Structured reporting of prostate magnetic resonance imaging has the potential to improve interdisciplinary communication.

BACKGROUND: Effective interdisciplinary communication of imaging findings is vital for patient care, as referring physicians depend on the contained information for the decision-making and subsequent treatment. Traditional radiology reports contain non-structured free text and potentially tangled information in narrative language, which can hamper the information transfer and diminish the clarity of the report. Therefore, this study investigates whether newly developed structured reports (SRs) of prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can improve interdisciplinary communication, as compared to non-structured reports (NSRs). METHODS: 50 NSRs and 50 SRs describing a single prostatic lesion were presented to four urologists with expert level experience in prostate cancer surgery or targeted MRI TRUS fusion biopsy. They were subsequently asked to plot the tumor location in a 2-dimensional prostate diagram and to answer a questionnaire focusing on information on clinically relevant key features as well as the perceived structure of the report. A validated scoring system that distinguishes between "major" and "minor" mistakes was used to evaluate the accuracy of the plotting of the tumor position in the prostate diagram. RESULTS: The mean total score for accuracy for SRs was significantly higher than for NSRs (28.46 [range 13.33-30.0] vs. 21.75 [range 0.0-30.0], p < 0.01). The overall rates of major mistakes (54% vs. 10%) and minor mistakes (74% vs. 22%) were significantly higher (p < 0.01) for NSRs than for SRs. The rate of radiologist re-consultations was significantly lower (p < 0.01) for SRs than for NSRs (19% vs. 85%). Furthermore, SRs were rated as significantly superior to NSRs in regard to determining the clinical tumor stage (p < 0.01), the quality of the summary (4.4 vs. 2.5; p < 0.01), and overall satisfaction with the report (4.5 vs. 2.3; p < 0.01), and as more valuable for further clinical decision-making and surgical planning (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Structured reporting of prostate MRI has the potential to improve interdisciplinary communication. Through SRs, expert urologists were able to more accurately assess the exact location of single prostate cancer lesions, which can facilitate surgical planning. Furthermore, structured reporting of prostate MRI leads to a higher satisfaction level of the referring physician.

A contemporary case series of Fournier's gangrene at a Swiss tertiary care center-can scoring systems accurately predict mortality and morbidity?

Background: Fournier's gangrene (FG) is a life-threatening infection of the genital, perineal, and perianal regions with a morbidity range between 3 and 67%. Our aim is to report our experience in treatment of FG and to assess whether three different scoring systems can accurately predict mortality and morbidity in FG patients. Methods: All patients that were treated for FG at the Department of Urology of the University Hospital Basel between June 2012 and March 2017 were included and assessed retrospectively by chart review. Furthermore, we calculated Fournier's Gangrene Severity Index (FGSI), the Laboratory Risk Indicator for Necrotizing Fasciitis (LRINEC), and the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in every patient and assessed whether those scores correlate with the patients' morbidity and mortality. Results: Twenty patients were included, with a median (IQR) age of 66 (46-73) years. Fifteen of twenty (75%) patients required treatment on an intensive care unit, and three died (mortality rate: 15%). The mean FGSI, LRINEC, and NLR scores were 13.0, 9.3, and 45.3 for non-survivors and 7.7, 6.5, and 26 for survivors, respectively. None of the risk scores correlated significantly with mortality; however, all three significantly correlated with infection- and surgically-induced morbidity. Conclusions: In our series, Fournier's gangrene was associated with a mortality rate of 15% despite maximum multidisciplinary therapy at a specialized center. All risk scores were able to predict the morbidity of the disease in terms of local extent and the required surgical measures.

Evaluation of perioperative complications in open and laparoscopic surgery for renal cell cancer with tumor thrombus involvement using the Clavien-Dindo classification.

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors for perioperative complications and morbidity in renal cell cancer (RCC) surgery with tumor thrombus invasion (TTI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective single-center analysis of 128 patients who underwent open (n = 97) or laparoscopic (n = 31) radical nephrectomy (NT) for RCC between 1999 and 2010. TTI was at Mayo-Level 0, I, II, III, IV in 88, 7, 10, 4, and 19 cases, respectively. Cavotomy was performed in 27, liver mobilisation in 20, and cardiovascular bypass in 17 patients. RESULTS: The rate of any early postoperative complication (PC) by Clavien-Dindo classification was 58.6%, while the severe early PC rate was 29.7%. There was a statistically significant difference in multivariate analysis in the incidence of any early PC and of severe early PC by Charlson score (OR:1.584 (95%CI:1.141-2.199), p = 0.006; OR:3.065 (95%CI:1.218-7.714), p = 0.017) and by tumor thrombus level TNM-UICC 2010 T3a/T3c (OR:10.668 (95%CI:1.266-89.871), p = 0.029; OR:10.502 (95%CI:2.981-36.992), p < 0.001). In pT3a cases open NT was associated with a higher early (57.9% vs. 25.8%) and severe (24.6% vs. 9.7%) PC rate compared to laparoscopic NT. The 30-day mortality rate was 0%. The 90-day mortality rate was 6.3% but 100% cancer-related. In Cox regression analysis tumor thrombus level was not predictive for overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: The strongest risk factor for early and severe PC in patients with TTI is a supradiaphragmatic tumor thrombus. In cases with severe PC, this fact persists when comparing Mayo-Levels II-III and Level IV. In pT3a cases open NT shows a 2-fold higher early PC rate compared to laparoscopic NT.

[High-intensity focussed ultrasound in low-risk prostate cancer - oncological outcome and postinterventional quality of life of an inexperienced therapy centre in comparison with an experienced therapy centre]. / Hochintensiver fokussierter Ultraschall bei Low-Risk Prostatakarzinom - Onkologisches Outcome und postinterventionelle Lebensqualität im direkten Vergleich eines erfahrenen und unerfahrenen Therapiezentrums.

BACKGROUND: In patients with low-risk prostate cancer (PCa) the standard therapies carry a risk of overtreatment with potentially preventable side effects whereas restrained therapeutic strategies pose a risk of underestimation of the individual cancer risk. Alternative treatment options include thermal ablation strategies such as high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). PATIENTS AND METHODS: 96 patients with low-risk PCa (D'Amico) were treated at 2 HIFU centres with different expertise (n=48, experienced centre Lyon/France; n=48 inexperienced centre Charité Berlin/Germany). Matched pairs were formed and analysed with regard to biochemical disease-free survival (BDFS) as well as postoperative functional parameters (micturition, erectile function). The matched pairs were discriminated as to whether they had received HIFU treatment alone or a combination of HIFU with transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP). Patients of the Lyon group were retrospectively matched through the @-registry database whereas patients of the Berlin group were prospectively evaluated. In the latter patients quality of life assessment was additionally inquired. RESULTS: Postoperative PSA-Nadir was lower in the Berlin group for patients with HIFU only (0.007 vs. Lyon 0.34 ng/ml; p=0.037) and HIFU+TURP (0.25 vs. Lyon 0.42 ng/ml; p=0.003). BDFS was comparable in both groups for HIFU only (Berlin 4.77, Lyon 5.23 years; p=0.741) but patients with combined HIFU+TURP in the Berlin group showed an unfavourable BDFS as compared to the Lyon group (Berlin 3.02, Lyon 4.59 years; p=0.05). In an analysis of Berlin subgroups especially patients who had received HIFU and TURP (n=4) within the same narcosis had an unfavourable BDFS (p=0.009). Median follow-up was 3.36 years for HIFU only and 2.26 years for HIFU+TURP. Neither HIFU only (p=0.117) nor HIFU+TURP (p=0.131) showed an impact on postoperative micturition. Erectile function was negatively influenced (HIFU: p=0.04; HIFU+TURP: p=0.036). There was no measurable change in quality of life after the treatment. CONCLUSION: The 4-year BDFS after HIFU and HIFU+TURP is comparable to that of the standard therapies. The erectile function is sustainably negatively influenced whereas postoperative micturition and quality of life were not affected by HIFU or HIFU+TURP. These results are strongly limited by the low patient count and the short follow-up period and require validation in prospective multicentre studies with higher number of cases.

[HIFU in salvage treatment of patients with prostate cancer after primary external radiation therapy--status 2012]. / HIFU in der Salvage Behandlung von Patienten mit Prostatakarzinom-Rezidiv nach primärer externer Bestrahlungstherapie - Status 2012.

BACKGROUND: Patients with (local) recurrence of prostate cancer after radiation therapy face the question of the appropriate diagnostic and possible therapeutic options. Many patients in this setting receive palliative androgen deprivation therapy alone, with arguable impact on overall cancer survival. In the case of an isolated local recurrence, salvage prostatectomy represents a potentially curative therapeutic option, albeit with a high complication rate. Alternatively, these patients can be offered a local treatment with salvage HIFU therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Salvage HIFU therapy is based on the thermal ablation of tissue through high-intensity focused ultrasound. In addition, the formation of microbubbles (cavitation) and their implosion lead to an enhancement of tissue ablation. RESULTS: The results of 6 monocentric studies (2004-2011) with an overall number of 408 patients (22-167 patients) are presented and critically reviewed. The median follow-up was 18.71 months (7.4-39). The 3-year progression free survival (PFS) varied from 25% (D'Amico high risk) to 53% (D'Amico low-risk), the 5-year overall survival was 90%. The rate of urinary incontinence varied between 7 and 60% in all grades (grade III urinary incontinence 0-9.5%). In 22 cases surgical incontinence treatment was performed. 53 patients developed a urethral stricture or stenosis leading to surgical treatment. Urethral-rectal fistulae were seen in 0-7%. CONCLUSIONS: The current data on salvage HIFU can be evaluated as insufficient. The main criticisms can be seen in the lack of randomization, the monocentric and retrospective analyses of the data, the heterogeneous stratification of risk groups as well as inadequate definition of postinterventional treatment failure. The studies indicate that salvage HIFU therapy leads to a mid-term overall survival with complication rates that are comparable to those of other local salvage therapies. Randomized multicentric studies are needed to further validate the results of salvage HIFU therapy.

[Testicular cancer - explanatory models for high cisplatin chemosensibility and new therapeutic options]. / Testikuläre Keimzelltumoren - Erklärungsmodelle für die hohe Ansprechrate auf Cisplatin-basierte Chemotherapien und neue Therapieoptionen.

This article offers a review about the current facts of chemotherapy in testicular cancer. Besides a short presentation of the guideline-standard therapy the authors deal with the question as to why testicular cancer shows an extraordinarily high chemosensibility compared to other tumours. Furthermore, the current data on alternative chemotherapies as well as of molecular, molecular-genetic and pharmacogenetic therapeutic concepts are explored. Data were obtained from researches in Medline of the Pubmed database.