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Local health leaders and the Director General of the World Health Organization alike have observed that COVID-19 "does not discriminate." Nevertheless, the disproportionate representation of people of low socioeconomic status among those infected resembles discrimination. This population-based retrospective cohort study examined COVID-19 case counts and publicly funded healthcare costs in Ontario, Canada, with a focus on marginalization.Individuals with their first positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 test from January 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020, were linked to administrative databases and matched to negative/untested controls. Mean net (COVID-19-attributable) costs were estimated for 30 days before and after diagnosis, and differences among strata of age, sex, comorbidity, and measures of marginalization were assessed using analysis of variance tests.We included 28 893 COVID-19 cases (mean age 54 years, 56% female). Most cases remained in the community (20 545, 71.1%) or in long-term care facilities (4478, 15.5%), whereas 944 (3.3%) and 2926 (10.1%) were hospitalized, with and without intensive care unit, respectively. Case counts were skewed across marginalization strata with 2 to 7 times more cases in neighborhoods with low income, high material deprivation, and highest ethnic concentration. Mean net costs after diagnosis were higher for males ($4752 vs $2520 for females) and for cases with higher comorbidity ($1394-$7751) (both P.001) but were similar across levels of most marginalization dimensions (range $3232-$3737, all P ≥ .19).This study suggests that allocating resources unequally to marginalized individuals may improve equality in outcomes. It highlights the importance of reducing risk of COVID-19 infection among marginalized individuals to reduce overall costs and increase system capacity.

COVID-19 imposed substantial health and economic burdens. Comprehensive population-based estimates of health care costs for COVID-19 are essential for planning and policy evaluation. We estimated publicly funded health care costs in 2 Canadian provinces during the pandemic's first wave.In this historical cohort study, we linked patients with their first positive SARS-CoV-2 test result by June 30, 2020, in 2 Canadian provinces (British Columbia and Ontario) to health care administrative databases and matched to negative or untested controls. We stratified patients by highest level of initial care: community, long-term care, hospital (without admission to the intensive care unit [ICU]) and ICU. Mean publicly funded health care costs for patients and controls, mean net (attributable to COVID-19) costs and total costs were estimated from 30 days before to 120 days after the index date, or to July 31, 2020, in 30-day periods for patients still being followed by the start of each period.We identified 2465 matched people with a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2 in BC and 28 893 in Ontario. Mean age was 53.4 (standard deviation [SD] 21.8) years (BC) and 53.7 (SD 22.7) years (Ontario); 55.7% (BC) and 56.1% (Ontario) were female. Net costs in the first 30 days after the index date were $22 010 (95% confidence interval [CI] 19 512 to 24 509) and $15 750 (95% CI 15 354 to 16 147) for patients admitted to hospital, and $65 828 (95% CI 58 535 to 73 122) and $56 088 (95% CI 53 721 to 58 455) for ICU patients in BC and Ontario, respectively. In the community and long-term care settings, net costs were near 0. Total costs for all people, from 30 days before to 30 days after the index date, were $22 128 330 (BC) and $175 778 210 (Ontario).During the first wave, we found that mean costs attributable to COVID-19 were highest for patients with ICU admission and higher in BC than Ontario. Reducing the number of people who acquire COVID-19 and severity of illness are required to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19.

Surgical site infection is common after colorectal surgery and is associated with increased costs. Prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy has previously been shown to reduce surgical site infection compared with conventional dressings. However, negative pressure wound therapy application is met with hesitancy because of its additional cost.This study aims to determine whether the application of prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy after elective colorectal surgery is cost-effective.A cost-effectiveness analysis comparing prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy versus conventional dressing was completed using a Markov microsimulation model. A publicly funded single health care payer perspective was adopted across a lifetime horizon.This study was conducted using in-hospital elective colorectal surgery.The base case was an age-, sex-, and comorbidity-standardized patient undergoing open elective colorectal surgery.Negative pressure wound therapy was applied postoperatively over closed incisions.The primary outcomes of interest were the number of surgical site infections, total costs, and quality-adjusted life-years gained. Secondary outcomes included emergency department presentation, hospital readmission, nursing wound care utilization, fascial dehiscence, incisional hernia, and non-surgical site infection-related complications.We found that prophylactic negative pressure wound therapy, standardized to 1000 patients, prevented 51 surgical site infections, 3 fascial dehiscences, 10 incisional hernias, 22 emergency department presentations, and 6 hospital readmissions. This resulted in a total cost saving of $17,066 and 92.2 quality-adjusted life-years gained ($17.07 and 0.09 quality-adjusted life-years gained on average per patient). When the patients' risk of surgical site infections was greater than 3.2%, negative pressure wound therapy was a cost-effective strategy at a willingness to pay of $50,000/quality-adjusted life-years.We did not model for societal perspective, emergent presentations of incarcerated hernias, or complications with hernia repair. The results of this model are reliant on the published negative pressure wound therapy efficacy and may change when additional data arise.The use of negative pressure wound therapy is the dominant strategy with improved outcomes and reduced costs compared with conventional dressing in patients undergoing colorectal surgery, particularly in at-risk patients. See Video Abstract at http://links.lww.com/DCR/B782.ANTECEDENTES:La infección del sitio quirúrgico es común después de la cirugía colorrectal y se asocia con un aumento de los costos. Anteriormente se demostró que la terapia profiláctica con presión negativa reduce la infección del sitio quirúrgico en comparación con los apósitos convencionales. Sin embargo, el uso de la terapia de presión negativa se encuentra en dudas debido a su costo adicional.OBJETIVO:Determinar si la aplicación de la terapia profiláctic con presión negativa después de la cirugía colorrectal electiva es rentable.DISEÑO:Se completó un análisis de costo-efectividad comparando la terapia profiláctica con presión negativa versus apósito convencional utilizando un modelo de microsimulación de Markov. Se adoptó una perspectiva de pagador único de asistencia sanitaria financiada con fondos públicos a lo largo de toda la vida.AJUSTE:Cirugía colorrectal electiva intrahospitalaria.PACIENTES:El caso base fue un paciente estandarizado por edad, sexo y comorbilidad sometido a cirugía colorrectal abierta electiva.INTERVENCIÓN:Aplicación postoperatoria de terapia de presión negativa sobre incisiones cerradas.RESULTADOS PRINCIPALES:Los resultados primarios de interés fueron el número de infecciones del sitio quirúrgico, los costos totales y los años de vida ganados ajustados por calidad. Los resultados secundarios incluyeron presentación en la sala de emergencias, reingreso al hospital, la utilización del cuidado de heridas por enfermería, dehiscencia fascial, hernia incisional y complicaciones relacionadas con infecciones del sitio no quirúrgico.RESULTADOS:Estandarizado para 1,000 pacientes, encontramos que la terapia profiláctica con presión negativa previno 51 infecciones del sitio quirúrgico, 3 dehiscencias fasciales, 10 hernias incisionales, 22 presentaciones en la sala de emergencias y 6 reingresos al hospital. Esto resultó en un ahorro total de costos de $ 17.066 y 92.2 años de vida ganados ajustados por calidad ($ 17.07 y 0.09 años de vida ganados ajustados por calidad en promedio por paciente). Cuando el riesgo de infección del sitio quirúrgico de los pacientes era superior al 3,2%, la terapia de presión negativa era una estrategia rentable con una disposición a pagar de 50.000 dólares por años de vida ajustados por calidad.LIMITACIONES:No modelamos para la perspectiva social, presentaciones emergentes de hernias encarceladas o complicaciones con la reparación de hernias. Los resultados de este modelo dependen de la eficacia publicada de la terapia de presión negativa y pueden cambiar cuando surjan más datos.CONCLUSIONES:El uso de la terapia de presión negativa es la estrategia dominante con mejores resultados y costos reducidos en comparación con el apósito convencional en pacientes sometidos a cirugía colorrectal, particularmente en pacientes de riesgo. Consulte Video Resumen en http://links.lww.com/DCR/B782. (Traducción- Dr. Francisco M. Abarca-Rendon).

Objectives To compare toxicity and all-cause mortality for mCRPC patients receiving first line oral systemic therapy prescribed by medical oncologists and urologists. Methods Population-based retrospective cohort study of chemotherapy-naive men aged ≥66 years treated for mCRPC with first-line abiraterone or enzalutamide based on administrative health data (Ontario, Canada, 2012-2017). Primary outcomes were hospitalizations/ER visits for any cause or treatment-related toxicity during first-line mCRPC treatment. Secondary outcome was all-cause mortality. We calculated hazard ratios (HRs) comparing outcomes for different medical specialties using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models. Results Among 3405 mCRPC patients, 2407 (70.7%) received abiraterone and 998 (29.3%) received enzalutamide. 1786 (52.5%) patients visited the ER or were hospitalized. Men treated by medical oncologists had an increased risk of hospitalization/ER visits (HR1.16, 95%CI 1.03-1.31; P = .02), toxicity-related visits (HR1.34, 95%CI 1.08-1.69; P = .01), and mortality (HR1.16, 95%CI 1.02-1.33; P = .02) compared to urologists. Limited information was available, beyond PSA adjustment and prior treatment, on patient disease burden. Conclusion We observed fewer hospital visits overall and for treatment-related toxicity for mCRPC patients who were prescribed first line abiraterone or enzalutamide by urologists compared to medical oncologists. These differences may result from higher prostate cancer disease burden in patients managed by medical oncologists, and/or other unmeasured differences in patient management between specialties.

Introduction: Several androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) medications are available for treating advanced prostate cancer with roughly equivalent oncological efficacy and tolerability. We investigated the proportion of physicians who predominantly prescribe one type of ADT drug (“mono-prescriber”) and assessed characteristics associated with prescription behavior. Methods: Ontario men aged ≥65 years who were diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer (1997–2017) and initiated ADT thereafter for ≥3 consecutive months were identified using population-level administrative data. Their first prescription for injectable ADT was linked to a physician, and urologists with ≥10 prescriptions over the study period were included in the analysis (n=282). Urologists were classified as high mono-prescribers if ≥80% of their prescriptions were for one drug type. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association of physician characteristics with the odds of being a high mono-prescriber. Results: Overall, 67 (23.8%) of urologists were classified as high mono-prescribers but the frequency varied across health planning regions. The most commonly prescribed drugs and those used by mono-prescribers were goserelin (41.8% and 56.7%) and leuprolide (44.3% and 43.3%), respectively. In multivariable analysis, the odds of a physician being a high mono-prescriber were higher with more years in practice (odds ratio [OR] 1.06/ year, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–1.09, p

Background Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is clinically understudied, and there are no definitive recommendations regarding timing of perioperative chemotherapy. The objective of this study was to compare 3 treatment pathways in UTUC: nephroureterectomy (NU) alone, neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), and adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) using a microsimulation model. Patients and Methods An individual-level state transition model was constructed using TreeAgePro software to compare treatment strategies for patients with newly diagnosed UTUC. The base case was that of a 70-year-old patient with a radiographically localized upper tract tumor. Primary outcome was quality-adjusted life expectancy. Secondary outcomes included crude overall survival, rates of adverse events, and bladder cancer diagnoses. Results A total of 100,000 patients were simulated. NAC was preferred, with an estimated quality-adjusted life expectancy of 7.50 years versus 6.79 years with NU alone and 7.23 years with AC. Median crude overall survival was 123 months with NAC, 96 months with NU only, and 111 months with AC. Overall, 40.0% of patients in the AC group with invasive pathology completed chemotherapy. In the NAC group, 83.3% of patients completed chemotherapy. In the NAC group, 37.5% of patients experienced an adverse chemotherapy event compared to 15.1% of patients in the AC group. Bladder cancer recurrence rates were 64.9%, 65.9%, and 67.4% over the patient’s lifetime for the NU, NAC, and AC strategies, respectively. Conclusion This study supports the increased use of NAC in UTUC until robust randomized trials are completed. The ultimate choice should be based on patient and tumor factors.

Pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) is an important component in the staging and prognostication of prostate cancer. We performed a narrative review to assess the literature surrounding PLND: (I) the current guideline recommendations and contemporary utilization, (II) the calculation of patient-specific risk to perform PLND using available nomograms, (III) to review the extent of dissection, and its associated outcomes and complications. Due to the improved lymph node yield, better staging, and theoretical improvement in the control of micro-metastatic disease, guidelines have supported the use of (extended-) PLND in patients deemed to be at intermediate or high risk of lymph node involvement (often at a threshold of 5% on modern risk nomograms). However, in practice, real-world utilization of PLND varies considerably due to multiple reasons. Conflicting evidence persists with no clear oncological benefit to PLND, and a small, but important, risk of morbidity. Complications are rare, but include lymphoceles; thromboembolic events; and more rarely, obturator nerve, vascular, and ureteric injury. Furthermore, changing disease incidence and stage migration in the context of earlier detection overall have led to a decreased risk of nodal disease. The trade-offs between the benefits, harms, and risk tolerance/threshold must be carefully considered between each patient and their clinician.

Introduction: Routine crossmatch of packed red blood cells (pRBCs) is completed preoperatively at many centers despite conflicting evidence on the incidence of blood transfusions with renal transplantation. In the current economic climate, resource adjudication should be judicious and medically appropriate. The objective of this study was to determine the incidence, timing, and predictors of early postoperative pRBC transfusion in patients undergoing renal transplantation. Methods: A retrospective review of all patients undergoing renal transplantation at our institution from January 2013 to May 2016 was performed. Demographic, biochemical, and clinical parameters were recorded. The primary outcome was early postoperative transfusion, defined as an intraoperative transfusion or within 2 days of surgery. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify associations with early postoperative transfusion. Results: We identified 428 patients during the study period (average age 55 years, 60% male, 30% obese, 67% deceased donor, and 43% preoperative antithrombotic use). Forty (9.3%) patients required early postoperative transfusion (mean: 2.8 pRBCs/transfusion) and most did not require blood urgently. Only 20 (4.7%) patients required a transfusion intraoperatively or on the same day of surgery. Lower preoperative hemoglobin (per g/L unit: odds ratio [OR]: 0.943), female gender (OR: 2.752), and preoperative antithrombotic use (OR 2.369) were associated with a need for early postoperative transfusion. Conclusion: Transfusion in the early postoperative period following renal transplantation was less than 10%, suggesting that routine crossmatch may not be necessary for all patients. Preoperative hemoglobin, female gender, and preoperative antithrombotic use were associated with increased risk and may be useful to risk-stratify patients who require crossmatch.

Background Most reports of active surveillance (AS) of small renal masses (SRMs) lack biopsy confirmation, and therefore include benign tumors and different subtypes of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Objective We compared the growth rates and progression of different histologic subtypes of RCC SRMs (SRMRCC) in the largest cohort of patients with biopsy-characterized SRMs on AS. Design, setting, and participants Data from patients in a multicenter Canadian trial and a Princess Margaret cohort were combined to include 136 biopsy-proven SRMRCC lesions managed by AS, with treatment deferred until progression or patient/surgeon decision. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis Growth curves were estimated from serial tumor size measures. Tumor progression was defined by sustained size ≥4 cm or volume doubling within 1 yr. Results and limitations Median follow-up for patients who remained on AS was 5.8 yr (interquartile range 3.4–7.5 yr). Clear cell RCC SRMs (SRMccRCC) grew faster than papillary type 1 SRMs (0.25 and 0.02 cm/yr on average, respectively, p = 0.0003). Overall, 60 SRMRCC lesions progressed: 49 (82%) by rapid growth (volume doubling), seven (12%) increasing to ≥4 cm, and four (6.7%) by both criteria. Six patients developed metastases, and all were of clear cell RCC histology. Limitations include the use of different imaging modalities and a lack of central imaging review. Conclusions Tumor growth varies between histologic subtypes of SRMRCC and among SRMccRCC, which likely reflects individual host and tumor biology. Without validated biomarkers that predict this variation, initial follow-up of histologically characterized SRMs can inform personalized treatment for patients on AS. Patient summary Many small kidney cancers are suitable for surveillance and can be monitored over time for change. We demonstrate that different types of kidney cancers grow at different rates and are at different risks of progression. These results may guide better personalized treatment.

Introduction: Radical cystectomy (RC) is the historic gold standard treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), but trimodal therapy (TMT) has emerged as a valid therapeutic option for selected patients. Given that prospective clinical trials have been difficult to perform in this area, our aim was to compare these two primary treatment strategies using decision analytic methods. Method: A two-dimensional Markov microsimulation model was constructed using TreeAge Pro to compare RC and TMT for patients with newly diagnosed MIBC. A comprehensive literature search was used to populate model probabilities and utilities. Our primary outcome was quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE). Secondary outcomes included crude life expectancy (LE) and bladder cancer recurrences. The simulated patient for our model was an adult with MIBC (pT2-4 N0 M0) who was a candidate for either RC or TMT. Results: A total of 500 000 patients were simulated. TMT resulted in an estimated mean QALE of 7.48 vs. 7.41 for RC. However, the average LE for patients treated with TMT was lower compared with RC (10.20 vs. 10.74 years). A sensitivity analysis evaluating the impact of age showed that younger patients treated with RC had greater QALE and longer LE than those treated with TMT; inverse findings were observed for elderly patients. Overall, 39.4% of patients treated with TMT experienced a bladder recurrence. Conclusions: RC results in a longer LE compared to TMT (0.54 years), but with a lower QALE (-0.07 years). The preferred treatment strategy varied with patient age.

Introduction: Active surveillance (AS) of small renal masses (SRM) is increasingly recognized as a safe option. A recent U.S. study found that half of patients receiving treatment on AS were for preference, but these findings may not be generalizable to other jurisdictions and healthcare models. We aimed to investigate AS failure rates and causes among a contemporary biopsy-evaluated cohort in Canada. Methods: A retrospective review was performed of SRM patients on AS undergoing treatment at our tertiary care center (1999–2018). All patients had undergone renal biopsy and been diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Demographic and clinical parameters surrounding the decision to treat were extracted from chart review. Indications for treatment were dichotomized into clinical (radiographical) progression or preference. Qualitative assessment of clinic notes confirmed treatment indication. Ethics approval was obtained. Results: A total of 38 SRM-RCC patients who underwent treatment on AS were identified, of which 29 had been on AS ≥1 year. Most (75.9%) were male, and the mean age beginning AS was 65.9±9.0 years. Most patients had clear-cell RCC with low-grade disease. Seventeen of 29 (58.6%) patients experienced clinical progression after 3.82 (2.57–7.16) years, whereas preference accounted for 12/29 (41.4%) after 2.22 (1.69–3.53) years (time-to-treatment p=0.032). The longest duration on AS was 14.2 years prior to clinical progression. No patients had metastatic progression before treatment. Conclusions: Two-fifths of patients received treatment for preference and at a much higher rate vs. clinical progression. These findings suggest a clinical gap where effective patient counselling, prior to and during AS, may improve adherence.

The purpose of this study was to describe the uptake, discontinuation and variation of active surveillance (AS) by provider and patient level characteristics.This observational, population-based study used linked administrative databases and pathology reports to identify all men diagnosed with Gleason score ≤6 prostate cancer (PC) between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2014 in Ontario, Canada. The Cochran-Armitage test was used for AS trend over time. Treatment-free survival was estimated using cumulative incidence function. Factors associated with discontinuation of AS were evaluated using Cox proportional hazard models.Active surveillance was the initial management strategy for 8,541 cases (51%). Use of AS significantly increased from 38% in 2008 to 69% in 2014 (p=0.001). Men on AS were significantly older (64 years, SD 8.0) than those on initial treatment (62 years, SD 7.7; p=0.001). After a median followup of 48 months, 4,337 (51%) patients had discontinued AS. Treatment-free survival for AS patients at 1, 3, and 5 years were 85%, 58% and 52%, respectively. Median time to definitive treatment after initial AS was 16 months (IQR 11-25 months). Factors associated with AS discontinuation were younger age at diagnosis, year of diagnosis, higher comorbidities, treatment at academic center, treatment by physician and institution in the highest volume tertile, and adverse cancer-specific characteristics (higher prostate specific antigen [PSA], higher number of positive cores and higher percentage of core involvement at diagnosis).Although the uptake of AS significantly increased over time, there has been a relatively high rate of discontinuation over 5 years. Factors associated with transition to definitive treatment were younger age, care provided by higher volume physicians and institutions, higher PSA and greater PC volume at diagnosis. These results may help guide policy making, developing quality indicators, and developing targeted continued education for physician and patients embarking on AS to establish realistic expectations.

Phase-III randomized control trial evidence suggests intermittent androgen deprivation therapy (IADT) is not significantly inferior to continuous androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for patients with prostate cancer (PC). However, clinical practice and guidelines differ in their recommendations. We evaluate real-world utilization and practice patterns of IADT.Ontario men ≥65 years of age with PC who initiated ADT for ≥3 months were identified (1997-2017). Lapses in ADT ≥6 months (initial gap) and ≥3 months (subsequent gaps) were used to classify IADT. Neoadjuvant/adjuvant therapy was excluded. Disease stage adjustment was completed for patients with likely metastatic disease based on de novo presentation with ADT. Patient and physician predictors of IADT were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression.We identified 8,544 patients with 1,715 having previously received local therapy. Among all patients, 16.4% received IADT. This ranged from 11.4%-24.8% across health-planning regions and increased to 26.6% in those with previous local therapy. Mean followup was 8.3 years. Patients with prior local therapy (OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.59-2.17, p0.001) and those in the highest income quintile (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.08-1.60, p=0.005) had increased odds of receiving IADT. Radiation oncologists were more likely to use IADT than urologists (OR 1.99, 95% CI 1.59-2.50, p0.001), as were physicians with more experience (≥10 years in practice: OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.11-1.88, p=0.007). In specialty-stratified analyses, case volume was significantly associated with IADT for radiation oncologists (highest quartile: OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.14-2.62, p=0.009).IADT remains underutilized for patients with PC who ≥65 years of age with only 1 in 4 to 1 in 6 eligible patients receiving this form of care. Clinical, sociodemographic and physician characteristics play an important role in treatment selection.

Introduction: Partial nephrectomy remains the gold standard in the management of small renal masses. However, minimally invasive partial nephrectomy (MIPN) is associated with a steep learning curve, and optimal, standardized techniques for time-efficient hemostasis are poorly described. Given the relative lack of evidence, the goal was to describe a set of actionable guiding principles, through an expert working panel, for urologists to approach hemostasis without compromising warm ischemia or oncological outcomes. Methods: A three-step modified Delphi method was used to achieve expert agreement on the best practices for hemostasis in MIPN. Panelists were recruited from the Canadian Update on Surgical Procedures (CUSP) Urology Group, which represent all provinces, academic and community practices, and fellowship- and non-fellowship-trained surgeons. Thirty-two (round 1) and 46 (round 2) panellists participated in survey questionnaires, and 22 attended the in-person consensus meeting. Results: An initial literature search of 945 articles (230 abstracts) underwent screening and yielded 24 preliminary techniques. Through sequential survey assessment and in-person discussion, a total of 11 strategies were approved. These are temporally distributed prior to tumor resection (five principles), during tumor resection (two principles), and during renorrhaphy (four principles). Conclusions: Given the variability in tumor size, depth, location, and vascularity, coupled with limitations of laparoscopic equipment, achieving consistent hemostasis in MIPN may be challenging. Despite over two decades of MIPN experience, limited evidence exists to guide clinicians. Through a three-step Delphi method and rigorous iterative review with a panel of experts, we ascertained a guiding checklist of principles for newly beginning and practicing urologists to reference.

INTRODUCTION: Our aim was to determine whether androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) with abiraterone acetate (AA) or ADT with docetaxel chemotherapy (DC) resulted in improved quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) among men with de novo metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC) and the cost effectiveness of the preferred strategy using decision analytic techniques. METHODS: A microsimulation model with a lifetime time horizon was constructed. Our primary outcome was QALYs. Secondary outcomes included cost, incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER), unadjusted overall survival (OS), rates of second- and third-line therapy, and adverse events. A systematic literature review was used to generate probabilities and utilities to populate the model. The base case was a 65-year-old patient with de novo mCSPC. RESULTS: A total of 100 000 microsimulations were generated. Initial AA resulted in a gain of 0.45 QALYs compared to DC (3.36 vs. 2.91 QALYs) with an ICER of $276 251.82 per QALY gained with initial AA therapy. Median crude OS was 51 months with AA and 48 months with DC. Overall, 46.6% and 42.6% of patients received second-line therapy and 8.7% and 7.9% patients received third-line therapy in the AA and DC groups, respectively. Grade 3/4 adverse events were experienced in 17.6% of patients receiving initial AA and 22.3% of patients receiving initial DC. CONCLUSIONS: Although ADT with AA results in a gain in QALYs and crude OS compared to DC, AA therapy is not a cost-effective treatment strategy to apply uniformly to all patients. The availability of AA as a generic medication may help to close this gap. The ultimate choice should be based on patient and tumor factors.

Small renal masses have become increasingly common due to widespread imaging; however, optimal management of these lesions in the elderly can be complex due to the competing risks of intervention, natural history of disease, patient comorbidities, and expectations. In the properly selected elderly patient, active surveillance remains an accepted and attractive treatment approach.We completed a literature review of small renal masses (enhancing,4cm, T1aN0M0 disease) in the elderly, aged ≥70 yr, aimed at identifying the utility of active surveillance in this population. The primary outcomes were conversion to active treatment while on active surveillance and cancer-specific mortality. Secondary outcomes included predictors of treatment, type of treatment performed (partial nephrectomy, radical nephrectomy, and ablation), progression to metastases, all-cause mortality, tumor growth rate, and demographic data including age and Charlson Comorbidity Index.A comprehensive search of electronic databases (e.g., MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library) using search terms "small renal mass" OR "SRM", AND "elderly," "senior," "aging," "geriatric," OR "octogenarian" was completed. All randomized controlled trials, nonrandomized comparison studies, and case series were included and screened by the reviewers. All comparison studies included in the systematic review were assessed for methodological quality using the Cochrane Risk of Bias tools.Seventeen primary studies including 36495 patients met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review. All studies were retrospective institutional chart or the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database reviews. There was a low (4-26%) rate of conversion to active treatment for active surveillance in the identified studies over a follow-up interval of up to 91.5 mo. Overall mortality was substantial in this elderly cohort, with 15-51% of patients being deceased over the course of study follow-up; however, there was minimal cancer-specific mortality due to patients succumbing to alternative comorbid disease. In the future, patient comorbidity and biological age versus the natural history of the individualized tumor biology may play an increasing role in the discussion regarding treatment options and consideration of active surveillance.Active surveillance is an effective management strategy in the elderly population. Few patients required the conversion to active treatment and there was low cancer-specific mortality. The majority of patients who expired over the course of the identified studies succumbed to alternative disease. The goal of treatment strategies should include weighing patient-specific prognosis relative to their competing health risks and treatment goals against the natural history of disease and risks of intervention.In this review article, the authors examined the utility of active surveillance in the setting of a small localized renal mass in the elderly population. Despite being on surveillance, we found that cancer-specific outcomes were excellent, and overall mortality was often a result of comorbid disease. However, there is significant heterogeneity among elderly patients, and treatment approaches should be focused around patient-centered goals and prognosis.

Introduction: Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) accounts for

KEY POINTS Among solid-organ tumours, prostate cancer is alone in being diagnosed via a nontargeted biopsy approach. Systematic transrectal ultrasonography-guided biopsy has been the standard of care to detect clinically important prostate cancer since 1989.[1][1] Yet modern image acquisition and

Introduction: Our aim was to determine whether androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) with abiraterone acetate (AA) or ADT with docetaxel chemotherapy (DC) resulted in improved quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) among men with de novo metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC) and the cost-effectiveness of the preferred strategy using decision analytic techniques. Methods: A microsimulation model with a lifetime time horizon was constructed. Our primary outcome was QALYs. Secondary outcomes included cost, incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), unadjusted overall survival (OS), rates of second- and third-line therapy, and adverse events. A systematic literature review was used to generate probabilities and utilities to populate the model. The base case was a 65-year-old patient with de novo mCSPC. Results: A total of 100 000 microsimulations were generated. Initial AA resulted in a gain of 0.45 QALYs compared to DC (3.36 vs. 2.91 QALYs) with an ICER of $276 251.84 per QALY gained with initial AA therapy. Median crude OS was 51 months with AA and 48 months with DC. Overall, 46.6% and 42.6% of patients received second-line therapy and 8.7% and 7.9% patients received third-line therapy in the AA and DC groups, respectively. Grade 3/4 adverse events were experienced in 17.6% of patients receiving initial AA and 22.3% of patients receiving initial DC. Conclusions: Although ADT with AA results in a gain in QALYs and crude OS compared to DC, AA therapy is not a cost-effective treatment strategy to apply uniformly to all patients. The availability of AA as a generic medication may help to close this gap. The ultimate choice should be based on patient and tumor factors.

Prostate cancer has traditionally been diagnosed using systematic transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy. However, given the inherent nature of sampling, a negative biopsy does not exclude clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa), and continued controversy exists in the optimal management following initial biopsy. Numerous avenues for evaluation include multiparametric MRI (mpMRI), use of molecular biomarkers, repeat biopsy, and observation.mpMRI has shown promise in guiding further biopsy management: for individuals with identified target lesions, increased accuracy and detection using combination targeted and systematic sampling has been repeatedly demonstrated in the literature as an effective strategy. For those with negative MRIs and/or negative biomarker (blood, urinary, tissue) studies, increasing evidence has suggested that these individuals may be able to avoid biopsy altogether, albeit at a small risk of missing csPCa. Observation should be based on an individual's risk of csPCa versus their competing health risks, and saturation biopsy reserved for rare cases with high clinical suspicion.Management following an initial negative prostate biopsy requires careful discussion with the patient, their risk tolerance, and threshold for intervention. Although subject to availability, mpMRI and molecular biomarkers may better risk stratify patients, identify target lesions, and in certain cases, spare biopsy altogether.

Introduction: We aimed to determine the personal practices of urologists, radiation oncologists, and medical oncologists regarding prostate cancer screening and treatment using the physician surrogate method, which seeks to identify acceptable healthcare interventions by ascertaining interventions physicians select for themselves.Methods: A hierarchical, contingent survey was developed through a consensus involving urologists, medical oncologists, and radiation oncologists. It was piloted at the University of Toronto and then circulated to urologists, radiation oncologists, and medical oncologists through professional medical societies in the U.S., Canada, Central and South America, Australia, and New Zealand. The primary outcome was physicians’ personal choices regarding prostatespecific antigen (PSA) screening and the secondary outcome was treatment selection among those diagnosed with prostate cancer.Results: A total of 869 respondents provided consent and completed the survey. Of these, there were 719 urologists, 89 radiation oncologists, nine medical oncologists, and 53 undisclosed specialists. Most (784 of 869 respondents; 90%) endorsed past or future screening for themselves (among male physicians) or for relatives (among female physicians). Among urologists and radiation oncologists making prostate cancer treatment decisions, there was a significant correlation between physician specialty and the treatment selected (Phi coefficient=0.61; p=0.001).Conclusions: Physicians who routinely treat prostate cancer are likely to undertake prostate cancer screening themselves or recommend it for immediate family members. Treatment choice is influenced by the well-recognized specialty bias.

Benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) is a common cause of morbidity and decreased quality of life in aging men. For patients not amenable for surgical therapy, a wide array of minimally invasive treatment options is now becoming available for medically refractory BPH—in particular, intraprostatic ethanol injections. The historical impetus for ethanol ablative therapy draws on a rich history of prostatic puncture and injection dating back to the 19th century. Since then, transurethral, transrectal, and transperineal approaches have all been described and completed under local or regional anesthesia. Numerous studies, spanning all three approaches, have shown efficacy in International Prostate Symptom Score reduction, maximal flow rate increase, and reduction in prostatic volume. Unfortunately, the existing literature remains hampered by short-term follow-up duration and limited sample sizes. Furthermore, widespread uptake has been limited by bothersome side effects (irritative lower urinary tract symptoms, retention, hematuria) and significant safety concerns. In the largest multicentre international European study to date (Mirone et al.), 2 out of 115 patients required cystectomy/bladder diversion and ureteral reimplantation due to inadvertent proximal injection. Further studies are needed to elucidate the long-term efficacy and optimal injection technique to maximize safety and efficacy. At the present time, ethanol injection into the prostate should be considered an experimental treatment and offered only in the context of clinical trials.

We present a case of BCG-induced Reiter syndrome with 19-year followup, and the first instance of BCG re-induction in this cohort of patients. This was attempted given the substantial duration of disease control following the initial treatment.

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a significant source of morbidity in males, with a prevalence of 10–16%, and with only a small fraction of these being treated.1–3 OAB results in considerable and progressive deleterious effects on the productivity and quality of life (QoL) of patients, leading to a substantial economic burden of disease, related to increased absenteeism, worry about interruption and scheduling of meetings, early retirement, and permanent disability.4,5 Symptoms of OAB are often attributed to bladder outflow obstruction (BOO) in males, resulting in misdiagnosis and delays in treatment. Given its prevalence, QoL impact, and the availability of initial non-invasive and well-tolerated management options, OAB is often best addressed in the primary care setting. ### History The International Continence Society (ICS) defines OAB as a symptom complex primarily dominated by urinary urgency with or without urge incontinence, usually associated with urinary frequency and nocturia in the absence of other pathology. In contrast, bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) customarily presents with weak or intermittent stream, hesitation, straining, and incomplete emptying. Patients may present in practice with a spectrum of voiding complaints and symptoms of both OAB and BOO may be found in any given patient (in part due to coexistent disease and/or overlapping pathophysiology). If …

Objective To determine the occurrence of lower genitourinary tract (LGUT) injury during hysterectomy for benign disease and identify risk factors for LGUT injury, with a specific focus on the effect of hysterectomy modality. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing hysterectomy for benign disease from 2010 t o 2014 using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, a multi-institutional prospective registry that captures perioperative surgical outcomes. We identified the occurrence of concomitant cystoscopy and therapeutic urologic interventions including endoscopic ureteric stenting, ureteric repair, bladder repair, cystectomy, and urinary diversion as a proxy for LGUT injuries. Adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using multivariate logistic regression. Results We identified 101,021 patients treated with hysterectomy for benign disease: 18,610 (18.4%), 27,427 (27.2%), and 54,984 (54.4%) underwent vaginal, open, and laparoscopic hysterectomy, respectively. Cystoscopy was performed in 16,493 cases (16.3%). There were 2427 patients (2.4%) who underwent concomitant urologic intervention. Patients undergoing laparoscopic hysterectomy had increased occurrence of urologic intervention, excluding cystoscopy (adjusted odds ratio 1.47, 95% confidence interval 1.29-1.69), compared to vaginal hysterectomy; no differences were found between open and vaginal hysterectomy or laparoscopic and open hysterectomy. Larger uteri, a postoperative diagnosis of endometriosis, increasing comorbidity, and African American race were associated with an increased odd of urologic intervention whereas concomitant cystoscopy was associated with a decreased chance. Conclusion The incidence of lower genitourinary tract intervention in benign hysterectomy is significant and may be higher than previously reported. Predisposing patient factors and operative technique are key risk factors.

To determine the effect of disseminated cancer on perioperative outcomes following radical nephrectomy.We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing radical nephrectomy for kidney cancer from 2005 to 2014 using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, a multi-institutional prospective registry that captures perioperative surgical complications. Patients were stratified according to the presence (n = 657) or absence (n = 7143) of disseminated cancer at the time of surgery. We examined major complications (death, reoperation, cardiac event, or neurologic event) within 30 days of surgery. Secondary outcomes included pulmonary, infectious, venous thromboembolic, and bleeding complications; prolonged length of stay; and concomitant procedures (bowel, liver, spleen, pancreas, and vascular procedures). Adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated using multivariate logical regression models.Patients with disseminated cancer were older and more likely to be male, have greater comorbidities, and have undergone open surgery. Major complications were more common among patients with disseminated cancer (7.8%) than those without disseminated cancer (3.2%; aOR 2.01, 95% CI 1.46-2.86). Mortality was significantly higher in patients with disseminated cancer (3.2%) than those without disseminated cancer (0.5%; P .0001). Pulmonary (aOR 1.68, 95% CI 1.09-2.59), thromboembolic (aOR 1.72, 95% CI 1.01-2.96), and bleeding complications (aOR 2.12, 95% CI 1.73-2.60) were more common among patients with disseminated cancer as was prolonged length of stay (aOR 1.27, 95% CI 1.06-1.53).Nephrectomy in patients with disseminated cancer is a morbid operation with significant perioperative mortality. These data may be used for preoperative counseling of patients undergoing cytoreductive nephrectomy.

177 Background: PSA produced from prostate cancer (PC) cells escapes proteolytic processing, resulting in a more complexed PSA and a lower %fPSA. Higher %fpsa correlates with lower PC risk. However, the role of fPSA in biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP) is unknown. Methods: All patients who had BCR after RP and at least one fPSA test, were included. Patients were stratified according to the %fPSA cut-off of 0.15. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to predict covariates associated with a higher %fPSA. Results: A total of 81 men with BCR were found (Table 1). Interestingly, 20% (group 1) vs. 60% (groups 2) become castrate resistant (CRPC), p0.15 predicted CRPC status (OR 11.63, CI 95% 1.38-97.4, p=0.024, OR 7.99, CI 95% 2-31.95, p=0.003, respectively). Conclusions: %fPSA>0.15 in the setting of BCR confers a more aggressive disease, manifesting in a faster development of CRPC, metastasis and death. Our findings suggest a reversal in the significance of % fPSA values in BCR patients, and should be validated in larger cohorts. [Table: see text]

Introduction: We sought to determine whether patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) in the context of disseminated cancer have higher 30-day complications.Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. Men undergoing RP (from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2014) for prostate cancer were identified and stratified by presence (n=97) or absence (n=27 868) of disseminated cancer. The primary outcome was major complications (death, re-operation, cardiac or neurologic events) within 30 days of surgery. Secondary outcomes included pulmonary, infectious, venous thromboembolic, and bleeding complications; prolonged length of stay; and concomitant procedures (bowel-related, cystectomy, urinary diversion, and major ureteric reconstruction). Odds ratios (OR) for each complication were calculated using univariable logistic regression.Results: We did not identify a difference in major complication rates (OR 2.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.71‒7.16). Patients with disseminated cancer had increased risk of venous thromboembolic events (OR 3.30, 95% CI 1.04‒10.48) and transfusion (OR 2.45, 95% CI 1.18‒5.05), but similar odds of pulmonary and infectious complications and length of stay. Bowel procedures were rare, however, a significantly higher proportion of patients with disseminated cancer required bowel procedures (2.1% vs. 0.3%; p=0.03). Patients with disseminated cancer undergoing RP had greater comorbidities and higher predicted probability of morbidity and mortality. This study is limited by its retrospective design, lack of cancer-specific variables, and prostatectomyspecific complications.Conclusions: RP in the context of disseminated cancer may be associated with increased perioperative complications. Caution should be exercised in embarking on this practice outside of clinical trials.