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OBJECTIVE: To provide a summary and discussion of international guidelines, position statements and consensus statements in relation to focal therapy (FT) for prostate cancer (PCa). METHODS: The European Association of Urology-European Association of Nuclear Medicine-European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology-European Society of Urogential Radiology-International Society of Urological Pathology-International Society of Geriatric Oncology and American Urological Association-American Society for Radiation Oncology-Society of Urologic Oncology guidelines were interrogated for recommendations for FT. PubMed and Ovid Medline were searched for consensus statements. Only studies in English since 2015 were included. Reference lists of the included articles were also interrogated and a manual search for studies was also performed. RESULTS: Our results showed a lack of long-term randomised data for FT. International Urological guidelines emphasised the need for more high-quality clinical trials with robust oncological and toxicity outcomes. Consensus and positions statements were heterogenous. CONCLUSION: A globally accepted guideline for FT planning, technique and follow-up are still yet to be determined. Well-designed studies with long-term follow-up and robust clinical and toxicity endpoints are needed to improve our understanding of FT and create uniform guidelines to streamline management and follow-up.

AIM: To describe national surgical patterns of prostate cancer (PCa) care considering radical prostatectomy with or without pelvic lymphadenectomy and consideration of robotic-assisted techniques. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of publicly accessible Medicare claims data was performed for the period 2001-2016 and included patients undergoing radical prostatectomy with or without pelvic lymphadenectomy relative to total and PCa-specific populations among men aged 45-84 years. Proportion of cases performed robotically was considered. RESULTS: Total procedures performed increased from 2001, peaked in 2009 and subsequently decreased until 2016. Since 2009, the age-specific rate of surgery in men aged 75-84 increased by 2.3-fold, whereas the rates for men aged 55-64 and 45-54 reduced by 44% and 55%, respectively. Rates of concurrent pelvic lymphadenectomy fell until 2009 with subsequent stabilization (ratio 1.05-1.14) through to 2016. Significant regional practice patterns were observed, as was an increasing trend toward a robotic-assisted laparoscopic approach, comprising more than 80% of radical prostatectomies in 2016. CONCLUSION: Since the peak in 2009, radical prostatectomy is performed less in men <65 years and more in men ≥65 years. An increasing proportion of cases omit concurrent pelvic lymphadenectomy and are performed robotically.

OBJECTIVE: To examine national trends in the medical and surgical treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) using Australian Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) population data from 2000 to 2018. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Annual data was extracted from the MBS, PBS and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare databases for the years 2000-2018. Population-adjusted rates of BPH procedures and medical therapies were calculated and compared in relation to age. Cost analysis was performed to estimate financial burden due to BPH. RESULTS: Overall national hospital admissions due to BPH declined between 2000 and 2018, despite an increased proportion of admissions due to private procedures (42% vs 77%). Longitudinal trends in the medical management of BPH showed an increased prescription rate of dutasteride/tamsulosin combined therapy (111 vs 7649 per 100 000 men) and dutasteride monotherapy (149 vs 336 per 100 000 men) since their introduction to the PBS in 2011. Trends in BPH surgery showed an overall progressive increase in rate of total procedures between 2000 and 2018 (92 vs 133 per 100 000 men). Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) remained the most commonly performed surgical procedure, despite reduced utilisation since 2009 (118 vs 89 per 100 000 men), offset by a higher uptake of photoselective vaporisation of prostate, holmium:YAG laser enucleation of prostate, and later likely due to minimally invasive surgical therapies including prostatic urethral lift and ablative technologies (including Rezūm™). Financial burden due to BPH surgery has remained steady since 2009, whilst the burden due to medical therapy has risen sharply. CONCLUSION: Despite reduced national BPH-related hospitalisations, overall treatment for BPH has increased due to medical therapy and surgical alternatives to TURP. Further exploration into motivators for particular therapies and effect of medical therapy on BPH progression in clinical pract

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is the most common male cancer in the Western world however there is ongoing debate about the optimal treatment strategy for localised disease. While surgery remains the most commonly received treatment for localised disease in Australia more recently a robotic approach has emerged as an alternative to open and laparoscopic surgery. However, high level data is not yet available to support this as a superior approach or to guide treatment decision making between the alternatives. This paper presents the design of a randomised trial of Robotic and Open Prostatectomy for men newly diagnosed with localised prostate cancer that seeks to answer this question. METHODS/DESIGN: 200 men per treatment arm (400 men in total) are being recruited after diagnosis and before treatment through a major public hospital outpatient clinic and randomised to 1) Robotic Prostatectomy or 2) Open Prostatectomy. All robotic prostatectomies are being performed by one surgeon and all open prostatectomies are being performed by one other surgeon. Outcomes are being measured pre-operatively and at 6 weeks and 3, 6, 12 and 24 months post-surgery. Oncological outcomes are being related to positive surgical margins, biochemical recurrence +/- the need for further treatment. Non-oncological outcome measures include: pain, physical and mental functioning, fatigue, summary (preference-based utility scores) and domain-specific QoL (urinary incontinence, bowel function and erectile function), cancer specific distress, psychological distress, decision-related distress and time to return to usual activities. Cost modelling of each approach, as well as full economic appraisal, is also being undertaken. DISCUSSION: The study will provide recommendations about the relative benefits of Robotic and Open Prostatectomy to support informed patient decision making about treatment for localised prostate cancer; and to assist in treatment services planning for this patient group. TRIAL REG