Incidental diagnosis of bladder cancer in a national observational study in spain.

INTRODUCTION: Bladder cancer (BC) is a common malignancy in Spain. The aims of this study were: to identify the proportion of patients diagnosed with BC incidentally or after symptomatic presentation in a contemporary period in Spain; to compare demographic, clinical, and pathologic characteristics between these groups. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of a multi-centre observational study of 26 hospitals in the Spanish National Health System of all BCs newly diagnosed in 2011. The study represented 21.5% of the Spanish population and hospitals were selected in proportion to Spain's regions to ensure a representative sample. Patients were categorized by whether the cancer was diagnosed incidentally or after symptomatic presentation and baseline demographic, pathologic, and clinical characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: 2472 were newly diagnosed with BC at the 26 participating Spanish hospitals with 308 (12.5%) of cases diagnosed incidentally and 2164 (87.5%) diagnosed after symptomatic presentation. No differences were observed between patients diagnosed incidentally vs. symptomatically in terms of demographics or measured co-morbidities. Compared to symptomatically diagnosed bladder tumours, those diagnosed incidentally were more likely to have a papillary appearance, to be significantly smaller, and less likely to have positive/suspicious cytology. Additionally, incidentally diagnosed bladder tumours were less likely to be muscle-invasive (11.7% vs. 25.0%, p < 0.01) nor aggressive at pathology, with 33.6% Grade 3 compared to 50.1%, (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: We identified a significant percentage (12.5%) of new bladder cancer diagnosis made incidentally in a representative sample of the Spanish population. These tumours exhibited less aggressive pathologic characteristics than their symptomatic counterparts.

New insights into germ cell tumor genomics.

BACKGROUND: Testicular germ cell tumors (GCTs) represent the most common malignancy in young men. While GCTs represent a model for curable solid tumors due to exquisite chemosensitivity, mortality for patients with GCT comprises the most life years lost for non-pediatric malignancies. Given limited options for patients with platinum-resistant disease, improved insight into GCT biology could identify novel therapeutic options for patients with platinum-resistant disease. Recent studies into molecular characteristics of both early stage and advanced germ cell tumors suggest a role for rationally targeted agents and potentially immunotherapy. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS: Recent GWAS meta-analyses have uncovered additional susceptibility loci for GCT and provide further evidence that GCT risk is polygenic. Chromosome arm level amplifications and reciprocal loss of heterozygosity have been described as significantly enriched in GCT compared to other cancer types. Contemporary analyses confirm ubiquitous gain of isochromosome 12 and mutations in addition to previously described GCT-associated genes such as KIT and KRAS. Alterations within the TP53-MDM2 signal transduction pathway appear to be enriched among patients with platinum-resistant disease. Potentially actionable targets, including alterations in TP53-MDM2, Wnt/ß-catenin, PI3K, and MAPK signaling, are present in significant proportions of patients with platinum-resistant disease and may be exploited as therapeutic options. Pre-clinical and early clinical data also suggest a potential role for immunotherapy among patients with GCTs. CONCLUSION: Molecular characterization of GCT patients may provide biologic rationale for novel treatment options in patients with platinum-resistant disease.

Formalin disinfection of prostate biopsy needles may reduce post-biopsy infectious complications.

BACKGROUND: We sought to determine whether formalin disinfection of prostate biopsy needles between cores reduces post-biopsy urinary tract infections (UTIs). METHODS: We reviewed a single-surgeon experience of transrectal prostate biopsies from 2010 to 2014. Biopsies were performed in either an operative suite, where 10% formalin was used to disinfect the needle tip between each biopsy core, or an outpatient clinic, where formalin was not used. Our primary outcome was post-biopsy UTI rates, defined as a positive urine culture within 30 days of biopsy. Infection severity was characterized by the need for admission. Patient demographics, prostate size, prior biopsies, prior UTIs, pre-biopsy antibiotics and cultures and post-biopsy cultures were analyzed. Logistic regression was used to assess predictors of post-biopsy UTIs. Statistical significance was defined as P<0.05. RESULTS: A total of 756 patients were included for analysis, including 253 who received formalin disinfection and 503 who did not. Of these, 32 patients (4.2%) experienced post-biopsy UTIs, with 8 requiring admission (all without formalin use). Infection rates were more than double in the group that did not receive formalin (5.2% vs 2.3%, P=0.085). More patients in the formalin group had undergone prior biopsies (73.9% vs 31.8%, P<0.001). On multivariable analysis, prior UTI (odds ratio (OR) 3.77, P=0.006) was a significant predictor for post-biopsy infection, whereas formalin disinfection trended towards a protective effect (OR 0.41, P=0.055). CONCLUSION: Infectious complications following prostate biopsy may be mitigated by the use of formalin disinfection of the biopsy needle between cores.

Physical exam and ultrasound characteristics of right varicocoeles in adolescents with left varicocoeles.

The published incidence of bilateral varicocoeles in adults is much higher than among adolescents. We investigated our adolescent varicocoele database to determine (i) the presence of subclinical and palpable right varicocoele s in boys with a left varicocoele, (ii) the effect, if any, of right varicocoele on asymmetry measurements and (iii) the difference in duplex doppler ultrasound (DDUS) findings between left varicocoele s and contralateral right varicocoele s. Among 506 boys with a known left varicocoele who underwent DDUS, the incidence of right clinical and subclinical varicocoele s as well as the influence of Tanner stage, varicocoele grade, laterality, peak retrograde flow (PRF) and maximum vein diameter (MVD) on testicular volume and asymmetry was examined using univariate and multivariate linear regression. Right retrograde flow was detected in 204 of 506 (40.3%) boys. Varicocoele grades were subclinical in 89 (18%), grade I in 51 (10%), grade II in 63 (12%) and grade III in 1 (0.2%). In patients with bilaterally palpable varicocoele s, increasing left grade was associated with greater testicular asymmetry (p = 0.02) and increasing right grade was associated with less testicular asymmetry (p = 0.01). Mean PRF and MVD values were lower in right as compared to left varicocoele s. Contrary to common perception, both subclinical and palpable right varicocoele s are frequently associated with left varicocoele s in adolescents. Although the contribution of right varicocoele s to fertility is controversial, these right varicocoele s can influence clinically relevant parameters, particularly testicular asymmetry, and thus influence which left varicocoele s undergo surgery.

Diagnóstico incidental del cáncer de vejiga en España. Estudio observacional a nivel nacional / Incidental diagnosis of bladder cancer in a national observational study in Spain

Introducción El cáncer de vejiga (CV) es una neoplasia frecuente en España. Los objetivos de este estudio fueron: identificar la proporción de pacientes diagnosticados de CV de forma incidental o tras la presentación de síntomas en un periodo contemporáneo en España; comparar las características demográficas, clínicas y patológicas entre estos grupos. Métodos El presente fue un análisis retrospectivo de un estudio observacional multicéntrico realizado en 26 hospitales del Sistema Nacional de Salud español, incluyendo a todos los nuevos diagnósticos de CV en 2011. El estudio representó 21,5% de la población española y los hospitales fueron seleccionados de forma proporcional a las regiones españolas para asegurar una muestra representativa. Los pacientes fueron categorizados según el diagnóstico de cáncer incidental o tras la presentación sintomática y se analizaron las características demográficas, patológicas y clínicas basales. Resultados En los 26 hospitales españoles incluidos en el estudio, se diagnosticaron 2.472 casos de CV, de los cuales 308 (12,5%) fueron diagnosticados de forma incidental y 2.164 (87,5%) tras la presentación de síntomas. No se observaron diferencias entre los pacientes diagnosticados incidentalmente frente a los sintomáticos en términos demográficos o de comorbilidades evaluadas. En comparación con los tumores de vejiga con diagnostico posterior a la presentación de síntomas, los diagnósticos incidentales tenían más probabilidades de ser tumores papilares, significativamente más pequeños y de tener una citología positiva/sospechosa. Además, los tumores de vejiga diagnosticados incidentalmente tenían menos probabilidades de ser músculo-invasivos (11,7 vs. 25%, p < 0,01) y de ser agresivos en el estudio patológico, con 33,6% de grado 3 vs. 50,1% (p < 0,01). Conclusiones Identificamos un porcentaje significativo (12,5%) de nuevos diagnósticos de CV realizados de forma incidental en una muestra representativa de la población española (AU)

Introduction Bladder cancer (BC) is a common malignancy in Spain. The aims of this study were: to identify the proportion of patients diagnosed with BC incidentally or after symptomatic presentation in a contemporary period in Spain; to compare demographic, clinical, and pathologic characteristics between these groups. Methods This was a retrospective analysis of a multi-centre observational study of 26 hospitals in the Spanish National Health System of all BCs newly diagnosed in 2011. The study represented 21.5% of the Spanish population and hospitals were selected in proportion to Spain's regions to ensure a representative sample. Patients were categorized by whether the cancer was diagnosed incidentally or after symptomatic presentation and baseline demographic, pathologic, and clinical characteristics were analyzed. Results 2472 were newly diagnosed with BC at the 26 participating Spanish hospitals with 308 (12.5%) of cases diagnosed incidentally and 2164 (87.5%) diagnosed after symptomatic presentation. No differences were observed between patients diagnosed incidentally vs. symptomatically in terms of demographics or measured co-morbidities. Compared to symptomatically diagnosed bladder tumours, those diagnosed incidentally were more likely to have a papillary appearance, to be significantly smaller, and less likely to have positive/suspicious cytology. Additionally, incidentally diagnosed bladder tumours were less likely to be muscle-invasive (11.7% vs. 25.0%, P < .01) nor aggressive at pathology, with 33.6% Grade 3 compared to 50.1%, (P < .01). Conclusions We identified a significant percentage (12.5%) of new bladder cancer diagnosis made incidentally in a representative sample of the Spanish population. These tumours exhibited less aggressive pathologic characteristics than their symptomatic counterparts (AU)