Variation in management of lymph node positive prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy within a statewide quality improvement consortium.

BACKGROUND: Patients with lymph node positive (pN+) disease found at the time of radical prostatectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy for clinically localized prostate cancer (CaP) are at high risk of disease persistence and progression. Contemporary management trends of pN+ CaP are not well described. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients in the Michigan Urologic Surgery Improvement Collaborative (MUSIC) with clinically localized prostate cancer who underwent radical prostatectomy between 2012 and 2023 with cN0/pN+ disease were identified. The primary outcome was to evaluate patient and practice-level factors associated with time to secondary post-RP treatment. Secondary outcomes included practice-level variation in management of pN+ CaP and rates of secondary treatment modality. To assess factors associated with secondary treatment, a Cox proportional hazards model of a 60-day landmark analysis was performed. RESULTS: We identified 666 patients with pN+ disease. Overall, 66% underwent secondary treatment within 12 months post-RP. About 19% of patients with detectable post-RP PSA did not receive treatment. Of patients receiving secondary treatment after 60-days post-RP, 34% received androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) alone, 27% received radiation (RT) alone, 36% received combination, and 4% received other systemic therapies. In the multivariable model, pathologic grade group (GG)3 (HR 1.5; 95%CI: 1.05-2.14), GG4-5 (HR 1.65; 95%CI: 1.16-2.34), positive margins (HR 1.46; 95%CI: 1.13-1.88), and detectable postoperative PSA ≥0.1 ng/ml (HR 3.46; 95%CI: 2.61-4.59) were significantly associated with secondary post-RP treatment. There was wide variation in adjusted practice-level 12-month secondary treatment utilization (28%-79%). CONCLUSIONS: The majority pN+ patients receive treatment within 12 months post-RP which was associated with high-risk pathological features and post-RP PSA. Variation in management of pN+ disease highlights the uncertainty regarding the optimal management. Understanding which patients will benefit from secondary treatment, and which type, will be critical to minimize variation in care.

Current Perceptions, Practice Patterns, and Barriers to Adoption of Transperineal Prostate Biopsy under local anesthesia.

OBJECTIVES: To assess perceptions, practice patterns, and barriers to adoption of Transperineal prostate biopsy (TPBx) under local anesthesia. METHODS: Providers from Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative (MUSIC) and Pennsylvania Urologic Regional Collaborative (PURC) were administered an online survey to assess beliefs and educational needs regarding TPBx. Providers were divided into those who performed or did not perform TPBx. The MUSIC and PURC registry were queried to assess TPBx utilization. Descriptive analytics and bivariate analysis determined associations between provider/practice demographics and attitudes. RESULTS: Since 2019, TPBx adoption has increased more than 2-fold to 7.0% and 16% across MUSIC and PURC practices, respectively. Of 350 urologists invited to participate in a survey, a total of 91 complete responses were obtained with 21 respondents (23%) reported performing TPBx. Participants estimated the learning curve was <10 procedure for TPBx performers and non-performers. No significant association was observed between learning curve and provider age/practice setting. The major perceived benefits of TPBx were decreased risk of sepsis, improved cancer detection rate and antibiotic stewardship. The most commonly cited challenges to implementation included access to equipment and patient experience. Urologists performing TPBx reported learning curve as an additional barrier, while those not performing TPBx reported duration of procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Access to equipment and patient experience concerns remain substantial barriers to adoption of TPBx. Dissemination of techniques utilizing existing equipment and optimization of local anesthetic protocols for TPBx may help facilitate the continued adoption of TPBx.

Primary Care Physician and Urologist Perspectives on Optimizing Active Surveillance for Low-Risk Prostate Cancer.

PURPOSE: We conducted a study to understand primary care physician (PCP) and urologist perspectives on determinants of active surveillance care delivery for men with low-risk prostate cancer. METHODS: We conducted in-depth, semistructured, virtual interviews with a purposive sample of 19 PCPs and 15 urologists between June 2020 and March 2021. We used the behavioral theory-informed Theoretical Domains Framework to understand barriers to and facilitators of active surveillance care delivery. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and deductively coded into framework domains and constructs by 3 independent coders. Participant recruitment continued until data saturation by group. RESULTS: Our study included 19 PCPs (9 female; 4 in community practices, 15 in academic medical centers) and 15 urologists (3 female; 5 in private practice, 3 in academic medical centers). The most commonly reported Theoretical Domains Framework domains affecting active surveillance care were (1) knowledge and (2) environmental context and resources. Although urologists were knowledgeable about active surveillance, PCPs mentioned limitations in their understanding of active surveillance (eg, what follow-up entails). Both groups noted the importance of an informed patient, especially how a patient's understanding of active surveillance facilitates their receipt of recommended follow-up. Physicians viewed patient loss to follow-up as a barrier, but identified a favorable organizational culture/climate (eg, good communication between physicians) as a facilitator. CONCLUSIONS: With patients increasingly involving their PCPs in their cancer care, our study presents factors both PCPs and urologists perceive (or identify) as affecting optimal active surveillance care delivery. We provide insights that can help inform multilevel supportive interventions for patients, physicians, and organizations to ensure the success of active surveillance as a management strategy for low-risk prostate cancer.

Real-time estimation of nephron activity with a linear measurement system (RENAL-MS) predicts postoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a simple point-of-care measurement system estimating renal parenchymal volume using tools ubiquitously available could be used to replace nuclear medicine renal scintigraphy (NMRS) in current clinical practice to predict estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) after nephrectomy by estimating preoperative split renal function. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent abdominal cross-sectional imaging (computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging) and mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3) NMRS prior to total nephrectomy at a single institution. We developed the real-time estimation of nephron activity with a linear measurement system (RENAL-MS) method of estimating postoperative renal function via the following technique: renal parenchymal volume of the removed kidney relative to the remaining kidney was estimated as the product of renal length and the average of six renal parenchymal thickness measurements. The utility of this value was compared to the utility of the split renal function measured by MAG3 for prediction of eGFR and new onset Stage 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD) at ≥90 days after nephrectomy using uni- and multivariate linear and logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 57 patients met the study criteria. The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 69 (61-80) years. The median (IQR) pre- and postoperative eGFR was 74 (IQR 58-90) and 46 (35-62) mL/min/1.73 m2 , respectively. [Correction added on 29 December 2023, after first online publication: The data numbers in the preceding sentence have been corrected.] Correlations between actual and predicted postoperative eGFR were similar whether the RENAL-MS or NMRS methods were used, with correlation using RENAL-MS being slightly numerically but not statistically superior (R = 0.82 and 0.76; P = 0.138). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis using logistic regression estimates incorporating age, sex, and preoperative creatinine to predict postoperative Stage 3 CKD were similar between RENAL-MS and NMRS (area under the curve 0.93 vs. 0.97). [Correction added on 29 December 2023, after first online publication: The data numbers in the preceding sentence have been corrected.] CONCLUSION: A point-of-care tool to estimate renal parenchymal volume (RENAL-MS) performed equally as well as NMRS to predict postoperative eGFR and de novo Stage 3 CKD after nephrectomy in our population, suggesting NMRS may not be necessary in this setting.

Does Urologist-level Utilization of Active Surveillance for Low-risk Prostate Cancer Correspond with Utilization of Active Surveillance for Small Renal Masses?

Active surveillance (AS) for prostate cancer (CaP) or small renal masses (SRMs) helps in limiting the overtreatment of indolent malignancies. Implementation of AS for these conditions varies substantially across individual urologists. We examined the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative (MUSIC) registry to assess for correlation of AS between patients with low-risk CaP and patients with SRM managed by individual urologists. We identified 27 urologists who treated at least ten patients with National Comprehensive Cancer Network low-risk CaP and ten patients with SRMs between 2017 and 2021. For surgeons in the lowest quartile of AS use for low-risk CaP (<74%), 21% of their patients with SRMs were managed with AS, in comparison to 74% of patients of surgeons in the highest quartile (>90%). There was a modest positive correlation between the surgeon-level risk-adjusted proportions of patients managed with AS for low-risk CaP and for SRMs (Pearson correlation coefficient 0.48). A surgeon's tendency to use AS to manage one low-risk malignancy corresponds to their use of AS for a second low-risk condition. By identifying and correcting structural issues associated with underutilization of AS, interventions aimed at increasing AS use may have effects that influence clinical tendencies across a variety of urologic conditions. PATIENT SUMMARY: The use of active surveillance (AS) for patients with low-risk prostate cancer or small kidney masses varies greatly among individual urologists. Urologists who use AS for low-risk prostate cancer were more likely to use AS for patients with small kidney masses, but there is room to improve the use of AS for both of these conditions.

Can MRI Help Inform Which Men With a History of Multifocal High-Grade Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia or Atypical Small Acinar Proliferation Remain at an Elevated Risk for Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer?

PURPOSE: We investigated the association of MRI findings in men with a previous diagnosis of atypical small acinar proliferation (ASAP) or multifocal high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) with pathologic findings on repeat biopsy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients with ASAP/multifocal HGPIN undergoing a repeat biopsy in the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative registry. We included men with and without an MRI after the index biopsy demonstrating ASAP/multifocal HGPIN but before the repeat biopsy. Men with an MRI prior to the index biopsy were excluded. We compared the proportion of men with ≥ GG2 CaP (Grade Group 2 prostate cancer) on repeat biopsy among the following groups with the χ2 test: no MRI, PIRADS (Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System) ≥ 4, and PIRADS ≤ 3. Multivariable models were used to estimate the adjusted association between MRI findings and ≥ GG2 CaP on repeat biopsy. RESULTS: Among the 207 men with a previous diagnosis of ASAP/multifocal HGPIN that underwent a repeat biopsy, men with a PIRADS ≥ 4 lesion had a higher proportion of ≥ GG2 CaP (56%) compared with men without an MRI (12%, P < .001). A lower proportion of men with PIRADS ≤ 3 lesions had ≥ GG2 CaP (3.0%) compared with men without an MRI (12%, P = .13). In the adjusted model, men with a PIRADS 4 to 5 lesion had higher odds (OR: 11.4, P < .001) of ≥ GG2 CaP on repeat biopsy. CONCLUSIONS: MRI is a valuable diagnostic tool to triage which men with a history of ASAP or multifocal HGPIN on initial biopsy should undergo or avoid repeat biopsy without missing clinically significant CaP.

Clinical Performance of Technetium-99m-Sestamibi SPECT/CT Imaging in Differentiating Oncocytic Tumors From Renal Cell Carcinoma in Routine Clinical Practice.

PURPOSE: Technetium-99m-sestamibi single-photon emission CT/x-ray CT is an emerging clinical tool to differentiate oncocytic tumors from renal cell carcinomas. We report data from a large institutional cohort of patients who underwent technetium-99m-sestamibi scans during evaluation of renal masses. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent technetium-99m-sestamibi single-photon emission CT/x-ray CT between February 2020 and December 2021 were included in the analysis. Scans were defined as "hot" for oncocytic tumor when technetium-99m-sestamibi uptake was qualitatively equivalent or higher between the mass of interest and normal renal parenchyma, suggesting oncocytoma, hybrid oncocytic/chromophobe tumor, or chromophobe renal cell carcinoma. Demographic, pathological, and management strategy data were compared between "hot" and "cold" scans. For individuals who underwent diagnostic biopsy or extirpative procedures, the concordance between radiological findings and pathology was indexed. RESULTS: A total of 71 patients (with 88 masses) underwent technetium-99m-sestamibi imaging with 60 (84.5%) patients having at least 1 "cold" mass on imaging and 11 (15.5%) patients exhibiting only "hot" masses. Pathology was available for 7 "hot" masses, with 1 biopsy specimen (14.3%) being discordant (clear cell renal cell carcinoma). Five patients with "cold" masses underwent biopsy. Out of 5 biopsied masses, 4 (80%) were discordant oncocytomas. Of the extirpated specimens, 35/40 (87.5%) harbored renal cell carcinoma and 5/40 (12.5%) yielded discordant oncocytomas. In sum, 20% of pathologically sampled masses that were "cold" on technetium-99m-sestamibi imaging still harbored oncocytoma/hybrid oncocytic/chromophobe tumor/chromophobe renal cell carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: Further work is needed to define utility of technetium-99m-sestamibi in real-world clinical practice. Our data suggest this imaging strategy is not yet ready to replace biopsy.

Who Is Shaping the Future of Academic Urology? A Descriptive Analysis of Residency Program Directors.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the demographics, educational background, and scholarly characteristics of current urology residency program directors (PDs). METHODS: Urology programs were identified by the listing on the "Accredited US Urology Programs" section of American Urological Association website as of October 2021. Demographics and academic data were collected via publicly available department website and Google search engine. Metrics obtained included years of service as PD from time of appointment, sex, medical school/residency/fellowship, all-time H-index, dual degrees obtained, and professorial ranking. RESULTS: One hundred and forty-seven accredited urological residencies were reviewed; every PD was included. The majority were male (78%) and fellowship trained (68%). Women represented only 22% of PDs. The median active time served as PD, as of 11/2021, was 4years (IQR: 2-7). Forty (28%) were faculty at the same program they completed their residency. The median all-time H-index was 12 (IQR: 7-19; range 1-61). Twelve PDs also served as chair of their department. CONCLUSION: The vast majority of PDs are male, fellowship trained, and have served for less than 5years. Future studies are necessary to follow the trends of representation in leaders of urology residency programs.

Upgrading on Per Protocol versus For Cause surveillance prostate biopsies: An opportunity to decreasing the burden of active surveillance.

BACKGROUND: Most prostate cancer (PC) active surveillance (AS) protocols recommend "Per Protocol" surveillance biopsy (PPSBx) every 1-3 years, even if clinical and imaging parameters remained stable. Herein, we compared the incidence of upgrading on biopsies that met criteria for "For Cause" surveillance biopsy (FCSBx) versus PPSBx. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed men with GG1 PC on AS in the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative (MUSIC) registry. Surveillance prostate biopsies obtained 1 year after diagnosis were classified as either PPSBx or FCSBx. Biopsies were retrospectively deemed FCSBx if any of these criteria were met: PSA velocity > 0.75 ng/mL/year; rise in PSA > 3 ng from baseline; surveillance magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (sMRI) with a PIRADS ≥ 4; change in DRE. Biopsies were classified PPSBx if none of these criteria were met. The primary outcome was upgrading to ≥GG2 or ≥GG3 on surveillance biopsy. The secondary objective was to assess for the association of reassuring (PIRADS ≤ 3) confirmatory or surveillance MRI findings and upgrading for patients undergoing PPSBx. Proportions were compared with the chi-squared test. RESULTS: We identified 1773 men with GG1 PC in MUSIC who underwent a surveillance biopsy. Men meeting criteria for FCSBx had more upgrading to ≥GG2 (45%) and ≥GG3 (12%) compared with those meeting criteria for PPSBx (26% and 4.9%, respectively, p < 0.001 and p < 0.001). Men with a reassuring confirmatory or surveillance MRI undergoing PPSBx had less upgrading to ≥GG2 (17% and 17%, respectively) and ≥GG3 (2.9% and 1.8%, respectively) disease compared with men without an MRI (31% and 7.4%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Patients undergoing PPSBx had significantly less upgrading compared with men undergoing FCSBx. Confirmatory and surveillance MRI seem to be valuable tools to stratify the intensity of surveillance biopsies for men on AS. These data may help inform the development of a risk-stratified, data driven AS protocol.

Initial Management of Indeterminate Renal Lesions in a Statewide Collaborative: A MUSIC-KIDNEY Analysis.

PURPOSE: Renal masses can be characterized as "indeterminate" due to lack of differentiating imaging characteristics. Optimal management of indeterminate renal lesions remains nebulous and poorly defined. We assess management of indeterminate renal lesions within the MUSIC-KIDNEY (Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative-Kidney mass: Identifying and Defining Necessary Evaluation and therapY) collaborative. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Each renal mass is classified as suspicious, benign, or indeterminate based on radiologist and urologist assessment. Objectives were to assess initial management of indeterminate renal lesions and the impact of additional imaging and biopsy on characterization prior to treatment. RESULTS: Of 2,109 patients, 444 (21.1%) had indeterminate renal lesions on their initial imaging, which included CT without contrast (36.2%), CT with contrast (54.1%), and MRI (9.7%). Eighty-nine patients (20.0%) underwent additional imaging within 90 days, 8.3% (37/444) underwent renal mass biopsy, and 3.6% (16/444) had reimaging and renal mass biopsy. Additional imaging reclassified 58.1% (61/105) of indeterminate renal lesions as suspicious and 21.0% (22/105) as benign, with only 20.9% (22/105) remaining indeterminate. Renal mass biopsy yielded a definitive diagnosis for 87%. Treatment was performed for 149 indeterminate renal lesions (33.6%), including 117 without reimaging and 123 without renal mass biopsy. At surgery for indeterminate renal lesions, benign pathology was more common in patients who did not have repeat imaging (9.9%) than in those who did (6.7%); for ≤4 cm indeterminate renal lesions, these rates were 11.8% and 4.3%. CONCLUSIONS: About 33% of patients diagnosed with an indeterminate renal lesion underwent immediate treatment without subsequent imaging or renal mass biopsy, with a 10% rate of nonmalignant pathology. This highlights a quality improvement opportunity for patients with cT1 renal masses: confirmation that the lesion is suspicious for renal cell carcinoma based on high-quality, multiphase, cross-sectional imaging and/or histopathological features prior to surgery, even if obtaining subsequent follow-up imaging and/or renal mass biopsy is necessary. When performed, these steps lead to reclassification in 79% and 87% of indeterminate renal lesions, respectively.

The Phenomenon of "Therapeutic" Nodal Yield at Cystectomy for Bladder Cancer: Do Not Discount the Will Rogers Effect.

While multiple mechanisms have been hypothesized to explain the therapeutic effect of lymph node (LN) yield in patients with urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) undergoing radical cystectomy (RC), the effect of stage migration, commonly known as the Will Rogers effect, is often discounted. We reviewed the National Cancer Database for patients with UCC undergoing RC with pathologically node-negative (pN0) disease from 2004 to 2016. We tested for an adjusted association between LN yield and overall survival using multivariable Cox proportional-hazard models. Median survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. We identified 19 939 patients with pN0 UCC treated with RC. After adjustment, patients in the highest quantile for LN yield (≥26 LNs) had a 34% lower risk of death in comparison to patients in the lowest quantile (≤5 LNs). As we increased the threshold for LN yield for dichotomization from >5 to >15 to >25 LNs, median survival increased from 83 to 95 to 103 mo. The pN0 group with higher LN yield appeared to live longer in this analysis owing to the mathematical artifact of how patients are indexed. Resection of a greater number of negative LNs will lead to higher fidelity for pN0 cohorts being evaluated, as the likelihood of contamination by pN+ cases that were missed will be lower. Patient summary: A strategy to dissect a high number of lymph nodes in patients undergoing removal of their bladder for bladder cancer can be associated with side effects, and the benefit in terms of cancer control or survival remains uncertain. Urologists and their patients should engage in shared decision-making and consider the risks and benefits of more extensive lymph node dissection during surgery.

No difference in renal function outcomes for patients with oncocytoma managed with active surveillance vs. partial nephrectomy.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the difference in renal function outcomes for patients with oncocytomas undergoing active surveillance (AS) vs. partial nephrectomy (PN). METHODS: We reviewed our institutional database for patients with biopsy/surgically confirmed oncocytoma from 2000-2020. The primary outcome was to assess for differences in renal function outcomes in patients undergoing AS vs. PN. We fit two generalized estimating equation (GEE) with an interaction term between follow up time and management strategy to predict 1) mean eGFR for patients managed with AS and PN and 2) the probability of progression to CKD stage III or greater. RESULTS: We identified 114 eligible patients, of which 32 were managed with AS. Median follow-up was 21 months vs. 44 months for PN vs. AS patients. AS patients tended to be older (median: 72 years vs. 65 years, P<0.001) and have lower baseline renal function (median: eGFR: 71 mL/min/1.73m2 vs. 82 mL/min/1.73m2, P<0.001) compared with PN patients. Renal mass size from baseline imaging was similar between patients undergoing PN vs. AS (2.8 cm vs. 2.9 cm, P=0.634). For patients undergoing PN vs. AS, there was not a significant difference in predicted longitudinal eGFR (-0.079, 95% CI -0.18-0.023, P=0.129) or predicted probability of progression to CKD stage III or greater (OR: 0.61, 95% CI: 0.16-2.33, P=0.47). CONCLUSIONS: In our institutional dataset, patients undergoing AS or PN with an oncocytoma had similar long-term renal function outcomes. Given similar renal function outcomes in patients undergoing AS and PN, surgery should remain reserved for select patients with oncocytomas.

The Use and Short-term Outcomes of Active Surveillance in Men With National Comprehensive Cancer Network Favorable Intermediate-risk Prostate Cancer: The Initial Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative Experience.

PURPOSE: National Comprehensive Cancer Network favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer is a heterogeneous disease with varied oncologic and survival outcomes. We describe the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative's experience with the use of active surveillance and the short-term oncologic outcomes for men with favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer.Materials and Methods:We reviewed the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative registry for men diagnosed with favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer from 2012-2020. The proportion of men with favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer managed with active surveillance was calculated by year of diagnosis. For men selecting active surveillance, the Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate treatment-free survival. To assess for the oncologic safety of active surveillance, we compared the proportion of patients with adverse pathology and biochemical recurrence-free survival between men undergoing delayed radical prostatectomy after a period of active surveillance with men undergoing immediate radical prostatectomy. RESULTS: Of the 4,275 men with favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer, 1,321 (31%) were managed with active surveillance, increasing from 13% in 2012 to 45% in 2020. The 5-year treatment-free probability for men with favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer on active surveillance was 73% for Gleason Grade Group 1 and 57% for Grade Group 2 disease. More men undergoing a delayed radical prostatectomy had adverse pathology (46%) compared with immediate radical prostatectomy (32%, P < .001), yet short-term biochemical recurrence was similar between groups (log-rank test, P = .131). CONCLUSIONS: The use of active surveillance for men with favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer has increased markedly. Over half of men with favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer on active surveillance remained free of treatment 5 years after diagnosis. Most men on active surveillance will not lose their window of cure and have similar short-term oncologic outcomes as men undergoing up-front treatment. Active surveillance is an oncologically safe option for appropriately selected men with favorable intermediate-risk prostate cancer.

Association of tumor size and surgical approach with oncological outcomes and overall survival in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association of surgical approach with outcomes in patients with adrenocortical carcinomas smaller and larger than 6 cm in size. METHODS: We reviewed the national cancer database for patients undergoing minimally invasive adrenalectomy (MIA) and open adrenalectomy (OA) from 2010 to 2017. To adjust for differences between patients undergoing MIA and OA, we performed propensity score matching within each size strata of ≤6 cm, 6.1 to 10 cm, and 10.1 to 20 cm. We fit generalized estmiating equations with a logit link function to assess for the association of surgical approach with positive surgical margins and a Cox proportional hazards model to assess for the association of surgical approach with overall survival. RESULTS: We identified 364 patients that underwent MIA (182) and OA (182) in the matched cohort.  We noted 21% and 18% of patients undergoing MIA and OA had a positive surgical margin, respectively. We did not identify a significant association between surgical approach and positive surgical margins in the cohort as a whole or within each of strata. Furthermore, we did not appreciate a significant association between surgical approach and overall survival in the cohort as a whole or within each size strata. CONCLUSION: In the National Cancer Database, patients undergoing MIA had similar positive surgical margins and overall survival compared with OA for masses ≤6 cm, 6.1 to 10cm, and >10 cm in size. Patients undergoing MIA should be carefully selected with surgical oncologic integrity being the primary determinants of surgical approach.

Association of Surgical Approach With Treatment Burden, Oncological Effectiveness, and Perioperative Morbidity in Adrenocortical Carcinoma.

MICROABSTRACT: In the National Cancer Database (NCDB), patients treated with minimally invasive adrenalectomy (MIA) for adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) had similar oncological outcomes and cumulative treatment burden with less morbidity compared with open adrenalectomy (OA). Although OA remains the standard of care for adrenal lesions concerninge for malignancy, MIA in appropriately selected patients may offer equivalent oncological outcomes. INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND: We investigated the cumulative treatment burden, oncological effectiveness, and perioperative morbidity in patients undergoing MIA compared with (OA) for patients with ACC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed the NCDB for patients undergoing surgical resection (MIA vs. OA) for ACC from 2010 to 2017. Inverse probability of treatment weighted logistic regression, negative binomial, and Cox proportional hazards models were fit to assess for an association of surgical approach with cumulative treatment burden (any adjuvant therapy, radiation therapy [RT], and systemic therapy), oncological effectiveness (positive surgical margins [PSM], lymph node yield [LNY], and overall survival [OS]), and perioperative morbidity (length of stay [LOS] and readmission) as appropriate. RESULTS: We identified 776 patients that underwent adrenalectomy for ACC, of which 307 underwent MIA. We noted patients with larger tumors (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.78-0.86, P < .001) were less likely to have MIA prior to IPTW. We did not appreciate a significant association of MIA with cumulative treatment burden or the use of any adjuvant therapy (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.60-1.21, P = .375), adjuvant RT (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.59-1.50, P = .801), or adjuvant systemic therapy (OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.58-1.21, P = .352). Patients undergoing MIA had similar oncological effectiveness of surgery and OS when compared with patients which underwent OA. Patients that underwent MIA had a significantly shorter LOS (IRR: 0.74, 95% CI 0.62-0.88, P = .001) and lower odds of readmission (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.23-0.91, P = .026). CONCLUSIONS: Although the standard of care for adrenal lesions suspicious for ACC remains OA, in appropriately selected patients, MIA may offer similar oncological effectiveness and cumulative treatment burden, with less morbidity, than OA.

The added influence of genomics and post-MRI confirmatory biopsy results to MRI results alone on medical decision making for men with favorable risk prostate cancer being considered for active surveillance.

BACKGROUND: We examined how the results of genomic classifier (GC) or post-magnetic resonance imaging confirmatory biopsy (pMRI-CBx) influenced management strategy for men with an MRI considering active surveillance (AS). METHODS: We reviewed the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative registry for men with favorable-risk prostate cancer. Among men with an MRI after the diagnostic biopsy (n = 1162) a subset also had GC (n = 126) or pMRI-CBx (n = 309). Results of MRI, GC, and pMRI-CBx were deemed reassuring (RA) or non-reassuring (Non-RA). We assess the association of the combination of test results obtained with the selection of AS. Proportions were compared with the Fisher's exact test. Multivariable logistic regression models were fit for an association of test results with the selection of AS. RESULTS: The results of pMRI-CBx tended to influence management decisions greater than that of GC, especially in situation where testing results were discordant with the MRI result. Fewer men with a RA MRI and non-RA pMRI-CBx where managed with AS compared with RA MRI alone (31% vs. 86%, p < 0.001). non-RA genomics did not seem to have the same influence on management as non-RA pMRI-CBx as a similar proportion of men with RA MRI and non-RA genomics were managed with AS compared with RA MRI alone (85% vs. 86%, p = 0.753). More men with non-RA MRI and RA pMRI-CBx were managed with AS compared with non-RA MRI alone (89% vs. 40%, p < 0.001). Alternatively, a similar proportion of men with non-RA MRI and RA genomics were managed with AS compared with non-RA MRI alone (42% vs. 40%, p > 0.999). In the multivariable models, pMRI-CBx results influenced the decision for AS versus treatment. CONCLUSIONS: In men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer and an MRI, the additional information provided by pMRI-CBx influenced the decision of AS versus treatment, while the addition of GC results were less influential.

Delayed radical prostatectomy after a period of active surveillance is not associated with the use of secondary treatments compared with immediate prostatectomy.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the use of secondary treatments in men with grade group (GG) 1 PC following a period of active surveillance (AS) compared with men undergoing immediate radical prostatectomy (RP) to evaluate what is potentially lost in terms of cancer control, if a patient trials AS and transitions to treatment. METHODS: We reviewed the Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative (MUSIC) registry for men with GG1 PC undergoing RP from April 2012 to July 2018. Men were classified into groups based on time from diagnosis to RP: immediate (surgery within 1 year of diagnosis) and delayed RP (surgery >1 year after initiation of AS). Time to secondary treatment was estimated using Kaplan-Meier curves and compared using the log-rank test. A multivariable Cox proportional hazards model was fit to assess the association between timing of RP and use of secondary treatments. A chi-squared test was used to assess the association between delayed RP and adverse pathology. RESULTS: We identified 1878 men that underwent an RP during the study period, of which 1489 (79%) underwent immediate RP and 389 (21%) underwent delayed RP. The incidence of adverse pathology was higher in men with delayed versus immediate RP (49% vs. 36%, p < 0.0001, respectively). However, we noted only a small absolute difference in the estimated 24-month secondary treatment-free probability between men with delayed versus immediate RP (93% and 96%, respectively). On multivariable analysis, delayed RP was associated with increased use of secondary treatments (hazard ratio = 1.94, 95% confidence interval = 1.23-3.06, p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: The use of secondary treatment after RP in men with GG1 PC undergoing immediate or delayed prostatectomy was rare. These data suggest that the burden of treatment is near equivalent in patients who progress to treatment on AS compared with those who underwent immediate RP.