Search

Objective: To evaluate how blood levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) relate to prostate volume of benign tissue, Gleason pattern 3 (GP3) and Gleason pattern 4 (GP4) cancer., Methods: The cohort included 2209 consecutive men undergoing radical prostatectomy at 2 academic institutions with pT2N0, Grade Group 1-4 prostate cancer and an undetectable postoperative PSA. Volume of benign, GP3, and GP4 were estimated. The primary analysis evaluated the association between PSA and volume of each type of tissue using multivariable linear regression. R 2 , a measure of explained variation, was calculated using a multivariable model., Results: Estimated contribution to PSA was 0.04/0.06 ng/mL/cc for benign, 0.08/0.14 ng/mL/cc for GP3, and 0.62/0.80 ng/ml/cc for GP4 for the 2 independent cohorts, respectively. GP4 was associated with 6 to 8-fold more PSA per cc compared to GP3 and 15-fold higher compared to benign tissue. We did not observe a difference between PSA per cc for GP3 vs. benign tissue (P = 0.2). R 2 decreased only slightly when removing age (0.006/0.018), volume of benign tissue (0.051/0.054) or GP3 (0.014/0.023) from the model. When GP4 was removed, R 2 decreased 0.051/0.310. PSA density (PSA divided by prostate volume) was associated with volume of GP4 but not GP3, after adjustment for benign volume., Conclusion: Gleason pattern 4 cancer contributes considerably more to PSA and PSA density per unit volume compared to GP3 and benign tissue. Contributions from GP3 and benign are similar. Further research should examine the utility of determining clinical management recommendations by absolute volume of GP4 rather than the ratio of GP3 to GP4., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Context: Men of African ancestry have demonstrated markedly higher rates of prostate cancer mortality than men of other races and ethnicities around the world. In fact, the highest rates of prostate cancer mortality worldwide are found in the Caribbean and Sub-Saharan West Africa, and among men of African descent in the USA. Addressing this inequity in prostate cancer care and outcomes requires a focused research approach that creates durable solutions to address the structural, social, environmental, and health factors that create racial disparities in care and outcomes., Objective: To introduce a conceptual model for evaluating racial inequities in prostate cancer care to facilitate the development of translational research studies and interventions., Evidence Acquisition: A collaborative review of literature relevant to racial inequities in prostate cancer care and outcomes was performed. Existing literature was used to highlight various components of the conceptual model to inform future research and interventions toward equitable care and outcomes., Evidence Synthesis: Racial inequities in prostate cancer outcomes are driven by a series of structural and social determinants of health that impact exposures, mediators, and outcomes. Social determinants of equity, such as laws/policies, economic systems, and structural racism, affect the inequitable access to environmental and neighborhood exposures, in addition to health care access. Although the incidence disparity remains problematic, various studies have demonstrated parity in outcomes when social and health factors, such as access to equitable care, are normalized. Few studies have tested interventions to reduce inequities in prostate cancer among Black men., Conclusions: Worldwide, men of African ancestry demonstrate worse outcomes in prostate cancer, a phenomenon driven largely by social factors that inform biologic, environmental, and health care risks. A conceptual model was presented that organizes the many factors that influence prostate cancer incidence and mortality. Within that framework, we must understand the current state of inequities in clinical prostate cancer practice, the optimal state of what equitable practice would be, and how achieving equity in prostate cancer care balances costs, benefits, and harms. More robust characterization of the sources of prostate cancer inequities should inform testing of ambitious and innovative interventions as we work toward equity in care and outcomes., Patient Summary: Men of African ancestry demonstrate the highest rates of prostate cancer mortality, which may be reduced through social interventions. We present a framework for formalizing the identification of the drivers of prostate cancer inequities to facilitate the development of interventions and trials to eradicate them., (Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: Single nucleotide polymorphism-based genetic risk score (GRS) has been developed and validated for prostate cancer (PCa) risk assessment. As GRS is population standardized, its value can be interpreted as a relative risk to the general population., Objective: To compare the performance of GRS with two guideline-recommended inherited risk measures, family history (FH) and rare pathogenic mutations (RPMs), for predicting PCa incidence and mortality., Design, Setting, and Participants: A prospective cohort was derived from the UK Biobank where 208 685 PCa diagnosis-free participants at recruitment were followed via the UK cancer and death registries., Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: Rate ratios (RRs) of PCa incidence and mortality for FH (positive vs negative), RPMs (carriers vs noncarriers), and GRS (top vs bottom quartile) were measured., Results and Limitations: After a median follow-up of 9.67 yr, 6890 incident PCa cases (419 died of PCa) were identified. Each of the three measures was significantly associated with PCa incidence in univariate analyses; RR (95 % confidence interval [CI]) values were 1.88 (1.75-2.01) for FH, 2.89 (1.89-4.25) for RPMs, and 1.97(1.87-2.07) for GRS (all p < 0.001). The associations were independent in multivariable analyses. While FH and RPMs identified 11 % of men at higher PCa risk, addition of GRS identified an additional 22 % of men at higher PCa risk, and increases in C-statistic from 0.58 to 0.67 for differentiating incidence (p < 0.001) and from 0.65 to 0.71 for differentiating mortality (p = 0.002). Limitations were a small number of minority patients and short mortality follow-up., Conclusions: This population-based prospective study suggests that GRS complements two guideline-recommended inherited risk measures (FH and RPMs) for stratifying the risk of PCa incidence and mortality., Patient Summary: In a large population-based prostate cancer (PCa) prospective study derived from UK Biobank, genetic risk score (GRS) complements two guideline-recommended inherited risk measures (family history and rare pathogenic mutations) in predicting PCa incidence and mortality. These results provide critical data for including GRS in PCa risk assessment., (Copyright © 2020 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Limited long-term data characterize patient-reported quality of life (QOL) following postprostatectomy intensity-modulated radiation therapy (PPRT), and predictors of decline are poorly defined., Objective: To identify modifiable dosimetric and clinical risk factors impacting QOL and late toxicity following PPRT., Design, Setting, and Participants: A prospective cohort study of consecutive men with prostate cancer who received PPRT between 2007 and 2015 at a single academic institution., Intervention: Patients were prospectively evaluated using the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC-26) QOL instrument. Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/Common Toxicity Criteria for Adverse Events toxicity grades were assigned at every follow-up visit. Treatment was delivered to the prostate bed (median 68Gy)±pelvic lymphatics (65%, median 50.4Gy) with daily image guidance. Androgen deprivation therapy was concomitantly administered to 132 (66%) men for a median of 4mo., Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: Changes were deemed relevant if they exceeded the minimally clinically important difference (MCID), as calculated by a distribution-based method. Generalized estimating equation models and Cox regression were used for QOL and late toxicity univariate and multivariable analysis., Results and Limitations: Overall, 199 men were identified with a median follow-up of 33mo. Overall urinary function (UF), bowel function (BF), sexual function (SF), and urinary irritation/obstruction (UI/UO) scores were never lower than the MCID. Between 8% and 18% of men experienced a small multidomain (1× MCID) decline, and 0-8% experienced a moderate multidomain decline (2× MCID) at a given time point up to 84mo after PPRT. The rates of freedom from grade 2 or higher (Gr2+) genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity were 94% and 95%, respectively, at 4yr. Factors associated with worse QOL or toxicity included longer time to PPRT (UC and UF), higher BMI (UF, BF, and late GI toxicity), older age (BF, SF, and late GU toxicity); hormone therapy (SF), total dose (late GI toxicity), tobacco history (BF), and higher bladder V70Gy (UC, UF, and late GU toxicity)., Conclusions: Long-term QOL and late toxicity are favorable following postprostatectomy radiation therapy. Identifiable clinical and dosimetric risk factors may guide decision making to optimize urinary, sexual, and bowel function., Patient Summary: The following study provides a detailed report of favorable patient-reported quality of life and late side-effect profiles of radiation therapy following surgery for localized prostate cancer. Our findings provide patients guidance on what symptoms to expect if they are planning to undergo radiation therapy in this setting. It also allows physicians to counsel patients appropriately, and modify certain clinical and radiation-related risk factors to optimize quality of life., (Copyright © 2019 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine factors associated with performance and quality of lymph node dissection during radical nephrectomy., Materials and Methods: Using an International Data Registry, we performed multilevel logistic regression to determine the association of surgical approach (open surgery vs minimally invasive surgery), institutional experience (low, moderate, and high tertiles), and institutional preference (minimally invasive surgery, balanced, and open surgery tertiles) with the performance of lymph node dissection in subgroups by clinical stage and nodal status., Results: Among 1,742 patients undergoing radical nephrectomy, 312 (18%) underwent lymph node dissection, which was associated with stage (28% for ≥cT2 vs 9.3% for cT1), and nodal status (68% for ≥cN1 vs 13% for cN0). Open surgery was significantly associated with performing lymph node dissection in all subgroups. Institutional experience and institutional preference had no association with performing lymph node dissection in the ≥cN1 group. The number of nodes removed was greater for open surgery (mean 5.9) vs minimally invasive surgery (mean 3.4); this held true even when stratified by stage and nodal status., Conclusion: In this large dataset, open surgical radical nephrectomy is associated with more frequent performance and higher quality of lymph node dissection, which may owe to selection bias but also could reflect technical concerns. In the patient population in whom lymph node dissection is recommended (≥cN1), this is not explained by institutional experience or preference. Lymph node dissection may be under-utilized for ≥cN1 disease and over-utilized for cN0 disease, at least according to practice guidelines., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To validate the 17-gene Oncotype DX Genomic Prostate Score (GPS) biopsy-based gene expression assay as a predictor of adverse pathology (AP, Gleason score [pGS] ≥4+3and/or ≥pT3) in a prospectively enrolled cohort., Methods: Between July 2014 and September 2015, 1200 men with very low-, low-, and favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer enrolled in a multi-institutional prospective study of the GPS assay (NCT03502213). The subset who proceeded to immediate radical prostatectomy (RP) after GPS testing was included in a prespecified subanalysis of GPS on biopsy and its association with surgical AP on RP using logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curves. The effect of GPS testing on physicians' and patients' attitudes about decision making was assessed with the Decisional Conflict Scale., Results: One hundred fourteen patients (treated by 59 physicians from 19 sites) elected RP and 40 (35%) had AP. GPS result was a significant predictor of AP (odds ratio per 20 GPS units [OR/20 units]: 2.2; 95% CI 1.2-4.1; P = .008) in univariable analysis and remained significant after adjustment for biopsy Gleason score, clinical T-stage, and logPSA (OR/20 units: 1.9; 95% CI 1.0-3.8; P = .04), or NCCN risk group (OR/20 units: 2.0; 95% CI 1.1-3.7; P = .02). Mean pre-GPS Decisional Conflict Scale score was 27 (95% CI 24-31), which improved significantly after GPS testing to 14 (95% CI 11-17) (P < .001)., Conclusion: In this real-world multi-institutional study, the GPS assay was prospectively confirmed as an independent predictor of AP at surgery. GPS testing was associated with reduced patient decisional conflict., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate whether specific clinical or radiographic factors predict inferior vena cava (IVC) or abdominal aortic (AA) resection or reconstruction (RoR) at the time of postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) for germ cell tumors of the testicle., Materials and Methods: Two hundred seventy-seven patients undergoing postchemotherapy RPLND at two institutions between 2005 and 2015 were identified. Preoperative imaging was reviewed with radiologists blinded to operative details. Univariable and multivariable logistic regressions were performed, and a model was created to predict the need for great vessel RoR using radiographic and clinical factors., Results: Of 97 patients with preoperative imaging and clinical data available, 16 (17%) underwent RoR at RPLND. On univariable analysis dominant mass size, degree of circumferential vessel involvement, and vessel deformity were associated with RoR (all P <.05). No patients with clinical stage IIA or IIB disease at diagnosis required RoR. In the multivariable model, mass involvement of the IVC >135° (odds ratio 65.5, 7.8-548, P <.01) and involvement of the AA >330° (odds ratio 29.0, 3.44-245, P <.01) were predictive for RoR. These thresholds yielded a PPV of 48% and 50% and a NPV of 92% and 97% for IVC and AA RoR, respectively., Conclusion: Degree of circumferential involvement of the great vessels is an independent predictor for resection or reconstruction of the IVC or AA at postchemotherapy RPLND. Patients at high risk of great vessel reconstruction should be informed accordingly and have the proper teams available for complex vascular reconstruction., (Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Objective: To investigate the effect of ambient music on anxiety and pain in men undergoing prostate biopsies., Materials and Methods: Between September 2015 and June 2016, men undergoing office transrectal prostate biopsy at our institution were randomly assigned to music (n = 85) or control (n = 97) groups. We examined clinical characteristics, pathologic variables, and baseline anxiety using the Trait Instrument of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Primary outcomes included anxiety assessed by State Instrument of STAI (STAI-S) and pain using a visual analog scale., Results: There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the music and control groups, including median age, prostate-specific antigen, use of magnetic resonance imaging-guided biopsies, or Trait Instrument of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The majority (93%) of patients indicated they desired music in their prebiopsy survey. There were no significant differences in STAI-S (33.7 ± 8.9 vs 34.4 ± 9.9, P = .6), pain score (2.3 ± 2.1 vs 2.0 ± 2.1, P = .3), or vital signs between the music and control groups, respectively. There were also no differences in STAI-S, visual analog scale, or vital signs between groups when stratified by age, prostate-specific antigen, or number of previous biopsies. Men who received music were more likely to request music for future prostate biopsy, compared to men who did not (93% vs 83%, P = .07, respectively)., Conclusion: This randomized study showed no difference in anxiety or pain scores for patients who had ambient music during transrectal prostate biopsy. Future studies are needed to discern the influence of details including method of music delivery, music type, and utilization of adjunct relaxation tools., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the Urological resident's attitude and experience with surgical simulation in residency education using a multi-institutional, multi-modality model., Materials and Methods: Residents from 6 area urology training programs rotated through simulation stations in 4 consecutive sessions from 2014 to 2017. Workshops included GreenLight photovaporization of the prostate, ureteroscopic stone extraction, laparoscopic peg transfer, 3-dimensional laparoscopy rope pass, transobturator sling placement, intravesical injection, high definition video system trainer, vasectomy, and Urolift. Faculty members provided teaching assistance, objective scoring, and verbal feedback. Participants completed a nonvalidated questionnaire evaluating utility of the workshop and soliciting suggestions for improvement., Results: Sixty-three of 75 participants (84%) (postgraduate years 1-6) completed the exit questionnaire. Median rating of exercise usefulness on a scale of 1-10 ranged from 7.5 to 9. On a scale of 0-10, cumulative median scores of the course remained high over 4 years: time limit per station (9; interquartile range [IQR] 2), faculty instruction (9, IQR 2), ease of use (9, IQR 2), face validity (8, IQR 3), and overall course (9, IQR 2). On multivariate analysis, there was no difference in rating of domains between postgraduate years. Sixty-seven percent (42/63) believe that simulation training should be a requirement of Urology residency. Ninety-seven percent (63/65) viewed the laboratory as beneficial to their education., Conclusion: This workshop model is a valuable training experience for residents. Most participants believe that surgical simulation is beneficial and should be a requirement for Urology residency. High ratings of usefulness for each exercise demonstrated excellent face validity provided by the course., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: A significant proportion of men with Gleason score 6 (GS6) prostate cancer undergo treatment with radiation or surgery., Objective: To assess pathologic stage of pure GS6 at radical prostatectomy (RP)., Design, Setting, and Participants: In the period 2003-2014, 7817 patients underwent RP at two institutions. Of 2502 patients with GS6 at surgery, 60 were identified as stage pT3a-b on initial pathologic review, 55 with pT3a (extraprostatic extension, EPE), and five with pT3b (seminal vesicle invasion; SVI). All cases of GS6 with pT3 disease underwent contemporary pathologic evaluation for Gleason grade, stage, and extent of EPE. At one institution, all GS≥7 pT3b cases were re-reviewed for downgrading. The 2014 International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) Gleason grading criteria and 2009 ISUP recommendations on pT3 staging were applied., Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: Calculated incidence (%) of pT3a, pT3b, pT4, and lymph node-positive disease., Results and Limitations: Of the 60 GS6 pT3a-b cases identified in the period 2003-2014, seven (0.28% of entire GS6 cohort) with GS6 and pT3a were identified after re-review, all focal EPE. Among the re-examined cohort, no cases of GS6 with pT3b were observed. None of the 132 GS≥7 pT3b cases were downgraded to GS6. Limitations include partial embedding of specimens and separate pathologic review at each institution., Conclusions: In a large prostatectomy cohort, GS6 never had seminal vesicle invasion (0%) and was very rarely (0.28%) associated with extraprostatic extension., Patient Summary: GS6 prostate cancer rarely spreads outside the prostate. A new finding in this study was that GS6 prostate cancer never spread to the seminal vesicles., (Copyright © 2016 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Context: The incidence of low-risk prostate cancer (PCa) has increased as a consequence of prostate-specific antigen testing., Objective: In this collaborative review article, we examine recent literature regarding low-risk PCa and the available prognostic and therapeutic options., Evidence Acquisition: We performed a literature review of the Medline, Embase, and Web of Science databases. The search strategy included the terms: prostate cancer, low risk, active surveillance, focal therapy, radical prostatectomy, watchful waiting, biomarker, magnetic resonance imaging, alone or in combination., Evidence Synthesis: Prospective randomized trials have failed to show an impact of radical treatments on cancer-specific survival in low-risk PCa patients. Several series have reported the risk of adverse pathologic outcomes at radical prostatectomy. However, it is not clear if these patients are at higher risk of death from PCa. Long-term follow-up indicates the feasibility of active surveillance in low-risk PCa patients, although approximately 30% of men starting active surveillance undergo treatment within 5 yr. Considering focal therapies, robust data investigating its impact on long-term survival outcomes are still required and therefore should be considered experimental. Magnetic resonance imaging and tissue biomarkers may help to predict clinically significant PCa in men initially diagnosed with low-risk disease., Conclusions: The incidence of low-risk PCa has increased in recent years. Only a small proportion of men with low-risk PCa progress to clinical symptoms, metastases, or death and prospective trials have not shown a benefit for immediate radical treatments. Tissue biomarkers, magnetic resonance imaging, and ongoing surveillance may help to identify those men with low-risk PCa who harbor more clinically significant disease., Patient Summary: Low-risk prostate cancer is very common. Active surveillance has excellent long-term results, while randomized trials have failed to show a beneficial impact of immediate radical treatments on survival. Biomarkers and magnetic resonance imaging may help to identify which men may benefit from early treatment., (Copyright © 2017 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Primary robot-assisted retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (R-RPLND) has been studied as an alternative to open RPLND in single-institution series for patients with low-stage nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCT)., Objective: To evaluate a multicenter series of primary R-RPLND for low-stage NSGCT., Design, Setting, and Participants: Between 2011 and 2015, 47 patients underwent primary R-RPLND at four centers for Clinical Stage (CS) I-IIA NSGCT., Surgical Procedure: R-RPLND was performed using the da Vinci surgical system (Intuitive Surgical Inc., Sunnyvale, CA, USA)., Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: Data were collected regarding patient demographics, primary tumor characteristics, pathologic findings, and clinical outcomes., Results and Limitations: Forty-two patients (89%) were CS I and five (11%) were CS IIA. The median operative time was 235min (interquartile range [IQR]: 214-258min), estimated blood loss was 50ml (IQR: 50-100ml), node count was 26 (IQR: 18-32), and length of stay was 1 d. There were two intraoperative complications (4%), four early postoperative complications (9%), no late complications, and the rate of antegrade ejaculation was 100%. Of the eight patients (17%) with positive nodes (seven pN1and one pN2), five (62%) received adjuvant chemotherapy. The one recurrence was out of template in the pelvis after adjuvant chemotherapy (resected teratoma). The median follow-up was 16 mo and the 2-yr recurrence-free survival rate was 97% (95% confidence interval: 82-100%). Limitations include retrospective design and limited follow-up., Conclusions: Our multicenter experience supports R-RPLND as a potential option at experienced centers in select patients with low-stage NSGCT. Informal comparison to open and laparoscopic series suggests R-RPLND has an acceptably low morbidity profile, but oncologic efficacy evaluation requires further evaluation., Patient Summary: We examined outcomes after robot-assisted retroperitoneal lymph node dissection for patients with low-stage nonseminomatous testicular cancer with our data suggesting the robotic approach has acceptable morbidity and early oncologic outcomes., (Copyright © 2016 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Context: Focal therapy of prostate cancer has been proposed as an alternative to whole-gland treatments., Objective: To summarize the evidence regarding sources of energy employed in focal therapy., Evidence Acquisition: Embase and Medline (PubMed) were searched from 1996 to October 31, 2015 following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses statement. Ongoing trials were selected from electronic registries. The stage of assessment of each source of energy was determined using the Idea, Development, Exploration, Assessment, Long-term study recommendations., Evidence Synthesis: Thirty-seven articles reporting on 3230 patients undergoing focal therapy were selected. Thirteen reported on high-intensity focused ultrasound, 11 on cryotherapy, three on photodynamic therapy, four on laser interstitial thermotherapy, two on brachytherapy, three on irreversible electroporation, and one on radiofrequency. High-intensity focused ultrasound, cryotherapy, photodynamic therapy, and brachytherapy have been assessed in up to Stage 2b studies. Laser interstitial thermotherapy and irreversible electroporation have been evaluated in up to Stage 2a studies. Radiofrequency has been evaluated in one Stage 1 study. Median follow-up varied between 4 mo and 61 mo, and the median rate of serious adverse events ranged between 0% and 10.6%. Pad-free leak-free continence and potency were obtained in 83.3-100% and 81.5-100%, respectively. In series with intention to treat, the median rate of significant and insignificant disease at control biopsy varied between 0% and 13.4% and 5.1% and 45.9%, respectively. The main limitations were the length of follow-up, the absence of a comparator arm, and study heterogeneity., Conclusions: Focal therapy has been evaluated using seven sources of energy in single-arm retrospective and prospective development studies up to Stage 2b. Focal therapy seems to have a minor impact on quality of life and genito-urinary function. Oncological effectiveness is yet to be defined against standard of care., Patient Summary: Seven sources of energy have been employed to selectively ablate discrete areas of prostate cancer. There is high evidence that focal therapy is safe and has low detrimental impact on continence and potency. The oncological outcome has yet to be evaluated against standard of care., (Copyright © 2016 European Association of Urology. All rights reserved.)

Context: Given the highly variable behavior and clinical course of prostate cancer (PCa) and the multiple available treatment options, a personalized approach to oncologic risk stratification is important. Novel genetic approaches offer additional information to improve clinical decision making., Objective: To review the use of genomic biomarkers in the prognostication of PCa outcome and prediction of therapeutic response., Evidence Acquisition: Systematic literature review focused on human clinical studies reporting outcome measures with external validation. The literature search included all Medline, Embase, and Scopus articles from inception through July 2014., Evidence Synthesis: An improved understanding of the genetic basis of prostate carcinogenesis has produced an increasing number of potential prognostic and predictive tools, such as transmembrane protease, serine2:v-ets avian erythroblastosis virus E26 oncogene homolog (TMPRSS2:ERG) gene fusion status, loss of the phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) gene, and gene expression signatures utilizing messenger RNA from tumor tissue. Several commercially available gene panels with external validation are now available, although most have yet to be widely used. The most studied commercially available gene panels, Prolaris, Oncotype DX Genomic Prostate Score, and Decipher, may be used to estimate disease outcome in addition to clinical parameters or clinical nomograms. ConfirmMDx is an epigenetic test used to predict the results of repeat prostate biopsy after an initial negative biopsy. Additional future strategies include using genetic information from circulating tumor cells in the peripheral blood to guide treatment decisions at the initial diagnosis and at subsequent decision points., Conclusions: Major advances have been made in our understanding of PCa biology in recent years. Our field is currently exploring the early stages of a personalized approach to augment traditional clinical decision making using commercially available genomic tools. A more comprehensive appreciation of value, limitations, and cost is important., Patient Summary: We summarized current advances in genomic testing in prostate cancer with a special focus on the estimation of disease outcome. Several commercial tests are currently available, but further understanding is needed to appreciate the potential benefits and limitations of these novel tests., (Copyright © 2015 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To compare pathological characteristics, treatment patterns, and survival in patients with ductal adenocarcinoma (DC) compared to those with acinar adenocarcinoma (AC)., Materials and Methods: Using the National Cancer Database, we identified patients diagnosed with clinically localized (cN0, cM0) pure DC (n = 1328) and AC (n = 751,635) between 1998 and 2011. High-risk AC was defined as Gleason 8-10. Demographic, treatment, pathological, and survival characteristics of patients were compared., Results: Compared to patients with Gleason 8-10 AC, those with DC presented with lower mean prostate-specific antigen (10.3 vs 16.2 ng/mL, P <.001), had similar rates (11.7% vs 11.5%, P = .8) of clinical extra-capsular extension (stage ≥ cT3), and were more likely to undergo prostatectomy (54% vs 36%, P <.001). Compared to patients with Gleason 8-10 AC undergoing prostatectomy, those with DC had more favorable pathology: stage ≥ T3 (39% vs 52%, P <.001), fewer positive lymph nodes (4% vs 11%, P <.001), and fewer positive margins (25% vs 33%, P <.001). On Kaplan-Meier analysis, patients with DC had similar 5-year survival (75.0%, 95% confidence interval [CI] [71.7-78.9]) compared to those with Gleason 8-10 AC (77.1%, 95% CI [76.6%-77.6%], P = .2). On Cox multivariable analysis, patients with Gleason 8-10 AC had a similar risk of death compared to those with DC (hazards ratio = 0.92, 95% CI [0.69-1.23], P = 6)., Conclusion: In this large contemporary population-based series, patients with DC of the prostate presented with lower prostate-specific antigen, had more favorable pathological features, and similar overall survival compared to men with Gleason 8-10 AC., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Focal therapy as a treatment option for localized prostate cancer (PCa) is an increasingly popular and rapidly evolving field., Objective: To gather expert opinion on patient selection, interventions, and meaningful outcome measures for focal therapy in clinical practice and trial design., Design, Setting, and Participants: Fifteen experts in focal therapy followed a modified two-stage RAND/University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Appropriateness Methodology process. All participants independently scored 246 statements prior to rescoring at a face-to-face meeting. The meeting occurred in June 2013 at the Royal Society of Medicine, London, supported by the Wellcome Trust and the UK Department of Health., Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: Agreement, disagreement, or uncertainty were calculated as the median panel score. Consensus was derived from the interpercentile range adjusted for symmetry level., Results and Limitations: Of 246 statements, 154 (63%) reached consensus. Items of agreement included the following: patients with intermediate risk and patients with unifocal and multifocal PCa are eligible for focal treatment; magnetic resonance imaging-targeted or template-mapping biopsy should be used to plan treatment; planned treatment margins should be 5mm from the known tumor; prostate volume or age should not be a primary determinant of eligibility; foci of indolent cancer can be left untreated when treating the dominant index lesion; histologic outcomes should be defined by targeted biopsy at 1 yr; residual disease in the treated area of ≤3 mm of Gleason 3+3 did not need further treatment; and focal retreatment rates of ≤20% should be considered clinically acceptable but subsequent whole-gland therapy deemed a failure of focal therapy. All statements are expert opinion and therefore constitute level 5 evidence and may not reflect wider clinical consensus., Conclusions: The landscape of PCa treatment is rapidly evolving with new treatment technologies. This consensus meeting provides guidance to clinicians on current expert thinking in the field of focal therapy., Patient Summary: In this report we present expert opinion on patient selection, interventions, and meaningful outcomes for clinicians working in focal therapy for prostate cancer., (Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To compare expected and actual renal function after nephrectomy. Nuclear renal scan estimates differential kidney function and is commonly used to calculate expected postoperative renal function after radical nephrectomy. However, the observed postoperative renal function is often different from the expected., Methods: A retrospective review was performed on 136 patients who underwent radical nephrectomy or nephroureterectomy and had a preoperative renal scan with calculated differential function., Results: Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) values, preoperative and postoperative, were calculated with the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation. The expected postoperative GFR based on renal scan was compared with the actual postoperative GFR. The average age of patients undergoing surgery was 58.6 years, and the indication for surgery was for benign causes in 59 (44%) patients and cancer in 76 (56%) patients. The average preoperative creatinine and estimated GFR were 1.0 mg/dL and 69.9 mL/min/1.73 m(2). At a median follow-up of 3.3 months, the actual postoperative GFR exceeded the expected GFR by an average of 12.1% (interquartile range, 2.6%-25.2%). When stratified by preoperative GFR >90, 60-90, and <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2), respectively, the observed GFR exceeded the expected GFR by 4.3%, 12.6%, and 14.9%, respectively (P = .16). This trend was maintained when GFR was plotted over time., Conclusion: After nephrectomy, the remaining kidney exceeded the expected postoperative GFR by 12% in this cohort of patients with preoperative renal scans. Patients with existing renal insufficiency had the greatest compensatory response, and this was durable over time., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Focal therapy has been introduced for the treatment of localised prostate cancer (PCa). To provide the necessary data for consistent assessment, all focal therapy trials should be performed according to uniform, systematic pre- and post-treatment evaluation with well-defined end points and strict inclusion and exclusion criteria., Objective: To obtain consensus on trial design for focal therapy in PCa., Design, Setting, and Participants: A four-staged consensus project based on a modified Delphi process was conducted in which 48 experts in focal therapy of PCa participated. According to this formal consensus-building method, participants were asked to fill out an iterative sequence of questionnaires to collect data on trial design. Subsequently, a consensus meeting was held in which 13 panellists discussed acquired data, clarified the results, and defined the conclusions., Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: A multidisciplinary board from oncologic centres worldwide reached consensus on patient selection, pretreatment assessment, evaluation of outcome, and follow-up., Results and Limitations: Inclusion criteria for candidates in focal therapy trials are patients with prostate-specific antigen <15 ng/ml, clinical stage T1c-T2a, Gleason score 3+3 or 3+4, life expectancy of >10 yr, and any prostate volume. The optimal biopsy strategy includes transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsies to be taken between 6 mo and 12 mo after treatment. The primary objective should be focal ablation of clinically significant disease with negative biopsies at 12 mo after treatment as the primary end point., Conclusions: This consensus report provides a standard for designing a feasible focal therapy trial., Patient Summary: A variety of ablative technologies have been introduced and applied in a focal manner for the treatment of prostate cancer (PCa). In this consensus report, an international panel of experts in the field of PCa determined pre- and post-treatment work-up for focal therapy research., (Copyright © 2014 European Association of Urology. All rights reserved.)

Context: The role of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) for men with high-risk (HR) prostate cancer (PCa) has not been well studied., Objective: To evaluate the indications for surgical treatment, technical aspects such as nerve sparing (NS) and lymph node dissection (LND), and perioperative outcomes of men with HR PCa treated with RARP., Evidence Acquisition: A systematic expert review of the literature was performed in October 2012, searching the Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. Studies with a precise HR definition, robotic focus, and reporting of perioperative and pathologic outcomes were included., Evidence Synthesis: A total of 12 papers (1360 patients) evaluating RARP in HR PCa were retrieved. Most studies (67%) used the D'Amico classification for defining HR. Biopsy Gleason grade 8-10 was the most frequent HR identifier (61%). Length of follow-up ranged from 9.7 to 37.7 mo. Incidence of NS varied, although when performed did not appear to compromise oncologic outcomes. Extended LND (ELND) revealed positive nodes in up to a third of patients. The rate of symptomatic lymphocele after ELND was 3%. Overall mean operative time was 168 min, estimated blood loss was 189 ml, length of hospital stay was 3.2 d, and catheterization time was 7.8 d. The 12-mo continence rates using a no-pad definition ranged from 51% to 95% with potency recovery ranging from 52% to 60%. The rate of organ-confined disease was 35%, and the positive margin rate was 35%. Three-year biochemical recurrence-free survival ranged from 45% to 86%., Conclusions: Although the use of RARP for HR PCa has been relatively limited, it appears safe and effective for select patients. Short-term results are similar to the literature on open radical prostatectomy. Variability exists for NS and the template of LND, although ELND improves staging and removes a higher number of metastatic nodes. Further study is required to assess long-term outcomes., (Copyright © 2013 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Positive surgical margins (PSMs) in radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens are a frequent indication for adjuvant radiotherapy and are used as a measure of surgical quality. However, the association between PSMs and prostate cancer-specific mortality (CSM) is poorly defined., Objective: Analyze the association of PSMs with CSM, adjusting for fixed and time-dependent parameters., Design, Setting, and Participants: Fine and Gray competing risk regression analysis was used to model the clinical data and follow-up information of 11,521 patients treated by RP between 1987 and 2005. Two extended models were used that adjusted for the use of postoperative radiotherapy, which was handled as a time-dependent covariate. Postoperative radiotherapy was modeled as a single parameter and also as early and late therapy, based on the prostate-specific antigen level at the start of treatment (≤0.5 vs >0.5 ng/ml)., Intervention: RP for clinically localized prostate cancer and selective use of secondary local and/or systemic therapy., Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: The outcome measure was prostate cancer-specific mortality., Results and Limitations: The 15-yr CSM rates for patients with PSMs and negative surgical margins were 10% and 6%, respectively (p<0.001). No significant association between PSM and CSM was observed in the conventional model with fixed covariates (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.7-1.5; p=0.8) or in the two extended models that adjusted for postoperative radiotherapy (HR: 0.96; 95% CI, 0.7-1.4; p=0.9), or early and late postoperative radiotherapy (HR: 1.01; 95% CI, 0.7-1.4; p=0.9)., Conclusions: PSMs alone are not associated with a significantly increased risk of CSM within 15 yr of RP. However, urologists should continue to strive to avoid PSMs, as they increase a man's risk of biochemical recurrence and need for secondary therapy and may be a source of considerable patient anxiety., (Copyright © 2013 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: A systematic literature review of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-targeted prostate biopsy demonstrates poor adherence to the Standards for the Reporting of Diagnostic Accuracy (STARD) recommendations for the full and transparent reporting of diagnostic studies., Objective: To define and recommend Standards of Reporting for MRI-targeted Biopsy Studies (START)., Design, Setting, and Participants: Each member of a panel of 23 experts in urology, radiology, histopathology, and methodology used the RAND/UCLA appropriateness methodology to score a 258-statement premeeting questionnaire. The collated responses were presented at a face-to-face meeting, and each statement was rescored after group discussion., Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: Measures of agreement and consensus were calculated for each statement. The most important statements, based on group median score, the degree of group consensus, and the content of the group discussion, were used to create a checklist of reporting criteria (the START checklist)., Results and Limitations: The strongest recommendations were to report histologic results of standard and targeted cores separately using Gleason score and maximum cancer core length. A table comparing detection rates of clinically significant and clinically insignificant disease by targeted and standard approaches should also be used. It was recommended to report the recruitment criteria for MRI-targeted biopsy, prior biopsy status of the population, a brief description of the MRI sequences, MRI reporting method, radiologist experience, and image registration technique. There was uncertainty about which histologic criteria constitute clinically significant cancer when the prostate is sampled using MRI-targeted biopsy, and it was agreed that a new definition of clinical significance in this setting needed to be derived in future studies., Conclusions: Use of the START checklist would improve the quality of reporting in MRI-targeted biopsy studies and facilitate a comparison between standard and MRI-targeted approaches., (Copyright © 2013 European Association of Urology. All rights reserved.)

Background: Epidemiologic studies on testicular cancer have focused primarily on European countries. Global incidence and mortality have been less thoroughly evaluated., Objective: Our goal was to gain a better understanding of the most recent global age-standardized incidence and mortality rates for testicular cancer and to use these values to estimate a region's health care quality., Design, Setting, and Participants: Age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) for testicular cancer were obtained for men of all ages in 172 countries by using the GLOBOCAN 2008 database, reflecting the annual rate of cancer incidence and mortality per 100,000 men. These data were evaluated on a regional level to compare incidence and mortality rates. Global plots of these values were constructed to better visualize geographic distributions. Finally, the ratio of ASIR to ASMR was calculated as a method to assess each region's proficiency in diagnosing and effectively treating testicular cancer., Measurements: ASIR and ASMR were analyzed by region, and each region's ratio of ASIR to ASMR was calculated., Results and Limitations: Testicular cancer ASIR is highest in Western Europe (7.8%), Northern Europe (6.7%), and Australia (6.5%). Asia and Africa had the lowest incidence (<1.0%). ASMR was highest in Central America (0.7%), western Asia (0.6%), and Central and Eastern Europe (0.6%). Mortality was lowest in North America, Northern Europe, and Australia (0.1-0.2%). The ASIR-ASMR ratio was highest in Australia (65.0%) and lowest in western Africa (1.0%). National reporting systems varied by country, and data quality may have fluctuated between regions., Conclusions: Testicular cancer incidence remains highest in developed nations with primarily Caucasian populations. Variable ASIR-ASMR ratios suggest markedly different geographic-specific reporting mechanisms, access to care, and treatment capabilities., (Copyright © 2011 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Context: A significant proportion of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer have well-differentiated, low-volume tumors at minimal risk of impacting their quality of life or longevity. The selection of a treatment strategy, among the multitude of options, has enormous implications for individuals and health care systems., Objective: Our aim was to review the rationale, patient selection criteria, diagnostic imaging, biopsy schemes, and treatment modalities available for the focal therapy of localized prostate cancer. We gave particular emphasis to the conceptual possibilities and limitations., Evidence Acquisition: A National Center for Biotechnology Information PubMed search (www.pubmed.gov) was performed from 1995 to 2009 using medical subject headings "focal therapy" or "ablative" and "prostate cancer." Additional articles were extracted based on recommendations from an expert panel of authors., Evidence Synthesis: Focal therapy of the prostate in patients with low-risk cancer characteristics is a proposed treatment approach in development that aims to eradicate all known foci of cancer while minimizing damage to adjacent structures necessary for the preservation of urinary, sexual, and bowel function. Conceptually, focal therapy has the potential to minimize treatment-related toxicity without compromising cancer-specific outcome. Limitations include the inability to stage or grade the cancer(s) accurately, suboptimal imaging capabilities, uncertainty regarding the natural history of untreated cancer foci, challenges with posttreatment monitoring, and the lack of quality-of-life data compared with alternative treatment strategies. Early clinical experiences with modest follow-up evaluating a variety of modalities are encouraging but hampered by study design limitations and small sample sizes., Conclusions: Prostate focal therapy is a promising and emerging treatment strategy for men with a low risk of cancer progression or metastasis. Evaluation in formal prospective clinical trials is essential before this new strategy is accepted in clinical practice. Adequate trials must include appropriate end points, whether absence of cancer on biopsy or reduction in progression of cancer, along with assessments of safety and longitudinal alterations in quality of life., (Copyright 2010 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To evaluate the prognostic significance of the total number of lymph nodes obtained at postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC-RPLND). After the multidisciplinary management of metastatic germ cell tumor, approximately 10%-15% of patients with the histologic finding of fibrosis or teratoma will suffer disease recurrence., Methods: Between 1989 and 2006, a total of 628 patients underwent PC-RPLND and were found to have either fibrosis or teratoma. After Institutional Review Board approval, complete clinical and pathologic data were obtained from our prospective testis cancer surgical database. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was constructed to evaluate the association of the total number of lymph nodes obtained at PC-RPLND on disease recurrence., Results: On pathologic evaluation, 248 (57%) patients had fibrosis and 184 (43%) patients had teratoma. The median number of lymph nodes resected was 25 (interquartile range, 15-37). On multivariable analysis, increasing postchemotherapy nodal size and decreasing lymph node counts were significant predictors of disease recurrence (P=.01, .04, respectively). For patients with 10 nodes removed, the predicted 2-year relapse free probability was 90%, compared with 97% when 50 nodes were removed., Conclusions: Our data suggest that the total number of lymph nodes removed and analyzed is an independent predictor of disease recurrence after PC-RPLND. This has implications both for the urologist to assure completeness of resection and for the pathologist to meticulously assess the pathologic specimens., (Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To review our laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) experience, examine the evolution of technique, and compare the outcomes between the early and recent experience. The indications and surgical technique of LPN continuously evolve., Methods: Data for 184 patients who underwent LPN for a tumor between October 2002 and August 2008 was retrieved from a prospective database. Surgical and functional outcomes for the entire cohort were analyzed and the first 50 (group 1) and most recent 50 (group 2) cases were compared., Results: The groups were similar in terms of baseline renal function, body mass index, and comorbidities. The mean tumor size and the proportion of central tumors in groups 1 and 2 were 2.4 vs 3 cm and 12% vs 52%, respectively (P <.003). In group 2 we stopped the use of ureteral catheters and bolster renorrhaphy, and routinely clamped the renal hilum. Mean warm ischemia time in groups 1 and 2 (30 and 27 minute, respectively, P = .3) and the complication rate were similar. Overall, patients with tumors >4 cm had more complications (P = .042). In group 2 the estimated blood loss and hospital stay decreased (243 vs 140 mL, P = .01, 1.4 vs 2.5 days, P <.001). Overall 78% of the tumors were malignant and the positive margin rate was 3%. With a median follow-up of 18 months, no local or distant tumor recurrences were observed., Conclusions: With growing experience and technical modifications, LPN is now performed for patients with larger and more central tumors. Longer follow-up is necessary to evaluate oncologic outcomes., (2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)