Prognostic value of subclassification (pT2 stage) of pathologically organ-confined prostate cancer: Confirmation of the changes introduced in the 8th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system.

OBJECTIVE: The last edition of the AJCC staging system eliminated the pT2 subclassification of prostate cancer (PCa). Our objective was to evaluate the association of pT2 subclassification with the oncological results of patients with PCa who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP). MATERIAL AND METHODS: We evaluated 367 patients who underwent RP between 2009 and 2016, with pT2 disease in the final pathological evaluation. We assessed differences in rates of biochemical recurrence (BCR), metastasis and mortality between T2 substages (pT2a/b vs pT2c). RESULTS: Fifty-three (14.4%) patients presented pT2a/b disease and 314 (85.6%) pT2c disease. The mean follow-up time was 4.9 ± 2.6 years. Grade group scores (p = 0.1) and prostate specific antigen (PSA) (p = 0.2) did not differed between pT2 substages. The rate of BCR in pT2a/b and pT2c patients was 11.3% and 18.2%, respectively (p = 0.2). Five (9.4%) patients with pT2a/b and 45 (14.3%) with pT2c substage underwent salvage radiotherapy (p = 0.3). The rate of positive surgical margins did not differ between groups (p = 0.2). Seven (2.2%) patients with pT2c had lymph nodes or distant metastases. The overall survival was 92.5% and 93.6% in pT2a/b and pT2c, respectively (p = 0.2). CONCLUSION: Our results are in accordance with the changes introduced in the 8th edition of the AJCC staging system in which the pT2 subclassification was eliminated.

Surveillance as a safe and effective option for treatment of stage I seminoma.

Introdubction: Stage I seminoma has a very good prognosis, yet approximately 15% have subclinical metastatic disease and will relapse after orchidectomy alone. Several management approaches have been investigated. We aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of real-world patients with stage I seminoma, analysing prognostic factors influencing treatment choice and oncological outcomes. METHODS: Retrospective, single institution study, with 55 patients diagnosed with clinical stage I seminoma between 2007 and 2020. Selected patients were analysed regarding three management approaches - surveillance, adjuvant radiotherapy and adjuvant carboplatin AUC7. Overall survival and progression-free survival outcomes were analysed. Predictors of treatment choice were determined, and predictors of recurrence were analysed in patients on active surveillance. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 91 months (13-165). Overall survival at 10 years was 98.2%. Stage I seminoma patients had a 1-, 3- and 10-year progression free survival of 98%, 94% and 89%, respectively. Three-year progression free survival was 92.0% for those on active surveillance (IC95%, 91.5-92.5%), 95.2% for carboplatin (IC95%, 94.8-95.6%) and 100% for those on adjuvant radiotherapy (p > 0.05). All relapses on active surveillance protocols occurred during the first 24 months. Overall, 43% of patients who underwent adjuvant treatment reported adverse effects of therapy, with higher incidence on radiotherapy group (63%). CONCLUSIONS: Stage I seminoma have excellent prognosis, high cure rates, and low treatment-associated morbidity. Active surveillance is a safe modality when applied to selected patients. Adjuvant radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy with carboplatin show similar results, with fewer adverse effects on chemotherapy arm.

Predicting bladder cancer risk in patients with hematuria. A single-centre retrospective study.

INTRODUCTION: The presence of blood in the urine should be promptly investigated to rule out urological malignancies, bladder cancer being the most frequent. Given its frequency among general population and the lack of unlimited health resources in an era of cost-effectiveness, it is important to prioritize patients with higher risk of malignancy. OBJECTIVES: To identify predictive factors of bladder cancer among patients presenting with hematuria. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 296 cases referred to our department for hematuria. We evaluated different demographic, clinical and ultrasound features to uncover possible associations with diagnosis of bladder cancer in those patients, to estimate the individual risk of being diagnosed with bladder cancer during the investigation of hematuria. RESULTS: A total of 296 patients were studied for hematuria between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2019, 23.6% of those having ultimately bladder cancer confirmed after transurethral resection. Older age, male gender (OR 2.727, p = 0.069), a history of smoking (OR 3.84, p < 0.05), recurrent hematuria (OR 3.396, p < 0.05) and positive ultrasound exam for bladder cancer (OR 30.423, p < 0.05) were identified as predictors of bladder cancer in patients with hematuria. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that it is possible to reliably estimate the risk of bladder cancer in patients with hematuria, using clinical and imaging data to help defining who should be investigated first and in whom the investigation could be postponed.

Leiomyoma with bizarre nuclei of the scrotum: a rare entity.

Leiomyomas of the paratesticular region are a rare entity. A subtype of leiomyomas called bizarre nuclei leiomyoma is even rarer and histologically present some interesting features that are important to recognise to make the differential diagnosis with its malignant counterpart-leiomyosarcoma. We present a case of a man in his 60s, who presented with a painless mass on the right testicle. The clinical diagnosis was of an epidermoid cyst. The mass was excised and a diagnosis of leiomyoma of bizarre nuclei was made.

Predicting negative ureteroscopy for stone disease - Minimizing risk and cost.

INTRODUCTION: Urolithiasis is common worldwide, with ureteric stones being a particular burden. Ureteroscopy (URS) is one of the most useful procedures in treating ureteric stones not passed spontaneously; this procedure has a complication risk of 4%. Negative URS, with described rates up to 15%, represents an avoidable patient risk and use of medical resources. OBJECTIVES: To describe rates and identify predictive factors for negative URS and to define strategies which would minimize patient and financial burden from these unnecessary procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective cohort study analyzed patients who underwent URS in our Center to treat ureteric stones over a period of 2 years. Patient age, gender, and comorbidities, as well as laboratory and imaging findings, were analyzed. RESULTS: 262 patients underwent URS for ureteric stones. The female population was 50.8% with a mean age of 56.89 years. A total of 78 (29.8%) URS procedures were negative. Univariate analysis showed a higher prevalence of negative URS in female patients, as well as in primary, smaller, and radiolucent stones. At multivariate analysis, a logistic regression model correctly classified 76% of patients, with smaller stone size and radiolucency being significant predictors of negative URS. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Our Center showed a high rate of negative URS, higher than commonly described in the literature. Female patients tend to have an even higher rate, possibly due to unnoticed passage of stones. Patients with small, radiolucent stones showed the highest rates of negative URS.

Novel hormonal agents for metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: comparing outcomes. A single-center retrospective study.

INTRODUCTION: Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, accounting for 15% of all diagnosed cancers and is the sixth leading cause of cancerrelated deaths amongst men worldwide. Abiraterone and enzalutamide were the first two novel hormonal agents approved for the treatment of metastatic prostate cancer but there is a lack of quality evidence regarding which is associated with better outcomes and who would benefit the most with one or another of these drugs. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of real-world patients submitted to treatment with novel hormonal agents, enzalutamide and abiraterone, for castration resistant metastatic prostate cancer in an academic center. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients treated for castration-resistant prostate cancer with either abiraterone or enzulatamide between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2019. The primary endpoints were biochemical response, biochemical progression, radiological progression, clinical deterioration (attributed to disease progression) and death. RESULTS: Enzalutamide had a higher biochemical response rate than abiraterone in patients with mCRPC (77.1% vs 58.1%, p = 0.016). Achieving a biochemical response was associated with a lower risk of biochemical progression (OR: 0.248, p = 0.017) and death (OR: 0.302, p = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: Enzalutamide conferred higher biochemical response rate than abiraterone in patients with mCRPC. Despite the trend to better performance of other endpoints in the enzalutamide group, it did not achieve statistical significance. Well-designed prospective studies are needed to elucidate the comparative efficacies of these agents.

Statins Prevent Biochemical Recurrence of Prostate Cancer After Radical Prostatectomy: A Single-center Retrospective Study with a Median Follow-up of 51.20 Months.

INTRODUCTION: Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men. Radical prostatectomy is a potentially curative alternative for localized disease, although a significant percentage of these patients will suffer a biochemical recurrence with associated mortality. A wide spectrum of anticancer properties of statins has been demonstrated and the role of these drugs in prevention and treatment of other types of cancer is being increasingly studied. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether the use of statins is associated with reduced risk of biochemical recurrence among patients submitted to radical prostatectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 875 patients submitted to radical prostatectomy between January 2009 and December 2018. Approximately 45.7% of the patients were on medication with statins at the time of surgery. We evaluated a possible association between statin use and biochemical recurrence and which patients would benefit the most with statin treatment. RESULTS: Overall, statins were associated with an approximately 40% reduction in risk of biochemical recurrence at a median follow-up time of 51.2 months (HR 0.599, p<0.05). Patients with pT2c staging (HR 0.486, p=0.017) and ISUP ≥3 (HR 0.61, p=0.011) seem to have benefited more from statin use. CONCLUSION: In this cohort, use of statins proved beneficial in reducing the risk of biochemical recurrence among patients submitted to radical prostatectomy. Prospective studies are required to confirm this result and to evaluate its safety profile in those patients.

Impact of Positive Surgical Margins After Partial Nephrectomy.

BACKGROUND: The impact of positive surgical margins (PSMs) after partial nephrectomy (PN) is controversial. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk factors for a PSM and its impact on overall survival. DESIGN SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: This is a retrospective study of 388 patients were submitted to PN between November 2005 and December 2016 in a single centre. Two groups were created: PSM and negative surgical margin (NSM) after PN. A p value of <0.05 was considered significant. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Relationships with outcome were assessed using univariable and multivariable tests and log-rank analysis. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: The PSM rate was 3.8% (N = 16). The mean age at the time of surgery (PSM group: 64.1 ± 11.3 vs NSM group: 61.8 ± 12.8 yr, p = 0.5) and the mean radiological tumour size (4.0 ± 1.5 vs 3.4 ± 1.8 cm, p = 0.2) were similar. Lesion location (p = 0.3), surgical approach (p = 0.4), warm ischaemia time (p = 0.9), and surgery time (p = 0.06) had no association with PSM. However, higher surgeon experience was associated with a lower PSM incidence (2.6% if ≥30 PNs vs 9.6% if <30 PNs; p = 0.02). Higher operative blood loss (p = 0.02), higher-risk tumours (p = 0.03), and larger pathological size (p = 0.05) were associated with an increase in PSM. In the PSM group, recurrence rate (18.7% vs 4.2%, p = 0.007) and secondary total nephrectomy rate (25% vs 4.4%, p < 0.001) were higher. However, overall survival was similar. Multivariate analysis revealed that high-risk tumour (p = 0.05) and low experience (p = 0.03) could predict a PSM. Limitations include retrospective design and reduced follow-up time. CONCLUSIONS: PSMs were mainly associated with high-risk pathological tumour (p = 0.05) and low-volume surgeon experience. Recurrence rate and need for total nephrectomy were higher in that group, but no impact on survival was noticed. PATIENT SUMMARY: The impact of positive surgical margins (PSMs) after partial nephrectomy is a matter of debate. In this study, we found that PSMs were mainly associated with aggressive disease and low surgeon experience.