Complete Transurethral Resection before Radical Cystectomy May Improve Oncological Outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to assess the impact of complete transurethral resection of bladder tumors (TURBTs) before radical cystectomy on pathological and oncological outcomes of patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and high-risk non-MIBC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The charts of all patients who underwent radical cystectomy for bladder cancer in 2 academic departments of urology between 1996 and 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the completeness of the last endoscopic resection before radical cystectomy: macroscopically complete transurethral resection (complete) or macroscopically incomplete transurethral resection (incomplete). The primary end point was the recurrence-free survival (RFS). Secondary end points included cancer-specific survival (CSS) and rates of pT0 and downstaging. RESULTS: Out of 486 patients included for analysis, the TURBT immediately preceding radical cystectomy was considered macroscopically complete in 253 patients (52.1%) and incomplete in 233 patients (47.9%). In multivariate analysis, macroscopically complete TURBT was the strongest predictor of both pT0 disease (OR = 3.1; p = 0.02) and downstaging (OR = 7.1; p < 0.0001). After a median follow-up of 41 months, macroscopically complete TURBT was associated with better RFS (5-year RFS: 57 vs. 37%; p < 0.0001) and CSS (5-year CSS: 70.8 vs. 54.5%; p = 0.002). In multivariate analysis adjusting for multifocality, weight of endoscopic resection specimen, cT4 stage on preoperative imaging, interval between endoscopic resection and radical cystectomy, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, pT stage, and associated carcinoma in situ, macroscopically complete endoscopic resection remained the main predictor of better RFS (HR = 0.4; p = 0.0003) and the only preoperative factor associated with CSS (HR = 0.5; p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: A macroscopically complete TURBT immediately preceding radical cystectomy may improve pathological and oncological outcomes in patients with MIBC and high-risk MIBC.

Robotic versus open radical cystectomy throughout the learning phase: insights from a real-life multicenter study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) has been shown to be non-inferior to open radical cystectomy (ORC) for the treatment of bladder cancer (BC). However, most data on RARC come from high-volume surgeons at high-volume centers. The objective of the study was to compare perioperative and mid-term oncologic outcomes of RARC versus ORC in a real-life cohort of patients treated by surgeons starting their experience with RARC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were prospectively collected from consecutive patients undergoing RARC and ORC at five referral Centers between 2010 and 2016 by five surgeons (one per center) with no prior experience in RARC. Patients with high-risk non-muscle-invasive or organ-confined muscle-invasive (T2N0M0) bladder cancer were considered for RARC. The main study endpoints were perioperative outcomes, postoperative surgical complications, and mid-term oncologic outcomes. RESULTS: Overall, 124 and 118 patients underwent RARC and ORC, respectively. Baseline patients' and tumors' characteristics were comparable between the two groups. Yet, the proportion of patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy was significantly higher in the RARC cohort. Median operative time was significantly higher, while median EBL, LOH, and transfusion rates were significantly lower after RARC. Median number of lymph nodes removed was significantly higher after RARC. All other histopathological outcomes, as well as the rate of early (< 30 days) and late postoperative complications, were comparable to ORC. At a median follow-up of 2 years, 29 (23%) and 41 (35%) patients developed disease recurrence (p = 0.05), while 20 (16%) and 37 (31%) died of bladder cancer (p = 0.005) after RARC and ORC, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: With proper patient selection, RARC was non-inferior to ORC throughout the surgeons' learning phase. Yet, the observed differences in oncologic outcomes suggest selection bias toward adoption of RARC for patients with more favorable disease characteristics.

Perioperative outcomes and complications of intracorporeal vs extracorporeal urinary diversion after robot-assisted radical cystectomy for bladder cancer: a real-life, multi-institutional french study.

PURPOSE: To compare perioperative outcomes and complications of extracorporeal (ECUD) vs intracorporeal urinary diversion (ICUD) in patients after undergoing robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) at five referral centers in France. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed our multi-institutional, prospectively-collected database to select patients undergoing RARC between 2010 and 2016 with at least 3 months of follow-up. At each center, the surgery was performed by one surgeon with extensive experience in robotic surgery and radical cystectomy but no prior experience in RARC. RESULTS: Overall, 108 patients were included. ECUD and ICUD were performed in 34 (31.5%) and 74 (68.5%) patients, respectively. Patient characteristics were comparable among the two groups, except for a higher proportion of patients with high surgical risk (ASA score ≥ 3) in the ECUD group. Ileal conduit and ileal neobladder were performed in 63/108 (58%) and 45/108 (42%) cases, respectively. Ileal conduit was performed more often with an extracorporeal approach while ileal neobladder with an intracorporeal approach. Overall, operative time, length of hospital stay, positive margin rate, and number of lymph nodes removed did not significantly differ among the two cohorts. Estimated blood loss and transfusion rates were significantly higher in the ECUD group. Rate of early (38.2 vs 47.3%, p = 0.4) and late (29.4 vs 18.9%, p = 0.2) surgical complications did not significantly differ between the ECUD and ICUD groups. Results were comparable in the subgroup analysis in the ileal conduit subpopulation. CONCLUSION: In our real-life, multi-institutional study, RARC with ICUD achieved perioperative outcomes and complication rates comparable to those of RARC with ECUD.

The Management of Distal Ureter During Radical Nephroureterectomy Does Not Influence Bladder Recurrence.

Purpose: The bladder cuff (BC) management and its surgical approach represent an essential and debated step in radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for upper tract urothelial carcinoma. The objective of our study was to determine which BC management has the best oncologic outcomes in terms of bladder recurrence-free survival (BRFS). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed all patients who underwent an open robot-assisted laparoscopic (RNU) or a combined RNU between March 2012 and March 2019 in three academic hospitals. BC management approaches were divided into two categories: (O-cuff) open BC and (R-cuff) robot-assisted BC. We assessed demographic characteristics, distal ureter approach, pathology, and operative details, as well as oncologic outcomes including BRFS. Survival was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. A multivariable analysis was performed to identify predictive factors of bladder recurrence (BR). Results: A total of 117 patients were included with a mean follow-up of 40.4 months. Patients with a history of bladder cancer, RNU with pure laparoscopic approach, and endoscopic BC were excluded. There were 53 (45%) patients in the O-cuff group and 64 (55%) in the R-cuff group. BRFS at 2 years was 73.3% and 72.7% for O-cuff and R-cuff, respectively (p = 0.9). On multivariable analysis, distal ureter tumor (odds ratio: 6.24, 95% confidence interval: 1.95-21.5; p < 0.01) was associated with BR. Conclusion: There was no statistically significant difference in BRFS between the O-cuff and R-cuff groups. Nevertheless, we underlined that distal ureter tumor was associated with BR. Although we did not find differences regarding the surgical approach, BC remains a very important step of RNU and caution should be taken when performed laparoscopically to avoid any tumor spillage. Risk factors for bladder cancer recurrence might be taken into account for the choice of its surgical approach.

Novel Classification for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma to Better Risk-stratify Patients Eligible for Kidney-sparing Strategies: An International Collaborative Study.

BACKGROUND: The European Association of Urology risk stratification dichotomizes patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) into two risk categories. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the predictive value of a new classification to better risk stratify patients eligible for kidney-sparing surgery (KSS). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This was a retrospective study including 1214 patients from 21 centers who underwent ureterorenoscopy (URS) with biopsy followed by radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) for nonmetastatic UTUC between 2000 and 2017. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: A multivariate logistic regression analysis identified predictors of muscle invasion (≥pT2) at RNU. The Youden index was used to identify cutoff points. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: A total of 811 patients (67%) were male and the median age was 71 yr (interquartile range 63-77). The presence of non-organ-confined disease on preoperative imaging (p < 0.0001), sessile tumor (p < 0.0001), hydronephrosis (p = 0.0003), high-grade cytology (p = 0.0043), or biopsy (p = 0.0174) and higher age at diagnosis (p = 0.029) were independently associated with ≥pT2 at RNU. Tumor size was significantly associated with ≥pT2 disease only in univariate analysis with a cutoff of 2 cm. Tumor size and all significant categorical variables defined the high-risk category. Tumor multifocality and a history of radical cystectomy help to dichotomize between low-risk and intermediate-risk categories. The odds ratio for muscle invasion were 5.5 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3-24.0; p = 0.023) for intermediate risk versus low risk, and 12.7 (95% CI 3.0-54.5; p = 0.0006) for high risk versus low risk. Limitations include the retrospective design and selection bias (all patients underwent RNU). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with low-risk UTUC represent ideal candidates for KSS, while some patients with intermediate-risk UTUC may also be considered. This classification needs further prospective validation and may help stratification in clinical trial design. PATIENT SUMMARY: We investigated factors predicting stage 2 or greater cancer of the upper urinary tract at the time of surgery for ureter and kidney removal and designed a new risk stratification. Patients with low or intermediate risk may be eligible for kidney-sparing surgery with close follow-up. Our classification scheme needs further validation based on cancer outcomes.

Pretreatment Risk Stratification for Endoscopic Kidney-sparing Surgery in Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: An International Collaborative Study.

BACKGROUND: Several groups have proposed features to identify low-risk patients who may benefit from endoscopic kidney-sparing surgery in upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate standard risk stratification features, develop an optimal model to identify ≥pT2/N+ stage at radical nephroureterectomy (RNU), and compare it with the existing unvalidated models. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This was a collaborative retrospective study that included 1214 patients who underwent ureterorenoscopy with biopsy followed by RNU for nonmetastatic UTUC between 2000 and 2017. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: We performed multiple imputation of chained equations for missing data and multivariable logistic regression analysis with a stepwise selection algorithm to create the optimal predictive model. The area under the curve and a decision curve analysis were used to compare the models. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Overall, 659 (54.3%) and 555 (45.7%) patients had ≤pT1N0/Nx and ≥pT2/N+ disease, respectively. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis of our model, age (odds ratio [OR] 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0-1.03, p = 0.013), high-grade biopsy (OR 1.81, 95% CI 1.37-2.40, p < 0.001), biopsy cT1+ staging (OR 3.23, 95% CI 1.93-5.41, p < 0.001), preoperative hydronephrosis (OR 1.37 95% CI 1.04-1.80, p = 0.024), tumor size (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01-1.17, p = 0.029), invasion on imaging (OR 5.10, 95% CI 3.32-7.81, p < 0.001), and sessile architecture (OR 2.31, 95% CI 1.58-3.36, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with ≥pT2/pN+ disease. Compared with the existing models, our model had the highest performance accuracy (75% vs 66-71%) and an additional clinical net reduction (four per 100 patients). CONCLUSIONS: Our proposed risk-stratification model predicts the risk of harboring ≥pT2/N+ UTUC with reliable accuracy and a clinical net benefit outperforming the current risk-stratification models. PATIENT SUMMARY: We developed a risk stratification model to better identify patients for endoscopic kidney-sparing surgery in upper tract urothelial carcinoma.

What Is Better for Predicting Morbidity of Robotic Partial Nephrectomy-A Score or Your Clinical Judgement?

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the predictive value of surgeon's judgement to estimate perioperative outcomes following robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of surgeon's intuition to estimate perioperative outcomes of patients undergoing RPN and compare its predictive value with that of objective scoring systems. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: We prospectively analysed 100 consecutive patients who underwent RPN. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: RENAL, PADUA, and MAP scores were calculated based on preoperative imaging. The surgeon gave a subjective estimation of the technical difficulty and the risk of postoperative complications of RPN immediately before and after surgery using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Correlation between scores, VAS, estimated blood loss (EBL), operative time (OT), and warm ischaemia time (WIT) were examined. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the best predictors of overall complications. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to assess the accuracy of VAS and scoring systems to predict trifecta achievement. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: RENAL, PADUA, and MAP scores significantly correlated with surgeon's pre- and postoperative VAS evaluation, with the RENAL score showing the strongest correlation (r=0.49 and r=0.34, respectively). Pre- and postoperative VAS scores had the strongest correlation with EBL (r=0.48 and r=0.59, respectively), OT (r=0.44 and r=0.65, respectively), and WIT (r=0.37 and r=0.47, respectively). In multivariate analysis adjusted for anticoagulant/antiplatelet treatment, body mass index, surgeon's experience, and Charlson comorbidity index, only surgeon's prediction could significantly predict overall complications (odds ratio=5.42, p <0.001). Finally, surgeon's intuition was better to predict trifecta accomplishment than all radiological scores (ROC areas under the curves were 0.76 and 0.77 for pre- and postoperative VAS scores, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Surgeon's clinical assessment is a good predictor of perioperative outcomes of RPN and seems to perform better than conventional scores. PATIENT SUMMARY: In this report, we found that surgeon's clinical feeling can better predict perioperative morbidity of robotic partial nephrectomy than conventional radiological scores.