Stressors and Coping Mechanisms Related to Burnout Within Urology.

OBJECTIVE: To identify factors and stress coping mechanisms associated with burnout within the field of urology. METHODS: A survey study was completed using the abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory to evaluate emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low personal achievement. Demographic information, training status, practice setting, work hours, and mechanisms used to cope with stress were evaluated. Participants were also asked to comment on contributors to burnout in an open-ended question. Univariate analysis and multivariate regression identified factors associated with measures of burnout. RESULTS: A total of 476 survey responses from 377 practicing urologists and 99 residents/fellows were included. Burnout was identified in 49.6% of all participants. Burnout through high emotional exhaustion was seen in 40.7%, high depersonalization in 30.7%, and low personal achievement in 18.3%. Trainees exhibited higher levels of depersonalization and lower levels of personal achievement. Higher levels of emotional exhaustion were identified in urologists in the middle of their careers and those in private practice. Urologists identified documentation, insurance and reimbursement, government regulations, medical practice expectations, and patient expectations as stressors contributing to burnout. Exercising and socializing were consistently associated with lower measures of burnout whereas stress eating and alcohol use were associated with higher measures of burnout on multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Burnout in urology was associated with trainee status, years in practice, and practice setting. Exercising and socializing were protective against burnout whereas stress eating and alcohol consumption were associated with higher rates of burnout.

Psychosocial Stress, Glucocorticoid Signaling, and Prostate Cancer Health Disparities in African American Men.

Recent advances in our understanding of racial disparities in prostate cancer (PCa) incidence and mortality that disproportionately affect African American (AA) men have provided important insights into the psychosocial, socioeconomic, environmental, and molecular contributors. There is, however, limited mechanistic knowledge of how the interplay between these determinants influences prostate tumor aggressiveness in AA men and other men of African ancestry. Growing evidence indicates that chronic psychosocial stress in AA populations leads to sustained glucocorticoid signaling through the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), with negative physiological and pathological consequences. Compelling evidence indicates that treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) with anti-androgen therapy activates GR signaling. This enhanced GR signaling bypasses androgen receptor (AR) signaling and transcriptionally activates both AR-target genes and GR-target genes, resulting in increased prostate tumor resistance to anti-androgen therapy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. Given its enhanced signaling in AA men, GR-together with specific genetic drivers-may promote CRPC progression and exacerbate tumor aggressiveness in this population, potentially contributing to PCa mortality disparities. Ongoing and future CRPC clinical trials that combine standard of care therapies with GR modulators should assess racial differences in therapy response and clinical outcomes in order to improve PCa health disparities that continue to exist for AA men.

Guidelines for difficult urethral catheterization in males.

Urethral characterization can be difficult for patients and providers alike. This article describes an evidence-based protocol for difficult urethral catheter insertions in male patients.

How a Donor Nephrectomy Population Can Help Give Perspective to the Effects of Renal Parenchymal Preservation During Partial Nephrectomy.

Introduction: Volume of renal parenchymal loss is known to affect postoperative renal function after partial nephrectomy (PN). We utilize a novel comparison using donor nephrectomy (DN) patients to demonstrate the primary effect parenchymal volume loss plays on postoperative renal function following PN. Materials and Methods: Records of 250 living donor (DN) and 118 PN patients were retrospectively reviewed. Baseline characteristics and preoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)s were recorded. Percent changes in eGFR and incidences of surgically induced chronic kidney disease (CKD-S) in short, intermediate, and long-term postoperative periods were compared. Univariate and multivariate analyses of prognostic factors for development of CKD-S were performed. The PN group was further divided into subgroups with different lengths of warm ischemia time (WIT) and compared with DN patients. Results: At baseline, DN patients were younger, less likely to be male, had lower body mass index, lower American Society of Anesthesiologists, and higher preoperative eGFR (all p < 0.001). At hospital discharge, intermediate follow-up, and latest follow-up, renal function changes in DN and PN groups were -40.5% vs. -3.6%, -34.1% vs. -5.5%, and -33.2% vs. -4.4%, respectively (all p < 0.001). More DN than PN patients developed CKD-S (p < 0.001). DN was a significant risk factor for the development of chronic kidney disease on univariate and multivariate analyses (p < 0.001). On subgroup analysis, both subgroups with WIT 1 to 30 minutes and 31 to 60 minutes had less renal function decline at all time points compared with DN (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Volume of renal parenchyma retained is the dominant driver of postoperative renal function after nephrectomy, compared with all other factors. Surgeons should minimize parenchymal loss during PN to optimize postoperative renal function.

Consistencies and Discrepancies Between the Expectations of Urology Trainees and the Experience of Practicing Urologists.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the expectations of urology trainees with the experience of practicing urologists. METHODS: Residents, fellows, and practicing urologists were surveyed in 2018 regarding weekly work hours, number of hospitals covered, call nights per week, administrative workload relative to residency, annual net income, and time to pursue personal interests and hobbies. Urology trainees, defined as residents and fellows, were also surveyed regarding their expectations for clinical practice. The expectations of trainees were compared with the reported experience of practicing urologists using 1-tailed t test and chi-square analysis. Trainee expectations were also stratified by age, gender, training level, relationship status, and whether trainees had dependent children. RESULTS: The expectations of 99 trainees were compared with the reported experience of 377 practicing urologists. Trainees expect to work more hours but less call nights per week than reported by practicing urologists while annual net income was either consistent or underestimated. Compared to practicing urologists, however, trainees appear to underestimate the administrative workload relative to residency and overestimate time to pursue personal interests and hobbies. Junior residents were more likely to underestimate administrative workload than senior residents and fellows. CONCLUSION: While the expectations of urology trainees for work hours and annual net income were fairly consistent with those reported by practicing urologists, trainees may underestimate administrative workload and overestimate time to pursue personal interests and hobbies.

The Impact of Operating Room Noise Upon Communication During Percutaneous Nephrostolithotomy.

OBJECTIVE: Equipment and personnel contribute to the overall noise level in the operating room (OR). This study aims to determine intraoperative noise levels during percutaneous nephrostolithotomy (PCNL) and the effects of this noise upon intraoperative communication. METHODS: A PCNL benchtop model was used to measure intraoperative noise and determine its effect upon communication in three progressively increasing sound environments (baseline ambient noise, ambient noise with PCNL equipment, and ambient noise with both PCNL equipment and music). Five trials with 20 different medical words/phrases were spoken by the surgeon and responses were recorded by the first assistant, anesthesiologist, and circulating nurse. In addition, noise levels during PCNL were compared to common environmental noise levels. RESULTS: In the bench top model, noise levels were 53.49 A-weighted decibels (dBA) with ambient noise, 78.79 dBA with equipment in use, and 81.78 dBA with equipment and music. At the ambient noise level, the first assistant, anesthesiologist, and circulator correctly recorded 100%, 100%, and 96% of the words, respectively. The correct response rate by the subjects decreased to 97% (p = 0.208), 81% (p = 0.012), and 56% (p < 0.001) upon addition of PCNL equipment, and 90% (p = 0.022), 48% (p = 0.002), and 13% (p < 0.001) upon addition of music and PCNL equipment in the first assistant, anesthesiologist, and circulator, respectively. In the simulated OR model, PCNL noise level (81.78 dBA) was comparable to a passing freight train at 30 feet (82.2 dBA, p = 0.44). CONCLUSION: Noise pollution decreases effective intraoperative communication during PCNL. It is important for surgeons to understand the effect noise can have on attempted communication to prevent errors due to miscommunication. In addition, methods to decrease intraoperative noise pollution and improve communication in the OR could improve patient safety and outcomes.

Renal Vascular Clamp Placement: A Potential Cause of Incomplete Hilar Control during Partial Nephrectomy.

PURPOSE: Previous benchtop studies have shown that robotic bulldog clamps provide incomplete vascular control of a Penrose drain. We determined the efficacy of robotic and laparoscopic bulldog clamps to ensure hemostasis on the human renal artery. The effect of clamp position on vascular control was also examined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fresh human cadaveric renal arteries were used to determine the leak point pressure of 7 bulldog clamps from a total of 3 manufacturers. Five trials were performed per clamp at 4 locations, including the fulcrum, proximal, middle and distal positions. Comparison was done using the Kruskal-Wallis test with p <0.05 considered significant. RESULTS: None of the bulldog clamps leaked at a pressure less than 215 mm Hg when applied at the proximal, middle or distal position. In general leak point pressure decreased as the artery was positioned more distal along the clamp. The exception was when the vessel was placed at the fulcrum position. At that position 80% to 100% of trials with the Klein laparoscopic, 100% with the Klein robotic (Klein Robotic, San Antonio, Texas) and 60% to 80% with the Scanlan robotic (Scanlan International, Saint Paul, Minnesota) clamp leaked at pressure below 215 mm Hg. CONCLUSIONS: Each vascular clamp adequately occluded flow at physiological pressure when placed at the proximal, middle or distal position. Furthermore, these results demonstrate that there is leakage at physiological pressure when the artery is placed at the fulcrum of certain clamp types. These results suggest that applying a bulldog clamp at the fulcrum could potentially lead to inadequate vessel occlusion and intraoperative bleeding.

The Effect of Androgen Deprivation Therapy Before Salvage Whole-gland Cryoablation After Primary Radiation Failure in Prostate Cancer Treatment.

OBJECTIVE: To define the effects of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) used prior to salvage cryoablation (SC) for the treatment of recurrent localized prostate cancer after radiation. METHODS: Patients from the Cryo On-Line Database registry undergoing SC after radiation failure were divided according to whether they had previously received or not received ADT. Baseline characteristics including demographics and presalvage cancer risk were compared. Biochemical progression-free survival (bPFS) as defined by the Phoenix criteria was compared between the 2 groups as a whole and also in D'Amico risk-stratified subgroups. In addition, postsurgical complications such as urinary fistula, retention, incontinence, and erectile dysfunction were compared. RESULTS: Two groups consisting of 254 and 486 patients with and without pre-SC ADT were analyzed. The patients who received ADT were younger (P = .003) and had higher presalvage D'Amico risks (P <.001). The 5-year bPFS was 63.8% and 39.3% for the hormone-naïve and the pre-SC ADT patients, respectively (P <.001). On subgroup analysis, the difference in 5-year bPFS was significant only for patients with a high D'Amico cancer risk (54.3% vs 30.5%; P = .013). On multivariate analysis, presalvage prostate-specific antigen (hazard ratio [HR], 1.7), Gleason score ≥ 8 (HR, 2.5), and use of pre-SC ADT (HR, 1.7) correlated with biochemical recurrence. Additionally, patients receiving pre-SC ADT experienced less urinary retention (P = .001) and incontinence (P = .008) but were more likely to be impotent (P = .010). CONCLUSION: Patients receiving ADT before SC, especially those with high-risk prostate cancer, had worse 5-year bPFS. Added caution is needed when selecting patients having previously received ADT for salvage cryotherapy.

A prospective, randomized, controlled trial assessing diazepam to reduce perception and recall of pain during transrectal ultrasonography-guided biopsy of the prostate.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The effect of oral anxiolytics in diminishing patient discomfort and pain perception has been demonstrated in GI endoscopy, percutaneous coronary interventions, and various procedures in the emergency department setting, but has not been prospectively studied in the setting of prostate biopsy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of diazepam on pain perception during and after prostate biopsy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty patients undergoing prostate biopsy at a single academic institution were enrolled into a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study. A questionnaire was administered prebiopsy to determine baseline discomfort and pain history. A visual analog pain scale was used to determine pain associated with each step of the transrectal Ultrasonography-guided prostate biopsy and was administered 20 minutes after biopsy and 1 week later. Responses were compared between groups using the Mann-Whitney U test, Fisher exact test, and Wilcoxon signed rank test as appropriate. RESULTS: A total of 60 patients (29 diazepam, 31 placebo) completed pre- and postbiopsy surveys for analysis. The number of cores sampled during biopsy was controlled during analysis and was found to have no correlation with total pain measured. There were no differences between diazepam and placebo groups in age, prebiopsy survey results, immediate and 1 week postbiopsy survey results. There was no difference in the patients' willingness to undergo a repeated procedure in the control and treatment groups. Complications of taking diazepam prebiopsy included drowsiness, chills, and ankle injury. CONCLUSIONS: Diazepam does not improve patient pain perception immediately after or at 1-week recall after prostate biopsy. Omitting diazepam simplifies the biopsy regimen and allows the patient to drive himself home. Based on these results, routine use of diazepam in prostate biopsy is not recommended.

Prostate specific antigen levels and prostate cancer detection rates in patients with end stage renal disease.

PURPOSE: Patients with end stage renal disease plus prostate cancer are ineligible to receive a renal transplant at most centers until an acceptable cancer-free period is demonstrated. To our knowledge previously established prostate specific antigen reference ranges have not been validated in patients with end stage renal disease. We determined age stratified 95th percentile prostate specific antigen reference ranges and the prostate cancer detection rate at specific prostate specific antigen intervals for patients with end stage renal disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 775 male patients with end stage renal disease on the waiting list for a renal transplant who had undergone a serum prostate specific antigen test. Prostate specific antigen was stratified by age at the time of the blood test and 95th percentile reference ranges were calculated for each decade. A total of 80 patients underwent prostate biopsy for increased prostate specific antigen and/or abnormal digital rectal examination. The cancer detection rate was calculated for specific prostate specific antigen reference ranges. RESULTS: The age specific 95th percentile prostate specific antigen references ranges were 0 to 4.0 ng/ml for ages 40 to 49 in 137 patients, 0 to 5.3 ng/ml for ages 50 to 59 in 257, 0 to 10.5 ng/ml for ages 60 to 69 in 265 and 0 to 16.6 ng/ml for ages 70 to 79 years in 69. The cancer detection rate was 44%, 38% and 67% for prostate specific antigen 2.5 to 4.0, 4 to 10 and greater than 10 ng/ml, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In our study population of patients with end stage renal disease age stratified prostate specific antigen was higher than in the general population. The cancer detection rate was increased in our patients with end stage renal disease compared to that in patients with normal renal function at specific prostate specific antigen intervals. Lower prostate specific antigen cutoffs may be appropriate to recommend prostate biopsy in patients with end stage renal disease.

Patients with end-stage renal disease are candidates for robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have multiple comorbidities that place them at increased risk for surgical complications. Consequently, patients with both ESRD and prostate cancer (PCa) have rarely been considered candidates for radical prostatectomy. The objective of this study is to compare ESRD patients who are undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) with a cohort of patients with no history of dialysis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of 430 patients who were undergoing RALP, including 12 receiving dialysis at the time of surgery. Preoperative demographics, perioperative parameters, and postoperative outcomes were compared using a two-tailed Student t test and a chi-square test, with significance at P<0.05. RESULTS: Patient demographics including body mass index, Gleason score, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) value were similar between the two groups. Patients with ESRD had younger age (55.5 vs 62.9 years; P<0.01), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists scores (3.7 vs 2.5; P<0.01), and higher age-adjusted Charlson Comorbidity Index scores (6.2 vs 4.2; P<0.01). Patient outcomes including operative time, estimated blood loss, complication rate, postoperative stay, and positive margins did not differ significantly between groups. No ESRD patients needed pads or had a detectable PSA level using an ultrasensitive assay. CONCLUSIONS: This series represents the largest series of patients with ESRD undergoing RALP. These patients experienced similar outcomes compared with patients with no history of dialysis despite greater preoperative comorbidity. RALP produces minimal fluid shifts, low blood loss, and excellent cancer control, making it an ideal treatment option to prepare patients with both ESRD and PCa for renal transplantation.

Effect of low dose radiation computerized tomography protocols on distal ureteral calculus detection.

PURPOSE: Unenhanced multidetector computerized tomography is the imaging modality of choice for urinary calculi but exposes patients to substantial radiation doses with a subsequent risk of radiation induced secondary malignancy. We compared ultra low dose and conventional computerized tomography protocols for detecting distal ureteral calculi in a cadaveric model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 85 calcium oxalate stones 3 to 7 mm long were prospectively placed in 14 human cadaveric distal ureters in 56 random configurations. The intact kidneys, ureters and bladders were placed in a human cadaveric vehicle and computerized tomography was performed at 140, 100, 60, 30, 15 and 7.5 mA seconds while keeping other imaging parameters constant. Images were independently reviewed in random order by 2 blinded radiologists to determine the sensitivity and specificity of each mA second setting. RESULTS: Overall sensitivity and specificity were 98% and 83%, respectively. Imaging using 140, 100, 60, 30, 15 and 7.5 mA second settings resulted in 98%, 97%, 97%, 96%, 98% and 97% sensitivity, and 83%, 83%, 83%, 86%, 80% and 84% specificity, respectively. Interobserver agreement was excellent (kappa >0.87). There was no significant difference in sensitivity or specificity at any mA second settings. All false-negative results were noted for 3 mm calculi at a similar frequency at each mA second setting. CONCLUSIONS: Ultra low dose computerized tomography protocols detected distal ureteral calculi in a fashion similar to that of conventional computerized tomography protocols in a cadaveric model. These protocols may decrease the radiation dose up to 95%, reducing the risk of secondary malignancies.

Prior video game exposure does not enhance robotic surgical performance.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Prior research has demonstrated that counterintuitive laparoscopic surgical skills are enhanced by experience with video games. A similar relation with robotic surgical skills has not been tested. The purpose of this study was to determine whether prior video-game experience enhances the acquisition of robotic surgical skills. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A series of 242 preclinical medical students completed a self-reported video-game questionnaire detailing the frequency, duration, and peak playing time. The 10 students with the highest and lowest video-game exposure completed a follow-up questionnaire further quantifying video game, sports, musical instrument, and craft and hobby exposure. Each subject viewed a training video demonstrating the use of the da Vinci surgical robot in tying knots, followed by 3 minutes of proctored practice time. Subjects then tied knots for 5 minutes while an independent blinded observer recorded the number of knots tied, missed knots, frayed sutures, broken sutures, and mechanical errors. RESULTS: The mean playing time for the 10 game players was 15,136 total hours (range 5,840-30,000 hours). Video-game players tied fewer knots than nonplayers (5.8 v 9.0; P = 0.04). Subjects who had played sports for at least 4 years had fewer mechanical errors (P = 0.04), broke fewer sutures (P = 0.01), and committed fewer total errors (P = 0.01). Similarly, those playing musical instruments longer than 5 years missed fewer knots (P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In the extremes of video-game experience tested in this study, game playing was inversely correlated with the ability to learn robotic suturing. This study suggests that advanced surgical skills such as robotic suturing may be learned more quickly by athletes and musicians. Prior extensive video-game exposure had a negative impact on robotic performance.

Ureteral obstruction by uterine artery aneurysm in third trimester of pregnancy.

Uterine artery aneurysm (UAA) is an uncommon complication of pregnancy. Its diagnosis before postpartum hemorrhage is rare. We report on a patient who presented with symptomatic ureteral obstruction secondary to UAA. The hydronephrosis was managed by ureteral stenting. The UAA was successfully embolized after a planned cesarean section delivery. UAA is a rare and clinically significant cause of hydronephrosis during pregnancy.

Urothelial carcinoma after external beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: We reviewed the clinical course of patients in whom urothelial carcinoma developed following radiation therapy for prostate cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients between 1990 and 2005 with the diagnosis of bladder and prostate cancer was performed. Of 125 total patients new onset urothelial carcinoma developed in 11 after undergoing external beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer. RESULTS: Whole pelvis external beam radiation therapy with a proton boost to the prostate was the radiation modality in 7 of the 11 patients (64%), while the remaining 4 patients received standard external beam radiation only. Urothelial carcinoma was detected a mean of 3.07 years after completion of radiation therapy in the proton group, compared to a mean latency period of 5.75 years in the standard radiation group (p = 0.09). Average patient age at diagnosis was 72 years (range 64 to 84). All patients presented with gross hematuria and had cystoscopic findings of coexisting radiation cystitis. Of the 11 patients 5 (45%) presented with grade 3 carcinoma and eventually 7 (64%) required radical cystectomy. Urothelial tumors with sarcomatoid features (carcinosarcoma and spindle cell sarcomatoid) developed in 2 patients (18%). Of the 11 patients 10 (91%) were nonsmokers at the time of urothelial carcinoma diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Urothelial carcinoma in patients with previous radiation therapy for prostate cancer is often high grade, and the majority of patients have cancer progression requiring cystectomy. A high incidence of urothelial carcinoma with sarcomatoid features was seen in these patients.

Hand-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy is safe and results in increased kidney donation.

The impact of hand-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy on kidney allograft function, perioperative complications, and organ supply was evaluated by retrospective analysis of 41 hand-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy patients and their recipients between January and October 2003. Serum creatinine at discharge, length of stay, estimated blood loss, operative time, and perioperative complications were analyzed. The mean values for laparoscopic donors and their recipients were 1.2 +/- 0.3 and 1.3 +/- 0.8 mg/dL for creatinine, 3.3 +/- 0.8 and 6.7 +/- 3 days for length of stay, and 110.4 +/- 76.9 and 111.6 +/- 56 mL for estimated blood loss, respectively. No major complications occurred in the laparoscopic donors. The number of living kidney donors increased by 94% compared to the mean of the previous 4 years following implementation of the laparoscopic program. Hand-assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy is safe, results in excellent allograft function, and significantly increases donation.

Laparoscopic warm renal ischemia in the solitary porcine kidney model.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of a laparoscopic approach on warm renal ischemia in the pig with a solitary kidney. Although the maximal safe duration for warm ischemia during open partial nephrectomy is commonly accepted to be 30 minutes, the maximal safe ischemic time during laparoscopic partial nephrectomy has not been previously determined. METHODS: Sixteen farm pigs underwent unilateral laparoscopic right nephrectomy. Two weeks later, the pigs underwent complete laparoscopic mobilization of the remaining left kidney and were randomized to complete hilar clamp times of 0, 30, 60, or 90 minutes. Serum creatinine was evaluated before right nephrectomy and at days 0, 2, 4, 7, 14, and 30 after renal ischemia during laparoscopy. All renal specimens were evaluated by an experienced nephropathologist in a blinded fashion. RESULTS: The serum creatinine remained stable at all points in the control and 30-minute ischemia groups. The serum creatinine level rose initially on days 2 and 4 in the 60-minute and 90-minute ischemia groups but returned to baseline by day 7. At harvest, no statistically significant difference was found among the groups in serum creatinine or histologic features. CONCLUSIONS: Renal ischemic times up to 90 minutes during laparoscopy were well tolerated by the solitary porcine kidney. Possible explanations for this finding include the protective effect of a solitary kidney and the potential protective effect of relative ischemic preconditioning provided by the pneumoperitoneum.

Evaluation of PCR-ELISA for determination of telomerase activity in prostate needle biopsy and prostatic fluid specimens.

The conventional TRAP assay will determine telomerase activity in tissue or other specimens. However, methodological disadvantages limit its clinical use. We evaluated a modified TRAP assay, the telomerase PCR-ELISA, as a practical clinical system for measuring its activity in conjunction with prostate cancer (PCa). We examined telomerase activity by both TRAP and PCR-ELISA assays in 48 sextant needle biopsy (SNB) specimens from dye-marked areas of the prostate glands of 7 PCa patients. Each specimen was histologically confirmed as cancerous or cancer-free by examining a paired specimen taken from the same marked area. In addition, prostatic fluid (PF) specimens were analyzed from 18 patients, 9 of whom were diagnosed with PCa while 9 were diagnosed as cancer-free but mostly with BPH. The results on individual SNB specimens matched well for the two methods. The sensitivity (91%) and specificity (69%) for the PCR-ELISA measurements were consistent with those for the conventional TRAP assay, 88% and 81%, respectively. Quantitatively, with the PCR-ELISA assay, the mean telomerase activity (24.5+/-28.4 units) per needle core with PCa cells was significantly higher than that in needle cores without PCa cells (7.2+/-2.2 unit), as it was with the conventional TRAP assay, namely 25.6+/-27.8 units and 7.3+/-1.8 units, respectively. In PF specimens from PCa patients, which had a lower mean telomerase than was found in needle cores containing PCa cells (7.1+/-1.5 units in the PCR-ELISA, 7.2+/-1.8 units in the conventional TRAP assay), statistical analysis showed good matching between the results from the two assays, overall. In conclusion, the PCR-ELISA can be considered a reliable method to determine telomerase activity as an adjunct in the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer.