Search

Objective: To evaluate the role of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) and Gallium-68 ( 68 Ga)-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in guiding salvage therapy for patients with biochemical recurrence (BCR) post-radical prostatectomy., Patients and Methods: Patients were evaluated with paired mpMRI and 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT scans for BCR (prostate-specific antigen [PSA] >0.2 ng/mL). Patient, tumour, PSA and imaging characteristics were analysed with descriptive statistics., Results: A total of 117 patients underwent paired scans to investigate BCR, of whom 53.0% (62/117) had detectable lesions on initial scans and 47.0% (55/117) did not. Of those without detectable lesions, 8/55 patients proceeded to immediate salvage radiotherapy (sRT) and 47/55 were observed. Of patients with negative imaging who were initially observed, 46.8% (22/47) did not reach threshold for repeat imaging, while 53.2% were rescanned due to rising PSA levels. Of these rescanned patients, 31.9% (15/47) were spared sRT due to proven distant disease, or due to absence of disease on repeat imaging. Of the original 117 patients, 53 (45.3%) were spared early sRT due to absence of disease on imaging or presence of distant disease, while those undergoing delayed sRT still maintained good PSA responses. Of note, patients with high-risk features who underwent sRT despite negative imaging demonstrated satisfactory PSA responses to sRT. Study limitations include the observational design and absence of cause-specific or overall survival data., Conclusion: Our findings support the use of mpMRI and 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT in guiding timing and necessity of salvage therapy tailored to detected lesions, with potential to reduce unnecessary sRT-related morbidity. Larger or randomized trials are warranted to validate this., (© 2023 The Authors. BJU International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of BJU International.)

Objective: To assess changes in diagnosis prostate cancer (PCa) grade, biopsy and treatment approach over a decade (2011-2020) at a population level within a clinical quality cancer registry., Patients and Methods: Patients diagnosed by prostate biopsy between 2011 and 2020 were retrieved from the Victorian Prostate Cancer Outcomes Registry, a prospective, state-wide clinical quality registry in Australia. Distributions of each grade group (GG) proportion over time were modelled with restricted cubic splines, separately by biopsy technique, age group and subsequent treatment method., Results: From 2011 to 2020, 24 308 men were diagnosed with PCa in the registry. The proportion of GG 1 disease declined from 36-23%, with commensurate rises in GG 2 (31-36%), GG 3 (14-17%) and GG 5 (9.3-14%) disease. This pattern was similar for men diagnosed by transrectal ultrasonography or transperineal biopsy. Patients aged <55 years had the largest absolute reduction in GG 1 PCa, from 56-35%, compared to patients aged 55-64 (41-31%), 65-74 (31-21%), and ≥75 years (12-10%). The proportion of prostatectomies performed for patients with GG 1 disease fell from 28% to 7.1% and, for primary radiation therapy, the proportion fell from 22% to 3.5%., Conclusion: From 2011 to 2020, there has been a substantial decrease in the proportion of GG 1 PCa diagnosed, particularly in younger men. The percentage of interventional management performed in GG 1 disease has fallen to very low levels. These results reflect the implementation of major changes to diagnostic and treatment guidelines and inform the future allocation of treatment methods., (© 2023 The Authors. BJU International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of BJU International.)

Objectives: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature to understand the variation in the reporting of neuroendocrine staining and determine the influence of reporting neuroendocrine staining at diagnosis on patient outcomes., Methods: Medical databases were searched to identify studies in which adenocarcinoma specimens were stained with any of the following four neuroendocrine markers: chromogranin A (CgA), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), synaptophysin and CD56. The prevalence of neuroendocrine staining and correlation of the prevalence of neuroendocrine staining to patient outcomes were analysed using a random-effects model. All statistical tests were two-sided., Results: Sixty-two studies spanning 7616 patients were analysed. The pooled prevalence for the most common marker, CgA (41%), was similar to that of NSE (39%) and higher than that of synaptophysin (31%). The prevalence of CgA staining was significantly influenced by reporting criteria, where objective thresholds reduced the variation in prevalence to 26%. No correlation was found between CgA prevalence and tumour grade. Patients positive for CgA staining using objective criteria had more rapid biochemical progression (hazard ratio [HR] 1.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.49 to 2.65) and poorer prostate cancer-specific survival (HR 7.03, 95% CI 2.55 to 19.39) compared to negative patients, even among those with low-risk cancers., Conclusion: Discrepancies in the reported prevalence of neuroendocrine cells in adenocarcinoma are driven by the inconsistent scoring criteria. This study unequivocally demonstrates that when neuroendocrine cell staining is assessed with objective criteria it identifies patients with poor clinical outcomes. Future studies are needed to determine the exact quantifiable thresholds for use in reporting neuroendocrine cell staining to identify patients at higher risk of progression., (© 2021 The Authors BJU International © 2021 BJU International.)

Objective: To determine whether the addition of inhaled methoxyflurane to periprostatic infiltration of local anaesthetic (PILA) during transrectal ultrasonography-guided prostate biopsies (TRUSBs) improved pain and other aspects of the experience., Patients and Methods: We conducted a multicentre, placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized phase 3 trial, involving 420 men undergoing their first TRUSB. The intervention was PILA plus a patient-controlled device containing either 3 mL methoxyflurane, or 3 mL 0.9% saline plus one drop of methoxyflurane to preserve blinding. The primary outcome was the pain score (0-10) reported by the participant after 15 min. Secondary outcomes included ratings of other aspects of the biopsy experience, willingness to undergo future biopsies, urologists' ratings, biopsy completion, and adverse events., Results: The mean (SE) pain scores 15 min after TRUSB were 2.51 (0.22) in those assigned methoxyflurane vs 2.82 (0.22) for placebo (difference 0.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.75 to 0.14; P = 0.18). Methoxyflurane was associated with better scores for discomfort (difference -0.48, 95% CI -0.92 to -0.03; P = 0.035, adjusted [adj.] P = 0.076), whole experience (difference -0.50, 95% CI -0.92 to -0.08; P = 0.021, adj. P = 0.053), and willingness to undergo repeat biopsies (odds ratio 1.67, 95% CI 1.12-2.49; P = 0.01) than placebo. Methoxyflurane resulted in higher scores for drowsiness (difference +1.64, 95% CI 1.21-2.07; P < 0.001, adj. P < 0.001) and dizziness (difference +1.78, 95% CI 1.31-2.24; P < 0.001, adj. P < 0.001) than placebo. There was no significant difference in the number of ≥ grade 3 adverse events., Conclusions: We found no evidence that methoxyflurane improved pain scores at 15 min, however, improvements were seen in patient-reported discomfort, overall experience, and willingness to undergo repeat biopsies., (© 2021 The Authors. BJU International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of BJU International.)

Objective: To develop contemporary and inclusive prostate cancer survivorship guidelines for the Australian setting., Participants and Methods: A four-round iterative policy Delphi was used, with a 47-member expert panel that included leaders from key Australian and New Zealand clinical and community groups and consumers from diverse backgrounds, including LGBTQIA people and those from regional, rural and urban settings. The first three rounds were undertaken using an online survey (94-96% response) followed by a fourth final face-to-face panel meeting. Descriptors for men's current prostate cancer survivorship experience were generated, along with survivorship elements that were assessed for importance and feasibility. From these, survivorship domains were generated for consideration., Results: Six key descriptors for men's current prostate cancer survivorship experience that emerged were: dealing with side effects; challenging; medically focused; uncoordinated; unmet needs; and anxious. In all, 26 survivorship elements were identified within six domains: health promotion and advocacy; shared management; vigilance; personal agency; care coordination; and evidence-based survivorship interventions. Consensus was high for all domains as being essential. All elements were rated high on importance but consensus was mixed for feasibility. Seven priorities were derived for immediate action., Conclusion: The policy Delphi allowed a uniquely inclusive expert clinical and community group to develop prostate cancer survivorship domains that extend beyond traditional healthcare parameters. These domains provide guidance for policymakers, clinicians, community and consumers on what is essential for step change in prostate cancer survivorship outcomes., (© 2020 The Authors BJU International published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of BJU International.)

Objective: To compare the accuracy of 68 gallium prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography/computed tomography ( 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT) with multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) in detecting and localising primary prostate cancer when compared with radical prostatectomy (RP) specimen pathology., Patients and Methods: Retrospective review of men who underwent 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI for primary prostate cancer before RP across four centres between 2015 and 2018. Patients undergoing imaging for recurrent disease or before non-surgical treatment were excluded. We defined pathological index tumour as the lesion with highest International Society of Urological Pathology Grade Group (GG) on RP specimen pathology. Our primary outcomes were rates of accurate detection and localisation of RP specimen pathology index tumour using 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT or mpMRI. We defined tumour detection as imaging lesion corresponding with RP specimen tumour on any imaging plane, and localisation as imaging lesion matching RP specimen index tumour in all sagittal, axial, and coronal planes. Secondary outcomes included localisation of clinically significant and transition zone (TZ) index tumours. We defined clinically significant disease as GG 3-5. We used descriptive statistics and the Mann-Whitney U-test to define and compare demographic and pathological characteristics between detected, missed and localised tumours using either imaging modality. We used the McNemar test to compare detection and localisation rates using 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI., Results: In all, 205 men were included in our analysis, including 133 with clinically significant disease. There was no significant difference between 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI in the detection of any tumour (94% vs 95%, P > 0.9). There was also no significant difference between localisation of all index tumours (91% vs 89%, P = 0.47), clinically significant index tumours (96% vs 91%, P = 0.15) or TZ tumours (85% vs 80%, P > 0.9) using 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI. Limitations include retrospective study design and non-central review of imaging and pathology., Conclusion: We found no significant difference in the detection or localisation of primary prostate cancer between 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI. Further prospective studies are required to evaluate a combined PET/MRI model in minimising tumours missed by either modality., (© 2019 The Authors BJU International © 2019 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To determine the effects of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP), or robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) compared with open radical prostatectomy (ORP) in men with localized prostate cancer., Materials and Methods: We performed a comprehensive search using multiple databases (CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE) and abstract proceedings, with no restrictions on the language of publication or publication status, up until 9 June 2017. We included all randomized or pseudo-randomized controlled trials that directly compared LRP and RARP with ORP. Two review authors independently examined full-text reports, identified relevant studies, assessed the eligibility of studies for inclusion, extracted data and assessed risk of bias. We performed statistical analyses using a random-effects model and assessed the quality of the evidence according to Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE). The primary outcomes were prostate cancer-specific survival, urinary quality of life and sexual quality of life. Secondary outcomes were biochemical recurrence-free survival, overall survival, overall surgical complications, serious postoperative surgical complications, postoperative pain, hospital stay and blood transfusions., Results: We included two unique studies in a total of 446 randomized participants with clinically localized prostate cancer. All available outcome data were short-term (up to 3 months). We found no study that addressed the outcome of prostate cancer-specific survival. Based on one trial, RARP probably results in little to no difference in urinary quality of life (mean difference [MD] -1.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] -4.65 to 2.05; moderate quality of evidence) and sexual quality of life (MD 3.90, 95% CI: -1.84 to 9.64; moderate quality of evidence). No study addressed the outcomes of biochemical recurrence-free survival or overall survival. Based on one trial, RARP may result in little to no difference in overall surgical complications (risk ratio [RR] 0.41, 95% CI: 0.16-1.04; low quality of evidence) or serious postoperative complications (RR 0.16, 95% CI: 0.02-1.32; low quality of evidence). Based on two studies, LRP or RARP may result in a small, possibly unimportant improvement in postoperative pain at 1 day (MD -1.05, 95% CI: -1.42 to -0.68; low quality of evidence) and up to 1 week (MD -0.78, 95% CI: -1.40 to -0.17; low quality of evidence). Based on one study, RARP probably results in little to no difference in postoperative pain at 12 weeks (MD 0.01, 95% CI: -0.32 to 0.34; moderate quality of evidence). Based on one study, RARP probably reduces the length of hospital stay (MD -1.72, 95% CI: -2.19 to -1.25; moderate quality of evidence). Based on two studies, LRP or RARP may reduce the frequency of blood transfusions (RR 0.24, 95% CI: 0.12-0.46; low quality of evidence). Assuming a baseline risk for a blood transfusion to be 8.9%, LRP or RARP would result in 68 fewer blood transfusions per 1,000 men (95% CI: 78-48 fewer)., Conclusions: There is no evidence to inform the comparative effectiveness of LRP or RARP compared with ORP for oncological outcomes. Urinary and sexual quality of life appear similar. Overall and serious postoperative complication rates appear similar. The difference in postoperative pain may be minimal. Men undergoing LRP or RARP may have a shorter hospital stay and receive fewer blood transfusions., (© 2017 The Authors BJU International © 2017 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To determine the relevance of intraductal carcinoma of the prostate (IDC-P) in advanced prostate cancer by first examining whether IDC-P was originally present in patients who later developed advanced prostate cancer and then using patient-derived xenografts (PDXs) to investigate the response of IDC-P to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)., Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective pathology review of IDC-P in primary prostate biopsy or surgery specimens from 38 men who subsequently developed advanced prostate cancer. Overall survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. To demonstrate the response of IDC-P to ADT, we established PDXs from seven patients with familial and/or high-risk sporadic prostate cancer. After castration and testosterone restoration of host mice, we measured the volume and proliferation of IDC-P within PDX grafts., Results: We found that IDC-P was a prominent feature in the primary prostate specimens, present in 63% of specimens and often co-existing with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Overall survival was similar in patients with or without IDC-P. In the PDXs from all seven patients, IDC-P was identified and present at a similar volume to adenocarcinoma. Residual IDC-P lesions persisted after host castration and, similar to castrate-tolerant adenocarcinoma, testosterone restoration led to tumour regeneration., Conclusion: The study showed that IDC-P is prevalent in aggressive prostate cancer and contains cells that can withstand androgen deprivation. Thus, IDC-P appears functionally relevant in advanced prostate cancer. The presence of IDC-P may be a trigger to develop innovative clinical management plans., (© 2017 The Authors BJU International © 2017 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To assess the general public's understanding of urologists and of the Urological Society of Australian and New Zealand (USANZ) and gauge the effectiveness with which the USANZ disseminates health information about urological conditions to health consumers., Subjects and Methods: Using prostate cancer as an example, a Qualtrics online market survey of Australian healthcare consumers recruited from an online pool was conducted. The number of districts sampled within each state or territory was proportional to the size of the target population within each region and were proportionately distributed across metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. Demographic characteristics were comparable with the Australian Bureau of Statistics Census figures corresponding to the target age group. The survey assessed knowledge of the roles of medical specialties through open-ended responses to qualitative items, association tasks, and recall/recognition questions. Subjects were asked to rate their familiarity of medical specialists and of six medical specialty logos., Results: There were 302 respondents. Subjects indicated less awareness of urology vs other medical specialties, were relatively unaware that urologists were concerned with the prostate, and the USANZ branding was among the least familiar (P < 0.001, Friedman test). When asked the first medical specialist that came to mind when told of prostate cancer, only 22% wrote urologist., Conclusion: The general public has a limited understanding of urologists and of the USANZ. Sub-brand names that explicitly link urologists to urological conditions, has been suggested as a means to increase the public's understanding of urologists and of the USANZ, and improve the USANZ's ability to promulgate urological health information., (© 2016 The Authors BJU International © 2016 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To determine whether patients with normal preoperative renal function, but who possess medical risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD), experience poorer renal function after partial nephrectomy (PN) for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) compared with those without risk factors., Patients and Methods: The effects of age, hypertension (HTN) and diabetes mellitus (DM) on estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were investigated in 488 consecutive operations for RCC performed during 2005-2012 at six Australian tertiary referral centres; 156 patients underwent PN and 332 patients underwent radical nephrectomy (RN). We used chi-squared test and binary logistic regression to analyse new-onset CKD, and multiple linear regression to investigate determinants of postoperative eGFR., Results: The development of new-onset eGFR of <60 mL/min was related to undergoing RN rather than PN (risk ratio [RR] 2.7, P < 0.001), older age (RR 1.6, P < 0.001) and the presence of HTN (RR 1.6, P = 0.001) and DM (RR 1.5, P = 0.003). Patients undergoing PN were still at risk of new-onset CKD if medical risk factors were present. Whereas 7% of patients undergoing PN without CKD risk factors developed new-onset eGFR <60 mL/min, this figure increased to 24%, 30% and 42% for older age, HTN and DM, respectively. Patients with eGFR of 45-59 mL/min were more likely to progress to more severe forms of CKD and end-stage renal failure than those with eGFR of ≥60 mL/min. On multivariate analysis, RN, rather than PN, age and the presence of DM (but not HTN), predicted both the development of new-onset eGFR of <60 mL/min (R(2) = 0.37) and new-onset eGFR <45 mL/min (R(2) = 0.42)., Conclusion: Patients with medical risk factors for CKD are at increased risk of progressive renal impairment despite the use of PN. Where feasible, nephron-sparing surgery should be considered for these patients., (© 2015 The Authors BJU International © 2015 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: To present the Victorian Transperineal Biopsy Collaboration (VTBC) experience in patients with no prior prostate cancer diagnosis, assessing the cancer detection rate, pathological outcomes and anatomical distribution of cancer within the prostate., Patients and Methods: VTBC was established through partnership between urologists performing transperineal biopsies of the prostate (TPB) at three institutions in Melbourne. Consecutive patients who had TPB, as first biopsy or repeat biopsy after previous negative transrectal ultrasound-guided (TRUS) biopsy, between September 2009 and September 2013 in the VTBC database were included. Data for each patient were collected prospectively (except for TPB before 2011 in one institution), based on the minimum dataset published by the Ginsburg Study Group. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify factors predictive of cancer detection on TPB., Results: In all, 160 patients were included in the study, of whom 57 had TPB as first biopsy and 103 had TPB as repeat biopsy after previous negative TRUS biopsies. The median patient age at TPB was 63 years, with the repeat-biopsy patients having a higher median serum PSA level (5.8 ng/mL for first biopsy and 9.6 ng/mL for repeat biopsy) and larger prostate volumes (40 mL for first biopsy, and 51 mL for repeat biopsy). Prostate cancer was detected in 53% of first-biopsy patients and 36% of repeat-biopsy patients, of which 87% and 81%, respectively, were clinically significant cancers, defined as a Gleason score of ≥7, or more than three positive cores of Gleason 6. Of the cancers detected in repeat biopsies, 75% involved the anterior region (based on the Ginsburg Study Group's recommended biopsy map), while 25% were confined exclusively within the anterior region; a lower proportion of only 5% of cancers detected in first biopsies were confined exclusively within the anterior region. Age, serum PSA level and prostate volume were predictive of cancer detection in repeat biopsies, while only age was predictive in first biopsies., Conclusions: TPB is an alternative approach to TRUS biopsy of the prostate, offering a high rate of detection of clinically significant prostate cancer. It provides excellent sampling of the anterior region of the prostate, which is often under-sampled using the TRUS approach, and should be considered as an option for all men in whom a prostate biopsy is indicated., (© 2015 The Authors BJU International © 2015 BJU International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: To assess, in men undergoing active surveillance (AS) for low-risk prostate cancer, whether saturation or transperineal biopsy altered oncological outcomes, compared with standard transrectal biopsy., Patients and Methods: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from two cohorts with localised prostate cancer (1998-2012) undergoing AS. Prostate cancer-specific, metastasis-free and treatment-free survival, unfavourable disease and significant cancer at radical prostatectomy (RP) were compared for standard (<12 core, median 10) vs saturation (>12 core, median 16), and transrectal vs transperineal biopsy, using multivariate analysis., Results: In all, 650 men were included in the analysis with a median (mean) follow-up of 55 (67) months. Prostate cancer-specific, metastasis-free and biochemical recurrence-free survival were 100%, 100% and 99% respectively. Radical treatment-free survival at 5 and 10 years were 57% and 45% respectively (median time to treatment 7.5 years). On Kaplan-Meier analysis, saturation biopsy was associated with increased objective biopsy progression requiring treatment (log-rank P = 0.01). On multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis, saturation biopsy (hazard ratio 1.68, P < 0.01) but not transperineal approach (P = 0.89) was associated with increased objective biopsy progression requiring treatment. On logistic regression analysis of 179 men who underwent RP for objective progression, transperineal biopsy was associated with lower likelihood of unfavourable RP pathology (odds ratio 0.42, P = 0.03) but saturation biopsy did not alter the likelihood (P = 0.25). Neither transperineal nor saturation biopsy altered the likelihood of significant vs insignificant cancer at RP (P = 0.19 and P = 0.41, respectively)., Conclusions: AS achieved satisfactory oncological outcomes. Saturation biopsy increased progression to treatment on AS; longer follow-up is needed to determine if this represents beneficial earlier detection of significant disease or over-treatment. Transperineal biopsy reduced the likelihood of unfavourable disease at RP, possibly due to earlier detection of anterior tumours., (© 2014 The Authors. BJU International © 2014 BJU International.)

Objectives: To ascertain the treatment trends and patterns of care, for men with prostate cancer on active surveillance (AS) in Victoria, Australia., Patients and Methods: De-identified data was obtained for 6424 men from the Victorian Prostate Cancer Registry. Men included in this study were diagnosed with prostate cancer from 2008 to August 2012 with ≥ 12-months of follow-up. Patients were stratified using the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) risk grouping system and those who were not actively treated were identified. Data was acquired to describe the trends and uptake of AS according to public vs private hospital sector, and regional vs metropolitan regions., Results: In all, 1603/6424 (24.9%) men received no treatment with curative intent at 12-months follow-up. This cohort included patients in whom the chosen management plan was recorded as AS (980/1603, 61.1%), watchful waiting (341/1603, 21.3%), or no management plan (282/1603, 17.6%). From this, 980/6424(15.3%) of the patients were recorded as being on AS across all NCCN categories at 12 months after diagnosis. This included 653/1816 (35.9%) of very low- and low-risk men, and 251/2820 (8.9%) of intermediate-risk men. Of our patients on AS, 169/980 (17.2%) progressed onto active treatment after 12 months. This active treatment included radical prostatectomy in 116 (68.6%), 32 (18.9%) undergoing external beam radiation therapy, 12 (7.1%) undergoingt brachytherapy and nine (5.3%) undergoing androgen-deprivation therapy. Overall, 629/979 (64.2%) of the AS patients were notified from a private hospital, with 350/979 (35.7%) of the patients notified from a public hospital (one patient unclassified). Of these, 202/652 (30.9%) of the AS patients with very low-/low-risk disease were managed in the public sector, vs 450/652 (69%) of very low-/low-risk AS patients being managed in the private sector. In our cohort, patients with very low- and low-risk disease, managed in a private hospital, were more likely to be on AS (P = 0.005). AS patients in the private sector were also a median of 2.8 years younger (median 65.6 vs 68.4 years, P < 0.001); had a lower median PSA level (5.3 vs 6.7 ng/mL, P < 0.001); and had lower biopsy Gleason score and clinical staging. There was no significant difference in the uptake of AS demographically, in our cohort of men between metropolitan and regional areas., Conclusion: In this contemporary registry-based population, AS is being used in a significant proportion of patients. The proportion of men progressing to intervention is lower than that reported in the current literature. Patients are more likely to be on AS if they are managed in a private hospital, with no differences in the uptake of AS, from metropolitan to regional areas., (© 2015 The Authors. BJU International © 2015 BJU International.)

Objective: To describe the characteristics of patients with and without positive surgical margins (PSMs) and to analyse the impact of PSMs on secondary cancer treatment after radical prostatectomy (RP), with short-term follow-up., Patients and Methods: We analysed data from 2385 consecutive patients treated using RP, who were notified to the Prostate Cancer Registry by 37 hospitals in Victoria, Australia between August 2008 and February 2012. Independent and multivariate models were constructed to predict the likelihood of PSMs. Independent and multivariate predictors of secondary treatment after RP in the initial 12 months after diagnosis were also assessed., Results: Data on PSM status were collected for 2219/2385 (93%) patients. In total 592/2175 (27.2%) RPs resulted in PSMs; 102/534 (19.1%) in the low-risk group, 317/1218 (26.0%) in the intermediate-risk group, 153/387 (39.5%) in the high-risk group, and 9/11 (81.8%) in the very-high-risk disease group of patients. Patients having surgery in a hospital where <10 RPs occur each year were significantly more likely to have a PSM (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07-1.93) and those in the intermediate-, high- or very-high-risk groups (IRR 1.34, 95% CI 1.09-1.65, P = 0.007, IRR 1.96, 95% CI 1.57-2.45, P < 0.001 and IRR 3.81, 95% CI 2.60-5.60, P < 0.001, respectively) were significantly more likely to have a PSM than those in the low-risk group (IRR 2.50, 95% CI 1.23-5.11, P = 0.012). Patients with PSMs were significantly less likely to have been treated at a private hospital than a public hospital (IRR 0.76, 95% CI 0.63-0.93, P = 0.006) or to have undergone robot-assisted RP (IRR 0.69, 95% CI 0.55-0.87; P = 0.002) than open RP. Of the 2182 patients who underwent RP in the initial 12 months after diagnosis, 1987 (91.1%) received no subsequent treatment, 123 (5.6%) received radiotherapy, 47 (2.1%) received androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and 23 (1.1%) received a combination of radiotherapy and ADT. Two patients (0.1%) received chemotherapy combined with another treatment. At a multivariate level, predictors of additional treatment after RP in the initial 12 months included having a PSM compared with a negative surgical margin (odds ratio [OR] 5.61, 95% CI 3.82-8.22, P < 0.001); pT3 compared with pT2 disease (OR 4.72, 95% CI 2.69-8.23, P < 0.001); and having high- or very-high-risk disease compared with low-risk disease (OR 4.36, 95% CI 2.24-8.50, P < 0.001 and OR 4.50, 95% CI 1.34-15.17, P = 0.015, respectively). Patient age, hospital location and hospital type were not associated with secondary treatment. Patients undergoing robot-assisted RP were significantly less likely to receive additional treatment than those receiving open RP (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.39-0.88, P = 0.010)., Conclusions: These data indicate an important association between hospital status and PSMs, with patients who underwent RP in private hospitals less likely than those in public hospitals to have a PSM. Patients treated in lower-volume hospitals were more likely to have a PSM and less likely to receive additional treatment after surgery in the initial 12 months, and robot-assisted RP was associated with fewer PSMs than was open RP in this non-randomized observational study. PSM status and pathological T3 disease are both important and independent predictors of secondary cancer treatment for patients undergoing RP. A robot-assisted RP approach appears to decrease the likelihood of subsequent treatment, when compared with the open approach., (© 2013 The Authors. BJU International © 2013 BJU International.)

Objectives: To describe a range of anxieties in men on active surveillance (AS) for prostate cancer and determine which of these anxieties predicted health-related quality of life (HRQL)., Patients and Methods: In all, 260 men with prostate cancer on AS were invited to complete psychological measures including the Hospital and Anxiety Depression Scale; the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait Scale; the Memorial Anxiety Scale for Prostate Cancer; and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Scale-Prostate. Overall, 86 men with a mean (sd, range) age of 65.7 (5.4, 51-75) years returned data, yielding a response rate of 33%. Outcome measures were standardised psychological measures. Pearson's correlations were used to examine bivariate relationships, while regression analyses were used to describe predictors of dependent variables., Results: When compared with the findings of prior research, the men in our cohort had normal levels of general anxiety and illness-specific anxiety and high prostate cancer-related HRQL. Age, trait anxiety and fear of recurrence (FoR) were significant predictors of prostate cancer-related HRQL; trait anxiety and FoR were significant predictors of total HRQL. Results should be interpreted in context of sample characteristics and the correlational design of the study., Conclusions: Participants reported low levels of anxiety and high HRQL. Trait anxiety and FoR were significant predictors of both prostate cancer-related and total HRQL. The administration of a short trait-anxiety screening tool may help identify men with clinically significant levels of anxiety and those at risk of reduced HRQL., (© 2014 The Authors. BJU International © 2014 BJU International.)

Objective: To determine the rate of hospital re-admission for sepsis after transperineal (TP) biopsy using both local data and worldwide literature, as there is growing interest in TP biopsy as an alternative to transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS)-guided biopsy for patients undergoing repeat prostate biopsy., Patients and Methods: Pooled prospective databases on TP biopsy from multiple centres in Melbourne were queried for rates of re-admission for infection. A literature review of PubMed and Embase was also conducted using the search terms: 'prostate biopsy, fever, infection, sepsis, septicaemia and complications'., Results: In all, 245 TP biopsies were performed (111 at Alfred Health, 92 at Epworth Healthcare, 38 at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, and four at other institutions). The rate of hospital re-admission for infection was zero. The literature review showed that the rate of sepsis after TRUS biopsy appears to be rising with increasing rates of multi-resistant bacteria found in rectal flora, and is as high as 5%. However, the rate of sepsis from published series of TP biopsy approached zero., Conclusions: Both local and international data suggest a negligible rate of sepsis with TP biopsy. This compares to a concerning rise in the rate of sepsis after TRUS biopsy due to the increasing prevalence of multi-resistant bacteria in rectal flora. Although TRUS biopsy is convenient, cheap and quick to perform, we think that TP biopsy should now be offered as an option, not only to patients undergoing repeat prostate biopsy, but to all patients in whom a prostate biopsy is indicated., (© 2013 The Authors. BJU International © 2013 BJU International.)

Objectives: To test the hypothesis that observation with early salvage radiotherapy (SRT) is not inferior to 'standard' treatment with adjuvant RT (ART) with respect to biochemical failure in patients with pT3 disease and/or positive surgical margins (SMs) after radical prostatectomy (RP). To compare the following secondary endpoints between the two arms: patient-reported outcomes, adverse events, biochemical failure-free survival, overall survival, disease-specific survival, time to distant failure, time to local failure, cost utility analysis, quality adjusted life years and time to androgen deprivation., Patients and Methods: The Radiotherapy - Adjuvant Versus Early Salvage (RAVES) trial is a phase III multicentre randomised controlled trial led by the Trans Tasman Radiation Oncology Group (TROG), in collaboration with the Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand (USANZ), and the Australian and New Zealand Urogenital and Prostate Cancer Trials Group (ANZUP). In all, 470 patients are planned to be randomised 1:1 to either ART commenced at ≤4 months of RP (standard of care) or close observation with early SRT triggered by a PSA level of >0.20 ng/mL (experimental arm). Eligible patients have had a RP for adenocarcinoma of the prostate with at least one of the following risk factors: positive SMs ± extraprostatic extension ± seminal vesicle involvement. The postoperative PSA level must be ≤0.10 ng/mL. Rigorous investigator credentialing and a quality assurance programme are designed to promote consistent RT delivery among patients., Results: Trial is currently underway, with 258 patients randomised as of 31 October 2013. International collaborations have developed, including a planned meta-analysis to be undertaken with the UK Medical Research Council/National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group RADICALS (Radiotherapy and Androgen Deprivation In Combination with Local Surgery) trial and an innovative psycho-oncology sub-study to investigate a patient decision aid resource., Conclusion: On the current evidence available, it remains unclear if ART is equivalent or superior to observation with early SRT., (© 2014 The Authors. BJU International © 2014 BJU International.)

Background: The diagnosis of prostate cancer has long been plagued by the absence of an imaging tool that reliably detects and localises significant tumours. Recent evidence suggests that multi-parametric MRI could improve the accuracy of diagnostic assessment in prostate cancer. This review serves as a background to a recent USANZ position statement. It aims to provide an overview of MRI techniques and to critically review the published literature on the clinical application of MRI in prostate cancer., Technical Aspects: The combination of anatomical (T2-weighted) MRI with at least two of the three functional MRI parameters - which include diffusion-weighted imaging, dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging and spectroscopy - will detect greater than 90% of significant (moderate to high risk) tumours; however MRI is less reliable at detecting tumours that are small (<0.5 cc), low grade (Gleason score 6) or in the transitional zone. The higher anatomical resolution provided by 3-Tesla magnets and endorectal coils may improve the accuracy, particularly in primary tumour staging., Screening: The use of mpMRI to determine which men with an elevated PSA should undergo biopsy is currently the subject of two large clinical trials in Australia. MRI should be used with caution in this setting and then only in centres with established uro-radiological expertise and quality control mechanisms in place. There is sufficient evidence to justify using MRI to determine the need for repeat biopsy and to guide areas in which to focus repeat biopsy., Image-Directed Biopsy: MRI-directed biopsy is an exciting concept supported by promising early results, but none of the three proposed techniques have so far been proven superior to standard biopsy protocols. Further evidence of superior accuracy and core-efficiency over standard biopsy is required, before their costs and complexities in use can be justified., Treatment Selection and Planning: When used for primary-tumour staging (T-staging), MRI has limited sensitivity for T3 disease, but its specificity of greater than 95% may be useful in men with intermediate-high risk disease to identify those with advanced T3 disease not suitable for nerve sparing or for surgery at all. MRI appears to be of value in planning dosimetry in men undergoing radiotherapy, and in guiding selection for and monitoring on active surveillance., (© 2013 The Authors. BJU International © 2013 BJU International.)

Objective: To establish a pilot population-based clinical registry with the aim of monitoring the quality of care provided to men diagnosed with prostate cancer., Patients and Methods: All men aged >18 years from the contributing hospitals in Victoria, Australia, who have a diagnosis of prostate cancer confirmed by histopathology report notified to the Victorian Cancer Registry are eligible for inclusion in the Prostate Cancer Registry (PCR). A literature review was undertaken aiming to identify existing quality indicators and source evidence-based guidelines from both Australia and internationally., Results: A Steering Committee was established to determine the minimum dataset, select quality indicators to be reported back to clinicians, identify the most effective recruitment strategy, and provide a governance structure for data requests; collection, analysis and reporting of data; and managing outliers. A minimum dataset comprising 72 data items is collected by the PCR, enabling ten quality indicators to be collected and reported. Outcome measures are risk adjusted according to the established National Comprehensive Cancer Network and Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment Score (surgery only) risk stratification model. Recruitment to the PCR occurs concurrently with mandatory notification to the state-based Cancer Registry. The PCR adopts an opt-out consent process to maximize recruitment. The data collection approach is standardized, using a hybrid of data linkage and manual collection, and data collection forms are electronically scanned into the PCR. A data access policy and escalation policy for mortality outliers has been developed., Conclusions: The PCR provides potential for high-quality population-based data to be collected and managed within a clinician-led governance framework. This approach satisfies the requirement for health services to establish quality assessment, at the same time as providing clinically credible data to clinicians to drive practice improvement., (© 2012 THE AUTHORS. BJU INTERNATIONAL © 2012 BJU INTERNATIONAL.)

Patients and Methods: • Patients undergoing TRUS-guided biopsies were each given a Penthrox inhaler to self-administer during the procedure and instructed in its use. • Immediately after the procedure, patients were asked to rate their pain using a verbal rating scale from 0 to 10., Results: • In all, 42 consecutive men underwent a TRUS-guided biopsy. • The median pain score was 3. • All 42 patients stated they would be happy to undergo the same procedure again. The only adverse effects reported by patients were brief light-headedness and a sickly sweet taste., Conclusion: • This study of our initial experience using Penthrox suggests that it may have a role in analgesia for TRUS-guided biopsy. • It may provide safe, adequate analgesia that is easy for urologists to use and avoids excessive use of resources. • Planning for a randomised control trial comparing Penthrox to the current 'gold standard' of prostatic infiltration of local anaesthetic is presently underway., (© 2012 THE AUTHORS. BJU INTERNATIONAL © 2012 BJU INTERNATIONAL.)

• Currently there is significant confusion and polarisation about prostate cancer screening for both patients and physicians alike. • We propose a risk-adjusted testing programme, which would lead to fewer patients who need to be tested and treated to save a life and also eliminate inappropriate prostate-specific antigen testing in the elderly and patients with severe co-morbidities where there is no clear benefit., (© 2012 THE AUTHORS. BJU INTERNATIONAL © 2012 BJU INTERNATIONAL.)

Objective: To assess the patient and cancer characteristics as well as outcomes of a large cohort of Australian men who chose active surveillance (AS) as initial management of their low-risk prostate cancer., Patients and Methods: Men treated by one surgeon who had chosen AS as the primary management for prostate cancer were identified from the records. The patient and cancer data recorded included: patient age, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentration at diagnosis, mode of prostate cancer detection. For prostate cancer diagnosed at prostate biopsy, data were collected for the number of cores taken as well as positive core number, cancer burden, and Gleason grade. Survival analysis was used to determine the duration of AS., Results: In all, 154 men with low-risk prostate cancer with a median (range) age 63.0 (36-81) years and a mean (range) PSA concentration of 6.5 (0.3-22) ng/mL underwent AS. The median (range) duration of AS was 1.9 (0.1-16.6) years. AS was ceased in 29 patients (19%) after a mean (range) of 2.4 (0.2-7.9) years. Of these, 26 were upstaged, one chose curative treatment despite stable disease, and two died from disease not related to prostate cancer. Actuarial analysis on the probability of still being on AS after 5 years was 61.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 46.2-74.2%) and after 10 years was 45.0% (95% CI 21.3-66.2%). While the period of follow-up is short, there were no biochemical recurrences in men who underwent curative treatment and no deaths from prostate cancer., Conclusion: AS is an acceptable mode of initial treatment in Australian men with low-risk prostate cancer., (© 2012 THE AUTHORS. BJU INTERNATIONAL © 2012 BJU INTERNATIONAL.)

Objective: •  To systematically review the current literature concerning perioperative, functional and oncological outcomes reported after open and minimally invasive prostate cancer surgery specifically from institutions within Australasia., Materials and Methods: •  Four electronic databases were searched to identify studies reporting outcome after open and minimally invasive prostate cancer surgery. Studies were sought using the search term 'radical prostatectomy'. •  In all, 11,378 articles were retrieved. For the purpose of this review, data were only extracted from studies reporting Australasian experience. •  A total of 28 studies met final inclusion criteria., Results: •  Overall, the data are limited by the low methodological quality of available studies. •  Only two comparative studies evaluating open radical prostatectomy (ORP) and robotic-assisted laparoscopic RP (RALP) were identified, both non-randomized. •  The mean blood loss, catheterization time and hospital stay was shorter after RALP than with ORP. In contrast, mean operative procedure time was significantly longer for RALP. •  Overall adverse event rates were similar for the different surgical approaches although the rate of bladder neck stricture was significantly higher after open RP. •  Incorporation of patient outcomes achieved by surgeons still within their learning curve resulted in a trend towards higher positive surgical margin rates and lower continence scores after RALP. However, there was equivalence once the surgeons' learning curve was overcome. Given the limited follow-up for RALP and laparoscopic RP (14.7 and 6 months vs 43.8 months for ORP) and the lack of data concerning erectile function status, comparison of biochemical failure and potency was not possible., Conclusions: •  Few comparative data are available from Australasia concerning open and minimally invasive prostate cancer surgery. •  While perioperative outcomes appear to favour minimally invasive approaches, further comparative assessment of functional and long-term oncological efficacy for the different surgical approaches is required to better define the role of minimally invasive approaches., (© 2011 THE AUTHORS. BJU INTERNATIONAL © 2011 BJU INTERNATIONAL.)

Objectives: To examine differences in sexual, urinary and bowel function, and bother, in patients with prostate cancer after treatment with radical prostatectomy (RP) or external beam radiation (EBRT), compared to a convenience sample of men with no diagnosis of prostate cancer, as little is known about the disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of men in Australia after treatment for clinically localized prostate cancer., Patients and Methods: The study was a retrospective cross-sectional survey of 95 controls, 82 men with localized prostate cancer treated with RP and 39 with EBRT at > or = 2 years before data were collected. Disease-specific HRQoL was assessed using the University of California Los Angeles Prostate Cancer Index, a validated measure that includes six subscales addressing sexual, urinary and bowel symptoms, and level of bother associated with the symptoms. Univariate analyses were conducted to ascertain differences in disease-specific HRQoL among the three groups. To minimize the influence of other factors, age and comorbid medical conditions were included as covariates., Results: Men treated with RP had more sexual and urinary symptoms (both P < 0.001) than those treated with EBRT, and more sexual bother (P < 0.001). Men treated with EBRT reported significantly worse bowel function (P = 0.02) and more bother (P < 0.001) with these symptoms than those who had RP., Conclusions: Except for bowel dysfunction and the bother associated with these symptoms, disease-specific HRQoL was generally worse after RP than EBRT.