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PURPOSE The utility of blue light cystoscopy (BLC) in patients receiving bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) during post-treatment cystoscopy is not well understood. Our objective was to determine if BLC improves recurrence detection in patients with nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) undergoing BCG. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using the prospective multi-institutional Cysview® Registry (2014-2019), patients with NMIBC who received BCG within 1 year prior to BLC were identified. Primary outcomes were recurrences and whether lesions were detected on white light cystoscopy (WLC), BLC or both. We calculated the percentage of cystoscopies with recurrences that were missed with WLC alone. The cystoscopy-level BLC false-positive rate was the proportion of cystoscopies with biopsies only due to BLC suspicious lesions without recurrence. RESULTS Of 1,703 BLCs, 282 cystoscopies were in the analytic cohort. The overall recurrence rate was 45.0% (127). With only WLC, 13% (16/127) of recurrences would have been missed as 5.7% (16/282) of cystoscopies performed had a recurrence only identified with BLC. Among 16 patients with recurrence missed with WLC, 88% (14) had carcinoma in situ. The cystoscopy-level BLC false-positive rate was 5% (15). CONCLUSIONS BLC helped detect recurrences after recent BCG that would have been missed with WLC alone. Providers should consider BLC for high-risk patients undergoing BCG and should discuss the risk of false-positives with these patients. As clinical trials of novel therapies for BCG-unresponsive disease increase and there are no clear guidelines on BLC use for post-treatment cystoscopies, it is important to consider how variable BLC use could affect enrollment in and comparisons of these studies.

Take Home Message Bladder recurrence after nephroureterectomy is frequent, and the use of adjuvant chemotherapy is advised. In this study, intraoperative intravesical instillation of mitomycin C during radical nephroureterectomy after bladder cuff excision proved to be feasible and did not lead to complications associated with chemotherapy instillation., Background Bladder recurrence after radical treatment of upper urinary tract urothelial cancer (UTUC) is frequent, and patients are required to undergo surveillance cystoscopies following surgery. The use of intravesical adjuvant chemotherapy is an accepted method to prevent bladder recurrence, but the timing of this method is not standardized and the concept of intraoperative use is unexplored. Objective The objective of the study is to examine the feasibility and safety of intraoperative intravesical mitomycin C (MMC) instillation using a closed-circuit system following bladder cuff excision and bladder closure. Design, setting, and participants All patients who underwent radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for UTUC at the Department of Urology of Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark from 2017 to 2020 were identified. Patient complications within 30 d and data regarding oncological outcome were registered. Outcome measurements and statistical ana lysis Clavien-Dindo grade for complications and descriptive statistics were used. Results During the study period, 64 patients underwent RNU. Of these patients, 49 received bladder instillation of MMC during RNU. Complications were observed in 11 patients (21.4%), where four patients (8.2%) had Clavien-Dindo complication grade (CD) I, four patients (8.2%) had CD II, one patient (2%) had CD III, and one patient (2%) had CD IIIa. None of the complications were suspected to be related to MMC. Five of the 15 patients (33%) who did not receive MMC experienced complications. There were no significant differences in complication rates between patients who received MMC and those who did not. Study limitations include a small sample size and a single-center study. Conclusions Intraoperative vesical instillation of MMC is feasible and was, in the present study, not associated with an increased complication rate. Patient summary Bladder recurrence after radical treatment of upper urinary tract cancer is frequent. The present study findings indicate that intraoperative bladder irrigation with the chemotherapeutic mitomycin C during surgery does not lead to excessive complications and could be a method to reduce the risk of bladder recurrence.

Urinary bladder hemangiomas are a rare cause of gross hematuria in young patients. Multimodality imaging with ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging help define the site and extent of hemangioma. We describe a case of an otherwise healthy 9-year-old male presenting with recurrent gross hematuria. The initial US did not demonstrate a bladder mass, but subsequent cystoscopies showed progressive enlargement of an extensive sessile and partially pedunculated vascular mass. Imaging with ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging persistently demonstrated a hypervascular bladder mass without extravesical extension. Ultimately, biopsy of the mass made the diagnosis of bladder hemangioma.

Transurethral cystoscopy (CS) is a common urological procedure, performed mostly for diagnostic but also for therapeutic purposes. Although CS is generally well tolerated, some patients describe the pain related to the procedure as high or even "unbearable". As a result, many patients fear and avoid both primary and/or follow-up cystoscopies. This may lead to uncontrolled progression of neoplastic disease. Therefore, it is crucial to maximally increase the comfort of the patient and to implement safe and effective analgesia before the procedure. Providing the patients with appropriate care during CS can encourage them to comply with diagnostic schedules and improve their prognosis. The aim of this review is to analyze the available literature on various methods of pain reduction during transurethral CS. The PubMed electronic database limited to English articles published until January 2021 was used in the process. Meta-analyses, systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials, clinical trials, prospective randomized studies, multicenter comparisons, reviews and retrospective comparisons were used. As a result, 65 articles were included in this review.

Background and ObjectiveAmbu® aScope™ 4 Cysto is a single-use disposable flexible cystoscope that allows clinicians to perform the procedure at any time and any place. It simplifies workflow, frees up resources and allows clinicians to treat more patients. Our trust became the first in the UK and Europe to utilise these cystoscopes. An in-depth evaluation was performed to test its practicality, cost analysis and patient satisfaction against traditional reusable flexible cystoscopes. Material and MethodsWe compared the cost of using Ambu® aScope™ 4 Cysto to perform flexible cystoscopies in 20 patients prospectively against traditional flexible cystoscopes in 20 patients retrospectively. The cost of the equip-ment, reprocessing, cleaning supplies and maintenance were consulted from relevant departments and companies. All prospective patients were also given a patient satisfaction questionnaire to complete. An unpaired t-test was used to analyse the data. ResultsOur study revealed that it costs £135.23 and £166.33 on average to perform a flexible cystoscopy using Ambu® aScope™ 4 Cysto and the traditional flexible cystoscopes, respectively. Our patient survey revealed that there was a statistical significance between the patient experience using the single-use disposable scopes compared with the traditional reusable flexible cystoscopes (P = 0.0455). Further, 95% of patients also preferred a single-use disposable cystoscope over traditional reusable ones, given the option. ConclusionSingle-use disposable flexible cystoscopes are a safe and cost-efficient method of performing the procedure. It is portable and proves to be a simple, efficient and practical way of performing a flexible cystoscopy in an inpatient, outpatient, or emergency setting.

There are a number of benign epithelial proliferations in the bladder that may be difficult to distinguish from carcinomas, including urothelial carcinoma and its variants, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma. If misdiagnosed, there is the potential for over treatment, with its attendant risk of complications, as well as errors relating to prognostic assessment. In the case of the misdiagnosis of high grade proliferative lesions that mimic invasive carcinoma, unnecessary radical surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy may result. Similarly, the misdiagnosis of lesions that have the appearance of low grade carcinoma can prompt a lifetime of radiological investigation and cystoscopies. In this review, we discuss a variety of entities that may be diagnostically challenging and emphasise the importance of identifying key morphological features that have diagnostic utility. We also highlight the importance of relevant clinical information and the clinical settings in which these lesions may occur. In this review we have divided the lesions on the basis of morphology in order to facilitate discussion relating to the differential diagnosis. The architectural patterns we discuss include papillary lesions (polypoid/papillary cystitis and papillary urothelial hyperplasia), pseudocarcinomatous proliferations (pseudocarcinomatous urothelial hyperplasia, florid proliferation of von Brunn nests and fibroepithelial polyps), glandular lesions (intestinal metaplasia and müllerianosis) and lesions with several different patterns (prostatic type urethral polyps and nephrogenic adenoma or metaplasia).

Background/aim Non-muscle invasive bladder carcinoma (NMIBC) is highly recurrent. We studied if 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) instillations before transurethral resection of bladder tumours (TURBT) and cystoscopy extend the time to recurrence during follow-up with NMIBC patients. Patients and methods A prospective multicenter study enrolled 328 NMIBC patients. All TURBTs and control cystoscopies during the one-year study period were done with or without 5-ALA instillations. The primary endpoint was time to recurrence. The secondary endpoints were time to recurrence after 7.5, 10.5, and 13.5 months and the number of patients with progressive disease. Results The overall median follow-up time was 80.4 and 87.0 months for the control and study groups, respectively. There was no statistical difference in time to first recurrence between the two groups. Conclusion We could not obtain significant differences between the control and 5-ALA groups in tumour recurrence among patients with NMIBC.

Background: This study investigates the effect of classical music, music of patients’ own choice, or no music on pain reduction during elective cystoscopy. Objectives: The aim of the study was to describe the effect of listening to classical music, music of patients’ own choice, or no music on patient’s pain and satisfaction rates when carrying out an elective cystoscopy and the effect on the assessment capability of the performing urologist. Design, Setting, and Participants: This randomized trial included 127 patients undergoing elective cystoscopy at the Urological Department of the University Clinic of Munich between June 2019 and March 2020. Outcome Measurements and Statistical Analysis: Patients were assigned randomly to 3 groups: group I: listening to standardized classical music (n = 35), group II: listening to music according to the patients’ choice (n = 34), and control group III: no music (n = 44). Prior to cystoscopy, anxiety levels were assessed by the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). The Visual Analog Scale (VAS, range 1–100) was used for a self-assessment of pain, discomfort, and satisfaction. Statistical analysis was done with Spearman’s rank correlation and t-tests. Results and Limitations: The median age was 63 (range 27–91) years. The duration of cystoscopy was 5.7 (1–30) min. Patients had undergone a median of 2.3 cystoscopies in the past. Between giving informed consent and cystoscopy, patients had to wait for a median of 64 (0–260) min. The median VAS pain score was significantly lower in group I at 1.7 and group II at 2.3 versus 5.2 in the control group III (p < 0.001). The control group III had significantly worse pain and patient satisfaction rates compared with groups I and II. Group I had a significant lower VAS pain score than groups II and III (p < 0.001). Classical music also increased the assessment capability of the preforming urologist. Conclusions: Listening to music during elective cystoscopy significantly reduces pain and distress and leads to higher patient and surgeon satisfaction. We recommend listening to classical music or music chosen by the patients during outpatient flexible/rigid cystoscopy in daily clinical routine. Patient Summary: In this study, we found that patients who listened to classical music or music of their own choice while undergoing a cystoscopy showed significant reduction of pain and distress.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, a gradual and measured lockdown occurred in Australia from March 2020 and tightened in April 2020 This included both social restrictions as well as restrictions to elective surgical procedures in an effort to both mitigate and prepare for spread of the virus An unintended consequence has been significant reductions in cancer diagnosis and treatment Serum Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA), prostate biopsy (trans-rectal or trans-perineal) and radical prostatectomy are key investigations and interventions recommended by clinical guidelines for prostate cancer (PCA) The non-emergent nature of PCA likely renders it more susceptible to COVID-19 related restrictions We hypothesize that the number of diagnostic and interventional procedures for PCA being performed in Australia have substantially reduced as a result of COVID-19-related social and clinical restrictions Method: Medicare Item Reports were obtained from publicly listed sources for all cystoscopies in Australia from December 2019 to May 2020 Comparisons were made between April and May 2020 to the preceding 3-month average and to the same month the previous year Results: The monthly average for prostatectomies performed in Australia between December 2019 and March 2020 was 1,458 In April 2020 that number dropped to 1,112, a 29 29% decrease A similar decline was noted in PSA tests ordered in April 2020, with 12,259 tests ordered compared to the average 18,372 tests over the preceding four months, a 35 36% drop Prostate biopsy numbers followed a similar trend, falling from a national average of 1,891 to 1,496, a 27 24% decrease Conclusion: Medicare data indicates a significant decrease in PCA screening and treatment throughout the COVID-19 lockdown in Australia As the pandemic persists, we must bear in mind the significant cost delayed diagnosis and treatment has on oncological outcomes for PCA patients

Flexible cystoscopy under local anaesthesia is standard for the surveillance of bladder cancer. Frequently, several reusable cystoscopes fail to reprocess. With the new grasper incorporated single-use cystoscope for retrieval of ureteric stents, we explored the feasibility of using it off-label for diagnosis and the detection of bladder cancer. Consecutive diagnostic flexible cystoscopies between Mar 2016 and Nov 2018 were reviewed comparing the reusable versus the disposable cystoscopes. A total of 390 patients underwent 1211 cystoscopies. Median age was 61.5 years (SD 14.2, 18.8–91.4), males 331 (84.9%) and females 59 (15.1%). Indication for cystoscopy was prior malignancy in 1183 procedures (97.7%), haematuria 19 (1.6%) or bladder mass 7 (0.6%). There were 608 reusable and 603 disposable cystoscopies. There was no significant difference between groups at baseline in age, sex, BMI, smoking status, or prior tumor risk category. There was no significant difference in positive findings (123/608, 20.2% vs 111/603, 18.4%, p = 0.425) or cancer detection rates (95/608, 15.6% vs 88/603, 14.4%, p 0.574) among the two groups, respectively. We conclude that the disposable grasper integrated cystoscope is comparable to reusable cystoscope in the detection of bladder cancer.

Patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) are followed by frequent cystoscopies. Innovative approaches partly replacing cystoscopy (uncomfortable, expensive, low sensitive procedure) are demanded. The current study aims to establish a fast, reliable, non-invasive, and inexpensive procedure for NMIBC patient surveillance. Liquid biopsy is a reliable source of biomarkers for cancer patient monitoring. Urine is the most suitable biological liquid to search for bladder cancer biomarkers. Cell-free DNA in urine represents tumor-related mutations for several cancers, including the bladder. We investigated mutations in FGFR3, TERT promoter, and STAG2 as markers for diagnostics and follow-up in NMIBC. Digital PCR was used to detect mutations in urine-derived cell-free DNA. The sensitivity and specificity of the markers in relation to clinical outcomes served as criteria of the assay efficiency. The sensitivity with a single marker (TERT) reached 87%, with a specificity of 77%. Combining two biomarkers (TERT+FGFR3) increased the specificity of the assay to 100% with a sensitivity of 72%. Different mutational status of STAG2 can indicate NMIBC presence or recurrence. Therefore, applying the suggested combination of biomarkers with simple detection procedures to larger patient cohorts will allow developing procedures for BC detection and surveillance with optimal sensitivity and specificity. Based on the results of this proof-in-concept study, we conclude that this simple, fast and inexpensive assay can add diagnostic and prognostic value to cystoscopy/cytology analysis of NMIBC patients.

Introduction: To assess the current diagnostic, treatment, and documentation strategies for bladder cancer (BC) in German-speaking countries. Materials and Methods: A 14-item web-based survey was distributed among members of the German, Austrian, and Swiss Associations of Urology, addressing physicians who perform cystoscopies and transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURB). Results: The survey was responded to by 308 of 5,564 urologists with a mean age of 49.5 years (response rate: 5.5%). The majority of participants (57.3%) practice in an outpatient setting. White light cystoscopy only is used by 60.2%, with additional photodynamic diagnosis and narrow band imaging by 36.8 and 12.5%, respectively. Endoscopic findings are documented in written form by 93.5%, followed by image capture (33.7%) and a central data archive (20.8%). Inpatient hospital urologists document cystoscopic findings by freehand drawing (21.4 vs. 11.4%, p = 0.017), and with a fixed bladder scheme (31.3 vs. 7.4%, p < 0.05). Conclusions: Significant differences exist in the approach to documenting and communicating cystoscopic BC findings. Accurate graphic documentation of lesions, visualization of the mucosa’s totality, and meticulous consultation of previous surgical reports require improvements to reduce recurrence and progression rates.

Purpose To evaluate a method of transurethral visual response-staging in patients with urothelial muscle-invasive urinary bladder cancer (MIBC), undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and radical cystectomy (RC). Methods A prospective study at four Swedish cystectomy centers, cystoscopy was performed after final NAC-cycle for MIBC. Fifty-six participants underwent cystoscopy for visual staging of the tumor immediately pre-RC. Visual assessments were correlated to pathoanatomical outcomes post-RC. Results Seventeen tumors were classified as complete response (CR), i.e. pT0. Twenty-five patients had residual MIBC and 14 had non-muscle invasive residual tumors (NMIBC). Of the 39 patients with residual tumor, 25 were correctly identified visually (64%). Eleven patients were pN+. The diagnostic accuracy of cystoscopy to correctly identify complete response or remaining tumor was 70% (CI = 56-81%) with a sensitivity of 64% (CI = 47-79%), specificity 82% (CI = 57-96%), PPV 89% (CI = 74-96%) and NPV 50% (CI =38-61%). Twenty-eight cystoscopy evaluations showed signs of residual tumors and 3/28 (11%) were false positive. In 4/14 patients assessed having residual NMIBC the estimates were correct, 8/14 had histopathological MIBC and 2/14 had CR. In 11/14 patients (79%), the suggested visual assessment of MIBC was correct, 2/14 had NMIBC and 1/14 had CR. Twenty-eight cystoscopies had negative findings, 14 were false negatives (50%), when cystoscopy falsely predicted pT0. Among them there were eight patients with pTa, pT1 or pTis and six MIBC-tumors. In 17 patients with histopathological pT0, 14 were correctly identified with cystoscopy (82%). Conclusion Cystoscopy after the final NAC-cycle cannot robustly differentiate between NAC-responders and non-responders. Visually, negative MIBC-status cannot be determined safely. Funding Agencies|Swedish Research Council funding for clinical research in medicine (ALF) in Vasterbotten, VLL, Sweden [BasALF/VLL RV-848051]; Cancer Research Foundation in Norrland, Umea, Sweden [CFF LP 13-2000]

ObjectivesTo test the hypothesis that patients under active surveillance (AS) for Non-muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer (NMIBC) who were negative on longitudinal re-testing by the Xpert® Bladder Cancer Monitor (Xpert BC Monitor) assay may avoid unnecessary cystoscopies and urine cytology (UC).Subjects/Patients (or Materials) and MethodsThis is a prospective cohort study of patients enrolled in the AS protocol for recurrent NMIBC (Bladder Cancer Italian Active Surveillance, BIAS project), whose urine samples were analyzed by Xpert BC Monitor upon entry in the study (T0). Patients who had a negative Xpert test and did not fail AS, underwent additional Xpert tests after 4 (T1), 8 (T2), and 12 (T3) months. The clinical utility of Xpert was assessed by determining the number of cystoscopies and UC that could be avoided within 1 year.ResultsOverall, 139 patients were tested with Xpert at T0. Median follow-up was 23 (IQR 17–27) months. Sixty-eight (48.9%) patients failed AS, 65 (46.7%) are currently on AS, and 6 (4.3%) were lost at follow-up. At T0 57 (41.0%) patients had a negative test and 36 (63.2%) are still in AS. In patients with 2 consecutives negative Xpert tests, we could have avoided 73.9% of unnecessary cystoscopies, missing 26.4% failure, up to avoid all cystoscopies with 4 negative tests missing only 12% of failure. All the patients with negative Xpert had negative UC. Failure-free-survival at median follow-up (23 month) stratified for having 0, 1, or ≥2 negative tests was 67.0, 55.1. and 84.1, respectively.ConclusionOur findings suggest that Xpert BC Monitor assay, when it is longitudinally repeated, could significantly reduce the number of unnecessary cystoscopies and UC during their follow-up.

Aims To implement the use of an endosheath-covered cystoscope - a disposable sheath that fits over the cystoscope Perform a service evaluation of performance of the new sheathed scope To maintain safety and efficiency in the department Become a leading centre for improvements in flexible cystoscopy techniques Methods Participants undergoing flexible cystoscopy at Lymington hospital, UK between January 2018 to April 2020 participated in this service implementation of endosheath covered flexible cystoscopy. This received high levels of staff and participant engagement, quickly becoming part of the unit culture. Participants completed 2 surveys, the first immediately post procedure; discomfort was rated on a 10 point visual analogue scale (1=no discomfort, 10=extreme discomfort). The second survey completed ~2-4 weeks later, development of subsequent urinary tract infection (UTI) (patient self-report, GP records or antibiotic prescription). Results Management approved the study and received strong support from both staff and participants showing high levels of altruism. This was due to high levels of engagement, communication and a clear plan as to what was being done and why, how this was to be achieved and how success would be measured. Additionally, staff felt the sheathed cystoscope handled well. Overall, 1091 endosheathed flexible cystoscopies were analysed. It was a very well tolerated procedure with 33.2% procedures causing no discomfort, 48.2% mild and only 3.1% severe discomfort. The UTI rate was 13.3% and impressively there were no reports of urosepsis. Conclusions This safe, well tolerated procedure provides both cost and time savings to the healthcare provider. This study paves the way for developments in endoscopic imaging techniques and can be used as a leading example for other hospitals to implement the new techniques. This is also translatable to other units performing diagnostic telescopic evaluations in other parts of the body (e.g. bronchoscopy).

Aim To ensure guidelines are followed for cystoscopic surveillance Method Results and discussion WERE GUIDELINES FOLLOWED? Conclusion Recommendations

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:The cornerstone of oncologic surveillance for surgically-treated high risk upper tract urothelial carcinoma (HR UTUC) is represented by cystoscopies and imaging. Guidelin...

Aim: This is a narrative review with an aim to summarise and describe urinary biomarkers in the surveillance of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). It provides a summary of FDA-approved protein biomarkers along with emerging ones which utilise genetic, epigenetic and exosomal markers. We discuss the current limitations of the available assays.Background: Current guidelines advice a combination of cystoscopy, imaging,and urine cytology in diagnosis and surveillance. Although cytology has a high specificity, it is limited by low sensitivity particularly in low grade tumours. There are six FDA-approved urinary assays for diagnosis and surveillance of bladder cancer. They have shown to improve sensitivity and specificity to be used alongside cytology and cystoscopy but have a lower specificity in comparison to cytology and false positives often occur in benign conditions. Recent developments in laboratory techniques has allowed for use of markers which are RNA-, DNA-based as well as extracellular vesicles in the past decade.Methods: Using the PubMed/Medline search engines as well as Google Scholar, we performed an online search using the terms “bladder cancer,” “non-muscle invasive bladder cancer,” and “urine biomarkers” with filter for articles in English published up to May 2021. Systematic reviews and original data of clinical trials or observational studies which contributed to the development of the biomarkers were collated.Results: Biomarkers identified were divided into FDA-approved molecular biomarkers, protein biomarkers and gene-related biomarker with a table summarising the findings of each marker with the most relevant studies. The studies conducted were mainly retrospective. Due to the early stages of development, only a few prospective studies have been done for more recently developed biomarkers and limited meta-analyses are available.Therefore a detailed evaluation of these markers are still required to decide on their clinical use.Conclusion: Advancements of analytical methods in BC has driven the research towards non-invasive liquid-based biomarkers in adjunct to urine cytology. Further large prospective studies are required to determine its feasibility in a clinical setting as they are not effective when used in isolation as they have their limitation. With the ongoing pandemic, other than reduction in costs and increased accuracy, the need for biomarkers to cope with delay in cystoscopies in diagnosis and surveillance is crucial. Thus clinical trials with direct comparison is required to improve patient care.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE:Hematuria patients are evaluated by cystoscopy to confirm the presence of bladder cancer (BCa). However, a large majority of cystoscopies are deemed unnecessary because o...

Contains fulltext : 244217.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) CONTEXT: During the past decade, several urinary biomarker tests (UBTs) for bladder cancer have been developed and made commercially available. However, none of these is recommended by international guidelines so far. OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic estimates of novel commercially available UBTs for diagnosis and surveillance of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) using diagnostic test accuracy (DTA) and network meta-analysis (NMA). EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched up to April 2021 to identify studies addressing the diagnostic values of UBTs: Xpert bladder cancer, Adxbladder, Bladder EpiCheck, Uromonitor and Cxbladder Monitor, and Triage and Detect. The primary endpoint was to assess the pooled diagnostic values for disease recurrence in NMIBC patients using a DTA meta-analysis and to compare them with cytology using an NMA. The secondary endpoints were the diagnostic values for high-grade (HG) recurrence as well as for the initial detection of bladder cancer. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Twenty-one studies, comprising 7330 patients, were included in the quantitative synthesis. In most of the studies, there was an unclear risk of bias. For NMIBC surveillance, novel UBTs demonstrated promising pooled diagnostic values with sensitivities up to 93%, specificities up to 84%, positive predictive values up to 67%, and negative predictive value up to 99%. Pooled estimates for the diagnosis of HG recurrence were similar to those for the diagnosis of any-grade recurrence. The analysis of the number of cystoscopies potentially avoided during the follow-up of 1000 patients showed that UBTs might be efficient in reducing the number of avoidable interventions with up to 740 cystoscopies. The NMA revealed that diagnostic values (except specificity) of the novel UBTs were significantly higher than those of cytology for the detection of NMIBC recurrence. There were too little data on UBTs in the primary diagnosis setting to allow a statistical analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses support high diagnostic accuracy of the studied novel UBTs, supporting their utility in the NMIBC surveillance setting. All of these might potentially help prevent unnecessary cystoscopies safely. There are not enough data to reliably assess their use in the primary diagnostic setting. These results have to be confirmed in a larger cohort as well as in head-to-head comparative studies. Nevertheless, our study might help policymakers and stakeholders evaluate the clinical and social impact of the implementation of these tests into daily practice. PATIENT SUMMARY: Novel urinary biomarker tests outperform cytology with the potential of improving routine clinical practice by preventing unnecessary cystoscopic examinations during the surveillance of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Background Male genital lichen sclerosus (MGLSc) is an acquired, chronic, inflammatory cutaneous disease associated with significant morbidity and squamous cell carcinoma of the penis. Consideration of all of the evidence suggests that chronic exposure of susceptible epithelium to urinary occlusion by the foreskin is the most likely pathomechanism. MGLSc never occurs in men who were circumcised at birth, and has been associated with trauma, instrumentation and anatomical abnormalities, e.g. frank hypospadia that results in microincontinence. Aim To describe 21 patients who developed MGLSc following urological diagnoses and procedures. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of patients with a diagnosis of MGLSc whose symptoms related to urological procedures who attended or saw one of the authors (CBB) privately during the period June-October 2018. Results In total, 21 patients (mean age 59 years) were identified. The referrals came from the local urology departments, primary care or extramural dermatology services. Most of the patients were uncircumcised men. All had developed symptoms and signs of MGLSc within 5 years following their urological procedure; on examination, 30% of the patients were found to have damp penile skin due to microincontinence. Of the 21 patients, 10 had undergone radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer, 4 had a diagnosis of Peyronie disease, 4 had undergone multiple cystoscopies and urethroscopies, 2 had undergone surgery on the bladder neck and 1 had undergone implantation of a penile prosthesis to treat erectile dysfunction. Conclusion This case series further strengthens the urinary occlusion hypothesis for the causation of MGLSc. It is important to recognize that urological interventions can create incompetence of the naviculomeatal valve post voiding. In uncircumcised men, this creates a risk factor for MGLSc that was not previously present. Occlusion, the phenomenon of koebnerization and currently unelucidated epithelial susceptibility factors lead to inflammation, sclerosis and cancer. Patients and urologists should be aware of these possibilities and preventative measures instituted, e.g. adaptive voiding habits and barrier protection.

Background The surveillance of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is usually performed by cystoscopy and cytology. Until today, no effective urinary biomarker has been used to reduce the morbidity and cost associated with these procedures. Objective To describe the performance of urinary biomarkers in the surveillance of NMIBC. Evidence acquisition On August 1, 2018, a bibliographic search was carried out in Pubmed, Embase and Cochrane Library, limited to the last 10 years, with the terms: bladder cancer, recurrence, detection and urine marker. 973 registers were obtained, and 27 publications were selected following the PRISMA recommendations. Evidence synthesis The negative predictive values (NPV) of several assays could reduce the number of cystoscopies in NMIBC surveillance. Six transcription-factor trials had an NPV rate greater than 90%, and one of them can be performed at the control point. Six transcription-factors evaluations describe anticipated diagnosis between 68% and 83% of their “false positives”. Two transcription factors and one protein assays proved reduction between 23% and 35% of surveillance cystoscopies. Nowadays, cell-based assays are restricted to reflex test after doubtful cytologies. Conclusion There are few studies analysing the improvement of the NMIBC surveillance protocols. Several transcription factor assays are more precise and allow anticipatory diagnosis. Currently, there are no comparative studies between alternative surveillance protocols and classic ones.

Purpose A complication of the surgical management of anorectal malformations (ARMs) is a retained remnant of the original fistula (ROOF) formerly called a posterior urethral diverticulum (PUD). A ROOF may have multiple presentations or may be incidentally discovered during the work-up of ARM after previous surgery. We sought to define the entity and the surgical indications for excision of a ROOF when found. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study of all male patients who presented to our center following previous repair for ARM at another institution, who came for evaluation of problems with urinary and/or fecal continence, from 2014 to 2017. Charts were reviewed for symptoms, original type of malformation, preoperative imaging, treatment, and postoperative follow-up. Results Of 180 referred male patients, 16 had a ROOF. 14 underwent surgical repair to address this and for other redo indications, and 2 did not require intervention. 13 patients had an additional reason for a redo such as anal mislocation or rectal prolapse. Indications for ROOF excision were urinary symptoms (e.g. UTI, dribbling, passage of mucous via urethra, stone formation), to make a smoother posterior urethra for intermittent catheterization, or for prophylactic reasons. Patients were repaired at an average age of 4.2 years, using a PSARP only approach with excision of the ROOF for all except one patient who needed a laparotomy due to abdominal extension of the ROOF. No patient needed a colostomy. The original ARM repairs of the patients were PSARP (9), laparoscopic assisted (4) and abdominoperineal pullthrough (3). Preoperative evaluation included pelvic MRI, VCUG, and cystoscopy. The ROOF was visualized on 14 of 16 MRIs, 10 of 14 VCUGs, and 14 of 15 cystoscopies. Urinary symptoms associated with a ROOF and ease of catheterization were improved in all repaired cases. Conclusion Patients not doing well from a urinary or bowel standpoint post ARM pull-through need a complete evaluation which should include a check for a ROOF. Both modalities MRI and cystoscopy are needed as a ROOF can be missed on either alone. A VCUG was not reliable in identifying a ROOF. Excision is needed in patients to improve urinary symptoms associated with these lesions and to minimize the small but theoretical oncologic risk present in a ROOF. Level of evidence Level III.

BACKGROUND: Surveillance recommendations for patients with low-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) are based on limited evidence. Our objective was to add to the evidence by assessing outcomes after frequent versus recommended cystoscopic surveillance. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with low-risk (low grade Ta) NMIBC from 2005 – 2011 with follow-up through 2014 from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Patients were classified as having undergone frequent versus recommended cystoscopic surveillance (>3 versus 1–3 cystoscopies in the first 2 years after diagnosis). Using propensity score adjusted models, we estimated the impact of frequent cystoscopy on the number of transurethral resections, the number of resections without cancer in the specimen, and on risk of progression to muscle-invasive cancer or bladder cancer death. RESULTS: Among 1,042 patients, 798 (77%) had more frequent cystoscopy than recommended. In adjusted analyses, the frequent cystoscopy group had twice as many transurethral resections (55 versus 26 per 100 person years; p

Objectives: To evaluate if the use of a photographic handbook (PH) can be a useful tool to improve the detection of disorders during cystoscopy training, as several hands-on tools have been proposed to improve technical skills but very few aim to improve specificity and sensitivity. Subjects and methods: Eight junior residents (JRs) were divided into two groups: Group A, comprised four JRs with previous limited experience of performing cystoscopies; and Group B, including four inexperienced JRs who were asked to study a specific PH before performing cystoscopies. The findings of the two groups were compared using the chi-squared test. Results: A total of 401 consecutive cystoscopies, of which 214 (53.4%) were performed by Group A and 187 (46.6%) by Group B, were considered. Group B showed superior ability in detecting uncommon findings (i.e., carcinoma in situ, bullous oedema, interstitial cystitis, etc.) with 24/46 (52.2%) detected vs eight of 32 (25%) in Group A (P = 0.016). Conclusions: The PH was a useful tool for improving identification of pathological conditions, which could be used to enhance hands-on simulator and practical tutored training. Abbreviations: CIS: carcinoma in situ; JR: junior resident; PH: photographic handbook; VR: virtual reality Classification: Stones/Endourology

Gynecologic surgery is associated with various perioperative complications, especially urinary tract injuries. Intraoperative cystoscopy plays an important role in allowing assessment of the bladder to ensure the absence of injuries. Verification of the urinary jets from the ureters is a fundamental step that is not always easy to accomplish. Dyes are frequently used, but these are not always available and are associated with adverse effects. The present study aimed to demonstrate the use of CO2 as a medium for distension during cystoscopy. A total of 47 patients underwent CO2 cystoscopy after laparoscopic hysterectomy (n = 26) or bladder endometriosis nodule resection (n = 21). In all patients, the ureteral jets were readily identified, leaving no doubt as to their patency. The median interval between the onset of cystoscopy and the view of jetting from both ureteral ostia was 145 seconds (range, 80–300 seconds). All cystoscopies were normal, and no patient had any signs of accidental urinary tract injury in the follow-up period. Two patients experienced mild urinary tract infection. This cystoscopy technique using CO2 is fast, easy, safe, and efficient. We recommend bladder distension with CO2 as a reasonable alternative technique when cystoscopy is required during gynecologic procedures.

Purpose: This study aims to compare the various distraction methods used during office cystoscopy to decrease pain and dissatisfaction among patients. Materials and Methods: Two hundred patients undergoing rigid cystoscopy between January 2017 and July 2017 were randomized into four groups of 50 patients: (1) Group I: Patients who listened to music during the cystoscopy, (2) Group II: Patients allowed real-time visualization of the cystoscopy, (3) Group III: Patients who listened to music and had real-time visualization of the procedure, (4) Group IV: Control group undergoing cystoscopy without any distraction used. A visual analog scale (VAS) (1–10) was used for a self-assessment of pain, satisfaction, and willingness for repeat cystoscopy. Results: Demographic characteristics, mean age, procedure duration, and procedure indications were statistically similar between the four groups. The mean VAS pain score were significantly lower in the three study Groups (I, II, and III) where distraction methods were used during cystoscopies as compared to the control Group IV (P < 0.001) and the satisfaction VAS scores and VAS scores for willingness to undergo a repeat procedure were significantly higher in the study groups (P < 0.001). Statistically significant decreased postprocedural pulse rate and blood pressure in comparison with to their preprocedural values were observed when distraction methods were used (P < 0.01). Patients undergoing cystoscopies listening to music and real-time visualization (Group III) had better VAS scores than the others (P < 0.01). Conclusions: Distraction methods reduce pain and increase satisfaction among patients. Best results are with combined listening to music and direct real-time visualization.

We report an approach in diagnostic imaging based on nanoscale-resolution scanning of surfaces of cells collected from body fluids using a recent modality of atomic force microscopy (AFM), subresonance tapping, and machine-leaning analysis. The surface parameters, which are typically used in engineering to describe surfaces, are used to classify cells. The method is applied to the detection of bladder cancer, which is one of the most common human malignancies and the most expensive cancer to treat. The frequent visual examinations of bladder (cytoscopy) required for follow-up are not only uncomfortable for the patient but a serious cost for the health care system. Our method addresses an unmet need in noninvasive and accurate detection of bladder cancer, which may eliminate unnecessary and expensive cystoscopies. The method, which evaluates cells collected from urine, shows 94% diagnostic accuracy when examining five cells per patient’s urine sample. It is a statistically significant improvement (P < 0.05) in diagnostic accuracy compared with the currently used clinical standard, cystoscopy, as verified on 43 control and 25 bladder cancer patients.

The most common symptom of bladder cancer (BC) is hematuria. However, not all patients with hematuria are diagnosed with BC. Here, we explored a novel method to discriminate BC from hematuria under nonmalignant conditions by measuring differences in urinary cell-free microRNA (miRNA) expression between patients with BC and those with hematuria. A multicenter study was performed using 543 urine samples obtained from the National Biobank of Korea, including 326 BC, 174 hematuria and 43 pyuria without cancer. The urinary miR-6124 to miR-4511 ratio was considerably higher in BC than in hematuria or pyuria, and enabled the discrimination of BC from patients with hematuria at a sensitivity of >90% (p < 0.001). Conclusively, the proposed noninvasive diagnostic tool based on the expression ratio of urinary cell-free miR-6124 to miR-4511 can reduce unnecessary cystoscopies in patients with hematuria undergoing evaluation for BC, with a minimal loss in sensitivity for detecting cancer.

Background Transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder is the second most common genitourinary malignancy. Because of the low sensitivity of urinary cytology and the invasiveness and expense of frequent cystoscopies for the detection of low-grade superficial lesions, we aim to establish a sensitive molecular approach to detect bladder cancer noninvasively. Methods Voided urine samples were collected from 80 patients with bladder cancer at the time of diagnosis, in addition to 30 patients with non-bladder cancer urological diseases and 20 healthy volunteers. The level of hTERT, KRT7, and survivin (SVV) mRNAs were analyzed using a qRT-PCR assay. Results The optimal threshold values for hTERT, KRT7, and SVV in urine were calculated by ROC curves analysis. The overall sensitivity was 81.3%, 91.3%, and 68.8% for hTERT, KRT7, and SVV, respectively, which were significantly higher than urine cytology (22.2%, p Conclusions Our data indicate that urinary hTERT, KRT7, and SVV have superior sensitivities over cytology. The combined use of these markers offers a powerful potential assay and promising tool for a sensitive, noninvasive, and highly specific diagnostic method and follow-up of low-grade TCC of the bladder.

Objective To evaluate the per-procedure cost of flexible cystoscopy in relation to reimbursement. Materials and Methods Capital, maintenance, reprocessing, labor, and disposable costs were calculated at a high-volume academic institution over the fiscal year 2019. Five-year amortized values were used to calculate reusable cystoscope and automated endoscopic reprocessor (AER) per-procedure cost. Twenty flexible cystoscope procedure cycles were timed and multiplied by prevailing medical office assistant wages to determine labor costs. Medicare and commercially insured reimbursements were queried to evaluate the cost and profitability of cystoscopy. Results In total, 3739 flexible cystoscopies were performed with 415 procedures per cystoscope. Total annual costs for capital and maintenance, reprocessing, labor, and disposable supplies was $202,494, $147,969, $128,117, and $121,904, respectively. The per-procedure cost for reusable cystoscopy with AER reprocessing, reusable cystoscopy with a high-level disinfectant (HLD), and theoretical costs of disposable cystoscopy were calculated to be $161, $133, and $222, respectively. The volume of procedures per scope had a significant impact on cost and profitability. The number of procedures per cystoscope performed to have equivalent cost as a disposable scope was, 196 and 145 cystoscopies per cystoscope per year, for AER and HLD-reprocessed cystoscopes, respectively. Conclusions There is a considerable contribution of capital equipment, maintenance, labor, and supplies to the cost of cystoscopy with profitability highly depend on the volume of cystoscopies performed for each cystoscope. The use of AER results in higher cost than HLD. Cost-effectiveness of disposable scopes needs to be determined but will vary by clinic volume and site of practice.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center performs over a thousand cystoscopies annually. Cystoscopy is indicated in patients with history of bladder cancer or any other which has involved the bladder.

Bladder cancer has a very high frequency of recurrence and therefore requires close clinical surveillance throughout its life, with cystoscopies and serial cytological examinations. These tests are both invasive and expensive, with considerable interpersonal and inter-institutional variability. Moreover, cytological examination used for the diagnosis of low-grade tumors has a low sensitivity; thus, there is an increasing focus on the research for new, accurate, urinary markers. Herein, the biological basis, methodologies, and diagnostic performance of biomarkers are discussed.

Despite its invasive nature, high cost, and complication risks, cystoscopy continues to be the gold standard for diagnosis and surveillance of bladder cancer (BC). Adjunctive cytology, which has acceptable performance for detection of high-grade lesions but not for low-grade lesions, suffers from significant interobserver and inter-institutional variability. In addition, an atypical cytology adds diagnostic uncertainty especially in the surveillance setting. Given these limitations, there is great interest in finding the ideal biomarker that can outperform cytology, be cost-effective, and, in some instances, limit the number of cystoscopies without risking disease progression. Advances in next-generation sequencing, metabolomics, and bioinformatic techniques have not only shed light on the molecular pathways driving the development and progression of BC but also opened the door to biomarker discovery. Urine biomarkers are attractive due to the simplicity of specimen collection anddirect contact of urine with the urothelial tumor; they have the potential to improve diagnosis, reduce unnecessary cystoscopies, and risk-stratify patients in both diagnostic and surveillance settings. The current status of commercially available, FDA-approved urine biomarkers is summarized here. We also highlight promising novel biomarkers that have not yet been validated.

White light cystoscopy is the current standard of care for bladder cancer detection and surveillance. If a patient is found to have non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer, they will undergo multiple outpatient cystoscopies. In addition to anesthetizing lubricating gel, there are a number of other modalities to make the procedure more tolerable. Prior to the procedure, most patients will not require antibiotic prophylaxis. Regarding tumor resection and surveillance, data support the use of enhanced cystoscopic modalities, like blue light cystoscopy and narrow-band imaging, to diagnose carcinoma in situ and papillary lesions with more accuracy and facilitate more complete resection of bladder tumors. AUA/SUO guidelines reflect confidence in this data by making moderate and conditional recommendations for the use of blue light cystoscopy and narrow-band imaging, respectively. Future directions for enhanced cystoscopy include more prospective, randomized trials evaluating cancer-specific survival and the use of Cysview as a cytotoxic treatment modality.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a substantial increase in waiting times for cystoscopies, prompting concerns of delayed diagnoses and substandard surveillance of bladder cancer. Expanding the role of urinary biomarkers in diagnostic and surveillance pathways could be a strategy to address this problem, and several novel biomarkers have shown promise for this purpose.

Objectives To compare pain, quality of life(QoL), sexual function and lower urinary tract symptoms(LUTS) between rigid(RC) and flexible cystoscopy(FC). Methods Forty-one patients who were planned control cystoscopies were enrolled the study. At the first cystoscopy, 20 patients(Group 1) and other 21 patients(Group 2) were performed by using flexible(15,5Fr) and rigid cystoscope(15,5Fr), respectively. At the second cystoscopies, the patients in group 1 and group 2 were performed by using rigid and flexible cystosacope, respectively. In all the patients, pain was measured with visual pain scale(VPS) shortly after cystoscopy. Also SF, QoL and LUTS were assessed by using IIEF, SF-36 and MLUTS forms, respectively. Results While 22 of the patients preferred FC, the other 19 preferred RC(p>0,05). There were no statistically differences between VPS, IIEF, SF-36 and MLUTS scores of the two groups. In multivariate analysis regarding quality of life, although sexual function, pain and cystoscopy type did not affect QoL, voiding symptoms affected independently QoL. After the both cystoscopy type, IIEF, SF-36 and MLUTS scores did not change statistically. Conclusion The results showed that the effects on pain, sexual function, QoL and LUTS of RC and FC were similar. In general, cystoscopy did not affect negatively on QoL, sexual function and LUTS of the patients.

Background: Transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) is the traditional technique of choice for endoscopically suspected bladder tumours. Cold En Bloc Excision (CEBE) using novel Zedd scissors is proposed for endoscopic treatment of patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). The aim of this study was to evaluate feasibility and safety of CEBE of bladder tumours using Zedd scissors. Methods: A pilot prospective study of patients who underwent a CEBE of suspicious bladder tumours using Zedd scissors was conducted. A total of 23 patients underwent CEBE for suspected bladder tumours using Zedd scissors. New and recurrent tumours Results: There was no ONR or bladder perforation and none of the patients had any complications. DM was present in 21 patients (91%). There was no tumour identified at the circumferential margins. There was no cautery artefact reported in any case. No patients had a recurrence at first follow up cystoscopy and two patients had out of field recurrence at subsequent cystoscopies. Conclusion: CEBE with Zedd scissors is a promising en bloc excision technique for bladder tumour. It is a safe and feasible for excision of tumours less than 3 cm. The early oncological outcomes are comparable with existing en bloc resection techniques (ERBT) for NMIBC.

Importance Clinical practice regarding posttreatment radiologic surveillance for patients with oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) is neither adapted to individual patient risk nor fully evidence based. Objectives To construct a microsimulation model for posttreatment OPC progression and use it to optimize surveillance strategies while accounting for both tumor stage and human papillomavirus (HPV) status. Design, Setting, and Participants In this decision analytical modeling study, a Markov model of 3-year posttreatment patient trajectories was created. The training data source was the American College of Surgeon’s National Cancer Database from 2010 to 2015. The external validation data set was the 2016 International Collaboration on Oropharyngeal Cancer Network for Staging (ICON-S) study. Training data comprised 2159 patients with OPC treated with primary radiotherapy who had known HPV status and disease staging information. Patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer, 7th edition stage III to IVB disease and those with clinical metastases during the time of primary treatment were included. Data were analyzed from August 1 to October 31, 2020. Main Outcomes and Measures Main outcomes included disease stage and HPV status, specific disease transition probabilities, and latency of surveillance regimens, defined as time between recurrence incidence and disease discovery. Results Training data consisted of 2159 total patients (1708 men [79.1%]; median age, 59.6 years [range, 40-90 years]; 401 with stage III disease, 1415 with stage IVA disease, and 343 with stage IVB disease). Cohorts predominantly had HPV-negative disease (1606 [74.4%]). With model-optimized regimens, recurrent disease was discovered a mean of 0.6 months (95% CI, 0.5-0.8 months) earlier than with a standard surveillance regimen based on current clinical guidelines. Recurrent disease was discovered using the optimized regimens without significant reduction in sensitivity. Compared with strategies based on reimbursement guidelines, the model-optimized regimens found disease a mean of 1.8 months (95% CI, 1.3-2.3 months) earlier. Conclusions and Relevance Optimized, risk-stratified surveillance regimens consistently outperformed nonoptimized strategies. These gains were obtained without requiring any additional imaging studies. This approach to risk-stratified surveillance optimization is generalizable to a broad range of tumor types and risk factors.

AIMS: To evaluate the diagnostic yield of investigations performed on patients with a history of urinary tract infections (UTI). METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted on patients who underwent cystoscopy and imaging for a history of UTI between 2014 and 2019 in a single UK teaching hospital. Data were collected on demographics, cystoscopy and radiological findings requiring further management. The cohort was stratified by age, gender and a confirmed history of recurrent UTI (rUTI). The subsequent algorithm was re-tested in a second cohort to validate its use. RESULTS: Seven hundred patients were included in the primary analysis-427 female and 273 males. Three hundred and thirty-one met the criteria of rUTI. The median age was 64 years (18-97). Imaging abnormalities were equally frequent in men 6.3% (15/241) and women 8% (30/380) and the majority noted in patients aged ≥55 years, 30/45 (66.7%). Amongst those who did not meet the definition of rUTI, abnormal imaging was identified in 5%-7% regardless of age group and gender. Cystoscopy abnormalities (n = 24) were twice more likely in males, 5.5%(15/273) than females, 2%(9/427). About 88%(21/24) were identified in patients ≥55 years. There were no positive findings in women

Background: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the various instruments available to evaluate the quality of life (QoL) in patients diagnosed with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) undergoing surveillance. Methods: A PubMed literature review was carried out with query terms (“Urinary Bladder Neoplasms” [Mesh] OR “Bladder malignancy”) AND (“quality of life”) including all studies up to June 2020. This resulted in 576 peer-reviewed articles. A further 12 articles from additional sources were included. A total of 473 articles were eliminated due to lack of relevance to the topic of concern. A further 93 articles evaluating NMIBC and articles evaluating Radiotherapy were excluded and a total of 22 studies were studied. Results: In total, 22 studies were identified. The vast majority of studies were prospective descriptive studies (n=9), while there were 7 cross-sectional surveys and 6 randomised controlled trials. Most studies evaluated the impact of intravesical treatment on QoL. NMIBC survivors had significantly lower QoL compared to the general population, Surveillance strategies involving repeated intravesical therapies and cystoscopies have a negative impact on QoL with impaired physical function and mental health. Conclusions: This article emphasizes the importance of assessing the QoL in patients with NMIBC undergoing long term surveillance, as they represent the majority of bladder cancer patients. Development and validation of specific instruments to measure QoL in patients with NMIBC are desperately needed to assess, better understand, and manage the burden of disease and healthcare in this group of patients.

Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is accompanied with high incidence and recurrence rates. The extensive need for cystoscopic follow up causes substantial patient discomfort and leads to a high economic burden. Cytology of exfoliated tumor cells in urine is not able to safely reduce or replace the amount of cystoscopies. Here, we give a short overview of established urinary biomarkers and review 2 novel urinary biomarkers, ADXBLADDER and Bladder EpiCheck, for their clinical utility in NMIBC. A Pubmed literature search was performed on the subject of urinary biomarkers for NMIBC. The performance of urinary cytology and established biomarkers Nuclear matrix proteins (NMP22), BTA, UroVysion, and ImmunoCyt was evaluated. The performance of novel biomarkers ADXBLADDER and Bladder EpiCheck was critically reviewed. Based on available clinical studies, established urinary biomarkers have no clear role in the diagnosis or follow-up of NMIBC. Three available prospective studies of ADXBLADDER (2 studying initial diagnosis and 1 follow-up study) reported overall sensitivity (45%–73%) and negative predictive values (NPV) (74%–100%) superior to cytology, with reasonable specificity (70%–73%). Four follow-up Bladder EpiCheck studies reported overall sensitivity (62%–90%) and NPV (79%–97%) superior to cytology, with a high specificity (82%–88%). For detection of high grade recurrences, sensitivity, and NPV of both novel biomarkers were even higher, with a sensitivity and NPV of 76% to 88% and 99% respectively for ADXBLADDER and 79% to 95% and 99% respectively for Bladder EpiCheck – Novel urinary biomarkers ADXBLADDER and Bladder EpiCheck have better sensitivity and NPV, but worse specificity than cytology in the follow-up of NMIBC. In the future, these biomarkers might reduce the amount of follow-up cystoscopies, for instance via an intermittent follow-up scheme alternating between cystoscopy and biomarker testing. The main biomarker objective should be to rule out high grade tumor recurrence without the need for any invasive procedures. Nevertheless, the clinical implementation of these biomarkers in the follow up of NMIBC has to be further investigated in prospective randomized trials for low as well as high grade tumors.

Patient: Female, 64-year-old Final Diagnosis: Plasmacytoid urothelial carcinoma of the bladder Symptoms: Nausea • vomiting Medication:— Clinical Procedure: Cystoscopy Specialty: Oncology Objective: Rare disease Background: Plasmacytoid urothelial carcinoma (PUC) is a rare and aggressive variant of urothelial cancers. Herein, we report a patient with CDH-1 mutated PUC who presented with disseminated peritoneal metastasis and high levels of CA 19-9. Cases Report: A 65-year-old female presented to the hospital with vomiting, obstructive jaundice, and acute renal failure. Imaging studies showed bilateral hydronephrosis, bladder wall thickening without masses, and dilation of both common bile and pancreatic ducts without pancreatic masses. Carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 was elevated at >17 000 U/mL. Repeated cystoscopies demonstrated no masses within the bladder, but with nodularity and inflamed mucosa, and random biopsies were obtained and showed PUC. Ascitic fluid cytology revealed meta-static PUC. A targeted exome next-generation sequencing (NGS) revealed pathogenic mutations in TP53, CDH-1, RB1, and ARIDA1A. The patient was debilitated, and hospice care was recommended. She passed away after 2 months of her initial presentation. Conclusions: PUC is a rare and aggressive histological variant of bladder cancer. Advanced stage at diagnosis and high relapse rates after treatment with cytotoxic regimens are common. At the molecular level, somatic alterations in cadherin-1 (CDH-1) gene seem to be characteristic. Exploring the molecular sphere of this disease is prudent to identify possible new therapeutic targets.

Background Healthcare equipment funded by international partners is often not properly utilized in many developing countries due to low levels of awareness and a lack of expertise. A long-term on-site training program for laparoscopic surgery was established at a regional hospital in Ghana upon request of the Ghana Health Service and local surgeons. Objective The authors report the initial 32-month experience of implementing laparoscopic surgery focusing on the trainees' response, technical independence, and factors associated with the successful implementation of a "new" surgical practice. Methods Curricular structure and feedback results of the trainings for doctors and nurses, and characteristics of laparoscopic procedures performed at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital between January 2017 and September 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. Findings Comprehensive training including two weeks of simulation workshops followed by animal labs were regularly provided for the doctors. Among the 97 trainees, 27.9% had prior exposure in laparoscopic surgery, 95% were satisfied with the program. Eleven nurses attained professional competency over 15 training sessions where none had prior exposure to laparoscopic surgery. Since the first laparoscopic cholecystectomy in February 2017, 82 laparoscopic procedures were performed. The scope of the surgery was expanded from general surgery (n = 46) to gynecology (n = 33), pediatric surgery (n = 2), and urology (n = 1). The volume of local doctors as primary operators increased from 0% (0/17, February to December 2017) to 41.9% (13/31, January to October 2018) and 79.4% (27/34, November 2018 to September 2019), with 72.5% of the cases being assisted by the expatriate surgeon. There were no open conversions, technical complications, or mortalities. Local doctors independently commenced endoscopic surgical procedures including cystoscopies, hysteroscopies, endoscopic neurosurgeries and arthroscopies. Conclusion Sensitization and motivation of the surgical workforce through long-term continuous on-site training resulted in the successful implementation of laparoscopic surgery with a high level of technical independence.

Objectives: To prospectively register self-reported pain levels associated with office cystoscopy with or without bladder tumour biopsy and fulguration.Patients and methods: During a 15-month period, patients examined with cystoscopy under local anaesthesia graded their pain level using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). All patients were examined in the lithotomy position and lidocaine gel was used in all. A bladder instillation or a submucosal injection of lidocaine was given mainly in patients treated with extirpation of larger tumours.Results: The pain perception was graded by the patients as none (VAS = 0) or mild (VAS = 1-3) in 86% of the 1,314 cystoscopies. Fewer patients (65% out of 258) reported VAS 0-3 when cystoscopy with biopsy and fulguration of bladder tumour was performed. More than 97% of all patients stated that they would prefer treatment under local anaesthesia in the case of a future recurrence.Conclusion: The VAS-scores after diagnostic cystoscopy are in accordance with those previously reported, with the absolute majority reporting no or mild pain. Patients treated with extirpation of bladder tumours reported higher levels of pain but still within acceptable limits. This confirms the potential of treating most patients with small-sized bladder tumour recurrences under local anaesthesia.

Introduction The aims of this study were to test a novel simulation platform suitable for flexible cystoscopy using a standard scope, to assess the platform's proposed use as a training tool for flexible cystoscopy, and to assess the user experience through surveyed response. Methods Thirty-one urologists (11 novices, 20 experts) were evaluated using a novel light-based bladder model and standard flexible cystoscope. Time to complete full inspection of the simulated bladder was measured, and the scope trajectory was recorded. Participants also completed a survey of the training platform. Results Thirty participants completed a simulated inspection of a portable bladder model with a mean ± SD time for 153.1 ± 76.1 seconds. One participant failed to complete. Novice urologists (defined as those having completed less than 50 flexible cystoscopies in clinic) had a mean ± SD time of 176.9 ± 95.8 seconds, whereas with experts, this decreased to 139.3 ± 60.7 seconds. Dynamic trajectory maps identified "blind spots" within each user's cystoscopy performance. In a poststudy follow-up, 27 participants considered the tool valuable or extremely valuable for training, whereas 19 participants considered that the tool either very well or excellently replicated the clinical setting. All participants ranked the tool as very good or excellent for overall quality of training. Discussion Advances in electronic technology make portable low-cost models a potential low-cost alternative to endourology training platforms. In providing a quantifiable measure of user performance, the tool may shorten the learning curve in flexible cystoscopy and, potentially, reduce clinical errors and provide quantifiable measures for further clinical training.

Background: Clinical data suggest that stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) provides similar clinical outcomes as other radiation modalities for prostate cancer. However, data reporting on the safety of SBRT after TURP is limited. Herein, we report our experience using SBRT to deliver hypofractionated radiotherapy in patients with a history of TURP including physician-reported toxicities and patient-reported quality of life. Methods: Forty-seven patients treated with SBRT from 2007 to 2016 at Georgetown University Hospital for localized prostate carcinoma with a history of prior TURP were included in this retrospective analysis. Treatment was delivered using the CyberKnife® (Accuray Incorporated, Sunnyvale, CA) with doses of 35 Gy or 36.25 Gy in 5 fractions without prostatic urethral sparing. Toxicities were recorded and scored using the CTCAE v.4. Cystoscopy findings were retrospectively reviewed. Urinary quality of life data was assessed using the International Prostate Symptom Scoring (IPSS) and Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite 26 (EPIC-26). A Wilcoxon signed-rank sum test was used to determine if there was a statistically significant increase or decrease in IPSS or EPIC scores between timepoints. Minimally important differences were calculated by obtaining half the standard deviation at time of start of treatment. Results: Forty-seven patients at a median age of 72 years (range 63–84) received SBRT. The mean follow-up was 4.7 years (range 2–10 years). Late Grade 2 and grade 3 urinary toxicity occurred in 23 (48.9%) and 3 (6.4%) men, respectively. There were no Grade 4 or 5 toxicities. Approximately 51% of patients experienced hematuria following treatment. Mean time to hematuria was 10.5 months. Twenty-five cystoscopies were performed during follow-up and the most common finding was hyperemia, varices of the bladder neck/TURP defect, and/or necrotic tissue in the TURP defect. Baseline urinary QOL composite scores were low, but they did not clinically significantly decline in the first 2 years following treatment. Conclusions: In patients with prior TURP, prostate SBRT was well-tolerated. GU toxicity rates were comparable to similar patients treated with conventionally fractionated radiation therapy. Urinary quality of life was poor at baseline, but did not worsen clinically over time. Stricter dosimetric criteria could potentially improve the rate of high-grade late toxicity, but may increase the risk of peri-urethral recurrence.

Bladder cancer (BC) is the tenth most frequent cancer worldwide. Due to the need for recurrent cystoscopies and the lack of non-invasive biomarkers, BC is associated with a high management burden. In this respect, small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) have been investigated in urine as possible biomarkers for BC, but in plasma their potential has not yet been defined. The expression levels of sncRNAs contained in plasma extracellular vesicles (EVs) from 47 men with BC and 46 healthy controls were assessed by next-generation sequencing. The sncRNA profiles were compared with urinary profiles from the same subjects. miR-4508 resulted downregulated in plasma EVs of muscle-invasive BC patients, compared to controls (adj-p = 0.04). In World Health Organization (WHO) grade 3 (G3) BC, miR-126-3p was upregulated both in plasma EVs and urine, when compared to controls (for both, adj-p &lt, 0.05). Interestingly, two sncRNAs were associated with the risk class: miR-4508 with a downward trend going from controls to high risk BC, and piR-hsa-5936 with an upward trend (adj-p = 0.04 and adj-p = 0.05, respectively). Additionally, BC cases with low expression of miR-185-5p and miR-106a-5p or high expression of miR-10b-5p showed shorter survival (adj-p = 0.0013, adj-p = 0.039 and adj-p = 0.047, respectively). SncRNAs from plasma EVs could be diagnostic biomarkers for BC, especially in advanced grade.