Differences in overall survival of penile cancer patients versus population-based controls.

PURPOSE: To assess whether 5-year overall survival (OS) of squamous cell carcinoma of the penis (SCCP) patients differs from age-matched male population-based controls. METHODS: We relied on the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database (2004-2018) to identify newly diagnosed (2004-2013) SCCP patients. For each case, we simulated an age-matched control (Monte Carlo simulation), relying on the Social Security Administration (SSA) Life Tables with 5 years of follow-up. We compared OS between SCCP patients and population-based controls in a stage-specific fashion. Smoothed cumulative incidence plots displayed cancer-specific mortality (CSM) versus other-cause mortality (OCM). RESULTS: Of 2282 SCCP patients, the stage distribution was as follows: stage I 976 (43%) versus stage II 826 (36%) versus stage III 302 (13%) versus stage IV 178 (8%). At 5 years, OS of SCCP patients versus age-matched population-based controls was as follows: stage I 63% versus 80% (Δ = 17%), stage II 50% versus 80% (Δ = 30%), stage III 39% versus 84% (Δ = 45%), stage IV 26% versus 87% (Δ = 61%). At 5 years, CSM versus OCM in SCCP patients according to stage was as follows: stage I 12% versus 24%, stage II 22% versus 28%, stage III 47% versus 14%, and stage IV 60% versus 14%. CONCLUSION: SCCP patients exhibit worse OS across all stages. The difference in OS at 5 years between SCCP and age-matched male population-based controls ranged from 17% to 61%. At 5 years, CSM accounted for 12% to 60% of all deaths, across all stages.

Differences in future life expectancy of testicular germ-cell tumor patients vs. age-matched male population-based controls.

BACKGROUND: It is unknown whether five-year overall survival (OS) differs and to what extent between testicular germ-cell tumor (TGCT) patients and age-matched male population-based controls. MATERIALS: We identified newly diagnosed (2004-2014) TGCT patients within Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database 2004-2019. We compared OS between non-seminoma (NS-TGCT) and seminoma (S-TGCT) patients relative to age-matched male population-based controls based on Social Security Administration Life-Tables. Smoothed cumulative incidence plots displayed cancer-specific mortality (CSM) vs. other-cause mortality (OCM). RESULTS: Of all 20,935 TGCT patients, 43% had NS-TGCT and 57% had S-TGCT. Of NS-TGCT patients, 63% were stage I vs. 16% stage II vs. 21% stage III. Of S-TGCT patients, 86% were stage I vs. 8% were stage II vs. 6% stage III. Five-year OS differences between NS-TGCT patients vs age-matched male population-based controls were 97 vs. 99% (Δ = 2%) for stage I, 96 vs. 99% (Δ = 3%) for stage II, 76 vs 98% (Δ = 22%) for stage III. Five-year OS differences between S-TGCT patients vs age-matched male population-based controls were 97 vs. 98% (Δ = 1%) for stage I, 95 vs. 97% (Δ = 2%) for stage II, 87 vs. 98% (Δ = 11%) for stage III. OCM rates ranged from 1 to 3% in NS-TGCT patients and from 2 to 4% in S-TGCT patients. CONCLUSION: The OS difference between NS-TGCT patients vs. age-matched male population-based controls was invariably higher across all stages (2-22%) than for S-TGCT patients (1-11%). Reassuringly, OCM rates were marginal in stage I and stage II patients. Conversely, higher OCM rates were recorded in stage III patients.

Assessment of the VENUSS and GRANT Models for Individual Prediction of Cancer-specific Survival in Surgically Treated Nonmetastatic Papillary Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Background: Guidelines recommend VENUSS and GRANT models for the prediction of cancer control outcomes after nephrectomy for nonmetastatic papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC). Objective: To test the ability of VENUSS and GRANT models to predict 5-yr cancer-specific survival in a North American population. Design setting and participants: For this retrospective study, we identified 4184 patients with unilateral surgically treated nonmetastatic pRCC in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (2004-2019). Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: The original VENUSS and GRANT risk categories were applied to predict 5-yr cancer-specific survival. A cross-validation method was used to test the accuracy and calibration of the models and to conduct decision curve analyses for the study cohort. Results and limitations: The VENUSS and GRANT categories represented independent predictors of cancer-specific mortality. On cross-validation, the accuracy of the VENUSS and GRANT risk categories was 0.73 and 0.65, respectively. Both models showed good calibration and performed better than random predictions in decision curve analysis. Limitations include the retrospective nature of the study and the absence of a central pathological review. Conclusion: VENUSS risk categories fulfilled prognostic model criteria for predicting cancer-specific survival 5 yr after surgery in North American patients with nonmetastatic pRCC as recommended by guidelines. Conversely, GRANT risk categories did not. Thus, VENUSS risk categories represent an important tool for counseling, follow-up planning, and patient selection for appropriate adjuvant trials in pRCC. Patient summary: We tested the ability of two validated methods (VENUSS and GRANT) to predict death due to papillary kidney cancer in a North American population. The VENUSS risk categories showed good performance in predicting 5-year cancer-specific survival.

Adenocarcinoma of the Bladder: Assessment of Survival Advantage Associated With Radical Cystectomy and Comparison With Urothelial Bladder Cancer.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between radical cystectomy (RC) and cancer-specific mortality (CSM) in patients diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the bladder (ACB). Moreover, to directly compare the survival advantage of RC between ACB vs. urothelial bladder cancer (UBC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Non-metastatic muscle-invasive ACB and UBC patients were identified within Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (SEER 2000-2018). All analyses were stratified between RC vs. no-RC, in either organ-confined (OC: T2N0M0) or non-organ-confined (NOC: T3-4N0M0 or TanyN1-3M0) stages. Propensity score matching (PSM), cumulative incidence plots, competing risks regression (CRR) analyses, and 3 months' landmark analyses were performed. RESULTS: Overall, 1,005 ACB and 47,741 UBC patients were identified, of whom 475 (47%) and 19,499 (41%) were treated with RC, respectively. After PSM, comparison between RC vs. no-RC applied to 127 vs. 127 OC-ACB, 7,611 vs. 7,611 OC-UBC, 143 vs. 143 NOC-ACB, and 4,664 vs. 4,664 NOC-UBC patients. 36-month CSM rates in RC vs. no-RC patients were 14 vs. 44% in OC-ACB, 18 vs. 39% in OC-UBC, 49 vs. 66% in NOC-ACB, and 44 vs. 56% in NOC-UBC patients. In CRR analyses, the effect of RC on CSM yielded a hazard ratio of 0.37 in OC-ACB, of 0.45 in OC-UBC, of 0.65 in NOC-ACB and of 0.68 in NOC-UBC patients (all P values<0.001). Landmark analyses virtually perfectly replicated the results. CONCLUSIONS: In ACB, regardless of stage, RC is associated with lower CSM. The magnitude of this survival advantage was greater in ACB than in UBC, even after control for immortal time bias.

Super early detailed assessment of lower urinary tract symptoms after holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP): a prospective study.

PURPOSE: To prospectively investigate early and consecutive changes of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), specifically storage symptoms after holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP). METHODS: Patients referred for HoLEP completed the International Prostatic Symptom Score (IPSS) the day before, at discharge, and 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, and 52 weeks after HoLEP. Total IPSS was stratified into mild (score 0-7), moderate (8-19), and severe (20-35) LUTS. Storage symptoms were sub-stratified into storage "negative" and "positive". IPSS changes served as the main postoperative outcome. Mixed linear models identified risk factors affecting postoperative recovery of LUTS. RESULTS: Between December 2010 and 2012, 144 consecutive HoLEP patients were prospectively included in the study. Preoperatively 57.6% of the cohort reported severe storage symptoms (mean total IPSS: 22.6 ± 5.0). Total IPSS decreased significantly immediately after surgery (p < 0.001). Patients with severe LUTS, storage-positive sub-score, and high maximum urinary flow rate were affected by a rebound of mainly storage symptoms 6-8 weeks after HoLEP and prolonged recovery from LUTS. Of these, about 7.4% presented persisting urge complaints. Finally, 12 weeks following HoLEP, the vast majority of patients were symptom-free. Limitations of this study include missing urodynamic workup and a comparative patient cohort. CONCLUSION: Immediately after HoLEP, patients experience a significant decrease of LUTS. Continuous symptom recovery seems to be hampered in patients with severe and storage-positive baseline symptoms. (De-novo) storage symptoms slightly affect postoperative recovery. Quality of life is restored to a stable and significantly improved status 3 months after surgery.

The effect of annual surgical caseload on the rates of in-hospital pneumonia and other in-hospital outcomes after radical prostatectomy.

PURPOSE: To examine the effect of annual surgical caseload (ASC) on contemporary in-hospital pneumonia (IHP) rates and three other in-hospital outcomes after radical prostatectomy (RP). METHODS: Between 1999 and 2008, 34,490 open RPs were performed in the state of Florida. First, logistic regression models predicting the rate of IHP were fitted. Second, other logistic regression models examined the association between IHP and three other outcomes: in-hospital mortality, hospital charges within the highest quartile, and length of stay (LOS) within the highest quartile. Covariates included ASC, age, race, baseline Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), interval between admission and surgery, as well as blood transfusion. RESULTS: The overall IHP rate was 0.5%. It was higher in patients operated within the low (0.7%) and intermediate (0.5%) ASC tertile versus high ASC tertile (0.2%, P < 0.001). Mortality rate was 4.3% in IHP patients versus 0.1% in others (P < 0.001). Median total hospital charges and median LOS were $55,350 versus $28,171 and 7 versus 3 days in IHP patients versus others, respectively (both P < 0.001). In multivariable analyses predicting IHP, the likelihood was 3.2-fold in patients operated by low ASC surgeons versus high ASC surgeons (P < 0.001). Second, in multivariable analyses, IHP patients were predisposed to 41-fold higher in-hospital mortality, were tenfold more likely to have total hospital charges >$37,333, and were 20-fold more likely to have a LOS >3 days (all P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: RP by high ASC surgeons exerts a protective effect on IHP rates. Additionally, IHP is associated with higher in-hospital mortality, prolonged LOS, and higher hospital charges.

Assessment of pathological prostate cancer characteristics in men with favorable biopsy features on predominantly sextant biopsy.

BACKGROUND: The rate of insignificant prostate cancer (IPCa) is increasing. OBJECTIVES: To examine three end points in patients with a single, positive core and no high-grade prostate cancer (PCa) at biopsy, namely (1) rate of clinical IPCa at radical prostatectomy (RP), defined as organ-confined PCa with a Gleason score of 6 or lower and tumor volume<0.5 cc; (2) rate of pathologically unfavorable PCa at RP (Gleason 7-10 or non-organ-confined disease); and (3) ability to predict either insignificant or unfavorable PCa at RP. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Retrospective analysis of 209 men with one positive biopsy core showing Gleason 6 or lower. MEASUREMENTS: : Detailed clinical and RP data were used in multivariable logistic regression models. Their bias-corrected accuracy estimates were quantified using the area under the curve (AUC) method. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: At RP, IPCa was present in 28 patients (13.4%) and pathologically unfavorable PCa, defined as Gleason 7 or higher or non-organ-confined PCa, was reported in 70 (33.5%) of 209 men; when Gleason 8 or higher or non-organ-confined PCa was considered, the proportion fell to 11%. Our multivariable models predicting different categories of pathologically unfavorable PCa at RP had an accuracy rate between 56% and 68% for predicting IPCa at RP versus 65.1% to 66.1% and 61.7% for the IPCa nomograms of Kattan et al and Nakanishi et al, respectively. Our data are not applicable to screening because they originate from a referral population. CONCLUSIONS: Despite highly favorable biopsy features, between 11% and 33% of men had unfavorable PCa at RP and only a minority (13.4%) had pathologically confirmed IPCa. Neither clinically insignificant nor pathologically unfavorable features could be predicted with sufficient accuracy for clinical decision making.

Critical assessment of tools to predict clinically insignificant prostate cancer at radical prostatectomy in contemporary men.

BACKGROUND: Overtreatment of prostate cancer (PCa) is a concern, especially in patients who might qualify for the diagnosis of insignificant prostate cancer (IPCa). The ability to identify IPCa prior to definitive therapy was tested. METHODS: In a cohort of 1132 men a nomogram was developed to predict the probability of IPCa. Predictors consisted of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), clinical stage, biopsy Gleason sum, core cancer length and percentage of positive biopsy cores (percent positive cores). IPCa was defined as organ-confined PCa (OC) with tumor volume (TV) <0.5 cc and without Gleason 4 or 5 patterns. Finally, an external validation of the most accurate IPCa nomogram was performed in the same group. RESULTS: IPCa was pathologically confirmed in 65 (5.7%) men. The 200 bootstrap-corrected predictive accuracy of the new nomogram was 90% versus 81% for the older nomogram. However, in cutoff-based analyses of patients who were qualified by our and the older nomograms as high probability for IPCa, respectively 63% and 45% harbored aggressive PCa variants at radical prostatectomy (Gleason score 7-10, ECE, SVI, and/or LNI). CONCLUSIONS: Despite a high accuracy, currently available models for prediction of IPCa are incorrect in 10% to 20% of predictions. The rate of misclassification is even further inflated when specific cutoffs are used. As a consequence, extreme caution is advised when statistical tools are used to assign the diagnosis of IPCa.