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Introduction: Gender equity in urological meetings is pivotal for fostering diversity and inclusivity in the field. This study aims to evaluate the representation of Spanish urologist and regional disparities, and to assess its alignment with the demographic composition of the urological community., Materials and Methods: All urology meetings organized by the AEU between January 2012 and December 2022 were reviewed, including meeting information and details of the faculty. Additionally, we analysed geographic distribution of speakers across 17 different regions. Gender demographics were obtained disaggregating data by sex and year from the Organización Médica Colegial de España (OMC) and from those urologists affiliated to the AEU., Results: Analysing 52 AEU congresses held from 2012 to 2022, encompassing 3,407 speakers, the study found that 95.25% of speakers were from Spain and 89.6% were male speakers. Over the years, there was a positive trend in female speaker representation, increasing by 1.1% annually, slightly lagging the 1.8% annual rise in the number of female urologists in Spain. In specific subfields like functional, transplantation, and oncology sessions, the study revealed a higher representation of women, indicating focused efforts in these areas. Geographically, Madrid, Catalonia and Andalusia exhibited the highest representation., Conclusions: Although there was a positive trend towards an increased participation of female urologists in Spanish urological meetings, it fails to accurately reflect the proportional increase in the number of women entering the urology profession in recent years. This study underscores the importance of ongoing efforts to ensure diverse and balanced representation in urological forum., (Copyright © 2024 AEU. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Telemedicine provides remote clinical support through technology tools. It can facilitate medical care delivery while reducing unnecessary office visits. The COVID-19 outbreak has caused an abrupt change in our daily urological practice, where teleconsultations play a crucial role., Objective: To provide practical recommendations for the effective use of technological tools in telemedicine., Materials and Methods: A literature search was conducted on Medline until April 2020. We selected the most relevant articles related to «telemedicine» and «smart working» that could provide valuable information., Results: Telemedicine refers to the use of electronic information and telecommunication tools to provide remote clinical health care support. Smart working is a working approach that uses new or existing technologies to improve performance. Telemedicine is becoming a useful and fundamental tool during the COVID-19 pandemic and will be even more in the future. It is time for us to officially give telemedicine the place it deserves in clinical practice, and it is our responsibility to adapt and familiarize with all the tools and possible strategies for its optimal implementation. We must guarantee that the quality of care received by patients and perceived by them and their families is of the highest standard., Conclusions: Telemedicine facilitates remote specialized urological clinical support and solves problems caused by limited patient mobility or transfer, reduces unnecessary visits to clinics and is useful to reduce the risk of COVID-19 viral transmission., (Copyright © 2020 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To assess the diagnostic capability of PET/CT with [ 18 F]F-Fluoromethylcholine in prostate cancer (PC) with biochemical recurrence and its therapeutic impact., Material and Methods: We included 108 patients, diagnosed with PC with biochemical criteria for recurrence. A PET/CT Choline scan was performed by dynamic pelvic and whole body study at 60min post-tracer injection. The relationship between the positive studies and the PSA value was analysed by classifying patients into three groups (<1.2/1.2-2/>2ng/ml), and the diagnostic capacity was assessed with respect to pelvic MRI and the impact on the therapeutic decision., Results: The location of recurrence was identified in 85 of 108 patients (78.7%): 34 local, 47 pelvic lymph nodes and 58 distant lesions, including retroperitoneal, mediastinal lymph nodes and distant organ lesions (bone and lung). Second tumors were diagnosed in 4 patients. No significant differences were found in the percentage of positive studies depending on primary treatment. Patients with PSA>2ng/ml showed a higher percentage of disease detection than patients with a lower PSA level, with significant differences (p<0.0001). PET/CT [ 18 F]F-Choline was able to detect local disease, not previously known from MRI, in 29.41% of patients. PET/CT Choline had an impact on therapeutic management in 67 of 108 patients (62%)., Conclusions: PET/CT with [ 18 F]F-Fluoromethylcholine is a useful tool in the detection of locoregional and disseminated disease of PC treated with suspicion of recurrence, providing a change in therapeutic management in 62% of patients., (Copyright © 2020 Sociedad Española de Medicina Nuclear e Imagen Molecular. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To compare the oncological outcomes between two open surgical techniques and two endoscopic approaches for the management of the distal ureter during laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy (LRNU)., Material and Methods: Retrospective review of 152 patients submitted to LRNU for the management of upper urinary tract tumors between 2007-2014. We analyzed the potential impact of two different open surgical (extravesical vs intravesical) and two endoscopic (resection of ureteral orifice and fragment removal vs endoscopic bladder cuff) techniques on the development of bladder recurrence, distant/local recurrence and cancer-specific survival (CSS)., Results: A total of 152 patients with a mean age of 69.9 years (±10.1) underwent LRNU. We reported 62 pTa-T1 (41%), 35 pT2 (23%) and 55 pT3-4 (36%). Thirty-two were low grade (21.1%) and 120 high grade (78.9%). An endoscopic approach was performed in 89 cases (58.5%), 32 with resection (36%) and 57 with bladder cuff (64%), and open approach in 63 (41.5%), 42 intravesical (66.7%) and 21 extravesical (33.3%). Within a median follow-up of 32 months (3-120), 38 patients (25%) developed bladder recurrence, 42 distant/local recurrence (27.6%) and 34 died of tumor (22.4%). In the univariate analysis, the type of endoscopic technique was not related to bladder recurrence (P=.961), distant/local recurrence (P=.955) nor CSS (P=.802). The open extravesical approach was not related to bladder recurrence (P=.12) but increased distant/local recurrence (P=.045) and decreased CSS (P=.034) compared to intravesical approach., Conclusions: LRNU outcomes are not dependant on the type of endoscopic approach performed. The open extravesical approach is a more difficult technique and could worsen the oncological outcomes when compared to the intravesical., (Copyright © 2019 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Context: The objective of evidence-based medicine is to employ the best scientific information available to apply to clinical practice. Understanding and interpreting the scientific evidence involves understanding the available levels of evidence, where systematic reviews and meta-analyses of clinical trials are at the top of the levels-of-evidence pyramid., Acquisition of Evidence: The review process should be well developed and planned to reduce biases and eliminate irrelevant and low-quality studies. The steps for implementing a systematic review include (i) correctly formulating the clinical question to answer (PICO), (ii) developing a protocol (inclusion and exclusion criteria), (iii) performing a detailed and broad literature search and (iv) screening the abstracts of the studies identified in the search and subsequently of the selected complete texts (PRISMA)., Synthesis of the Evidence: Once the studies have been selected, we need to (v) extract the necessary data into a form designed in the protocol to summarise the included studies, (vi) assess the biases of each study, identifying the quality of the available evidence, and (vii) develop tables and text that synthesise the evidence., Conclusions: A systematic review involves a critical and reproducible summary of the results of the available publications on a particular topic or clinical question. To improve scientific writing, the methodology is shown in a structured manner to implement a systematic review., (Copyright © 2018 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To assess the functional effects of prostatic cryosurgery on micturition., Material and Methods: Prospective study of men who underwent cryosurgery (CS) for prostate cancer between 2013 - 2015. Low urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and quality of life (QoL) were assessed 1 month before surgery using IPSS questionnaire, a three-day voiding diary (3DVD) and uroflowmetry with ultrasound-measured postvoid residual volume. Need of medical treatment for LUTS was also recorded. The same assessment was performed at 3, 6 and 12 months after CS. Outcomes after surgery were compared to those prior to surgery., Results: Forty-five patients underwent a CS during the study period, of whom 25 patients could be recruited in the study. Mean age was 73.5 years (range 66-84). Nineteen CS (76%) were performed as a primary procedure, while 6 CS (24%) as a salvage procedure. No statistical differences were found comparing results of IPSS, QoL, D3vd or uroflowmetry and PVR at 3, 6 or 12 months after CS compared to before surgery. Before CS, 8 (32%) patients were on medical treatment for LUTS, while at 6 and 12 months after surgery, 3 (13.6%) and 2 (9.5%) patients required some medication, respectively., Conclusion: According to the punctuation of IPSS, QoL questionnaire, and a 3-day voiding diary, LUTS does not worsen after CS. Prostatic cryosurgery does not seem to impact uroflowmetry results., (Copyright © 2017 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To measure social network activity during the 81th National Congress of the Spanish Urological Association (AEU) and to compare it with the activity during other congresses of national and international urological associations., Material and Methods: We designed and registered the official hashtag #AEU16 for the 81 th National Congress of the AEU on the Symplur website. The following measurements were recorded: number of participants, number of tweets, tweets by participant, tweets per hour and views., Results: The number of participants in the social network activity during the congress was 207. The measurements of activity in Twitter consisted of a total of 1866 tweets, a mean rate of 16 tweets/h, 9 tweets per participant and 1,511,142 views. The activity during the international congresses is as follows: 2016 American Urological Association annual congress (views: 28,052,558), 2016 European Association of Urology annual congress (views: 13,915,994), 2016 Urological Society of Australia and New Zealand (views: 4,757,453), 2015 Société Internationale d'Urologie annual congress (views: 1,023,038). The activity during the national congresses was recorded as follows: 2016 Annual Conference of The British Association of Urological Surgeons (views: 2,518,880), 81th National Congress of the AEU (views: 1,511,142), 109th Congress of l'Association Française d'Urologie (views: 662,828), 67th German Congress of Urology (views: 167,347). We found 10 posts in Facebook and 2 communications via Periscope TV related to #AEU16., Conclusions: The social network activity during the 81 th National Congress of the AEU was notable given the results of this study. The use of social networks has expanded among urological associations, congresses and meetings, giving them a global character., (Copyright © 2016 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To adapt to Spanish the recommendations for the appropriate use of social media (SoMe) in the urological setting prepared by the European Association of Urology (EAU)., Acquisition of Evidence: The use of SoMe has become fairly popular in the international urological community. Due to the nature of the medical content shared among healthcare professionals through SoMe, however, there is the risk of medical and legal problems. For this reason, various international urological associations such as the American Urological Association, the British Association of Urological Surgeons and EAU have published their recommendations for the appropriate use of social media. Efforts have been made to adapt and summarise the recommendations of the EAU in Spanish and to publish them in Actas Urológicas Españolas (@actasurologicas), the official journal of the Spanish Urological Association (@InfoAEU) and the American Confederation of Urology (@CAU&#95;URO)., Synthesis of the Evidence: SoMe include well-known platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, which have undoubtedly changed the way in which people communicate and interact. SoMe offer clear advantages for communicating between professionals, working in teams, disseminating knowledge and creating professional profiles and are increasingly used by patients and healthcare practitioners. The introduction of SoMe in the urological community has started a revolution in how scientific articles are shared, how people participate in congresses and how international urological associations communicate with their followers. However, SoMe is generally an open public setting, with potential risks for confidentiality and the doctor-patient relationship due to the nature of the shared information. The present recommendations include tools for creating professional profiles, protecting confidentiality and creating honest and responsible content., Conclusions: SoMe represents a fascinating area for the communication and dissemination of knowledge, with considerable applicability in health care and the urological community. New efforts are being directed to extend the use of social media in the urological community, measuring its actual academic impact and standardising the language employed., (Copyright © 2015 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To describe the temporal trends in surgical techniques for the management of renal masses at a single Spanish academic institution and identify factors associated with partial nephrectomy (PN) decision., Materials and Methods: A total of 646 patients were treated by surgery for clinically localised renal masses from January 2004 to December 2012 at a tertiary referral center. Surgical techniques included open radical nephrectomy (RN), open PN, laparoscopic RN, and laparoscopic PN. Descriptive statistics were used to compare baseline characteristics and proportions of patients treated by different surgical techniques. Annual trends in the proportion of procedures performed were determined. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated to evaluate clinical variables predictive of PN., Results: During the 9-year study period, the proportion of PN relative to RN increased from 21% to 55%. With regard to surgical approach, open procedures for both RN and PN decreased gradually in favor of minimally invasive approaches (83% in 2004 to 4% in 2011-2012). While median tumor size did not significantly change over the study period, laparoscopic PN became the most commonly performed kidney procedure in 2011-2012 (49% of all procedures). Clinical variables independently predictive of partial nephrectomy were ASA score, baseline renal function and tumor size (all P<.05)., Conclusions: At our academic institution, temporal trends in the management of renal masses have established PN as the most common surgical option. Although PN was increasingly used over the study period, a parallel increase in minimally invasive approaches for RN and PN was seen., (Copyright © 2015 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To analyze the relationship between the age--adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index (aCCI) and pathological outcomes of transurethral resection of de novo bladder tumours (BT)., Material and Methods: Data from 208 patients who underwent a transurethral resection (TUR) of a de novo BT between 2007 and 2008 were collected. We recorded the following variables: age, sex, tobacco consumption, comorbidities assessed according to the ICCa (score and mortality rate), disease stage, tumour grade and risk of recurrence and progression. The relationship between the preoperative variables and the final pathological characteristics was analyzed. The multivariate study was conducted with the significant variables (P<.05) from the univariate analysis., Results: The mean age of the patients was 69.5 ± 12 years, and 77% were men. The mean ICCa was 6.4 ± 2.5. The final pathology results showed a Tx, T0, Ta, T1 and T ≥ 2 in 5.3, 6.7, 31.7, 26.9, and 28.8% of the cases, respectively. 33.3% of the tumours were low-grade and 66.7% were high-grade. 14.3% of the tumours were associated with carcinoma in situ. Among those non musculo-invasive bladder tumour (non-MIBT), 34.7% had a low risk of recurrence and progression, 18.1% had an intermediate risk and 47.2% had a high risk. The patients with a ICCa ≥ 5 had an increased number of MIBT (RR: 2.29; 1.1-4.8; P=.032), high-grade tumours (RR: 3.1; CI: 1.6-6; P=.001) and tumours with a high risk of recurrence and progression (RR: 2.9; CI: 1.4-5.9; P<.001)., Conclusion: The ICCa is related to the pathological characteristics of de novo BT. Patients with greater comorbidity can present more aggressive tumours. The ICCa could therefore be useful in clinical practice for identifying patients with worse prognosis., (Copyright © 2015 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To analyze the predictors for bladder recurrence (BR) after nephroureterectomy (NU) for upper urinary tract tumors (UUTT), as well as its pathological characteristics, outcomes and impact on survival., Material and Methods: Retrospective study of 117 patients who underwent laparoscopic nephroureterectomy by UUTT between 2007-2012 at our center. The potential predictors for BR were analyzed using Cox regression; Kaplan-Meier curves were employed to study survival., Results: The sample was composed of 85 men (73%) and 32 women (27%), with a mean age of 70 years. After a mean follow-up of 26 months, 23 patients presented BR (19.6%). In the multivariate analysis, sex (p=.003; HR [female], 3.8) and the location of the UUTT in the distal ureter (p=.002; HR, 4.8) were independent predictors for BR. The median time to BR was 8 months. Fifteen patients presented a nonmuscle-invasive BR (65.2%), and 8 presented a muscle-invasive BR (34.8%). All BRs, except for 2, appeared during the first 2 years. Five cases with nonmuscle-invasive BR presented a new BR. Six patients with muscle-invasive BR died before it could be determined whether cause of death was the BR or an UUTT relapse. The onset of BR showed no repercussion on the survival of patients with UUTT., Conclusions: Sex (female) and the location of the UUTT (distal ureter) are predictors for BR after NU. Patients with these characteristics might benefit from adjuvant intravesical treatment and closer monitoring. The onset for RV has no impact on the survival of patients with UUTT., (Copyright © 2014 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Context: The great controversy surrounding the treatment of localized prostate cancer is related with its possibilities of radical treatment or active surveillance. The objective of this paper is to analyze the rationale selection among current focal therapy modalities regarding tumor and patient selection., Evidence Acquisition: Current articles about advantages and disadvantages on the treatment of localized prostate cancer as well as information about focal therapy regarding tumour selection, characteristics and indications cited in MEDLINE search were reviewed., Summary of Evidence: Focal therapy standardized criteria must be: low risk tumors, PSA<10-15, Gleason score ≤ 6, and unilateral presentation all supported by image-guided biopsy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). There are doubts about the suitability of focal therapy in cases of bilateralism or in those with Gleason score 3+4 or PSA>15., Conclusions: Focal therapy is an alternative for localized prostate cancer treatment. However, some aspects of their diagnosis and selection criteria should be defined by prospective studies which should provide knowledge about the indication for focal therapy., (Copyright © 2013 AEU. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To analyze gene expression profiles of prostate cancer (PCa) with the aim of determining the relevant differentially expressed genes and subsequently ascertain whether this differential expression is maintained in post-prostatic massage (PPM) urine samples., Material and Methods: Forty-six tissue specimens (36 from PCa patients and 10 controls) and 158 urine PPM-urines (113 from PCa patients and 45 controls) were collected between December 2003 and May 2007. DNA microarrays were used to identify genes differentially expressed between tumour and control samples. Ten genes were technically validated in the same tissue samples by quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR). Forty two selected differentially expressed genes were validated in an independent set of PPM-urines by qRT-PCR., Results: Multidimensional scaling plot according to the expression of all the microarray genes showed a clear distinction between control and tumour samples. A total of 1047 differentially expressed genes (FDR≤.1) were indentified between both groups of samples. We found a high correlation in the comparison of microarray and RT-qPCR gene expression levels (r=.928, P<.001). Thirteen genes maintained the same fold change direction when analyzed in PPM-urine samples and in four of them (HOXC6, PCA3, PDK4 and TMPRSS2-ERG), these differences were statistically significant (P<.05)., Conclusion: The analysis of PCa by DNA microarrays provides new putative mRNA markers for PCa diagnosis that, with caution, can be extrapolated to PPM-urines., (Copyright © 2013 AEU. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To study the utility of neurovascular preservation for postoperative erection in radical cystectomy., Materials and Methods: Retrospective analysis of 44 cystectomies performed at our center between January 2006-December 2009 in men <65 years. In 11 cases a neurovascular preservation was done. We analyzed age, BMI, indication for surgery, urinary diversion, use of i-PDE5 or alprostadil, and daytime and nighttime continence. Erection Hardness Score (EHS) was used to assess erectile function., Results: Spontaneous postoperative erectile function in preservation group was 44,4% EHS 4, 33,3% EHS 3 and 22,3% EHS 1 (achieving EHS 3 or 4 with alprostadil). In the non preservation group, 4,5% achieved EHS 4 spontaneously. The other 95,5% had EHS 0 (4,5% achieved EHS 3 with tadalafil 20 mg and 9% with intracavernous injections). Variables age (P=.001) and nerve-sparing surgery (P<.001) were related to postoperative erectile function recovery. In the multivariate analysis, nerve-sparing surgery remained statisticaly significant., Conclusions: The functional results in preserving cystectomy are promising. The preservation should be considered in young patients without erectile dysfunction., (Copyright © 2013 AEU. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Background: The rate of right laparoscopic living-donor nephrectomy (RLLDN) is low among kidney transplantations due to the short renal vein and presumed higher risk of thrombosis. Our objective was to describe a surgical technique to compensate for the shorter veins of these grafts., Methods: Between January 2004 and July 2010, we prospectively collected data from all transplantations using RLLDN-harvested kidneys at our center. Recipient iliac vein transposition was performed in all patients. We reviewed the indications, surgical techniques, and postoperative courses., Results: The 43 included cases showed a 2.1 +/- 0.6 cm, average length of the right renal vein as measured on abdominal computed tomography (CT). The mean extraction and implantation times were 109 +/- 33 and 124 +/- 31 minutes, respectively; the mean warm ischemia time was 151 +/- 29 seconds. Two recipients required postsurgical blood transfusions. In 97.6% of cases, there was immediate urine flow. Postoperative echo-Doppler revealed good arterial and venous flows in all patients. No venous thromboses were detected. The recipients' average hospital stay was 8 +/- 5 days. With a mean follow-up of 57 months, 86% of recipients maintain a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) >50 mL/min and creatinine levels <1.5 mg/dL., Conclusions: Transposition of the recipient iliac vein during implantation is a good technical solution to compensate for the short length of the right renal vein. The use of iliac vein transposition allowed us to perform safe implants of RLLDN-harvested kidneys with good short-term and long-term results., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Context: New data regarding treatment of muscle-invasive and metastatic bladder cancer (MiM-BC) has emerged and led to an update of the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines for MiM-BC., Objective: To review the new EAU guidelines for MiM-BC with a specific focus on treatment., Evidence Acquisition: New literature published since the last update of the EAU guidelines in 2008 was obtained from Medline, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and reference lists in publications and review articles and comprehensively screened by a group of urologists, oncologists, and a radiologist appointed by the EAU Guidelines Office. Previous recommendations based on the older literature on this subject were also taken into account. Levels of evidence (LEs) and grades of recommendations (GRs) were added based on a system modified from the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine Levels of Evidence., Evidence Synthesis: Current data demonstrate that neoadjuvant chemotherapy in conjunction with radical cystectomy (RC) is recommended in certain constellations of MiM-BC. RC remains the basic treatment of choice in localised invasive disease for both sexes. An attempt has been made to define the extent of surgery under standard conditions in both sexes. An orthotopic bladder substitute should be offered to both male and female patients lacking any contraindications, such as no tumour at the level of urethral dissection. In contrast to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, current advice recommends the use of adjuvant chemotherapy only within clinical trials. Multimodality bladder-preserving treatment in localised disease is currently regarded only as an alternative in selected, well-informed, and compliant patients for whom cystectomy is not considered for medical or personal reasons. In metastatic disease, the first-line treatment for patients fit enough to sustain cisplatin remains cisplatin-containing combination chemotherapy. With the advent of vinflunine, second-line chemotherapy has become available., Conclusions: In the treatment of localised invasive bladder cancer (BCa), the standard treatment remains radical surgical removal of the bladder within standard limits, including as-yet-unspecified regional lymph nodes. However, the addition of neoadjuvant chemotherapy must be considered for certain specific patient groups. A new drug for second-line chemotherapy (vinflunine) in metastatic disease has been approved and is recommended., (Copyright © 2011 AEU. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: LESS surgery (Laparoendoscopic single site surgery) is a surgical technique that aims to perform intraabdominal surgery using a single site entry, allowing for reduction in the number and size of the incisions, achieving better esthetic results with at least the same functional outcomes as with the conventional laparoscopic surgery., Material and Methods: We present the first experience of LESS living donor nephrectomy carried out by a totally European team. To perform it, a Quadport® device was placed through a 4 cm long paraumbilical incision., Results: The nephrectomy was performed using the standards of conventional laparoscopic surgery, with the use of a precurved instrument in the left hand and straight instruments in the right. After bagging the kidney, the artery and vein were sectioned after clipping, allowing for rapid extraction of the organ through the same incision, with warm ischemia of 3.30" and 2.47," respectively., Conclusion: Living donor nephrectomy using the LESS technique is feasible and can be considered a good option for obtaining live donor kidney grafts in males. The application of said surgical in living kidney donor can increase the rate of donation, by reducing morbidity and improving the esthetic results with the same outcome for the donor as for the recipient., (Copyright © 2011 AEU. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Context: New data regarding diagnosis and treatment of muscle-invasive and metastatic bladder cancer (MiM-BC) has emerged and led to an update of the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines for MiM-BC., Objective: To review the new EAU guidelines for MiM-BC., Evidence Acquisition: A comprehensive workup of the literature obtained from Medline, the Cochrane central register of systematic reviews, and reference lists in publications and review articles was developed and screened by a group of urologists, oncologists, and radiologist appointed by the EAU Guideline Committee. Previous recommendations based on the older literature on this subject were taken into account. Levels of evidence and grade of guideline recommendations were added, modified from the Oxford Centre for Evidence-based Medicine Levels of Evidence., Evidence Synthesis: The diagnosis of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (BCa) is made by transurethral resection (TUR) and following histopathologic evaluation. Patients with confirmed muscle-invasive BCa should be staged by computed tomography (CT) scans of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis, if available. Adjuvant chemotherapy is currently only advised within clinical trials. Radical cystectomy (RC) is the treatment of choice for both sexes, and lymph node dissection should be an integral part of cystectomy. An orthotopic bladder substitute should be offered to both male and female patients lacking any contraindications, such as no tumour at the level of urethral dissection. Multimodality bladder-preserving treatment in localised disease is currently regarded only as an alternative in selected, well-informed, and compliant patients for whom cystectomy is not considered for clinical or personal reasons. An appropriate schedule for disease monitoring should be based on: a) natural timing of recurrence; b) probability of disease recurrence; c) functional deterioration at particular sites; and d) consideration of treatment of a recurrence. In metastatic disease, the first-line treatment for patients fit enough to sustain cisplatin is cisplatin-containing combination chemotherapy. Presently, there is no standard second-line chemotherapy., Conclusions: These EAU guidelines are a short, comprehensive overview of the updated guidelines of (MiM-BC) as recently published in the EAU guidelines and also available in the National Guideline Clearinghouse.

Prostate cancer (PC) cells express the androgen receptor (AR) and need the presence of androgens to survive. Androgen suppression is the gold standard first-line therapy for metastatic disease. Almost all PC patients initially respond to hormonal therapy, but most of them gradually develop resistance to castration. There is evidence that these tumours that are considered castration-resistant continue to depend on AR signalling. Several mechanisms that enhance AR signalling in an androgen-depleted environment have been elucidated: (1) AR mutations that allow activation by low androgen levels or by other endogenous steroids, (2) AR amplification and/or overexpression, (3) increased local intracrine synthesis of androgens, (4) changes in AR cofactors and (5) cross-talk with cytokines and growth factors. Today, there are a number of novel agents targeting the AR signalling pathway under development, including more effective antiandrogens; inhibitors of CYP17, inhibitors of HSP90, inhibitors of histone deacetylases and inhibitors of tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

The incidence of de novo malignancies is an accepted complication of organ transplantation. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) was 4.6% of cancers occurring de novo in organ allograft recipients compared with 3% in the general population. Less than 10% of these renal cancers affected the renal allograft. Among patients developing a renal tumor in the kidney allograft, transplant nephrectomy reduced the quality of life. For these patients for whom preservation of renal function is a relevant clinical consideration, partial nephrectomy may be considered the choice for treatment. Fifteen cases have been reported regarding conservative surgery on kidney transplant tumors. Herein we have reported three cases of renal masses in well-functioning kidney transplants that were successfully treated with nephon-sparing surgery. Our experience demonstrated that in selected patients, nephron-sparing surgery on a renal allograft represents a feasible approach for tumor removal with preservation of graft function.

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze whether the CK20 reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is suitable for detecting circulating tumor cells and residual tumor cells in lymph nodes, in patients with muscle invasive transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder, and to compare these results with standard histological staging., Patients and Methods: The nested RT-PCR assay was used to analyze the CK20 transcript in the peripheral blood, bone marrow, lymph nodes, the tumor and normal biopsies of bladder from 57 patients with invasive TCC of the bladder, who underwent radical cystectomy, and from 9 patients with noninvasive TCC., Results: Lymph node pathological status was positive in 24 out of the 57 patients studied and all of them except I showed expression of CK20, with a correlation between histological technique and RT-PCR of 95.8%. A statistically significant correlation of lymph node CK20 RT-PCR with the standard risk factor of pathological stage (p = 0.04) was observed Blood and bone marrow CK20 RT-PCR showed no correlation with pathological stage., Conclusion: Lymph node CK 20 RT-PCR correlates with pathological stage in bladder cancer. The CK20 RT-PCR assay appears to be a highly sensitive and specific method for detecting circulating tumor cells and residual disease in lymph nodes in patients with invasive bladder cancer. Further evaluation of the significance of CK20 as a molecular marker for staging and follow-up in these patients is necessary.

Introduction: Ureteral fistulae in renal transplants may develop as a consequence of compromised ureteral vascularity or from a technical factor related to the ureteroneocystostomy, the latter typically developing within the first 72 hours posttransplant. Recently, percutaneous nephrostomy drainage has been used with increasing frequency for the initial management. It alone can lead to resolution of the fistula in at least some patients. The aim of the study was the evaluation of endourological management of ureteral fistulae in renal transplants., Material and Methods: Between August 1981 and February 2004, 1000 adult recipients underwent renal transplantation. Sixteen out of 29 patients who developed ureteral fistulae were managed endourologically; 13, open surgery. The items recorded on these patients included the type of ureteroneocystostomy, the time to fistula diagnosis, the image technique, the type of ureteral stents, and the clinical evolution., Results: The 13 patients who underwent open surgery did well. Endourological management of ureteral fistula was successfully performed in 10 of 16 cases. In all of them percutaneous nephrostomy drainage with stenting of the ureter with a double-J catheter did not prove any advantage to no stent (66.6% vs 57%). In 13 of these 16 patients in which the passage of contrast into the bladder was demonstrated, the fistula resolved in 10 cases (77%), while none of the three cases with no flow into the bladder were helped by this approach., Conclusion: Percutaneous techniques can provide definitive management for 62% of renal allograft patients who develop ureteral fistula beyond 72 hours after renal transplant.

Unlabelled: The main prognostic factor generally accepted for tumour progression in T1 transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder is histological grade. Despite this fact it is considered inaccurate to make clinical decisions on individuals. It appears that progression from minimally invasive to deeply invasive cancer is concurrent with the acquisition of genomic alterations that increase the malignant potential of cancer cells. The aim of this study is to determine if changes in chromosomes 7, 8, 9 and 17 copy number can be used to predict recurrence and progression in patients with T1 TCC of the urinary bladder., Methods: Thirty-one T1 TCC samples were analyzed for chromosomal alterations by fluorescence in situ hybridization using centromeric probes for chromosomes 7, 8, 9 and 17. Clinical data were collected from the patients' clinical records and correlated with chromosomal studies., Results: Histological grade was confirmed as a prognostic factor of tumour progression (p=0.01). None of the cytogenetic alterations demonstrated in the studied group could be related to tumour recurrence. The high-polysomies (five or more copies) of chromosomes 8, 9 and 17 showed predictive value (p=0.05, 0.05, 0.03 respectively) for tumour progression since it was observed that patients with high-polysomy of these chromosomes showed more risk of tumour progression towards muscle-invasive disease than those without high-polysomy alteration., Conclusion: Our findings suggest a possible prognostic significance of highly aneuploid cells (high-polysomies of chromosomes 8, 9 and 17) in tumour progression of T1 TCC bladder tumours. FISH analysis is a reproducible technique for evaluating cytogenetic alterations and could contribute to the assessment of the individual prognosis of T1 transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

Background: Among urinary tumor markers we studied the utility of the BTA TRAK assay to diagnose transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder in highly suspiscious patients, in comparison to urine cytology., Materials and Methods: A preliminary study of 65 patients was made (21 transitional cell carcinoma (TCC), 36 without TCC and 8 excluded patients who received BCG therapy, endocavitary mytomicin or radiotherapy), using the BTA TRAK, cytology and cystoscopy., Results: 12 out of the 21 selected patients were pTa (9 G1and 3 G2), 2 carcinoma in situ (CIS), 2pT1 (1 G2 and 1 G3) and 5 muscle invasive tumors (all of them G3). Setting our cut-off at 18 U/ml, a sensitivity of 52.3% and a specificity of 88.9% was reached. BTA TRAK detected 11 out of 21 of the tumors as well as urine cytology. However, BTA TRAK was more sensitive in the detection of low grade tumors (p<0.05). When considering both tests as complementary, a combined sensitivity of 80.9% and specificity of 88.5% were obtained., Conclusion: BTA TRAK is a valid test for the diagnosis of TCC of the bladder, which is not superior to urine cytology but complementary. More extensive prospective studies are required to validate this application and others of the BTA TRAK assay used either alone or in combination with urinary cytology in the management of bladder cancerpatients.

Background: High-grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) is the most likely precursor of prostate adenocarcinoma. However, the relationship between this lesion and prostate cancer has not yet been established. The detection of cytogenetic changes in the lesions prior to prostate adenocarcinoma would be useful in demonstrating such a pathogenic relationship., Methods: Twenty eight high-grade PIN cases were found among 57 specimens of radical prostatectomy performed for clinically localized prostate cancer. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis using centromeric probes to enumerate chromosomes 7, 8, 10, and 12 was performed to study the numerical chromosome alterations. FISH analysis was carried out over isolated nuclei obtained from high-grade PIN areas and prostate cancer foci in the same prostatectomy specimen., Results: Of the 28 suitable cases it was possible to complete the study in 26 tumor and 20 PIN areas. The remaining cases were excluded because of insufficient tissue or poor preservation. Cytogenetic alterations (aneuploidy) were found in 16 of the 26 (62%) tumors studied. The most frequent chromosome alteration was trisomy 7, detected in 12 (75%) aneuploid tumors, followed by monosomy 8 present in 5 (31%) aneuploid tumors. Trisomy 7 was also the most frequent isolated chromosome alteration since it was detected in 7 (44%) tumors. Thirteen of 20 (65%) PIN cases were aneuploid when studied by FISH. Trisomy 7, trisomy 8, and monosomy 8 were the most common cytogenetic alterations in the 20 PIN areas studied, being observed in nine (45%), six (30%), and four (20%) cases, respectively. FISH analysis showed a high correlation (75% cases) in ploidy and pattern of cytogenetic alterations between high-grade PIN areas and the paired prostate cancer focus in the same specimen., Conclusions: The above results show a cytogenetic link between high-grade PIN and prostate cancer, suggesting that the former could be an early form of prostate cancer.

Objectives: Histological grade (G) is the only parameter proved to have prognostic value for progression in T1 transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder, although it is considered inaccurate to make clinical decisions on individuals. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic relevance of p53 expression in T1 TCC of the bladder., Methods: Clinical records of 207 patients with T1 TCC of the bladder were reviewed for clinical parameters reported to influence the evolution of superficial bladder cancer. Among these 207 patients, 40 developed muscle-invasive disease (20 G2 and 20 G3). A retrospective case-control study was then carried out comparing the latter 40 tumours with 40 control tumours matched by grade, sex, age, number and size of the tumours, chemical exposure and presence of carcinoma in situ. p53 immunostaining with monoclonal antibody was performed in these two groups., Results: Histological grade was the only clinical parameter that influenced evolution. p53 expression correlated with tumour progression, since it was observed in 21 out of 24 p53-positive tumours and in only 20 of 56 p53-negative tumours (p<0.0001), showing a specificity of 93. 5% and a sensitivity of 53%. p53 expression correlated as well with patient survival, being 39% in patients with p53-positive tumours and 80% in patients with p53-negative tumours at 60 months (p<0. 0001)., Conclusions: p53 protein expression has prognostic value for survival and progression in T1 bladder tumours and can be used for early detection of poor-prognosis T1 bladder tumours.

Objective: To compare the ability of flow cytometry (FCM) and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), using a small set of 4 enumeration chromosome probes to detect aneuploidy in prostate tumors, and to correlate it with histological grade and pathological stage., Methods: Among 28 suitable cases, 21 could be analyzed by FISH and FCM techniques. DNA centromeric probes were used in FISH analysis to enumerate chromosomes 7, 8, 10 and 12., Results: (a) Of the 21 cases studied by FISH, 5 were diploid, 14 aneuploid and 2 were tetraploid. When studied by FCM, these tumors were: 14 diploid, 6 aneuploid, and 1 tetraploid. FISH proved to have a higher ability for detecting DNA aneuploidy than FCM while been equally specific, since all tumors aneuploid by FCM were also found to be aneuploid by FISH. (b) Of the 14 aneuploid tumors, 12 were of high histological grade, while only 2 of the 7 nonaneuploid were of high grade. A statistically significant association was observed between high histological grade and FISH aneuploidy (p = 0.033). (c) All the aneuploid tumors showed chromosome 7 and/or 8 aneusomy. Trisomy 7 and monosomy 8 were the most frequent alterations present in 56 and 42% of the aneuploid tumors, respectively., Conclusion: FISH analysis of chromosome 7 and 8 alterations proved to be more sensitive than FCM in the detection of aneuploid prostate tumors. This aneuploidy was significantly associated with a poor pathological prognosis.