.67). Results were consistent across individual cohorts (quintile 5 vs 1 in the NHS RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.78-1.37, p trend = 0.71; in the NHS II RR 1.44, 95% CI 0.53-3.91, p trend = 0.13; and in the HPFS RR 0.74, 95% CI 0.55-1.01, p trend = 0.11). Results were similar regardless of smoking status., Conclusions: We observed no association between diets with pro-inflammatory potential and bladder cancer risk. Although additional studies are needed to explore other nutritional pathways with the potential for bladder cancer prevention, our results suggest that diets associated with inflammation are not associated with bladder cancer risk.

Background: The rate of noninterventional treatment (NIT) in prostate cancer (PCa) active surveillance (AS) candidates is on the rise. However, contemporary data are unavailable. We described community-based NIT rates within 16 Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) registries between 2010 and 2014., Patients and Methods: We identified 23,360 PCa patients who fulfilled the University of California San Francisco AS criteria (prostate-specific antigen [PSA] < 10 ng/mL, clinical T stage ≤ T2a, Gleason score ≤ 6, and positive cores < 33%). Annual NIT rates as well as patient distribution according to PSA, age, number of positive cores, and clinical T stage were studied. Multivariable logistic regression analysis tested NIT predictors., Results: Between 2010 and 2014, the NIT rate increased from 30.2% to 57.5% (P = .004). Within 16 SEER registries, NIT rates ranged from 25.9% to 62%. NIT rate increased uniformly within all examined registries. Of patient and tumor characteristics (PSA > 4 ng/mL, cT2a and > 1 positive core) only the proportion of NIT patients aged < 65 years increased over time from 47.3% to 53.2% (P = .03). By multivariable logistic regression analysis predicting NIT rate, older age (odd ratio [OR] = 1.05), more contemporary year of diagnosis (OR = 1.41), and being unmarried (OR = 1.45) and uninsured (OR = 2.41) were independent predictors., Conclusion: The NIT rate has markedly increased across all examined SEER registries. Nonetheless, important differences distinguish those who received high-end NIT from low-end NIT. PCa characteristics of NIT patients remained unchanged over time. However, in addition to geographical differences in NIT rates, patient characteristics such as age, marital status, and insurance status represent potential NIT access barriers., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Long-term survival can be achieved in patients affected by localized prostate cancer (PCa) treated with either radical prostatectomy (RP) or external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). However, development of a second primary tumor is still poorly investigated., Objective: To investigate the impact of RP and EBRT on subsequent risk of developing bladder (BCa) and/or rectal cancer (RCa) among PCa survivors., Design, Setting, and Participants: A total of 84397 patients diagnosed with localized PCa, treated with RP or EBRT between 1988 and 2009, and older than 65 yr of age were identified in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Medicare insurance program-linked database. Our primary objective was to investigate the effect of EBRT and RP on the second primary BCa and RCa incidence., Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: Multivariable competing-risk regression analyses were performed to assess the risk of developing a second primary BCa or RCa., Results and Limitations: Of the 84397 individuals included in the study, 33252 (39%) were treated with RP and 51145 (61%) with EBRT. Median follow-up was 69 months, and follow-up periods for patients who did not develop BCa, RCa, or pelvic cancer were 68, 69, and 68 mo, respectively. A total of 1660 individuals developed pelvic tumors (1236 BCa and 432 RCa). The 5- and 10-yr cumulative BCa incidence rates were 0.75% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.64-0.85%) and 1.63% (95% CI: 1.45-1.80%) versus 1.26% (95% CI: 1.15-1.37%) and 2.34% (95% CI: 2.16-2.53%) for patients treated with RP versus EBRT, respectively. The 5- and 10-yr cumulative RCa incidence rates were 0.32% (95% CI: 0.25-0.39%) and 0.73% (95% CI: 0.61-0.85%) versus 0.36% (95% CI: 0.30-0.41%) and 0.69% (95% CI: 0.60-0.79%) for patients treated with RP versus EBRT, respectively. On multivariable competing risk regression analyses, treatment with EBRT was independently associated with the risk of developing a second primary BCa (hazard ratio: 1.35, CI: 1.18-1.55; p<0.001), but not RCa (p=0.4). Limitations include lack of information regarding the dose of radiotherapy and the retrospective nature with the implicit risk of selection bias., Conclusions: Patients treated with EBRT are at increased risk of developing a second primary BCa compared with those treated with RP. However, no differences were found considering RCa incidence in patients treated with RP or EBRT within the first 5 yr after primary therapy. These results need to be validated in a well-designed randomized prospective trial., Patient Summary: We retrospectively analyzed the risk of developing a second primary bladder or rectal cancer during follow-up for patients treated with radical prostatectomy or external beam radiotherapy for a localized prostate cancer. We found that those treated with external beam radiotherapy are at an increased risk of developing a second primary bladder cancer tumor., (Copyright © 2018 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To examine the rates of adherence to guidelines for pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) in patients treated with radical cystectomy (RC) and to identify predictors of omitting PLND., Materials and Methods: We relied on 66,208 patients treated with RC between 2004 and 2013 within the National Inpatients Sample (NIS) database. We examined the rates of PLND according to year of surgery, patient and hospital characteristics. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses assessed the probability of PLND use, after adjusting for year of surgery, age, gender, race, comorbidities, hospital location, teaching status and hospital surgical volume., Results: Overall, PLND was performed on 54,223 (81.9%) RC patients. The rates PLND at RC significantly increased over the study period from 72.3% in 2004 to 85.9% in 2013, (p < 0.001). Barriers to PLND at RC consisted of female gender (OR: 1.31; 95% CI 1.25-1.38; p < 0.001), African American race (OR: 1.21; 95% CI 1.10-1.32; p < 0.001), intermediate (OR: 1.78; 95% CI 1.68-1.88; p < 0.001) or low surgical volume institutions (OR: 2.59; 95% CI 2.44-2.74; p < 0.001), non-teaching institution status (OR: 1.21; 95% CI 1.15-1.27; p < 0.001) and rural hospital location (OR: 1.13; 95% CI 1.01-1.25; p = 0.03)., Conclusions: It is encouraging to note increasing rates of PLND at RC over time. Both patients and hospital characteristics influence PLND rates. More efforts should be aimed at reducing inequalities in PLND at RC due to these highly modifiable variables.

Background: Active surveillance (AS) is increasingly recognized as a recommended treatment option for prostate cancer (PCa) patients with clinically localized, low-risk disease; however, previous studies suggested that its utilization is uncommon in the United States., Objective: We evaluated the nationwide utilization rate of AS in the contemporary era., Design, Setting, and Participants: We relied on the 2010-2011 Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database using all 18 SEER-based registries. We identified 9049 patients that fulfilled the University of California, San Francisco AS criteria (prostate-specific antigen level <10ng/ml, clinical T stage ≤2a, Gleason score ≤6 [no pattern 4 or 5], and percentage of positive biopsy cores <33%)., Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: Logistic regression analysis tested the relationship between receiving local treatment and all available predictors., Results and Limitations: Only 32% of AS candidates did not receive any active local treatment. This proportion varied widely among the SEER-based registries, ranging from 13% to 49% (p<0.001). In multivariable analyses, clinical stage T2a (odds ratio [OR]: 1.23; p=0.04) and percentage of positive cores (OR: 1.10 for each 2% increase; p<0.001) were associated with a higher probability of receiving local treatment. Conversely, older age (OR: 0.89 for each 2-yr increase; p<0.001), not being married (OR: 0.64; p<0.001), and uninsured status (OR: 0.55; p=0.008) were associated with a lower probability of receiving active local treatment. The study is limited by the fact that SEER does not distinguish among patients undergoing observation, AS, watchful waiting, or initial hormonal therapy., Conclusions: In the United States, a considerable proportion of patients suitable for AS receive local treatment for PCa. Proportions differ significantly among SEER registries., Patient Summary: Having more extensive and palpable disease, having medical insurance, being married, and being younger are associated with an increased probability of receiving local treatment for low-risk prostate cancer., (Copyright © 2016 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)