Cumulative cancer locations on prostate biopsy and active surveillance outcomes in the MRI era.

BACKGROUND: To validate the use of a cumulative cancer locations (CCLO) score, a measurement of tumor volume on biopsy, and to develop a novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-informed CCLO (mCCLO) score to predict clinical outcomes on active surveillance (AS). METHODS: The CCLO score is a sum of uniquely involved sextants with prostate cancer on diagnostic + confirmatory biopsy. The mCCLO score incorporates MRI findings into the CCLO score. Participants included 1284 individuals enrolled on AS between 1994 and 2022, 343 of whom underwent prostate MRI. The primary outcome was grade reclassification (GR) to grade group ≥2 disease; the secondary outcome was receipt of definitive treatment. RESULTS: Increasing CCLO and mCCLO risk groups were associated with higher risk of GR and undergoing definitive treatment (both p < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, increasing mCCLO score was associated with higher risk of GR and receipt of definitive treatment (hazard ratios [HRs] per 1-unit increase: 1.26 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12-1.41] and 1.21 [95% CI: 1.07-1.36], respectively). The model using mCCLO score to predict GR (c-index: 0.671; 95% CI: 0.621-0.721) performed at least as well as models using the number of cores positive for cancer (0.664 [0.613-0.715]; p = 0.7) and the maximum percentage of cancer in a core (0.641 [0.585-0.696]; p = 0.14). CONCLUSIONS: The CCLO score is a valid, objective metric to predict GR and receipt of treatment in a large AS cohort. The ability of the MRI-informed mCCLO to predict GR is on par with traditional metrics of tumor volume but is more descriptive and may benefit from greater reproducibility. The mCCLO score can be implemented as a shorthand, informative tool for counseling patients about whether to remain on AS.

Risk of Biochemical Recurrence in Patients With Grade Group 1 Prostate Cancer With Extraprostatic Extension Treated With Radical Prostatectomy.

PURPOSE: We sought to examine the association of extraprostatic extension (EPE) with biochemical recurrence (BCR) separately in men with Grade Group (GG) 1 and GG2 prostate cancer (PCa) treated with radical prostatectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed our institutional database of patients who underwent radical prostatectomy for PCa between 2005 and 2022 and identified patients with GG1 and GG2 disease on final pathology. Fine-Gray competing risk models with an interaction between EPE (yes vs no) and GG (GG1 vs GG2) were used to examine the relationship between disease group and BCR-free survival. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 6309 men, of whom 169/2740 (6.2%) with GG1 disease had EPE while 1013/3569 (28.4%) with GG2 disease had EPE. Median follow-up was 4 years. BCR occurred in 400/6309 (6.3%) patients. For men with GG1, there was no statistically significant difference in BCR-free survival for men with vs without EPE (subdistribution HR = 0.88; 95% CI: 0.37-2.09). However, for GG2 patients BCR-free survival was significantly worse for those with vs without EPE (subdistribution HR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.54-2.52). CONCLUSIONS: Although there is a subset of GG1 PCas capable of invading through the prostatic capsule, patients with GG1 PCa and EPE at prostatectomy experience similar biochemical recurrence and survival outcomes compared to GG1 patients without EPE. However, among men with GG2, EPE connotes a worse prognosis.

Effect of type of definitive treatment on race-based differences in prostate cancer-specific survival.

BACKGROUND: Racial and ethnic disparities in prostate cancer (PCa) mortality are partially mediated by inequities in quality of care. Intermediate- and high-risk PCa can be treated with either surgery or radiation, therefore we designed a study to assess the magnitude of race-based differences in cancer-specific survival between these two treatment modalities. METHODS: Non-Hispanic Black (NHB) and non-Hispanic White (NHW) men with localized intermediate- and high-risk PCa, treated with surgery or radiation between 2004 and 2015 in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database were included in the study and followed until December 2018. Unadjusted and adjusted survival analyses were employed to compare cancer-specific survival by race and treatment modality. A model with an interaction term between race and treatment was used to assess whether the type of treatment amplified or attenuated the effect of race/ethnicity on prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM). RESULTS: 15,178 (20.1%) NHB and 60,225 (79.9%) NHW men were included in the study. NHB men had a higher cumulative incidence of PCSM (p = 0.005) and were significantly more likely to be treated with radiation than NHW men (aOR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.81-1.97, p < 0.001). In the adjusted models, NHB men were significantly more likely to die from PCa compared with NHW men (aHR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.03-1.35, p = 0.014), and radiation was associated with a significantly higher odds of PCSM (aHR: 2.10, 95% CI: 1.85-2.38, p < 0.001) compared with surgery. Finally, the interaction between race and treatment on PCSM was not significant, meaning that no race-based differences in PCSM were found within each treatment modality. CONCLUSIONS: NHB men with intermediate- and high-risk PCa had a higher rate of PCSM than NWH men in a large national cancer registry, though NHB and NHW men managed with the same treatment achieved similar PCa survival outcomes. The higher tendency for NHB men to receive radiation was similar in magnitude to the difference in cancer survival between racial and ethnic groups.

Identifying Men Who Can Remain on Active Surveillance Despite Biopsy Reclassification to Grade Group 2 Prostate Cancer.

PURPOSE: Men on active surveillance with Grade Group 1 prostate cancer who reclassify to Grade Group 2 on surveillance biopsy often leave active surveillance. We aimed to identify subgroups of men who can safely remain on active surveillance despite preoperative reclassification to Grade Group 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 249 active surveillance patients with surveillance biopsies classified as Grade Group 1 or Grade Group 2 who underwent radical prostatectomy. Perineural invasion, cancer volume, linear length and maximum percentage of Gleason pattern 4, and prostate-specific antigen density were evaluated. Radical prostatectomy adverse pathology was defined by any of: pN1; ≥pT3; ≥Grade Group 2 with ≥20% Gleason pattern 4; intraductal carcinoma; large cribriform glands. RESULTS: A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating prostate-specific antigen density and perineural invasion stratified radical prostatectomy adverse pathology risk among Grade Group 1 and Grade Group 2 active surveillance patients. 57% (39/68) of Grade Group 1 men reclassified to Grade Group 2 while on active surveillance had favorable radical prostatectomy pathology. Those without biopsy perineural invasion and with low prostate-specific antigen density were more likely to have favorable radical prostatectomy pathology. CONCLUSIONS: Most Grade Group 1 men who enter active surveillance and subsequently reclassify to Grade Group 2 have favorable findings at radical prostatectomy and can remain on active surveillance. Among patients reclassified to Grade Group 2, those with low prostate-specific antigen density and without perineural invasion had the lowest risk of radical prostatectomy adverse pathology, comparable to (or below) that of Grade Group 1 patients who were not reclassified to Grade Group 2 preoperatively. Prostate-specific antigen density and perineural invasion stratify risk in active surveillance patients reclassified to Grade Group 2 and, if concordant with other clinicopathological and radiographic findings, can enable more patients to remain on active surveillance. Reclassification to Grade Group 2 alone should not disqualify men from remaining on active surveillance.

Workplace absenteeism amongst patients undergoing open vs. robotic radical prostatectomy, hysterectomy, and partial colectomy.

BACKGROUND: There is controversy regarding the widespread uptake of robotic surgery across several surgical disciplines. While it has been shown to confer clinical benefits such as decreased blood loss and shorter hospital stays, some argue that the benefits of this technology do not outweigh its high cost. We performed a retrospective insurance-based analysis to investigate how undergoing robotic surgery, compared to open surgery, may impact the time in which an employed individual returns to work after undergoing major surgery. METHODS: We identified a cohort of US adults with employer-sponsored insurance using claims data from the MarketScan database who underwent either open or robotic radical prostatectomy, hysterectomy/myomectomy, and partial colectomy from 2012 to 2016. We performed multiple regression models incorporating propensity scores to assess the effect of robotic vs. open surgery on the number of absent days from work, adjusting for demographic characteristics and baseline absenteeism. RESULTS: In a cohort of 1157 individuals with employer-sponsored insurance, those undergoing open surgery, compared to robotic surgery, had 9.9 more absent workdays for radical prostatectomy (95%CI 5.0 to 14.7, p < 0.001), 25.3 for hysterectomy/myomectomy (95%CI 11.0-39.6, p < 0.001), and 29.8 for partial colectomy (95%CI 14.8-44.8, p < 0.001) CONCLUSION: For the three major procedures studied, robotic surgery was associated with fewer missed days from work compared to open surgery. This information helps payers, patients, and providers better understand some of the indirect benefits of robotic surgery relative to its cost.

The impact of underinsurance on bladder cancer diagnosis, survival, and care delivery for individuals under the age of 65 years.

BACKGROUND: Health insurance is a key mediator of health care disparities. Outcomes in bladder cancer, one of the costliest diseases to treat, may be especially sensitive to a patient's insurance status. METHODS: The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry and the National Cancer Data Base were used to identify individuals younger than 65 years who were diagnosed with bladder cancer from 2007 to 2014. The associations between the insurance status (privately insured, insured by Medicaid, or uninsured) and the following outcomes were evaluated: diagnosis with advanced disease, cancer-specific survival, delay in treatment longer than 90 days, treatment in a high-volume hospital, and receipt of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). RESULTS: Compared with those with private insurance, uninsured and Medicaid-insured individuals were nearly twice as likely to receive a diagnosis of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (odds ratio [OR] for uninsured individuals, 1.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.70-2.12; OR for Medicaid-insured individuals, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.87-2.20). They were also more likely to die of bladder cancer (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] for uninsured individuals, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.31-1.71; AHR for Medicaid-insured individuals, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.46-1.79). Delays in treatment longer than 90 days were more likely for uninsured (OR, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.12-1.65) and Medicaid-insured individuals (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.03-1.44) in comparison with the privately insured. Uninsured patients had lower odds of treatment at a high-volume facility, and Medicaid-insured patients had lower odds of receiving NAC (P < .001 for both). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with privately insured individuals, uninsured and Medicaid-insured individuals experience worse prognoses and poorer care quality. Expanding high-quality insurance coverage to marginalized populations may help to reduce the burden of this disease.

Genetic testing in male infertility - reassessing screening thresholds.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Genetic testing in male infertility is an essential part of the process of diagnosis. Genetic abnormalities, such as Y-chromosome microdeletion, chromosomal abnormalities and mutations for cystic fibrosis, can all negatively impact a male's fertility and can be tested for during a fertility evaluation. Both Y-chromosome microdeletion and chromosomal abnormalities increase in prevalence as sperm concentrations decrease, and azoospermic men have the greatest frequency of genetic abnormalities. RECENT FINDINGS: These genetic abnormalities can also be found in oligospermic men; however, on the basis of several recent studies, the prevalence of genetic abnormalities is lower in oligospermic men than previously thought. SUMMARY: The current screening thresholds are devised from the previously determined prevalences and have not been revised based on the emerging data; thus, in this review of the literature, we will discuss this new evidence and whether screening thresholds should be changed.

Impact of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with adverse features and variant histology at radical cystectomy for muscle-invasive carcinoma of the bladder: Does histologic subtype matter?

BACKGROUND: The use of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) in pure urothelial carcinoma of the bladder is established. Regarding variant histology, there is a gap in knowledge concerning the optimal treatment after radical cystectomy (RC). The objective of this study was to assess the effect of AC on overall survival (OS) in patients who had pure urothelial carcinoma, urothelial carcinoma with concomitant variant histology, or another pure variant histology. METHODS: Within the National Cancer Data Base, 15,397 patients who underwent RC for nonmetastatic, localized carcinoma of the bladder and had positive lymph nodes (T2N+) or locally advanced stage (≥T3N0/N+) were identified, excluding those who had previously received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to examine the specific effect of AC on OS stratified by each distinct histologic subtype, including pure urothelial carcinoma, micropapillary or sarcomatoid differentiation, squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and neuroendocrine tumors. To account for immortal time bias, Cox regression analyses and Kaplan-Meier analyses were conducted with a landmark at 3 months. RESULTS: In multivariable landmark analyses, AC compared with initial observation was associated with an OS benefit for patients who had pure urothelial carcinoma (hazard ratio, 0.87; 95% confidence interval, 0.82-0.91), whereas no differences were observed with regard to those who had variant histology. CONCLUSIONS: Multivariable Cox regression landmark analysis revealed a survival benefit from AC for patients with a pure urothelial carcinoma. However, a survival benefit of AC for patients who had urothelial carcinoma with concomitant variant histology or other pure variant histology was not demonstrated.

Impact of tumor, treatment, and access on outcomes in bladder cancer: Can equal access overcome race-based differences in survival?

BACKGROUND: There are race-based differences in bladder cancer survival. To better understand this phenomenon, this study was designed to assess the statistical contributions of tumor, treatment, and access variables to race-based differences in survival. METHODS: Data were extracted from the National Cancer Data Base on black and white adults with muscle-invasive bladder cancer from 2004 to 2015. The impact of tumor, access, and treatment variables on differences in survival was inferred by the performance of sequential propensity score-weighted analyses in which black and white patients were balanced with respect to demographics and health status (comorbidities) tumor characteristics, treatment, and access-related variables. The propensity score-weighted hazard of death (black vs white) was calculated after each iteration. RESULTS: This study identified 44,577 patients with a median follow-up of 77 months. After demographics and health status were balanced, black race was associated with 18% worse mortality (hazard ratio, 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-1.25; P < .001). Balancing by tumor characteristics reduced this to 16%, balancing by treatment reduced this to 10%, and balancing by access-related variables resulted in no difference. Access-related variables explained 40% (95% CI, 22.9%-57.0%) of the excess risk of death in blacks, whereas treatment factors explained 35% (95% CI, 22.2%-46.9%). The contribution of tumor characteristics was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: In the models, differences in survival for black and white patients with bladder cancer are best explained by disparities in access and treatment, not tumor characteristics. Access to care is likely a key factor in racial disparities in cancer.

Quality of Care in the Treatment of Localized Intermediate and High Risk Prostate Cancer at Minority Serving Hospitals.

PURPOSE: We investigated the quality of care at minority serving hospitals compared to other institutions for men with localized intermediate and high risk prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using the National Cancer Database we identified 536,539 men 40 years old or older who presented with localized intermediate and high risk prostate cancer in the United States between 2004 and 2015. Institutions were ranked according to the proportion of black and Hispanic patients treated at a given institution, and the top decile institutions were defined as minority serving hospitals. We used multivariable analyses to characterize the association between minority serving hospitals and 3 end points, including receipt of definitive treatment, time to definitive treatment and receipt of androgen deprivation therapy in young (65 years or younger) and healthy (no comorbidity) men treated with external beam radiation therapy. RESULTS: A total of 162 and 1,168 hospitals were defined as minority and nonminority serving hospitals, respectively. On multivariable analyses treatment at minority serving hospitals was associated with decreased odds of receiving definitive treatment (adjusted OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.62-0.85, p <0.001). Adjusted mean ± SE time to treatment was significantly longer at minority serving hospitals compared to nonminority serving hospitals (4.9 ± 2.2 days, p = 0.024). Among young and healthy men there was no association between treatment at a minority serving hospital and receipt of androgen deprivation therapy in conjunction with external beam radiation (AOR 0.90, 95% CI 0.75-1.09, p = 0.291). CONCLUSIONS: Treatment at a minority serving hospital was associated with lower odds of receiving definitive therapy and longer time to definitive therapy for localized intermediate and high risk prostate cancer despite adjustment for race. This suggests that some racial disparities in prostate cancer may be explained by the sites at which racial and/or ethnic minorities receive care.

Neoadjuvant Androgen Deprivation Therapy Prior to Radical Prostatectomy: Recent Trends in Utilization and Association with Postoperative Surgical Margin Status.

PURPOSE: In this study, we sought to describe the contemporary trends in utilization of neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). As a secondary endpoint, we assessed the community-level effect of neoadjuvant ADT on positive surgical margins after radical prostatectomy (RP). METHODS: Using the National Cancer Database (2004-2014), we identified patients with clinically localized prostate cancer (PCa) [cT1-4N0M0] treated with RP. The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) mixed linear regression methodology was used for temporal trend analysis of neoadjuvant ADT. Observed differences in baseline characteristics between patients treated with neoadjuvant ADT versus those who were not were then controlled for using an inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) approach. IPTW-adjusted analyses were then performed to examine the odds of positive surgical margins. RESULTS: Overall, 8184 (2.12%) and 377,843 (97.88%) individuals with PCa were treated with neoadjuvant ADT prior to RP versus RP only, respectively. There was a consistent trend in decreasing use of neoadjuvant ADT over time, with a nadir observed in 2011 [EAPC - 8.08; 95% confidence interval (CI) - 11.7 to - 4.32; p < 0.05]. In IPTW-adjusted analyses, the odds of positive surgical margins were lower in patients receiving neoadjuvant ADT with low-risk [odds ratio (OR) 0.65; 95% CI 0.51-0.84; p < 0.001] and intermediate-risk [OR 0.76; 95% CI 0.69-0.85; p < 0.001] PCa. CONCLUSIONS: After a period of steady decline, there appears to be a modest trend towards increased utilization of neoadjuvant ADT in more recent years. We found an association between neoadjuvant ADT and decreased odds of positive surgical margins among low- and intermediate-risk patients.

Comparing the Association Between Insurance and Mortality in Ovarian, Pancreatic, Lung, Colorectal, Prostate, and Breast Cancers.

BACKGROUND: Insurance coverage is associated with better cancer outcomes; however, the relative importance of insurance coverage may differ between cancers. This study compared the association between insurance coverage at diagnosis and cancer-specific mortality (CSM; insurance sensitivity) in 6 cancers. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Using the SEER cancer registry, data were abstracted for individuals diagnosed with ovarian, pancreatic, lung, colorectal, prostate, or breast cancer in 2007 through 2010. The association between insurance coverage at diagnosis and CSM was modeled using a Fine and Gray competing-risks regression adjusted for demographics. An interaction term combining insurance status and cancer type was used to test whether insurance sensitivity differed between cancers. Separate models were fit for each cancer. To control for lead-time bias and to assess whether insurance sensitivity may be mediated by earlier diagnosis and treatment, additional models were fit adjusting for disease stage and treatment. RESULTS: Lack of insurance was associated with an increased hazard of CSM in all cancers (P<.01). The magnitude of the effect differed significantly between cancers (Pinteraction=.04), ranging from an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.13 (95% CI, 1.01-1.28) in ovarian and 1.19 (95% CI, 1.11-1.29) in pancreatic cancer to 2.19 (95% CI, 2.02-2.37) in breast and 2.98 (95% CI, 2.54-3.49) in prostate cancer. The benefit of insurance was attenuated after adjusting for stage and treatment (eg, screening/early treatment effect), with the largest reductions in prostate, breast, and colorectal cancers. CONCLUSIONS: Greater insurance sensitivity was seen in screening-detected malignancies with effective treatments for early-stage disease (eg, prostate, breast, and colorectal cancers). Given that this differential is significantly reduced after adjusting for stage and treatment, our results suggest that a significant portion (but not all) of the benefit of insurance coverage is due to detection and treatment of certain curable early-stage cancers.

Characterizing trends in treatment modalities for localized muscle-invasive bladder cancer in the pre-immunotherapy era.

INTRODUCTION: Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is an aggressive disease for which treatment strategies are continuously evolving. We characterized trends in treatment modalities for MIBC from 2004 to 2013 (the "pre-immunotherapy era") and identified predictors of receiving the current standard of care treatment: neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) followed by radical cystectomy (RC). METHODS: We used the National Cancer Database to identify individuals diagnosed with clinically localized MIBC from 2004 to 2013. We calculated the yearly prevalence of NAC followed by RC, RC as first treatment, trimodal therapy, chemotherapy and/or radiation alone, and no treatment. We then identified factors associated with receiving NAC prior to RC. RESULTS: There was a notable increase in the use of NAC followed by RC over the study period, from 3.68% in 2004 to 14.83% in 2013 (P < 0.001). Factors associated with decreased odds of receiving this regimen included being older, Black, uninsured, less educated, and more burdened by comorbidities. Rates of trimodal therapy and chemotherapy and/or radiation alone remained relatively constant (approximately 5 and 17%, respectively). There was a consistent decline in the proportion of patients who did not receive any treatment, down to 34.20% in 2013. CONCLUSION: Trends in localized MIBC treatment have evolved substantially since the early 2000s, and certain patient characteristics are associated with lower odds of receiving the current standard of care. This serves as a foundation from which to judge the impact of the upcoming immunotherapy era on the treatment landscape for this disease.

Intensity of end-of-life care for patients with myelodysplastic syndromes: Findings from a large national database.

BACKGROUND: As the population ages, the prevalence of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) will increase, and many patients with MDS will require end-of-life (EOL) care. Little is known about the intensity of EOL care received by patients with these malignancies. METHODS: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare database and standard EOL quality measures, we assessed the prevalence and predictors of intensive care unit (ICU) admission in the last 30 days of life, chemotherapy in the last 14 days of life, and hospice enrollment among MDS patients who were 65 years old or older and died between 2006 and 2011. RESULTS: Of 6,955 patients, 28% were admitted to the ICU and 7% received chemotherapy near the EOL, while 49% enrolled in hospice. In multivariable models, patients dependent on red blood cell or platelet transfusions at the EOL were less likely to enroll in hospice (odds ratio [OR], 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.61-0.78). Nonwhite patients were less likely to enroll in hospice (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.67-0.89) and more likely to be admitted to the ICU near the EOL (OR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.03-1.38). Finally, the prevalence of hospice enrollment increased in later years (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The intensity of EOL care for patients with MDS varies but is potentially suboptimal with respect to the traditional measure of hospice use. The lower odds of enrollment for transfusion-dependent patients suggest that the current hospice model, which largely disallows transfusions, may not be meeting the palliative needs of this population.

Prognostic significance of pT3a staging subclassifications in renal cell carcinoma: Not all pT3a are equal.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prognostic significance of perinephric fat, renal sinus fat, and renal vein invasion in patients with pT3a renal cell carcinoma (RCC) by histologic type. METHODS: A population-based retrospective cohort study of patients with pT3aN0M0 RCC was performed using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data for the years 2010 through 2019. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the relationship between pT3a subclassification groups and cancer-specific survival (CSS) by histological subtype (clear cell, papillary, chromophobe, and other). RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 10,170 patients with pT3a RCC, including 8,446 (83.0%) with clear cell RCC and 1,724 (17.0%) with nonclear cell RCC (nccRCC). Median follow up was 36 months. Differences in CSS by pT3a subclassification groups were observed in all histological subtypes but were most pronounced in nccRCC, specifically papillary RCC. Compared to perinephric fat (PF) invasion only, renal vein (RV) invasion (HR = 4.9, 95%CI: 2.5-9.3, P < 0.01), renal sinus fat invasion (HR = 3.0, 95%CI: 1.4-6.2), RV and PF invasion (HR = 7.5, 95%CI: 3.5-16.0), and combination of all three characteristics (HR = 4.4, 95%CI: 1.2-15.5) were associated with worse CSS in patients with papillary RCC. CONCLUSION: We examined the prognostic role of pT3a staging subclassifications in RCC by histologic subtype and observed survival differences, particularly in papillary RCC. Our findings highlight the need to refine pT3a staging criteria to help guide individualized, multimodal treatment strategies for locally advanced RCC.

Prostate Cancer Detection Rate of Transperineal Prostate Biopsy: Cognitive vs Software Fusion, A Multicenter Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare clinically significant prostate cancer detection with TP-TBx utilizing software vs cognitive fusion. It is established that MRI prior to prostate biopsy improves detection of clinically significant cancer (csPCa, Grade Group ≥2). MRI/US fusion targeted biopsy via a transperineal approach (TP-TBx) is increasing in utilization due to the clean percutaneous approach that greatly reduces postbiopsy infection. However, the comparative effectiveness of formal software fusion over cognitive fusion remains under studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective multicenter study from June 2020 to July 2022 including age, race, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), prostate volume, PI-RADS, lesion size(s), number of cores sampled, indication (elevated PSA, prior negative, active surveillance) and anesthesia type. Surgeon preference determined use of cognitive (PrecisionPoint) vs software fusion techniques. Multivariable logistic regression determined factors associated with TP-TBx detection of csPCa. RESULTS: We identified 490 patients (201 cognitive, 289 software fusion) who underwent TP-TBx. Patient age, PSA, number of targets, and PI-RADS were similar (all P > .05). Software fusion TP-TBx had 4 [95% confidence interval (CI) 3-5] more (estimated median difference) systematic cores sampled. csPCa was detected in 44% of all patients. In adjusted analysis, cognitive vs software fusion was similar in detection of csPCa (odds ratio 1.46, 95% CI 0.82-2.58). CONCLUSION: Cognitive vs software fusion TP-TBx has similar csPCa detection, despite fewer systematic cores taken with cognitive fusion. The expense, additional time requirement, and similar outcomes of software fusion platforms confers higher value to cognitive TP-Bx.