Learning curve for intracorporeal robotic Padua ileal bladder: 10-year functional assessment from a high-volume single-centre series.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of the learning curve (LC) on perioperative and long-term functional outcomes of a consecutive single-centre series of robot-assisted radical cystectomy with Padua intracorporeal orthotopic neobladder. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients treated between 2013 and 2022 were included, with ≥1 year of follow-up. The entire cohort was divided in tertiles. Categorical and continuous variables were compared. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to identify significant changes over the decade in linear slope of the 1-year day- and night-time continence. Uni- and multivariable Cox regression analyses identified predictors of day- and night-time continence recovery. Day-time continence was defined as 'totally dry' (no pads), night-time continence as pad wetness ≤50 mL (one safety pad). RESULTS: Overall, 200 patients were included. The mean hospital stay (P = 0.002) and 30-day complications (P = 0.04) significantly reduced over time; the LC significantly impacted on Trifecta achievement (P < 0.001). The 1-year day- and night-time continence probabilities displayed a significant improving trend (day-time continence annual average percentage change [AAPC] 11.45%, P < 0.001; night-time continence AAPC 10.05%, P = 0.009). The LC was an independent predictor of day- (hazard ratio [HR] 1.008; P < 0.001) and night-time continence (HR 1.004; P = 0.03) over time. CONCLUSION: Patients at the beginning of the LC had significantly longer hospitalisations, more postoperative complications, and lower Trifecta rates. At the 10-year analyses, we observed a significant improving trend for both the 1-year day- and night-time continence probabilities, highlighting the crucial role of the LC. However, we are unable to assess the case volume needed to achieve a plateau in terms of day- and night-time continence rates.

Qualitative Assessment of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in Differentiating Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma and Oncocytoma.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess whether clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) can be differentiated from renal oncocytoma (RO) on a contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). METHODS: Between January 2021 and October 2022, we retrospectively queried and analyzed our prospectively maintained dataset. Renal mass features were scrutinized with conventional ultrasound imaging (CUS) and CEUS. All lesions were confirmed by histopathologic diagnoses after nephron-sparing surgery (NSS). A multivariable analysis was performed to identify the potential predictors of ccRCC. The area under the curve (AUC) was depicted in order to assess the diagnostic accuracy of the multivariable model. RESULTS: A total of 126 renal masses, including 103 (81.7%) ccRCC and 23 (18.3%) RO, matched our inclusion criteria. Among these two groups, we found significant differences in terms of enhancement (homogeneous vs. heterogeneous) (p < 0.001), wash-in (fast vs. synchronous/slow) (p = 0.004), wash-out (fast vs. synchronous/slow) (p = 0.001), and rim-like enhancement (p < 0.001). On the multivariate logistic regression, heterogeneous enhancement (OR: 19.37; p = <0.001) and rim-like enhancement (OR: 3.73; p = 0.049) were independent predictors of ccRCC. Finally, these two variables had an AUC of 82.5% and 75.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnostic imaging for presurgical planning is crucial in the choice of either conservative or radical management. CEUS, with its unique features, revealed its usefulness in differentiating ccRCC from RO.

Regional differences in total hospital costs for radical cystectomy in the United States.

OBJECTIVES: To test for regional differences in total hospital costs (THC) across the United States in bladder cancer patients treated with open radical cystectomy (ORC) or robotic-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC). MATERIALS: We relied on the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database (2016-2019) and stratified RC patients according to census region (Midwest, Northeast, South, West). Primary statistical analyses consisted of THC-trend analyses and multivariable log-link linear regression models, after adjustment for hospital clustering (Generalized Estimating Equation function) and discharge disposition weighting. Finally, sensitivity analysis, relying on most favorable patient cohort, was performed. RESULTS: Of 5280 eligible patients, 1441 (27%), 1031 (20%), 1854 (35%) and 954 (18%) underwent RC in the Midwest, Northeast, South and West, respectively. Median THC was 28,915$ and differed significantly between regions (Midwest: 28,105$; Northeast: 28,886$; South: 26,096$; West: 38,809$; p < 0.001). After stratification between ORC and RARC, highest THC was invariably recorded in the West: ORC 36,137$ vs 23,941-28,850$ and RARC 43,119$ vs 28,425-29,952$ (both p < 0.05). In multivariable log-link linear regression models, surgery in the West was independently associated with higher THC: ORC (Exponent beta [Exp[ß]]: 1.39; 95%-CI: 1.32-1.47; p < 0.001) and RARC (Exp[ß]: 1.46; 95%-CI: 1.38-1.55; p < 0.001). Results remained unchanged when analyses were refitted in most favorable patient subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: Important regional differences in ORC and RARC THC distinguish the West from other United States regions. The THC discrepancy clearly requires closer examination to identify underlying processes that contribute to inflated costs in the West.

Performance of Node-RADS Scoring System for a Standardized Assessment of Regional Lymph Nodes in Bladder Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: Current cross-sectional imaging modalities exhibit heterogenous diagnostic performances for the detection of a lymph node invasion (LNI) in bladder cancer (BCa) patients. Recently, the Node-RADS score was introduced to provide a standardized comprehensive evaluation of LNI, based on a five-item Likert scale accounting for both size and configuration criteria. In the current study, we hypothesized that the Node-RADS score accurately predicts the LNI and tested its diagnostic performance. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed BCa patients treated with radical cystectomy (RC) and bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection, from January 2019 to June 2022. Patients receiving preoperative systemic chemotherapy were excluded. A logistic regression analysis tested the correlation between the Node-RADS score and LNI both at patient and lymph-node level. The ROC curves and the AUC depicted the overall diagnostic performance. In addition, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for different cut-off values (>1, >2, >3, >4). RESULTS: Overall, data from 49 patients were collected. Node-RADS assigned on CT scans images, was found to independently predict the LNI after an adjusted multivariable regression analysis, both at the patient (OR 3.36, 95%CI 1.68-9.40, p = 0.004) and lymph node (OR 5.18, 95%CI 3.39-8.64, p < 0.001) levels. Node-RADS exhibited an AUC of 0.87 and 0.91 at the patient and lymph node levels, respectively. With increasing Node-RADS cut-off values, the specificity and PPV increased from 57.1 to 97.1% and from 48.3 to 83.3%, respectively. Conversely, the sensitivity and NPV decreased from 100 to 35.7% and from 100 to 79.1%, respectively. Similar trends were recorded at the lymph node level. Potentially, Node-RADS > 2 could be considered as the best cut-off value due to balanced values at both the patient (77.1 and 78.6%, respectively) and lymph node levels (82.4 and 93.4%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The current study lays the foundation for the introduction of Node-RADS for the regional lymph-node evaluation in BCa patients. Interestingly, the Node-RADS score exhibited a moderate-to-high overall accuracy for the identification of LNI, with the possibility of setting different cut-off values according to specific clinical scenarios. However, these results need to be validated on larger cohorts before drawing definitive conclusions.

Life expectancy in metastatic urothelial bladder cancer patients according to race/ethnicity.

PURPOSE: to compare observed overall survival vs age-adjusted lifetable (LT) derived life expectancy (LE) in metastatic urothelial bladder cancer (MBCa) patients according to race/ethnicity. METHODS: We identified Caucasian, African American, Hispanic/Latino and Asian metastatic urothelial bladder cancer patients from 2004 to 2011 within the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database. Social Security Administration tables were used to compute 5 year LE. LT-derived LE was compared to observed overall survival OS. Additionally, we relied on Poisson regression plots to display cancer-specific mortality (CSM) relative to other-cause mortality (OCM) for each race/ethnicity. RESULTS: Overall, 2286 MBCa patients were identified. Of those, 1800 (79%) were Caucasian vs 212 (9.3%) African American vs 189 (8.3%) Hispanic/Latino vs 85 (3.7%) Asians. The median age at diagnosis was 71 years for Asians vs 70 for Caucasians vs 67 for Hispanic/Latinos vs 67 for African Americans. African Americans showed the biggest difference between observed OS and LT-predicted LE at five years (- 83.8%), followed by Hispanic/Latinos (- 81%), Caucasians (- 77%) and Asian patients (- 69%). In Poisson regression plots, Hispanic/Latinos displayed the highest cancer-specific mortality rate (88%), while African/Americans showed the highest other cause mortality rate (12%). Conversely, Asian patients displayed the lowest CSM rate (83%) and second lowest OCM rate (7%). CONCLUSIONS: African Americans showed the least favorable survival profile in MBCa, despite being youngest at diagnosis. Contrarily, Asians displayed the best survival profile in MBCa, despite being oldest at diagnosis.

Effect of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy on Complications, in-Hospital Mortality, Length of Stay and Total Hospital Costs in Bladder Cancer Patients Undergoing Radical Cystectomy.

Background: To test for differences in complication rates, in-hospital mortality, length of stay (LOS) and total hospital costs (THCs) in patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) prior to radical cystectomy (RC). Methods: Within the National (Nationwide) Inpatient Sample (NIS) database (2016−2019), we identified RC-treated, non-metastatic, lymph-node negative bladder cancer patients, stratified by NAC status. Trend analyses, multivariable logistic, multivariable Poisson and multivariable linear regression models were used. Results: We identified 4347 RC-treated bladder cancer patients. Of those, 805 (19%) received NAC prior to RC. Overall, complications rates did not differ (65 vs. 66%; p = 0.7). However, NAC patients harbored lower rates of surgical site (6 vs. 9%), cardiac (13 vs. 19%) and genitourinary (5.5 vs. 9.7%) complications. In-hospital mortality (<1.7 vs. 1.8%) and LOS (6 vs. 7 days) was lower in NAC patients (all p < 0.05). Moreover, NAC was an independent predictor of shorter LOS in multivariable Poisson regression models (Risk ratio: 0.86; p < 0.001) and an independent predictor for higher THCs in multivariable linear regression models (Odds ratio: 1474$; p = 0.02). Conclusion: NAC was not associated with higher complication rates and in-hospital mortality. Contrary, NAC was associated with shorter LOS, yet moderately higher THCs. The current analysis suggests no detriment from NAC in the context of RC.