Clinical implications of AGR2 in primary prostate cancer: Results from a large-scale study.

Human anterior gradient-2 (AGR2) has been implicated in carcinogenesis of various solid tumours, but the expression data in prostate cancer are contradictory regarding its prognostic value. The objective of this study is to evaluate the expression of AGR2 in a large prostate cancer cohort and to correlate it with clinicopathological data. AGR2 protein expression was analysed immunohistochemically in 1023 well-characterized prostate cancer samples with a validated antibody. AGR2 expression levels in carcinomas were compared with matched tissue samples of adjacent normal glands. AGR2 expression levels were dichotomized and tested for statistical significance. Increased AGR2 expression was found in 93.5% of prostate cancer cases. AGR2 levels were significantly higher in prostate cancer compared with normal prostate tissue. A gradual loss of AGR2 expression was associated with increasing tumour grade (ISUP), and AGR2 expression is inversely related to patient survival, however, multivariable significance is not achieved. AGR2 is clearly upregulated in the majority of prostate cancer cases, yet a true diagnostic value appears unlikely. In spite of the negative correlation of AGR2 expression with increasing tumour grade, no independent prognostic significance was found in this large-scale study.

CD103+ Tissue Resident T-Lymphocytes Accumulate in Lung Metastases and Are Correlated with Poor Prognosis in ccRCC.

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a highly immunogenic tumor with variable responses to immune checkpoint therapy. The significance of the immune cell infiltrate in distant metastases, their association with the immune infiltrate in the primary tumors and their impact on prognosis are poorly described. We hypothesized that specific subtypes of immune cells may be involved in the control of metastases and may have an impact on the prognosis of ccRCC. We analyzed the immune microenvironment in ccRCC primary tumors with distant metastases, paired distant metastases and non-metastasized ccRCC (n = 25 each group) by immunohistochemistry. Confirmatory analyses for CD8+ and CD103+ cells were performed in a large ccRCC cohort (n = 241) using a TCGA-KIRC data set (ITGAE/CD103). High immune cell infiltration in primary ccRCC tumors was significantly correlated with the development of distant tumor metastasis (p < 0.05). A high density of CD103+ cells in ccRCC was more frequent in poorly differentiated tumors (p < 0.001). ccRCCs showed high levels of ITGAE/CD103 compared with adjacent non-neoplastic tissue. A higher density of CD103+ cells and a higher ITGAE/CD103 expression were significantly correlated with poor overall survival in ccRCC (log rank p < 0.05). Our results show a major prognostic value of the immune pattern, in particular CD103+ cell infiltration in ccRCC, and highlight the importance of the tumor immune microenvironment.

Vitamin D Metabolites in Nonmetastatic High-Risk Prostate Cancer Patients with and without Zoledronic Acid Treatment after Prostatectomy.

There are limited and discrepant data on prostate cancer (PCa) and vitamin D. We investigated changes in three vitamin D3 metabolites in PCa patients after prostatectomy with zoledronic acid (ZA) treatment regarding their metastasis statuses over four years. In 32 patients from the ZEUS trial, 25(OH)D3, 24,25(OH)2D3, and 1,25(OH)2D3 were measured with liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry at four time points. All the patients received daily calcium and vitamin D3. Bone metastases were detected in 7 of the 17 ZA-treated patients and in 5 of the 15 controls (without ZA), without differences between the groups (p = 0.725). While 25(OH)D3 and 24,25(OH)2D3 increased significantly after the study's start, with following constant values, the 1,25(OH)2D3 concentrations remained unchanged. ZA treatment did not change the levels of the three metabolites. 25(OH)D3 and 24,25(OH)2D3 were not associated with the development of bone metastases. In contrast, 1,25(OH)2D3 was also higher in patients with bone metastasis before the study's start. Thus, in high-risk PCa patients after prostatectomy, 25(OH)D3, 24,25(OH)2D3, and 1,25(OH)2D3 were not affected by supportive ZA treatment or by the development of metastasis over four years, with the exception of 1,25(OH)2D3, which was constantly higher in metastatic patients. There might be potential prognostic value if the results can be confirmed.

Overexpression of Parkin in clear cell renal cell carcinoma decreases tumor aggressiveness by regulating CKS2 levels.

Low expression levels of the E3 ubiquitin­protein ligase Parkin (PARK2) are exhibited in several cancer entities, including clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), and are associated with poor prognosis; however, PARK2 can also function as a tumor suppressor gene. The aim of the present study was to thoroughly investigate the effects of PARK2 overexpression in ccRCC cell lines and to determine its effects on malignancy by conducting functional assays such as cell cycle analysis, apoptosis analysis, migration and invasion assays. Furthermore, liquid chromatography­mass spectrometry was used to decipher potential targets of PARK2 that may influence the behavior of ccRCC tumor cells. In addition, ccRCC tumor tissues from a patient cohort were examined in tissue microarrays to find correlations between different clinical parameters. In the present study, it was demonstrated that the induction of PARK2 resulted in a less aggressive phenotype, as indicated by lower migration and invasion in ccRCC cell lines. Mass spectrometry revealed decreased levels of 29 proteins in cells with PARK2 overexpression, including CDC28 protein kinase regulatory subunit 2 (CKS2), which is highly expressed in numerous types of cancer. The link between the function of PARK2 as an E3 ubiquitin ligase and the low expression levels of CKS2 was investigated by mutating the catalytic domain of the PARK2 gene, and it was found that the effect of decreased migration was abolished in 786­O and RCC­MH ccRCC cell lines. CKS2 silencing decreased migratory ability of the cells. Furthermore, it was revealed that high CKS2 levels are associated with high tumor grading in patient samples and lower patient survival. In conclusion, the results from the present study indicated that PARK2 may signal via CKS2 to affect tumor behavior. In consequence, CKS2 may be a biomarker in ccRCC and may also serve as potential target for ccRCC therapy.

Comparison of PHI and PHI Density for Prostate Cancer Detection in a Large Retrospective Caucasian Cohort.

BACKGROUND: Beyond prostate-specific antigen (PSA), other biomarkers for prostate cancer (PCa) detection are available and need to be evaluated for clinical routine. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the Prostate Health Index (PHI) density (PHID) in comparison with PHI in a large Caucasian group >1,000 men. METHODS: PHID values were used from available patient data with PSA, free PSA, and [-2]pro-PSA and prostate volume from 3 former surveys from 2002 to 2014. Those 1,446 patients from a single-center cohort included 701 men with PCa and 745 with no PCa. All patients received initial or repeat biopsies. The diagnostic accuracy was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves comparing area under the ROC curves (AUCs), precision-recall approach, and decision curve analysis (DCA). RESULTS: PHID medians differed almost 2-fold between PCa (1.12) and no PCa (0.62) in comparison to PHI (48.6 vs. 33; p always <0.0001). However, PHID and PHI were equal regarding the AUC (0.737 vs. 0.749; p = 0.226), and the curves of the precision-recall analysis also overlapped in the sensitivity range between 70 and 100%. DCA had a maximum net benefit of only ∼5% for PHID versus PHI between 45 and 55% threshold probability. Contrary, in the 689 men with a prostate volume ≤40 cm3, PHI (AUC 0.732) showed a significant larger AUC than PHID (AUC 0.69, p = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS: Based on DCA, PHID had only a small advantage in comparison with PHI alone, while ROC analysis and precision-recall analysis showed similar results. In smaller prostates, PHI even outperformed PHID. The increment for PHID in this large Caucasian cohort is too small to justify a routine clinical use.

Use of TDI during MRI/US fusion-guided biopsy for suspected prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) uses the Doppler principle to quantify the movement of biological tissues. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the contribution of TDI parameters derived during magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasound (MRI/US) fusion-guided biopsy for prostate cancer (PCa) discrimination. METHODS: From March 2016 to Dec. 2018, 75 men with suspected PCa prospectively underwent fusion-guided prostate biopsy. TDI overlaid on predefined target lesion were compared to the confirmed contralateral tumor-free area of the prostate gland (using Image J). Diagnostic value of TDI parameters was assessed using histopathology as standard of reference. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients were diagnosed with PCa (49.3%), among them 27 with clinically significant PCa (Gleason score >  3 + 3 = 6 (ISUP 1). The LES/REF ratio was lower in confirmed PCa patients compared to patients without PCa (0.42, IQR, 0.22-0.59 vs. 0.52, IQR, 0.40-0.72, p = 0.017). TDI parameters allowed differentiation of low-risk from high-to-intermediate-risk PCa (ISUP 2 versus ISUP 3) based on lower pixel counts within the target ROI (1340, IQR 596-2430 vs. 2687, IQR 2453-3216, p = 0.004), lower pixel percentage (16.4 IQR 11.4-29.5 vs. 27.3, IQR 22.1-39.5; p = 0.005), and lower LES/REF ratios (0.29, IQR 0.19-0.51 vs. 0.52, IQR 0.47-0.74, p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: TDI of prostate lesions prelocated by MRI discriminates between cancerous and noncancerous lesions and further seems to enable characterization of PCa aggressiveness. This widely available US technique may improve confidence in target lesion localization for tissue sampling.

PHI density prospectively improves prostate cancer detection.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the Prostate Health Index (PHI) density (PHID) in direct comparison with PHI in a prospective large cohort. METHODS: PHID values were calculated from prostate-specific antigen (PSA), free PSA and [- 2]proPSA and prostate volume. The 1057 patients included 552 men with prostate cancer (PCa) and 505 with no evidence of malignancy (NEM). In detail, 562 patients were biopsied at the Charité Hospital Berlin and 495 patients at the Sana Hospital Offenbach. All patients received systematic or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)/ultrasound fusion-guided biopsies. The diagnostic accuracy was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves comparing areas under the ROC-curves (AUC). The decision curve analysis (DCA) was performed with the MATLAB Neural Network Toolbox. RESULTS: PHID provided a significant larger AUC than PHI (0.835 vs. 0.801; p = 0.0013) in our prospective cohort of 1057 men from 2 centers. The DCA had a maximum net benefit of ~ 5% for PHID vs. PHI between 35 and 65% threshold probability. In those 698 men within the WHO-calibrated PSA grey-zone up to 8 ng/ml, PHID was also significantly better than PHI (AUC 0.819 vs. 0.789; p = 0.0219). But PHID was not different from PHI in the detection of significant PCa. CONCLUSIONS: Based on ROC analysis and DCA, PHID had an advantage in comparison with PHI alone to detect any PCa but PHI and PHID performed equal in detecting significant PCa.

The discriminative ability of Prostate Health Index to detect prostate cancer is enhanced in combination with miR-222-3p.

BACKGROUND: There is an urgent need for better prostate cancer (PCa) biomarkers due to the low specificity of prostate specific antigen (PSA). OBJECTIVE: Prostate Health Index (PHI) is an advanced PSA-based test for early detection of PCa. The present study aim was to investigate the potential improvement of diagnostic accuracy of PHI by its combination with suitable discriminative microRNAs (miRNAs). METHODS: A two-phase study was performed. In a discovery phase, a panel of 177 miRNAs was measured in ten men with biopsy proven PCa and ten men with histologically no evidence of malignancy (NEM). These results were validated in a second phase including 25 patients in each group. The patients of all groups were matched regarding their PSA values and PHI were measured. RESULTS: Based on data in the discovery phase, four elevated miRNAs were selected as potential miRNA candidates for further validation. A combination of miR-222-3p as the best discriminative miRNA with PHI extended the diagnostic accuracy of PHI from an AUC value of 0.690 to 0.787 and resulted in a sensitivity of 72.0% and a specificity of 84.0%. CONCLUSION: Circulating microRNAs show useful diagnostic potential in combination with common used biomarkers to enhance their diagnostic power.

Mitophagy-associated genes PINK1 and PARK2 are independent prognostic markers of survival in papillary renal cell carcinoma and associated with aggressive tumor behavior.

The aim of this study was to investigate the mitophagy-related genes PINK1 and PARK2 in papillary renal cell carcinoma and their association with prognosis. In silico data of PINK1 and PARK2 were analyzed in TCGA cohorts of papillary renal cell carcinoma comprising 290 tumors and 33 corresponding non-neoplastic renal tissues. Protein expression data from a cohort of 95 papillary renal cell carcinoma patients were analyzed and associated with clinical-pathological parameters including survival. PINK1 and PARK2 were significantly downregulated in papillary renal cell carcinoma at transcript and protein levels. Reduced transcript levels of PINK1 and PARK2 were negatively associated with overall survival (p < 0.05). At the protein level, PARK2 and PINK1 expression were positively correlated (correlation coefficient 0.286, p = 0.04) and reduced PINK1 protein expression was prognostic for shorter survival. Lower PINK1 protein levels were found in tumors with metastases at presentation and in tumors of higher pT-stages. The multivariate analysis revealed mRNA expression of PINK1 and PARK2 as well as PINK1 protein expression as independent prognostic factors for shorter overall survival. The downregulation of PINK1 is a strong predictor of poor survival in papillary renal cell carcinoma. Immunohistochemical PINK1 expression in resected pRCC should be considered as an additional prognostic marker for routine practice.

Circular RNAs and Their Linear Transcripts as Diagnostic and Prognostic Tissue Biomarkers in Prostate Cancer after Prostatectomy in Combination with Clinicopathological Factors.

As new biomarkers, circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been largely unexplored in prostate cancer (PCa). Using an integrative approach, we aimed to evaluate the potential of circRNAs and their linear transcripts (linRNAs) to act as (i) diagnostic biomarkers for differentiation between normal and tumor tissue and (ii) prognostic biomarkers for the prediction of biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy. In a first step, eight circRNAs (circATXN10, circCRIM1, circCSNK1G3, circGUCY1A2, circLPP, circNEAT1, circRHOBTB3, and circSTIL) were identified as differentially expressed via a genome-wide circRNA-based microarray analysis of six PCa samples. Additional bioinformatics and literature data were applied for this selection process. In total, 115 malignant PCa and 79 adjacent normal tissue samples were examined using robust RT-qPCR assays specifically established for the circRNAs and their linear counterparts. Their diagnostic and prognostic potential was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves, Cox regressions, decision curve analyses, and C-statistic calculations of prognostic indices. The combination of circATXN10 and linSTIL showed a high discriminative ability between malignant and adjacent normal tissue PCa. The combination of linGUCY1A2, linNEAT1, and linSTIL proved to be the best predictive RNA-signature for BCR. The combination of this RNA signature with five established reference models based on only clinicopathological factors resulted in an improved predictive accuracy for BCR in these models. This is an encouraging study for PCa to evaluate circRNAs and their linRNAs in an integrative approach, and the results showed their clinical potential in combination with standard clinicopathological variables.

Instability of circular RNAs in clinical tissue samples impairs their reliable expression analysis using RT-qPCR: from the myth of their advantage as biomarkers to reality.

Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a new class of RNAs with medical significance. Compared to that of linear mRNA transcripts, the stability of circRNAs against degradation owing to their circular structure is considered advantageous for their use as biomarkers. As systematic studies on the stability of circRNAs depending on the RNA integrity, determined as RNA integrity number (RIN), in clinical tissue samples are lacking, we have investigated this aspect in the present study under model and clinical conditions. Methods: Total RNA isolated from kidney cancer tissue and cell lines (A-498 and HEK-293) with different RIN after thermal degradation was used in model experiments. Further, RNA isolated from kidney cancer and prostate cancer tissue collected under routine surgical conditions, representing clinical samples with RIN ranging from 2 to 9, were examined. Quantitative real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis of several circRNAs (circEGLN3, circRHOBTB3, circCSNK1G3, circRNA4, and circRNA9), their corresponding linear counterparts, tissue-specific reference genes, and three microRNAs (as controls) was performed. The quantification cycles were converted into relative quantities and normalized to the expression of specific reference genes for the corresponding tissue. The effect of RIN on the expression of different RNA entities was determined using linear regression analysis, and clinical samples were classified into two groups based on RIN greater or lesser than 6. Results: The results of model experiments and clinical sample analyses showed that all relative circRNA expression gradually decreased with reduction in RIN values. The adverse effect of RIN was partially compensated after normalizing the data and limiting the samples to only those with RIN values > 6. Conclusions: Our results suggested that circRNAs are not stable in clinical tissue samples, but are subjected to degradative processes similar to mRNAs. This has not been investigated extensively in circRNA expression studies, and hence must be considered in future for obtaining reliable circRNA expression data. This can be achieved by applying the principles commonly used in mRNA expression studies.

Use of the Prostate Health Index and Density in 3 Outpatient Centers to Avoid Unnecessary Prostate Biopsies.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the diagnostic efficacy of the prostate health index (PHI) and PHI density (PHID) to avoid unnecessary prostate biopsies in 3 urological practices. METHODS: In 122 patients, total prostate-specific antigen (PSA), free PSA (f-PSA), the quotient from total PSA and f-PSA (f-PSA%), and [-2]pro-PSA were measured in the serum; PHI, PHID, and PSA density (PSAD) were calculated prior to prostate biopsy. Tissue sampling via transrectal biopsy was indicated in case of suspicious PSA (progression and/or elevation of PSA) and/or suspicious digital rectal examination. PSAD, PHI, and PHID were not used for biopsy indication. The diagnostic efficacy was determined with receiver-operating characteristic (ROC)and decision curve analyses. RESULTS: Based on prostate biopsies, 38% (n = 46) of the cases had no prostate carcinoma (PCa), 21% (n = 26) no clinically significant (insignificant) PCa, and 41% (n = 50) had clinically significant PCa. ROC analyses of the PSA parameters showed higher diagnostic efficacy for PHI and PHID (AUC 0.722 and 0.739) than for f-PSA%, PSA, and PSAD (AUC 0.612, 0.595, and 0.698, respectively) regarding carcinoma diagnosis. With a combined use of PHI and PHID (cutoff >40 and >0.9, respectively), only 1 clinically significant PCa would have been missed (sensitivity 98%); in 24 (20%) patients, biopsy could have been avoided. CONCLUSION: The integration of PHI and PHID could improve the diagnostic efficacy of risk calculators to avoid unnecessary prostate biopsies. However, as a prerequisite, validation of cutoff values in prospective studies is urgently required.

Additive Value of Transrectal Systematic Ventral Biopsies in Combination with Magnet Resonance Imaging/Ultrasound Fusion-Guided Biopsy in Patients with 3 or More Negative Prostate Biopsies.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with consistent suspicion for prostate cancer (PCa) and multiple negative prebiopsies prior to multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) are still frequently evaluated for an image-guided biopsy and are reported with heterogeneous detection rates. The inclusion of a systematic biopsy (SB) is also still recommended with predominant sampling within the posterior/peripheral zone of the prostate. The aim of this study was (I) to evaluate PCa detection rates using a modified 10 core SB template including anterior biopsies in combination with mpMRI/ultrasound fusion-guided targeted biopsy (TB) in patients with 3 or more negative prebiopsies and (II) to compare mpMRI index lesion localization with histologically confirmed locali-zation from associated prostatectomy samples. METHODS: Overall 1,337 consecutive patients underwent sensor-based registration TB of the prostate and a subsequent 10-core SB between January 2012 and December 2015 at our institution. For this study, 101 patients with ≥3 negative prebiopsies and prostate imaging - reporting data system lesions ≥3 were pooled prospectively and underwent TB and a modified SB including 2 ventral (anterior) biopsies. Detection rates were estimated for the modified SB, TB, and its combination. A subgroup analysis of 35 patients undergoing prostatectomy was performed by a head-to-head comparison of mpMRI index lesion and histologically confirmed PCa index lesion localization. RESULTS: The overall detection rate for PCa was 54.5%. The combination of TB and SB detected 14 (25.4%) more cases missed by TB alone (p < 0.001) and 7 (12.7%) more cases missed by SB alone (p = 0.016), respectively. A postoperative Gleason upgrade was seen in 12/35 (34.3%) cases within the TB group and in 14/35 (40.0%) in the SB group, respectively. The subgroup analysis showed a predominant location of PCa index lesions anteriorly at the level of the midgland. The MRI detection rate of the anteriorly located index lesions was 70.4% (15/21 cases) with a clinically significant Gleason score (≥3 + 4 = 7a [International Society of Urological Pathology grade 2]) in 80.9%. Interestingly a modified SB template detected 90.5% (19/21) of the anteriorly located index lesions. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that in patients with multiple prebiopsies PCa seems to be predominantly located anteriorly. We suggest the general integration of anterior biopsies despite TB in repeat biopsy patients.

Circular RNAs in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: Their Microarray-Based Identification, Analytical Validation, and Potential Use in a Clinico-Genomic Model to Improve Prognostic Accuracy.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) may act as novel cancer biomarkers. However, a genome-wide evaluation of circRNAs in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) has yet to be conducted. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify and validate circRNAs in ccRCC tissue with a focus to evaluate their potential as prognostic biomarkers. A genome-wide identification of circRNAs in total RNA extracted from ccRCC tissue samples was performed using microarray analysis. Three relevant differentially expressed circRNAs were selected (circEGLN3, circNOX4, and circRHOBTB3), their circular nature was experimentally confirmed, and their expression-along with that of their linear counterparts-was measured in 99 malignant and 85 adjacent normal tissue samples using specifically established RT-qPCR assays. The capacity of circRNAs to discriminate between malignant and adjacent normal tissue samples and their prognostic potential (with the endpoints cancer-specific, recurrence-free, and overall survival) after surgery were estimated by C-statistics, Kaplan-Meier method, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis, decision curve analysis, and Akaike and Bayesian information criteria. CircEGLN3 discriminated malignant from normal tissue with 97% accuracy. We generated a prognostic for the three endpoints by multivariate Cox regression analysis that included circEGLN3, circRHOBT3 and linRHOBTB3. The predictive outcome accuracy of the clinical models based on clinicopathological factors was improved in combination with this circRNA-based signature. Bootstrapping as well as Akaike and Bayesian information criteria confirmed the statistical significance and robustness of the combined models. Limitations of this study include its retrospective nature and the lack of external validation. The study demonstrated the promising potential of circRNAs as diagnostic and particularly prognostic biomarkers in ccRCC patients.

A Novel Predictor Tool of Biochemical Recurrence after Radical Prostatectomy Based on a Five-MicroRNA Tissue Signature.

Within five to ten years after radical prostatectomy (RP), approximately 15-34% of prostate cancer (PCa) patients experience biochemical recurrence (BCR), which is defined as recurrence of serum levels of prostate-specific antigen >0.2 µg/L, indicating probable cancer recurrence. Models using clinicopathological variables for predicting this risk for patients lack accuracy. There is hope that new molecular biomarkers, like microRNAs (miRNAs), could be potential candidates to improve risk prediction. Therefore, we evaluated the BCR prognostic capability of 20 miRNAs, which were selected by a systematic literature review. MiRNA expressions were measured in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue RP samples of 206 PCa patients by RT-qPCR. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed, to assess the independent prognostic potential of miRNAs. Internal validation was performed, using bootstrapping and the split-sample method. Five miRNAs (miR-30c-5p/31-5p/141-3p/148a-3p/miR-221-3p) were finally validated as independent prognostic biomarkers. Their prognostic ability and accuracy were evaluated using C-statistics of the obtained prognostic indices in the Cox regression, time-dependent receiver-operating characteristics, and decision curve analyses. Models of miRNAs, combined with relevant clinicopathological factors, were built. The five-miRNA-panel outperformed clinically established BCR scoring systems, while their combination significantly improved predictive power, based on clinicopathological factors alone. We conclude that this miRNA-based-predictor panel will be worth to be including in future studies.

Diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in testicular pathologies: Single-center results.

BACKGROUND: Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has been used as an additional imaging technique in order to clarify testicular findings. CEUS is easy and fast to perform, overcomes the limitations of B-mode US. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the assessment of unclear testicular pathologies. METHODS: CEUS examinations of 45 patients with unclear testicular pathologies between 2012 and 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. Examinations were performed using B-mode, colour Doppler (CCDS) and CEUS after injection of contrast agent (SonoVue®, Bracco) and interpreted by an experienced radiologist (EFSUMB level 3). Reference standard was defined as histopathological report and clinical course. RESULTS: Overall 19 patients presented with a neoplastic lesion, whereas 14 were malignant. Matched to the histopathological report and clinical follow up, CEUS represented a sensitivity of 93% (95% -CI, 69-99), a specificity of 94% (95% -CI, 80-98), a positive predictive value (PPV) of 87% (95% -CI, 62-96) and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 97% (95% -CI, 83-99). CONCLUSION: CEUS is an accurate additional tool to differentiate between testicular alterations when B-mode US and CCDS are uncertain. CEUS may provide additional information and detect early enhancement in small tumor lesions when CCDS comes to its limit.

Image-guided Irreversible Electroporation of Localized Prostate Cancer: Functional and Oncologic Outcomes.

Background Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a nonthermal ablative method based on the formation of nanoscale defects in cell membranes leading to cell death. Clinical experience with the technique for treatment of prostate cancer remains limited. Purpose To evaluate urogenital toxicity and oncologic outcome of MRI-transrectal US fusion-guided IRE of localized prostate cancer. Materials and Methods In this prospective study, men with biopsy-proven, treatment-naive, low- to intermediate-risk prostate cancer (prostate-specific antigen [PSA], ≤15 ng/mL; Gleason score, ≤3 + 4; clinical stage, ≤T2c; lesion size at multiparametric MRI, ≤20 mm) underwent focal MRI/transrectal US fusion-guided IRE between July 2014 and July 2017. Primary end point was the urogenital toxicity profile of focal IRE by using participant-reported questionnaires. Secondary end points were biochemical, histologic, and imaging measures of oncologic control. Analyses were performed by using nonparametric and χ2 test statistics. Results Thirty men were included (median age, 65.5 years); mean PSA level was 8.65 ng/mL and mean tumor size was 13.5 mm. One grade III adverse event (urethral stricture) was recorded. The proportion of men with erection sufficient for penetration was 83.3% (25 of 30) at baseline and 79.3% (23 of 29; P > .99) at 12 months. Leak-free and pad-free continence rate was 90% (27 of 30) at baseline and 86.2% (25 of 29; P > .99) at 12 months. Urogenital function remained stable at 12 months according to changes in the modified International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms, or ICIQ-MLUTS, and the International Index of Erectile Function, or IIEF-5, questionnaires (P = .58 and P = .07, respectively). PSA level decreased from a baseline median value of 8.65 ng/mL (interquartile range, 5-11.4 ng/mL) to 2.35 ng/mL (interquartile range, 1-3.4 ng/mL) at 12 months (P < .001). At 6 months, 28 of 30 participants underwent posttreatment biopsy. The rate of in-field treatment failure was 17.9% (five of 28) as determined with multiparametric prostate MRI and targeted biopsies at 6 months. Conclusion After a median follow-up of 20 months, focal irreversible electroporation of localized prostate cancer was associated with low urogenital toxicity and promising oncologic outcomes. © RSNA, 2019 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

Lymphatic micrometastases predict biochemical recurrence in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection for prostate cancer.

BACKGROUND: Nodal metastasis is a strong prognostic parameter in prostate cancer (PCa). We analysed the detection of micrometastases (miN + ) in initially nodal-negative (pN0) radical prostatectomy specimens from pT2a-c and pT3a PCa patients by immunohistochemistry (IHC). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 2352 lymph nodes of 193 PCa patients were centrally re-examined for miN + or miN- status using IHC. Results were correlated with clinical and follow-up data. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) was calculated with the log-rank test using the Kaplan-Meier method. In addition, a logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: IHC detected miN + in a total of 17 patients (8.8 %). miN + seemed to be significantly associated with a higher Gleason score and was detected in more advanced pT stages. A total of 45 patients (23.1 %) had a biochemical recurrence (BCR). BCR was associated with miN +. Patients with miN + had a significantly shorter RFS (22.9 versus 58.7 months; p < 0.001). In the univariate (OR: 5.04; 95 % CI: 2.46 - 10.6; p-value: < 0.0001) and multivariate (OR: 3.29; 95 % CI: 1.54 - 7.08; p-value: 0.002) regression model, the miN + status was the strongest predictor of a BCR. CONCLUSIONS: IHC seems to be of high diagnostic value for the detection of micrometastases in initially nodal-negative PCa patients. IHC should therefore be performed in PCa patients with nodal-negative findings.

Apelin and apelin receptor expression in renal cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The APLNR (apelin receptor) has been shown to be an essential gene for cancer immunotherapy, with deficiency in APLNR leading to immunotherapy failure. The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of APLN (apelin) and APLNR in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and its association with clinicopathological parameters and survival. METHODS: Three well-characterised patient cohorts with RCC were used: Study cohort 1 (clear-cell RCC; APLN/APLNR mRNA expression; n = 166); TCGA validation cohort (clear-cell RCC; APLN/APLNR mRNA expression; n = 481); Study cohort 2 (all RCC subtypes; APLNR protein expression/immunohistochemistry; n = 300). Associations between mRNA/protein expression and clinicopathological variables/patients' survival were tested statistically. RESULTS: While APLN showed only very weak association with tumour histological grade (TCGA cohort), APLNR/mRNA protein expression correlate significantly with ccRCC aggressiveness. APLNR is expressed in tumour vasculature and tumour cells at different levels, and these expression levels associate with tumour aggressiveness in opposing directions. APLNR expression was negatively correlated with PD-L1 expression by tumour cells in a subset of patients with ccRCC. APLNR expression in either compartment is an independent prognostic factor for survival of patients with ccRCC. CONCLUSION: The APLNR/APLN-system appears to play an important role in ccRCC, warranting further clinical investigation.