The effect of a fermented soy beverage among patients with localized prostate cancer prior to radical prostatectomy.

BACKGROUND: Fermented soy products have shown to possess inhibitory effects on prostate cancer (PCa). We evaluated the effect of a fermented soy beverage (Q-Can®), containing medium-chain triglycerides, ketones and soy isoflavones, among men with localized PCa prior to radical prostatectomy. METHODS: We conducted a placebo-controlled, double-blind randomized trial of Q-Can®. Stratified randomization (Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment (CAPRA) score at diagnosis) was used to assign patients to receive Q-Can® or placebo for 2-5 weeks before RP. Primary endpoint was change in serum PSA from baseline to end-of-study. We assessed changes in other clinical and pathologic endpoints. The primary ITT analysis compared PSA at end-of-study between randomization arms using repeated measures linear mixed model incorporating baseline CAPRA risk strata. RESULTS: We randomized 19 patients, 16 were eligible for analysis of the primary outcome. Mean age at enrollment was 61, 9(56.2%) were classified as low and intermediate risk, and 7(43.8%) high CAPRA risk. Among patients who received Q-Can®, mean PSA at baseline and end-of-study was 8.98(standard deviation, SD 4.07) and 8.02ng/mL(SD 3.99) compared with 8.66(SD 2.71) to 9.53ng/mL(SD 3.03), respectively, (Difference baseline - end-of-study, p = 0.36). There were no significant differences in Gleason score, clinical stage, surgical margin status, or CAPRA score between treatment arms (p > 0.05), and no significant differences between treatment arms in end-of-study or change in lipids, testosterone and FACT-P scores (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Short exposure to Q-Can® among patients with localized PCa was not associated with changes in PSA levels, PCa characteristics including grade and stage or serum testosterone. Due to early termination from inability to recruit, study power, was not achieved.

Association between sociodemographic factors and diagnosis of lethal prostate cancer in early life.

OBJECTIVE: A subset of patients are diagnosed with lethal prostate cancer (CaP) early in life before prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening is typically initiated. To identify opportunities for improved detection, we evaluated patient sociodemographic factors associated with advanced vs. localized (CaP) diagnosis across the age spectrum. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the National Cancer Database, identifying patients diagnosed with CaP from 2004 to 2020. We compared characteristics of patients diagnosed at the advanced (cN1 or M1) versus localized (cT1-4N0M0) stage. Using multivariable logistic regression, we evaluated the associations among patient clinical and sociodemographic factors and advanced diagnosis, stratifying patients by age as ≤55 (before screening is recommended for most patients), 56 to 65, 66 to 75, and ≥76 years. RESULTS: We identified 977,722 patients who met the inclusion criteria. The mean age at diagnosis was 65.3 years and 50,663 (5.1%) had advanced disease. Overall, uninsured (OR = 3.20, 95% CI 3.03-3.78) and Medicaid-insured (OR 2.58, 95% CI 2.48-2.69) vs. privately insured status was associated with higher odds of diagnosis with advanced disease and this effect was more pronounced for younger patients. Among patients ≤55 years, uninsured (OR 4.14, 95% CI 3.69-4.65) and Medicaid-insured (OR 3.39, 95% CI 3.10-3.72) vs. privately insured patients were associated with higher odds of advanced cancer at diagnosis. Similarly, residence in the lowest vs. highest income quartile was associated with increased odds of advanced CaP in patients ≤55 years (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.02-1.30). Black vs. White race was associated with increased odds of advanced CaP at diagnosis later in life (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.09-1.25); however, race was not significantly associated with advanced stage CaP in those ≤55 years (P = 0.635). CONCLUSIONS: Sociodemographic disparities in diagnosis at advanced stages of CaP were more pronounced in younger patients, particularly with respect to insurance status. These findings may support greater attention to differential use of early CaP screening based on patient health insurance.

Oncologic outcomes of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with micropapillary variant urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.

BACKGROUND: There is lack of consensus about the effectiveness of neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with micropapillary variant urothelial carcinoma (MVUC) prior to radical cystectomy. We studied the association between neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and pathologic response (PR) among patients with micropapillary versus non-variant bladder urothelial carcinoma (UC). METHODS: We queried the National Cancer Database to identify patients with localized UC and MVUC from 2004 to 2017. We restricted our analysis to patients who underwent radical cystectomy with or without NAC. We compared clinical, demographic, and pathologic characteristics associated with NAC. We used multivariable logistic regression and propensity score matching to examine the association between NAC and the occurrence of a pathologic complete response (pT0) and pathologic lymph node positivity (pN+). Kaplan Meier analyses and Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess overall survival (OS). We performed analyses among subsets of patients with clinical stage II (cT2) disease, as well as the entire cohort (cT2-T4). RESULTS: We identified 18,761 patients, including 18,027 with non-variant UC and 734 patients with MVUC. Multivariable analysis revealed that NAC use was associated with greater odds of pT0 (9.64[7.62-12.82], P<0.001), and the association did not differ significantly between MVUC and non-variant UC. In a propensity matched analysis of patients with MVUC, NAC use was associated with higher odds of pT0 (OR 4.93 [2.43-13.18] P<0.001), lower odds of pN+ (OR 0.52 [0.26-0.92] P=0.047) and pathologic upstaging (OR 0.63 [0.34-0.97] P=0.042) in all stages. Similar findings were observed with cT2 disease. No significant association was seen between NAC and OS with MVUC (HR 0.89 [0.46-1.10] P=0.63), including the subset of patients with cT2 (HR 0.83 [0.49-1.06] P=0.58). CONCLUSIONS: NAC is associated with similar pathologic and nodal responses in patients with localized MVUC and non-variant UC. Improvements in pathologic findings did not translate into OS in this retrospective hospital-based registry study.

Enzalutamide Monotherapy vs Active Surveillance in Patients With Low-risk or Intermediate-risk Localized Prostate Cancer: The ENACT Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: There are few published studies prospectively assessing pharmacological interventions that may delay prostate cancer progression in patients undergoing active surveillance (AS). Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of enzalutamide monotherapy plus AS vs AS alone in patients with low-risk or intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants: The ENACT study was a phase 2, open-label, randomized clinical trial conducted from June 2016 to August 2020 at 66 US and Canadian sites. Eligible patients were 18 years or older, had received a diagnosis of histologically proven low-risk or intermediate-risk localized prostate cancer within 6 months of screening, and were undergoing AS. Patients were monitored during 1 year of treatment and up to 2 years of follow-up. Data analysis was conducted in February 2021. Interventions: Randomized 1:1 to enzalutamide, 160 mg, monotherapy for 1 year or continued AS, as stratified by cancer risk and follow-up biopsy type. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was time to pathological or therapeutic prostate cancer progression (pathological, ≥1 increase in primary or secondary Gleason pattern or ≥15% increased cancer-positive cores; therapeutic, earliest occurrence of primary therapy for prostate cancer). Secondary end points included incidence of a negative biopsy result, percentage of cancer-positive cores, and incidence of a secondary rise in serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels at 1 and 2 years, as well as time to PSA progression. Adverse events were monitored to assess safety. Results: A total of 114 patients were randomized to treatment with enzalutamide plus AS and 113 to AS alone; baseline characteristics were similar between treatment arms (mean [SD] age, 66.1 [7.8] years; 1 Asian individual [0.4%], 21 Black or African American individuals [9.3%], 1 Hispanic individual [0.4%], and 204 White individuals [89.9%]). Enzalutamide significantly reduced the risk of prostate cancer progression by 46% vs AS (hazard ratio, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.33-0.89; P = .02). Compared with AS, odds of a negative biopsy result were 3.5 times higher; there was a significant reduction in the percentage of cancer-positive cores and the odds of a secondary rise in serum PSA levels at 1 year with treatment with enzalutamide; no significant difference was observed at 2 years. Treatment with enzalutamide also significantly delayed PSA progression by 6 months vs AS (hazard ratio, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.53-0.97; P = .03). The most commonly reported adverse events during enzalutamide treatment were fatigue (62 [55.4%]) and gynecomastia (41 [36.6%]). Three patients in the enzalutamide arm died; none were receiving the study drug at the time of death. No deaths were considered treatment-related. Conclusions and Relevance: The results of this randomized clinical trial suggest that enzalutamide monotherapy was well-tolerated and demonstrated a significant treatment response in patients with low-risk or intermediate-risk localized prostate cancer. Enzalutamide may provide an alternative treatment option for patients undergoing AS. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02799745.

A meta-analysis on the use of radiotherapy after prostatectomy: adjuvant versus early salvage radiation.

To determine which method of radiotherapy proves more effective after prostatectomy: Adjuvant (ART) or early salvage (ESRT), we observed the pathologic and adverse risk factors of patients and their results from both treatments, looking specifically at biochemical-free survival rates, metastasis-free survival rates, and overall survival rates. Peer review articles containing their own data collected between 1986 and 2022 were reviewed. We reviewed 67 peer review articles and included 33 that met criteria. Studies focused on the adverse risk factors and the results of patients either before/after receiving adjuvant or early salvage/salvage radiotherapy were included in the analysis. Patient characteristics had an effect on what treatment a patient would receive; if a patient had more than one adverse risk factor such as a high Gleason score, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, T-stage, or positive margins, they would receive immediate radiation after prostatectomy, which would classify as ART. If the patient had no adverse risk factors after surgery, they would be placed in an observation period to follow their PSA and overall health, and only if necessary, undergo ESRT. Of the 33 studies, ART was proven to be only slightly more beneficial when relating to biochemical recurrence-free survival while ART and ESRT results were similar in metastasis-free survival and overall survival. ART and ESRT are overall comparable in their patient outcomes, despite their own unique pros and cons. The use of ESRT reduces overtreatment in men who may not experience biochemical recurrence. However, in those with very high-risk pathologic features, a multi-disciplinary approach should be utilized to best determine which mode of radiation therapy after surgery is recommended.

Risk of Cognitive Effects in Comorbid Patients With Prostate Cancer Treated With Androgen Receptor Inhibitors.

Prostate cancer (PC) is primarily a disease of older men. As the risk of neurocognitive decline increases as people age, cognitive dysfunction is a potential complication in men with PC, imposing detrimental effects on functional independence and quality of life. Importantly, risk of cognitive decline may increase with exposure to androgen deprivation therapy and other hormonal therapies. Particular consideration should be given to patients with castration-resistant PC (CRPC), many of whom require continuous, long-term androgen deprivation therapy combined with a second-generation androgen receptor inhibitor. Non-comparative evidence from interventional trials of androgen receptor inhibitors in men with non-metastatic CRPC suggests differential effects on cognitive function and central nervous system-related adverse events within this drug class. Drug-drug interactions with concomitant medications for chronic, non-malignant comorbidities differ among ARIs and thus may contribute further to cognitive impairment. Hence, establishing baseline cognitive function is a prerequisite to identifying subsequent clinical decline associated with androgen receptor-targeted therapies. Although brief, sensitive screening tools for cancer-related cognitive dysfunction are lacking, mental status can be ascertained from the initial medical history and neurocognitive examination, progressing to more in-depth evaluation when impairment is suspected. On-treatment neurocognitive monitoring should be integrated into regular clinical follow-up to preserve cognitive function and quality of life throughout disease management. This review summarizes the multiple factors that may contribute to cognitive decline in men with CRPC, awareness of which will assist clinicians to optimize individual treatment. Practical, clinic-based strategies for managing the risks for and symptoms of cognitive dysfunction are also discussed.

Incidence, risk factors, and outcome of Clostridioides difficile infection following urological surgeries.

PURPOSE: To assess the incidence, risk factors, and clinical outcomes associated with (Clostridioides difficile infection) CDI following urological surgery, which is the leading cause of nosocomial diarrhea and a growing public health burden. METHODS: We queried the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) to identify patients undergoing urological surgery in 2015-2016. We evaluated the 30-day incidence and factors associated with postoperative CDI and 30-day hospital readmission and length of stay as secondary outcomes. Among the subset of patients undergoing radical cystectomy with urinary diversion (surgery with highest CDI incidence) we used multivariable logistic regression analysis to evaluate independent clinical and demographic factors associated with postoperative CDI. RESULTS: We identified 98,463 patients during the study period. The overall 30-day incidence of CDI was 0.31%, but varied considerably across surgery type. The risk of CDI was greatest following radical cystectomy with urinary diversion (2.72%) compared to all other urologic procedures (0.19%) and was associated with increased risk of hospital readmission (p < 0.0001), re-operation (p < 0.0001), and longer mean length of stay (p < 0.0001) in this cohort. Among patients undergoing radical cystectomy with urinary diversion, multivariable logistic regression revealed that preoperative renal failure (OR: 5.30, 95% CI 1.13-24.9, p = 0.035) and blood loss requiring transfusion (OR: 1.67, 95% CI 1.15-2.44, p = 0.0075) were independently associated with CDI. CONCLUSIONS: In a nationally representative cohort, the incidence of CDI was low but varied substantially across surgery types. CDI was most common following radical cystectomy and associated with potentially modifiable factors such as blood transfusion and significantly longer length of stay.

Subcutaneous in situ gel delivered leuprolide acetate's consistent and prolonged drug delivery maintains effective testosterone suppression independent of age and weight in men with prostate cancer.

Objectives: To assess the impact of patient age and weight on the pharmacokinetics (PK), testosterone (T) suppression and safety from four fixed dosing regimens (7.5, 22.5, 30, or 45 mg for 1-, 3-, 4-, or 6-months, respectively) of subcutaneous in situ gel delivered leuprolide acetate (Gel-LA) injected via the ATRIGEL Delivery System in patients with prostate cancer (PCa). Patients and methods: Two patient populations were specified for analysis: a small cohort of surgically castrated PCa patients and a large, pooled population of PCa patients from four pivotal trials of Gel-LA. Two separate analyses of the impact of age and weight on study endpoints were conducted: (1) PK and safety of a single monthly dose of Gel-LA in a Phase 1 study with PCa patients who had undergone bilateral surgical orchiectomy ("Bilaterally orchiectomized male study"); (2) PK/pharmacodynamic (PD) effects and safety using pooled data from four pivotal trials assessing 1-, 3-, 4-, and 6-month dosing of Gel-LA in patients with advanced PCa, stratified by age and body weight (pivotal trials). Results: Eight orchiectomized patients from the "Bilaterally orchiectomized male study" and 438 patients from the pivotal trials were included in the analyses. Age and body weight did not appear to affect the PK results in the orchiectomized patient population. Pooled pivotal trial data showed that serum T levels did not appear to be influenced by age or weight; ≥90% of patients across all age groups and ≥92% of patients across all weight groups achieved T ≤ 50 ng/dL by week 4. Median T levels for castration (T ≤ 50 ng/dL) were maintained from week 3 until the end of the study and all subgroups achieved median T ≤ 20 ng/dL by week 4. Patients from the orchiectomized patient study did not report any serious treatment-related adverse events (AEs) and there were no AE-related withdrawals from the study. The most common AEs were hot flashes and injection site events. The safety profiles from pivotal trials have been previously described and, as expected, were consistent with known effects of LHRH agonist therapy and suppression of T levels. Conclusion: PK and PD of Gel-LA appear to be unaffected by age and body weight, as demonstrated by persistence of effective drug levels through the dosing period and consistent T suppression across different ages and body weights.

Effectiveness of Subcutaneously Administered Leuprolide Acetate to Achieve Low Nadir Testosterone in Prostate Cancer Patients.

Evidence suggests lower nadir testosterone levels during the first year of androgen deprivation therapy improve advanced prostate cancer clinical outcomes. We evaluated pivotal trials for subcutaneously administered leuprolide acetate (1-, 3-, 4-, and 6-month doses) to determine nadir testosterone levels. Pooled analysis showed 99%, 97%, and 91% of patients reached nadir testosterone ≤20, ≤10, and ≤5 ng/dL respectively (median ≤3 ng/dL). Across all available categories, $88% of patients reached nadir testosterone ≤5 ng/dL, and <3% experienced a microsurge. Achievement and maintenance of low nadir testosterone levels may improve progression-free survival and time to onset of castrate-resistant prostate cancer.

The association of lymph node dissection with 30-day perioperative morbidity among men undergoing minimally invasive radical prostatectomy: analysis of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP).

BACKGROUND: The incremental morbidity of lymph node dissection (LND) among men undergoing radical prostatectomy remains uncertain. We therefore evaluated  the association of LND with perioperative morbidity among men undergoing minimally invasive radical prostatectomy (MIRP). METHODS: We identified 29,012 men aged 35-89 who underwent MIRP from 2010-2015 in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database, of whom 47% underwent concomitant LND. The associations of LND with 30-day perioperative morbidity and mortality were evaluated using logistic regression, adjusted for patient features. RESULTS: Median age at surgery was 63 (IQR 57, 67) years. There were statistically significant, but clinically insignificant, differences in several baseline characteristics stratified by performance of LND, including older age at surgery (p < 0.001), higher American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) class (p < 0.001), and longer operative time (p < 0.001) for men who underwent LND. Overall, 30-day complications occurred in 4.3% of patients. There were no statistically significant differences in rates of 30-day complications (4.2 vs. 4.4%, p = 0.44), perioperative blood transfusion (1.7 vs. 1.7%, p = 0.99), hospital readmission (3.6 vs. 4.0%, p = 0.09), reoperation (1.1 vs. 1.1%, p = 0.80), or 30-day mortality (0.1 vs. 0.2%, p = 0.56) between patients who underwent MIRP alone or MIRP with LND, respectively. On multivariable analysis, LND was not significantly associated with an increased risk of perioperative morbidity or 30-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: LND at the time of MIRP does not appear to be associated with an increased risk of perioperative morbidity.

Salvage Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection After Fluciclovine Positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Detected Prostate Cancer Recurrence.

Background: Multiple new systemic agents have been targeted to metastatic prostate cancer, with decreased progression of disease but no cure. Surgical management of metastatic disease has been gaining interest, primarily in the setting of high-risk prostatectomies. However, metastasis-directed surgical intervention has been employed in rare scenarios, especially in oligometastatic disease. We report here on a salvage robot-assisted pelvic lymph node dissection for a solitary metastatic site. Case Presentation: A 63-year-old Hispanic man who was initially treated with prostatectomy for intermediate risk cancer developed rapid biochemical recurrence. After salvage radiation, fluciclovine positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) scan showed a solitary pelvic lymph node metastasis. A robot-assisted laparoscopic pelvic lymph node dissection was carried out, with subsequent nadir of his prostate-specific antigen at 0.026. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first report of salvage pelvic lymph node dissection after metastatic detection by fluciclovine PET/CT scan. Our patient experienced a complete biochemical response; however, it remains to be seen whether this will be a lasting response. Surgical resection of metastatic sites in prostate cancer offers a safe alternative to systemic therapy and avoids systemic side effects.

Nonmetastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer: A Modern Perspective.

Nonmetastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC) presents a challenge to urologists as currently there are no Food and Drug Administration-approved therapies. However, there are new imaging modalities, including fluciclovine positron emission tomography-computed tomography and Ga-PSMA (prostate specific membrane antigent) positron emission tomography-computed tomography, which are improving accuracy of diagnosis. With improved imaging, we are better able to target therapy. Today there are 3 ongoing clinical trials studying second-generation antiandrogens in nmCRPC, which hold the promise of a new treatment paradigm. In this article, we will review the new imaging techniques and the rationale behind novel treatment modalities in nmCRPC.

Perioperative Morbidity of Open Versus Minimally Invasive Partial Nephrectomy: A Contemporary Analysis of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: In recent years, there has been a shift to minimally invasive partial nephrectomy (MIPN) with the dissemination of robot-assisted technology. However, contemporary data on the comparative morbidity of open partial nephrectomy (OPN) and MIPN are lacking. We, therefore, evaluated the perioperative morbidity of OPN and MIPN using a contemporary national cohort. METHODS: We identified 13,658 patients aged 18 to 89 who underwent PN from 2010 to 2015 in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database, of whom 9018 (66.0%) underwent MIPN. The associations of MIPN with 30-day morbidity were evaluated using logistic regression, adjusted for patient features. RESULTS: Median age at surgery was 60 (interquartile range [IQR] 51, 68) years. Overall, 30-day complications occurred in 6.7% of patients. Compared with OPN, MIPN was associated with lower rates of 30-day complications (4.9% vs 10.1%, p < 0.0001), perioperative blood transfusion (3.8% vs 12.5%, p < 0.0001), prolonged hospitalization (5.6% vs 23.4%, p < 0.0001), readmission (4.4% vs 7.8%, p < 0.0001), reoperation (1.8% vs 3.2%, p < 0.0001), and 30-day mortality (0.3% vs 0.6%, p = 0.001). On multivariable analysis, MIPN was independently associated with a reduced risk of 30-day complications (odds ratio [OR] 0.46, p < 0.0001), perioperative blood transfusion (OR 0.27, p < 0.0001), prolonged hospitalization (OR 0.19, p < 0.0001), readmission (OR 0.59, p < 0.0001), and reoperation (OR 0.57, p < 0.0001). Postoperative complications occurred predominantly early after surgery, whereas hospital readmissions and reoperation occurred at a consistent rate. CONCLUSIONS: In this contemporary national cohort, MIPN was independently associated with reduced rates of 30-day complications, perioperative blood transfusion, prolonged hospitalization, hospital readmission, and reoperation, compared with OPN.

The association of age with perioperative morbidity and mortality among men undergoing radical prostatectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Older age is considered a relative contraindication to radical prostatectomy (RP). However, data are limited regarding the impact of age on perioperative outcomes following RP. We examined the association of age with perioperative outcomes following RP to inform risk-stratification and management. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We identified 35,968 men aged 18 to 89 years who underwent RP from 2010 to 2015 in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. The associations of age with 30-day complications and perioperative morbidity were evaluated using logistic regression, adjusted for patient features. Age was modeled both as a categorical and nonlinear continuous variable. RESULTS: Median age at surgery was 63 years (IQR: 58-67). Increasing age was associated with greater rates of perioperative morbidity. Compared to men aged<60 years, men aged 70 to 89 years had statistically significantly higher rates of 30-day complications (6.4% vs. 4.4%, P<0.0001), perioperative blood transfusion (6.0% vs. 3.7%, P<0.0001), readmission (4.9% vs. 3.9%, P<0001), and 30-day mortality (0.3% vs. 0.1%, P<0.0001). In multivariable analyses, older age was independently associated with increased risks of perioperative morbidity. Moreover, there was a nonlinear relationship of age with perioperative morbidity, wherein rates of 30-day complications, perioperative blood transfusion, and readmission increased after approximately 70 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: In this national cohort, we observed a nonlinear association of age with perioperative morbidity, with increasing rates of 30-day complications, perioperative blood transfusion, and readmission after approximately 70 years of age. These results have implications for risk-stratification, patient counseling, and treatment selection among older men.

The State of Prescreening Discussions About Prostate-specific Antigen Testing Following Implementation of the 2012 United States Preventive Services Task Force Statement.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the quality of prescreening discussions has changed following release of the United States Preventive Services Task Force statement against prostate cancer screening. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used the 2012 and 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys. Respondents were categorized based on the year in which they responded to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey. Quality of prescreening discussion was operationalized as having discussed only advantages, only disadvantages, both advantages and disadvantages, or neither. Race/ethnicity, education level, income, insurance status, and having a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level actually drawn after prescreening counseling served as confounders in our multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Among 217,053 men in the analytic sample, 37% were told about only advantages of PSA screening compared to 30% of men who were advised about both advantages and disadvantages. Men who were told about neither advantages nor disadvantages were more likely to be Hispanic, not graduate high school, have low income, and not have insurance. Controlling for covariates, men in 2014 were significantly more likely to have undergone PSA testing without having discussed either advantages or disadvantages than men in 2012. CONCLUSION: Comprehensive prescreening discussions about advantages and disadvantages of PSA testing are critical to informed decision making about prostate cancer screening. Disparities not only exist with regard to the quality of prescreening discussions that patients receive from their providers prior to PSA testing across categories of race/ethnicity, education, income, and insurance status, but these disparities became more substantial between 2012 and 2014. Further investigation is warranted to elicit more specific reasons behind these variations.

The Role of a Standardized Clinical Care Pathway in Patient Satisfaction and Quality of Life Outcomes after Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Clinical care pathways reduce length of stay, variability in practice and costs, yet avoid compromising quality of care or increasing complications. In this study we describe a standardized care pathway, focusing on preoperative and postoperative education as well as immediate postoperative patient care after robotic assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. METHODS: A standardized robotic assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy care pathway was introduced at our institution in July 2014. A total of 108 men who underwent robotic assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy during 2014 were enrolled in this retrospective chart review and were subsequently mailed a quality of life survey. Data regarding length of stay and number of unplanned calls to the urology office or visits to the emergency department were collected from the chart review. The mailed survey was composed of original questions as well as questions adapted from the FACT-P (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Prostate). Patients who underwent robotic assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy between January and June 2014 were compared to those who underwent the same surgery between July and December 2014. RESULTS: Demographically the 2 cohorts of men who underwent robotic assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy were similar. There was a significant reduction in postoperative length of stay in the post-care pathway cohort. Hospital readmissions were reduced by 75%. Despite earlier discharge home, there was no difference in the number of postoperative calls to the urology office or visits to the emergency department, or in overall patient satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of a standardized care pathway for patients undergoing robotic assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy at our institution resulted in a reduced postoperative length of stay and readmission rate. Despite a more rapid discharge from the hospital, patient satisfaction and postoperative quality of life were not negatively impacted.

Upgrading and upstaging at radical prostatectomy in the post-prostate-specific antigen screening era: an effect of delayed diagnosis or a shift in patient selection?

Prostate cancer management changed in recent times given the recommendation against prostate-specific antigen screening, adherence to active surveillance, and "cytoreductive" surgery. We hypothesized that radical prostatectomy (RP) findings changed as well. All consecutive RPs (n=1348) and first time prostate needle biopsies (n=1719) in a period of 9 years were reviewed. The cohort was separated into 3 groups: (1) from May 2006 to April 2009, (2) from May 2009 to April 2012, and (3) from May 2012 to April 2015. The number of RPs decreased 15% from 551 in group 1 to 476 in group 2 and decreased a further 35% to 311 in group 3. Pure Gleason 6 (grade group 1) decreased from 46% in group 1 to 24% in group 2 (P<.001) to 12% in group 3 (P<.001). Gleason score 4+3=7 (grade group 3) increased from 9.8% in group 1 to 13.4% in group 2 (P=.07) to 20.6% in group 3 (P=.01). Gleason score 8, 9, or 10 (grade groups 4 and 5) increased from 0.9% in group 1 to 8.4% in group 2 (P<.001) to 13.2% in group 3 (P=.04). Pathologic stage pT3 or above increased from 15.5% in group 1 to 29.2% in group 2 (P<.01) to 38.3% in group 3 (P=.01). In needle biopsies, there was no difference in number of cancer diagnoses, number of positive cores, or distribution of grades among 3 groups. More patients with low-risk disease are opting for active surveillance, and patients with high-risk disease are offered cytoreductive surgery. Lack of similar changes in needle biopsies suggests that a decrease in screening is not playing a role in the changes seen at RPs.

The Use of Biomarkers in Prostate Cancer Screening and Treatment.

Prostate cancer screening and diagnosis has been guided by prostate-specific antigen levels for the past 25 years, but with the most recent US Preventive Services Task Force screening recommendations, as well as concerns regarding overdiagnosis and overtreatment, a new wave of prostate cancer biomarkers has recently emerged. These assays allow the testing of urine, serum, or prostate tissue for molecular signs of prostate cancer, and provide information regarding both diagnosis and prognosis. In this review, we discuss 12 commercially available biomarker assays approved for the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. The results of clinical validation studies and clinical decision-making studies are presented. This information is designed to assist urologists in making clinical decisions with respect to ordering and interpreting these tests for different patients. There are numerous fluid and biopsy-based genomic tests available for prostate cancer patients that provide the physician and patient with different information about risk of future disease and treatment outcomes. It is important that providers be able to recommend the appropriate test for each individual patient; this decision is based on tissue availability and prognostic information desired. Future studies will continue to emphasize the important role of genomic biomarkers in making individualized treatment decisions for prostate cancer patients.

Endourologic and Open Ureterolithotomy and Common Sheath Reimplant for Large Bladder and Distal Ureteral Calculi.

A twenty-eight-year-old female with a history of suprapubic pain and recurrent urinary tract infections presents for urology referral with a kidney, ureter, and bladder radiograph showing a 4.4 cm bladder calculus and 6.5 cm distal left ureteral stone. She underwent effective cystolitholapaxy of the bladder stone. Endourologic attempt (left ureteroscopy) was unsuccessful because of ureteral stone burden. Findings at ureteroscopy revealed a duplicated system on the left with the lower pole moiety joining just proximal to the ureteral orifice. The stone was found to be in the upper pole moiety ureter. An open ureterolithotomy was performed with intraoperative ureteroscopic laser lithotripsy and common sheath ureteral reimplant. Furthermore, a previously placed stent was found to be encrusted at the time of the ureterolithotomy. Effective ureteroscopy and lasering were performed through the ureterotomy up to the renal pelvis of the upper pole ureter.

Intravesical Hemostatic Clip Migration After Robotic Prostatectomy: Case Series and Review of the Literature.

INTRODUCTION: The Weck Hem-o-lok™ Ligating clip is a routinely used hemostatic tool in robotic and laparoscopic surgery. It has been the practice in our institution to use such clips for hemostasis of the vascular bundles during robotic prostatectomy. Migration of such clips has been reported in the literature as single case reports. In this study, we present a case series of intravesical Weck clip extrusions presenting as bladder calculi. Such events have led to a change in our practice, and more research is needed to assess the impact of this change. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted over the period 2006-2011. Patients included in the study required cystoscopic intervention for removal of encrusted or impacted Weck clips. Primary data points included type of intervention required, time to presentation, and number of presentations. Postoperative anastomotic leak, duration of postoperative hospital stay, and initial operative time were also investigated. RESULTS: Out of 570 total men undergoing robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALRP), eight required return to the operating room for clip extraction (1.4%). Extraction methods included laser lithotripsy, blunt litholapaxy, and grasper extraction. Men experiencing clip migration were hospitalized for a longer period of time (7.6 days vs. 2.1 days, P < .01) and they required more blood transfusions (1.4 units vs. 0.05 units, P < .01) than men who did not experience clip migration. The most common site for clip intrusion was the bladder neck. Average time to presentation was 1.75 years. DISCUSSION: Weck clip migration is a recognized complication of robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy. Men with recurrent urinary tract infection, bothersome voiding symptoms, or hematuria following RALRP should be considered for cystoscopic evaluation. Increased length of hospital stays and the need for a larger volume blood transfusion following prostatectomy were significant predictors of clip migration. More research is needed to determine if implemented changes to our surgical technique have mitigated these risks.