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Benign adrenal cysts are relatively uncommon variants of all adrenal incidentalomas. When identified, most benign adrenal cysts are asymptomatic, which differentiates them from other functional adrenal lesions. There are various types of adrenal cysts, although the most common being an endothelial cyst. Ultimately, evaluation and management approaches are aimed at ruling out a functional adrenal mass and management of symptoms if present. We present a unique presentation of an otherwise healthy male with a large incidental adrenal cyst, later identified as a benign endothelial cyst, who presented with classic symptoms of catecholamine excess. The patient had a negative hormonal evaluation, and his episodic symptoms were resolved with surgical removal of the adrenal mass. This case report and brief review provides valuable insight into the evaluation and management of a unique clinical scenario, where a benign cystic mass led to compression-related symptoms of catecholamine excess that were resolved after removal of the nonfunctional, cystic, mass.

Abstract We analyzed genomic data from the prostate cancer of African- and European American men to identify differences contributing to racial disparity of outcome. We also performed FISH-based studies of Chromodomain helicase DNA-binding protein 1 (CHD1) loss on prostate cancer tissue microarrays. We created CHD1-deficient prostate cancer cell lines for genomic, drug sensitivity and functional homologous recombination (HR) activity analysis. Subclonal deletion of CHD1 was nearly three times as frequent in prostate tumors of African American than in European American men and it associates with rapid disease progression. CHD1 deletion was not associated with HR deficiency associated mutational signatures or HR deficiency as detected by RAD51 foci formation. This was consistent with the moderate increase of olaparib and talazoparib sensitivity with several CHD1 deficient cell lines showing talazoparib sensitivity in the clinically relevant concentration range. CHD1 loss may contribute to worse disease outcome in African American men.

The Gleason score is an important predictor of prognosis in prostate cancer. However, its subjective nature can result in over- or under-grading. Our objective was to train an artificial intelligence (AI)-based algorithm to grade prostate cancer in specimens from patients who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) and to assess the correlation of AI-estimated proportions of different Gleason patterns with biochemical recurrence-free survival (RFS), metastasis-free survival (MFS), and overall survival (OS). Training and validation of algorithms for cancer detection and grading were completed with three large datasets containing a total of 580 whole-mount prostate slides from 191 RP patients at two centers and 6218 annotated needle biopsy slides from the publicly available Prostate Cancer Grading Assessment dataset. A cancer detection model was trained using MobileNetV3 on 0.5 mm × 0.5 mm cancer areas (tiles) captured at 10× magnification. For cancer grading, a Gleason pattern detector was trained on tiles using a ResNet50 convolutional neural network and a selective CutMix training strategy involving a mixture of real and artificial examples. This strategy resulted in improved model generalizability in the test set compared with three different control experiments when evaluated on both needle biopsy slides and whole-mount prostate slides from different centers. In an additional test cohort of RP patients who were clinically followed over 30 years, quantitative Gleason pattern AI estimates achieved concordance indexes of 0.69, 0.72, and 0.64 for predicting RFS, MFS, and OS times, outperforming the control experiments and International Society of Urological Pathology system (ISUP) grading by pathologists. Finally, unsupervised clustering of test RP patient specimens into low-, medium-, and high-risk groups based on AI-estimated proportions of each Gleason pattern resulted in significantly improved RFS and MFS stratification compared with ISUP grading. In summary, deep learning-based quantitative Gleason scoring using a selective CutMix training strategy may improve prognostication after prostate cancer surgery.

Background: Localized prostate cancer (PCa) treatment is associated with reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Current literature is limited by short-term follow-up. Objective: To prospectively evaluate the 5-yr HRQoL outcomes in men undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP), external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), or active surveillance (AS). Design, setting, and participants: We prospectively evaluated HRQoL in patients with low-risk/favorable intermediate-risk PCa enrolled in the Center for Prostate Disease Research multicenter database between 2007 and 2017. Intervention: Of 1012 patients included in the study, 252 (24.9%) underwent AS, 557 (55.0%) RP, and 203 (20.0%) EBRT. Patients complete the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite and the 36-item Medical Outcomes Study Short Form at baseline and thereafter each year up to 5 yr after treatment. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: Temporal changes in HRQoL were compared between treatments and were modeled using linear regression models adjusted for baseline HRQoL, demographic, and clinical characteristics. Results and limitations: RP showed the least irritative symptoms and worse incontinence in comparison with AS (p

Abstract Background Previous research exploring the role of race on prostate cancer (PCa) outcomes has demonstrated greater rates of disease progression and poorer overall survival for African American (AA) compared to Caucasian American (CA) men. The current study examines self‐reported race as a predictor of long‐term PCa outcomes in patients with low and favorable‐intermediate risk disease treated with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). Methods This retrospective cohort study examined patients who were consented to enrollment in the Center for Prostate Disease Research Multicenter National Database between January 01, 1990 and December 31, 2017. Men self‐reporting as AA or CA who underwent EBRT for newly diagnosed National Comprehensive Cancer Network‐defined low or favorable‐intermediate risk PCa were included. Dependent study outcomes included: biochemical recurrence‐free survival, (ii) distant metastasis‐free survival, and (iii) overall survival. Each outcome was modeled as a time‐to‐event endpoint using race‐stratified Kaplan–Meier estimation curves and multivariable Cox proportional hazards analysis. Results Of 840 men included in this study, 268 (32%) were AA and 572 (68%) were CA. The frequency of biochemical recurrence, distant metastasis, and deaths from any cause was 151 (18.7%), 29 (3.5%), and 333 (39.6%), respectively. AA men had a significantly younger median age at time of EBRT and slightly higher biopsy Gleason scores. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses demonstrated no racial differences in any of the study endpoints. Conclusions These findings reveal no racial disparity in PCa outcomes for AA compared to CA men, in a long‐standing, longitudinal cohort of patients with comparable access to cancer care.

Abstract Background There is substantial variability in prostate cancer (PCa) mortality rates across Caucasian American (CA), African American (AA), Asian, and Hispanic men; however, these estimates are unable to disentangle race or ethnicity from confounding factors. The current study explores survival differences in long‐term PCa outcomes between self‐reported AA and CA men, and examines clinicopathologic features across self‐reported CA, AA, Asian, and Hispanic men. Methods This retrospective cohort study utilized the Center for Prostate Disease Research (CPDR) Multi‐center National Database from 1990 to 2017. Subjects were consented at military treatment facilities nationwide. AA, CA, Asian, or Hispanic men who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) for localized PCa within the first year of diagnosis were included in the analyses. Time from RP to biochemical recurrence (BCR), BCR to metastasis, and metastasis to overall death were evaluated using Kaplan–Meier unadjusted estimation curves and adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression. Results This study included 7067 men, of whom 5155 (73%) were CA, 1468 (21%) were AA, 237 (3%) were Asian, and 207 (3%) were Hispanic. AA men had a significantly decreased time from RP to BCR compared to CA men (HR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.06–1.48, p = 0.01); however, no difference was observed between AA and CA men for a time from BCR to metastasis (HR = 0.73, 95% CI = 0.39–1.33, p = 0.302) and time from metastasis to overall death (HR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.36–1.26, p = 0.213). Conclusions In an equal access health care setting, AA men had a shorter survival time from RP to BCR, but comparable survival time from BCR to metastasis and metastasis to overall death.

The risks of development of colorectal and endometrial cancers in individuals with Lynch syndrome (LS) are well known and have been widely studied. In recent years, the potential association of other malignancies, including prostate cancer, with LS has been considered. Decision-making regarding screening for prostate cancer in the generalized population can be complicated; accounting for the possibility of a higher risk of cancer conferred by a potential genetic predisposition confounds the creation of salient guidelines even further. Although tissue-agnostic treatment approvals have been granted to several immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for their use in the treatment of subsets of patients whose tumors exhibit high levels of microsatellite instability or high tumor mutational burden, a paucity of data exists regarding the use of ICIs in the first line treatment of patients with locally advanced prostate cancer harboring these features. A significant reduction in tumor volume in response to the combination of immune checkpoint inhibition and androgen deprivation therapy is described in this report of a male with Muir-Torre syndrome who was found to have locally advanced adenocarcinoma of the prostate. While anecdotal, the anti-tumor activity of this combination of therapy is notable and calls attention to the importance of considering further investigation of the use of immune checkpoint blockade as a primary therapeutic option in patients with localized prostate cancer.

We sought to compare oncologic and functional outcomes between thermal and nonthermal energy partial gland ablation (PGA) modalities. We conducted comprehensive, structured literature searches, and 39 papers, abstracts, and presentations met the inclusion criteria of pre-PGA magnetic resonance imaging, oncologic outcomes of at least 6 months, and systematic biopsies after PGA. Twenty-six studies used thermal ablation: high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), cryotherapy, focal laser ablation, or radiofrequency ablation. In-field recurrence rates ranged from 0 to 36% for HIFU, 6 to 24% for cryotherapy, 4 to 50% for focal laser ablation, and 20 to 25% for radiofrequency ablation. Twelve studies used nonthermal technologies of focal brachytherapy, vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy, or irreversible electroporation. Focal brachytherapy had the lowest reported failure rate of 8%, vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy had >30% positive in-field biopsies, and irreversible electroporation had in-field recurrence rates of 12–35%. PGA was well tolerated, and nearly all patients returned to baseline urinary function 12 months later. Most modalities caused transient decreases in erectile function. Persistent erectile dysfunction was highest in patients who underwent HIFU. Although oncologic outcomes vary between treatment modalities, systematic review of existing data demonstrates that PGA is a safe treatment option for patients with localized prostate cancer.

Growing evidence indicates the involvement of a genetic component in prostate cancer (CaP) susceptibility and clinical severity. Studies have reported the role of germline mutations and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of TP53 as possible risk factors for cancer development. In this single institutional retrospective study, we identified common SNPs in the TP53 gene in AA and CA men and performed association analyses for functional TP53 SNPs with the clinico-pathological features of CaP. The SNP genotyping analysis of the final cohort of 308 men (212 AA; 95 CA) identified 74 SNPs in the TP53 region, with a minor allele frequency (MAF) of at least 1%. Two SNPs were non-synonymous in the exonic region of TP53: rs1800371 (Pro47Ser) and rs1042522 (Arg72Pro). The Pro47Ser variant had an MAF of 0.01 in AA but was not detected in CA. Arg72Pro was the most common SNP, with an MAF of 0.50 (0.41 in AA; 0.68 in CA). Arg72Pro was associated with a shorter time to biochemical recurrence (BCR) (p = 0.046; HR = 1.52). The study demonstrated ancestral differences in the allele frequencies of the TP53 Arg72Pro and Pro47Ser SNPs, providing a valuable framework for evaluating CaP disparities among AA and CA men.

Existing tumor markers for testicular germ cell tumor (TGCT) cannot detect the presence of pure teratoma. Serum miRNAs have strong performance detecting other subtypes of TGCT. Previous reports suggest high levels of miR-375 expression in teratoma tissue. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of serum miRNA, including miR-375, in detecting the presence of teratoma at postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC-RPLND).We prospectively collected presurgical serum from 40 TGCT patients undergoing PC-RPLND (21 with teratoma at RPLND and 19 with no evidence of disease). We examined the utility of serum miR-375-3p and miR-375-5p by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and searched for other putative serum miRNAs with small RNA sequencing. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) and univariate analyses were utilized to evaluate test characteristics and predictors of teratoma.Both serum miR-375-3p and miR-375-5p exhibited poor performance (miR-375-3p: 86% sensitivity, 32% specificity, AUC: 0.506; miR-375-5p: 55% sensitivity, 67% specificity, AUC: 0.556). Teratoma at orchiectomy was the only predictor of PC-RPLND teratoma. Small RNA sequencing identified three potentially discriminatory miRNAs, but further validation demonstrated no utility. Our results confirm prior reports that serum miR-375 cannot predict teratoma, and suggest that there may not exist a predictive serum miRNA for teratoma. Patient summary: We found that serum miR-375 cannot detect the presence of teratoma at postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC-RPLND). We are also unable to find any other serum miRNAs predictive of pure teratoma at PC-RPLND. Hence, the lack of a reliable circulating marker of teratoma remains a critical clinical need.

Introduction and Objective: Robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) with intracorporeal urinary diversion (ICUD) has become an increasingly utilized approach to treating various bladder pathologies requiring extirpation. As surgeons have become more experienced with ICUD, especially with lesser-used diversions such as continent cutaneous reservoirs, the technique has evolved. Methods: We describe our technique and recent advances in the practical creation of robotic ICUD with a continent catheterizable pouch (CCP) built upon the open principles of the previously described “Indiana Pouch,” which uses the distal ileum and right colon. Modifications in anatomic mobilization and exposure, bowel segmentation using novel robotic bowel staplers, catheterizable channel creation, and addition of ileal chimney for uretero-enteric anastomoses are highlighted. The addition of the ileal chimney allows for ease of reconstruction in a fashion familiar to surgeons accustomed to performing intracorporeal ileal conduit and, therefore, may result in lower ureteroenteric stricture rates. Table 1 demonstrates the supplies used intraoperatively. Use of indocyanine green to assess vascularity in bowel and ureter intraoperatively is demonstrated. The port configurations are demonstrated using the DaVinci ® Xi platform. Also described are short-term outcomes of our initial experience. Results: Eleven consecutive patients (5 female) who have undergone ICUD with CCP were included. Of the eleven, seven had malignant indications (bladder or urethral cancer) while 4 were for benign causes (2 radiation cystitis, 2 interstitial cystitis). Mean blood loss was 235cc (range 100–500cc) and mean operative time was 8.5 h (range 7–13). There were no conversions to an open procedure and no patient required a blood transfusion. Hospital stay was 7.2 days on average (range 4–18) with no 30-day post-discharge readmissions. One patient had a Clavien grade 3 or greater complication at 30 days (Table 2). No urine leaks or bowel leaks were observed and no patient experienced stomal stenosis or uretero-enteric stenosis. At three months follow up, all patients were continent and satisfied with their diversion. Conclusions: RARC with CCP ICUD is a safe and effective approach to bladder removal and reconstruction. As more surgeons utilize RARC, growing attention to techniques of intracorporeal reconstruction will allow further implementation of this technique to cystectomy patients. Patients with adequate renal function (glomerular filtration rate of 40 mL/min or greater) and hepatic function, who understand the requirement for regular clean-intermittent-catheterization and who possess mental acuity and manual dexterity to empty their pouch 4–6 times daily should be offered CCP ICUD as a reconstructive option following RARC.