Management of adult tuberous sclerosis complex-related angiomyolipoma: A single-center experience.

INTRODUCTION: Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a rare, multi-system, genetic disease. A significant cause of TSC-related morbidity is potential bleeding from renal angiomyolipoma (AML). To pre-emptively decrease AML bleeding, mTOR inhibitors can be used; however, thresholds for initiating and maintaining everolimus therapy remain uncertain. Recent literature suggests not triggering active treatment of AMLs based on size thresholds alone. We evaluated the appropriateness of initiating everolimus therapy in asymptomatic patients after considering AML size, rate of growth, and other factors. METHODS: Diagnostic criteria developed by the 2012 International TSC Consensus Group and presence of AML were used as inclusion criteria. Medical and imaging reports of 11/20 TSC patients from a single center were reviewed. RESULTS: Mean age was 40.55 (±16.27) and 11 patients were female. Eight asymptomatic patients at high risk for complications underwent everolimus therapy, of which seven (88%) demonstrated decreased AML size, but multiple side effects were reported. Four high-risk asymptomatic patients did not undergo therapy due to side effect concerns, while four low-risk asymptomatic patients had stable AMLs under active surveillance. Four patients had reduced AMLs through local therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Everolimus treatment was effective for managing AML size in most high-risk, asymptomatic patients with tolerable side effects. AML size can remain relatively stable for asymptomatic, low-risk patients despite not receiving intervention(s). Patients with TSC-related AML can be safely managed with mTOR inhibitors like everolimus with shared decision-making, including factors such as bleeding risk, AML growth rate, and number and absolute size of AMLs.

The perceptions and beliefs of cannabis use among Canadian genitourinary cancer patients.

INTRODUCTION: The legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada in 2018 has led to many patients being curious about the benefits of taking cannabis in conjunction with their cancer treatment. We investigated the perceptions among genitourinary (GU) cancer patients regarding cannabis use as part of their care plans. METHODS: A survey was created to explore current cannabis use behaviors, reasons for cannabis use, and the beliefs of cannabis usefulness towards cancer-related care, including cancer treatment, among GU cancer patients. The survey was distributed across Canada online via RedCAP through social media platforms, email, and patient advocacy groups. The survey was active from August to December 2020. RESULTS: Of eighty-five responses, 52 met inclusion for analysis. Participants included 11 bladder, 26 kidney, and 15 prostate cancer patients. Many (48.1%) participants used cannabis daily and 75% had been using it for more than one year. Cannabis was consumed through oil-based products, edibles, and smoking. The most common reasons for using cannabis were cancer-related anxiety, to prevent cancer progression, cancer-related pain, recreational use, and other, non-cancer-related illness or symptoms. Participants believed cannabis improved their sleep (70.2%), anxiety (65.9%), and overall mood (72.3%). Most participants were either unsure (38.3%) or neutral (31.9%) in the belief that cannabis might decrease their cancer progression. CONCLUSIONS: GU cancer patients use cannabis for a variety of cancer- and non-cancer-related symptoms. Many patients believe cannabis has benefited their cancer-related symptoms. These findings highlight the importance of healthcare providers remaining familiar with current evidence on cannabis to support patient conversations about cannabis use.

Comparison of a magnetic retrieval device vs. flexible cystoscopy for removal of ureteral stents in renal transplant patients: A randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Placement of a ureteral stent at the time of renal transplantation can reduce complications when compared to non-stented anastomoses. Removal by flexible cystoscopy can be associated with discomfort, risk for infection, and high costs. New magnetic stents offer a means of bypassing cystoscopy by use of a magnetic retrieval device. Our objective was to compare clinical and cost-related outcomes of conventional and magnetic stents in patients undergoing deceased donor renal transplantation. METHODS: Patients were randomized to receive either a conventional or a Black-Star® magnetic stent. Clinical, procedural, and cost outcomes were assessed, and the Ureteral Stent Symptom Questionnaire (USSQ) was administered with the stent in situ and after stent removal. All variables were compared between groups. RESULTS: Forty-one patients were randomized to conventional (n=19) or Black-Star (n=22) stent. The total time for stent removal under cystoscopy was significantly longer compared to Black-Star removal (6.67±2.47 and 4.80±2.21 minutes, respectively, p=0.019). No differences were found in the USSQ domains between groups. Rates of urinary tract infections and surgical complications between groups were similar. Stent removal was well-tolerated in both groups. Black-Star stent use resulted in a cost savings of $304.02 Canadian dollars (CAD) per case. CONCLUSIONS: USSQ scores suggest that stent removal with the Black-Star magnetic stent is as equally well-tolerated as flexible cystoscopy by renal transplant patients. Black-Star stent removal was significantly faster than conventional stents. No differences in discomfort, infection rate, or complication rate were found. Use of the Black-Star stent resulted in an estimated annual savings of $27 360 CAD at our centre.

Determining generalizability of the Canadian Kidney Cancer information system (CKCis) to the entire Canadian kidney cancer population.

INTRODUCTION: The Canadian Kidney Cancer information system (CKCis) has prospectively collected data on patients with renal tumors since January 1, 2011 from 16 sites within 14 academic centers in six provinces. Canadian kidney cancer experts have used CKCis data to address several research questions. The goal of this study was to determine if the CKCis cohort is representative of the entire Canadian kidney cancer population, specifically regarding demographic and geographic distributions. METHODS: The CKCis prospective cohort was analyzed up to December 31, 2018. Baseline demographics and tumor characteristics were analyzed, including location of patients' residence at the time of CKCis entry. Geographic data is presented by province, rural vs. urban via postal code information (2nd digit=0) and by Canadian urban boundary files. To determine the proportion of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients that CKCis captures, CKCis accruals were compared to projected Canadian Cancer Society RCC incidence in 2016-2017 and the incidence from the 2016 Canadian Cancer Registry. To determine if the CKCis baseline data is representative, it was compared to registry data and other published data when registry data was not available. RESULTS: This CKCis cohort includes 10 298 eligible patients: 66.6% male, median age 62.6 years; 14.6% had metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis and 70.4% had clear-cell carcinomas. The CKCis cohort captures about 1250 patients per year, which represents approximately 20% of the total kidney cancer incidence. The proportion of patients captured per province did vary from 13-43%. Rural patients make up 17% of patients, with some baseline differences between rural and urban patients. There appears to be no major differences between CKCis patient demographics and disease characteristics compared to national data sources. Canadian heat maps detailing patient location are presented. CONCLUSIONS: CKCis contains prospective data on >10 000 Canadian kidney cancer patients, making it a valuable resource for kidney cancer research. The baseline demographic and geographic data do appear to include a broad cross-section of patients and seem to be highly representative of the Canadian kidney cancer population. Moving forward, future projects will include determining if CKCis cancer outcomes are also representative of the entire Canadian kidney cancer population and studying variations across provinces and within rural vs. urban areas.

Canadian Update on Surgical Procedures (CUSP) Urology Group consensus for intraoperative hemostasis during minimally invasive partial nephrectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Partial nephrectomy remains the gold standard in the management of small renal masses. However, minimally invasive partial nephrectomy (MIPN) is associated with a steep learning curve, and optimal, standardized techniques for time-efficient hemostasis are poorly described. Given the relative lack of evidence, the goal was to describe a set of actionable guiding principles, through an expert working panel, for urologists to approach hemostasis without compromising warm ischemia or oncological outcomes. METHODS: A three-step modified Delphi method was used to achieve expert agreement on the best practices for hemostasis in MIPN. Panelists were recruited from the Canadian Update on Surgical Procedures (CUSP) Urology Group, which represent all provinces, academic and community practices, and fellowship-and non-fellowship-trained surgeons. Thirty-two (round 1) and 46 (round 2) panellists participated in survey questionnaires, and 22 attended the in-person consensus meeting. RESULTS: An initial literature search of 945 articles (230 abstracts) underwent screening and yielded 24 preliminary techniques. Through sequential survey assessment and in-person discussion, a total of 11 strategies were approved. These are temporally distributed prior to tumor resection (five principles), during tumor resection (two principles), and during renorrhaphy (four principles). CONCLUSIONS: Given the variability in tumor size, depth, location, and vascularity, coupled with limitations of laparoscopic equipment, achieving consistent hemostasis in MIPN may be challenging. Despite over two decades of MIPN experience, limited evidence exists to guide clinicians. Through a three-step Delphi method and rigorous iterative review with a panel of experts, we ascertained a guiding checklist of principles for newly beginning and practicing urologists to reference.

Partial vs. radical nephrectomy and the risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular, and nephrological outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: The study's objective was to examine the effects of renal-preservation surgery on long-term mortality, cardiovascular outcomes, and renal-related outcomes. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of all partial (n=575) and radical nephrectomies (n=882) for tumors ≤7 cm in diameter between 2002 and 2010 across three academic centers in Ontario, Canada. We linked records from provincial databases to assess patient characteristics and outcomes (median seven years' followup using retrospective data). A weighted propensity score was used to reduce confounding. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included hospitalization with major cardiovascular events, non-cancer related mortality, kidney cancer-related mortality, and dialysis. RESULTS: Mean one-year postoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 71 mL/min/1.73 m2 in the partial group and 52 mL/min/1.73 m2 in the radical group. Partial nephrectomy was associated with a lower risk of all-cause mortality in the first five years after surgery (hazard ratio [HR] 0.42, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.27-0.66), which did not extend beyond five years (HR 1.01, 95% CI 0.68-1.49). Kidney cancer-related mortality was lower in the partial compared to the radical group for the first four years after surgery (HR 0.16, 95% CI 0.04-0.72). There were no significant differences between the groups for cardiovascular outcomes or non-cancer related deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Overall survival and cancer-specific survival was reduced in radical nephrectomy patients. However, despite reduced renal function in the radical nephrectomy group, non-cancer-related death, cardiovascular events, and dialysis were not significantly different between groups. Long-term benefits of partial nephrectomy may be less than previously believed.

Genomic and Clinical Correlates of Adrenocortical Carcinoma in an Adult Patient with Li-Fraumeni Syndrome: A Case Report.

Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (LFS) is defined by germline mutations of the p53 tumour suppressor gene. Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare aggressive malignancy that is commonly associated with LFS. Most LFS-linked ACC cases occur in children, and limited research has been dedicated to the clinical outcomes and genomics of adult cases with LFS-linked ACC. We report on a 34-year-old female who was diagnosed with three separate malignancies: stage III invasive ductal carcinoma of the right breast, metastatic ACC from the right adrenal gland, and grade 2 pleomorphic sarcoma of the left hand. Her invasive breast ductal carcinoma was treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and she received a bilateral mastectomy after her LFS was confirmed with genetic blood testing. Adrenal ACC was initially treated with a right nephrectomy and adrenalectomy, followed by adjuvant mitotane and two lines of chemotherapy after disease recurrence. Her hand sarcoma was treated by second ray amputation. Further, we conducted deep next-generation sequencing of each of her unique tumour tissue samples using FoundationONE CDx. A whole-genome shot capture followed by in vitro sequencing performed by the Illumina® HiSeq platform revealed a germline P191fs*18 TP53 mutation across all three tissue samples. This case provides insight into the genomics and clinical characteristics of LFS-linked adult-onset ACC and demonstrated that p53 mutations were preserved throughout each malignancy, without apparent treatment pressures on genomic profiling. This case reinforces the critical importance of adopting best practices for LFS, which include the implementation of highly vigilant screening and management of care in a multidisciplinary setting.

A prospective, randomized, pilot trial of a polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated collagen patch (Hemopatch®) for intraoperative hemostasis during deceased donor renal transplant.

INTRODUCTION: The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of using a polyethylene glycol (PEG)-coated collagen patch (Hemopatch®) in patients undergoing deceased donor renal transplant. The primary outcome was the amount of intraoperative estimated blood loss in those patients receiving the patch compared to without. Secondary outcomes were the subjective achievement of hemostasis, perigraft collection, and drop in hemoglobin 48 hours postoperatively. METHODS: We performed a single-center, prospective, randomized trial. Patients scheduled to undergo deceased donor renal transplant surgery were randomized to receive the PEG-coated patch or standard hemostasis (i.e., electrocautery and clips). RESULTS: A total of 30 patients were enrolled over 15 months and randomized to receive the PEG-coated patch (n=15) or standard hemostasis (n=15). The mean age was 62.5 years. As determined by the operating surgeon, hemostasis was successfully achieved in all 15 cases using the PEG-coated patch. In the PEG-coated patch group, there was a trend towards less estimated blood loss (237 cc vs. 327 cc; p=0.11) and a lower drop in hemoglobin 48 hours postoperatively (22.27 g/L vs. 29.53 g/L; p=0.09) compared to the standard hemostasis group. Perigraft collection was similar between groups (27% vs. 40%; p=0.43). Subgroup analysis on patients who received anticoagulation therapy revealed no significant difference in blood loss between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our single-center experience, the PEG-coated patch (Hemopatch®) is a safe and feasible option to aid hemostasis during deceased donor renal transplant surgery. Hemostasis was successfully achieved in all cases using the PEG-coated patch.

Population-Based Analysis Of The Use Of Radium-223 For Bone-Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer In Ontario, And Of Factors Associated With Treatment Completion And Outcome.

INTRODUCTION: Radium-223 (Ra223) prolongs the survival and improves the quality of life of men with metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) to bones. However, compared to other mCRPC therapies, using Ra223 comes with its unique challenges. Hence, we aimed to identify Ra223 utilization patterns under real-world conditions, as well as factors predicting treatment completion and outcome. METHODS: In this retrospective chart analysis, 198 mCRPC patients were identified that had received Ra223 outside of clinical trials or access programs from January 2015 to October 2016 at four cancer centres in Ontario. The main outcomes studied were Ra223 completion rate, reasons for early treatment discontinuation, overall survival, and survival differences in patients completing Ra223 therapy versus patients receiving <6 cycles of Ra223. In addition, patient and disease characteristics were analysed to identify predictors of treatment completion and survival. RESULTS: In this cohort of patients mostly pretreated with abiraterone and/or enzalutamide (92.4%), almost half of which had also received docetaxel (48.5%), the Ra223 completion rate was 46.5%, and the actuarial median survival was 13.3 months. The main reason for early Ra223 discontinuation was disease progression, and Ra223 non-completion was associated with poorer outcome (median survival 8.1 months [6.0-12.2] versus 18.7 months [15.3-22.3] in men completing Ra223, p<0.0001). Lymph node metastases and a high baseline prostate-specific antigen (PSA) were independent predictors of early treatment discontinuation. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models revealed early Ra223 discontinuation, baseline anemia, high PSA, prior skeletal-related events, visceral metastases, and being referred to another centre for Ra223 therapy as predictors of worse outcome. CONCLUSION: Despite a lower completion rate than observed under clinical trial conditions, the real-world results achieved with Ra223 are encouraging. If prospectively validated, predictive patient and disease characteristics identified in our cohort might become instrumental to identify mCRPC patients likely to complete and to most benefit from Ra223 therapy.

Prostate cancer screening among family physicians in Ontario: An update on attitudes and current practice.

INTRODUCTION: This study serves as an update of prostate cancer screening practices among family physicians in Ontario, Canada. Since this population was first surveyed in 2010, the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (CTFPHC) and the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released recommendations against prostate cancer screening. METHODS: An online survey was developed through input from urologists and family practitioners. It was distributed via email to all members of the Ontario Medical Association's Section on General and Family practice (11 657 family physicians). A reminder email was sent at two weeks and the survey remained active for one month. RESULTS: A total of 1880 family physicians completed surveys (response rate 16.1%). Overall, 80.4% offered prostate cancer screening compared to 91.7% when surveyed in 2010. Physicians new to practice (two years or less) were the most likely to not offer screening (24.6%). A combination of digital rectal exam (DRE) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) remained the most common form of screening (58.3%). Following the release of the CTFPHC recommendations, 45.6% of respondents said they now screen fewer patients. Participants were less familiar with national urological society guidelines compared to task force recommendations. The majority (72.6%) of respondents feel PSA screening leads to overdiagnosis and treatment. Those surveyed remained split with respect to PSA utility. CONCLUSIONS: Data suggest a decline in screening practices since 2010, with newer graduates less likely to offer screening. CFTPHC and USPSTF recommendations had the greatest impact on clinical practice. Those surveyed were divided with respect to PSA utility. Some additional considerations to PSA screening in the primary care setting, including patient-driven factors, were not captured by our concise survey.

Contrast-enhanced Ultrasonography for Surveillance of Radiofrequency-ablated Renal Tumors: A Prospective, Radiologist-blinded Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively evaluate the performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) for surveillance after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of small renal masses by comparing CEUS to the contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT), the current gold standard. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients underwent surveillance after RFA of small renal masses (≤4 cm) consisting of CECT scans at 3 and 6 months and every 6 months thereafter. Participants additionally underwent ≥1 CEUS within 90 days before CECT. Percutaneous biopsy was performed for lesions suspicious for recurrence on CECT. Independent, blinded radiologists interpreted CEUS and CECT scans. Intermodality agreement was evaluated with the kappa coefficient. RESULTS: In total, 37 pairs of CEUS and CECT scans were performed. Median tumor size was 2.5 cm (range, 1.4-4.0 cm). Median follow-up from RFA to CEUS was 25 months. Renal tumor recurrences were diagnosed by CECT in 3 patients and confirmed histopathologically by percutaneous biopsy; 34 CECT scans were negative for recurrence. The diagnostic rate of CEUS was 94.6%; 2 CEUS scans were nondiagnostic because of patient body habitus. Among diagnostic CEUS scans, tumor enhancement was present in 3 and absent in 32. We observed perfect concordance between CEUS and CECT (=1.0; P <.0001). CONCLUSION: This is the first prospective study incorporating radiologist blinding to evaluate CEUS for RFA surveillance. Our findings suggest CEUS may ultimately be incorporated into RFA surveillance protocols. The operator dependency of CEUS is a possible barrier to its widespread adoption. These findings justify larger studies with longer follow-up.