Salvage Androgen Deprivation Therapy as Potential Treatment for Recurrence after Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of intermittent androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for biochemical recurrence (BCR) after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) is unknown, and its usefulness in Japanese practice needs to be investigated. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 85 patients who underwent RARP and were selected for intermittent ADT for postoperative recurrence at Kanazawa University Hospital between 2009 and 2019. Intermittent ADT was administered for 2 years. If prostate-specific antigen levels increased post-treatment, intermittent ADT was reinitiated. The median follow-up period was 47 months. RESULTS: The 73 patients had completed the initial course of ADT, and 12 were under initial ADT. The 5-year castration-resistant prostate-cancer-free survival rates, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival were 92.7%, 98.3%, and 94.7%, respectively. A subgroup analysis of 69 patients who completed intermittent ADT was conducted to evaluate the BCR rate following initial ADT. The 5-year BCR-free survival rate was 53.2%. Multivariate analysis identified testosterone ≤ 0.03 ng/mL during ADT as the sole predictor of BCR after ADT. CONCLUSIONS: Salvage intermittent ADT may be an effective treatment option for BCR after RARP. In addition, it would be useful to confirm strong testosterone suppression as a criterion for transition to intermittent therapy.

Comprehensive analysis of perioperative hypotension in photodynamic diagnosis-assisted transurethral resection of bladder tumor with 5-aminolevulinic acid.

OBJECTIVE: Intraoperative hypotension remains a serious adverse event of photodynamic diagnosis-assisted transurethral resection of bladder tumor with oral administration of 5-aminolevulinic acid. We conducted a re-analysis of perioperative hypotension in photodynamic diagnosis-assisted transurethral resection of the bladder tumor with oral 5-aminolevulinic acid to ascertain its safety. METHODS: A total of 407 cases who underwent transurethral resection of bladder tumors in our institution were reviewed (274 cases for the PDD group with photodynamic diagnosis and 133 for the white light (WL) group without). A classification of hypotension severity was devised to identify risk factors for clinically troublesome hypotension. The distribution of hypotension severity in each of the PDD and WL groups was compared. Additionally, the patient background and perioperative data by hypotension severity were compared only in the PDD group. RESULTS: More patients with moderate and severe hypotension were noted in the PDD group. The renal function was lower with increasing hypotension severity in the PDD group. More patients on general anesthesia were included in the mild and moderate hypotension group, whereas more patients on spinal anesthesia were included in the severe hypotension group. Furthermore, the frequency of side effects other than hypotension tended to increase with hypotension severity. CONCLUSIONS: Renal function impairment and the other adverse effects of 5-aminolevulinic acid may be risk factors for severe hypotension. Mild or moderate hypotension may be caused by general anesthesia and severe hypotension may be caused by spinal anesthesia. To elucidate specific risk factors, further case-control studies are warranted.

A seed link connector protruding into the bladder formed a bladder stone.

Introduction: Low-dose-rate brachytherapy is performed for localized prostate cancer. We report the first case of a bladder stone encompassing the seed migrated into the bladder in a patient treated with low-dose-rate brachytherapy. Case presentation: A man was diagnosed with prostate cancer and underwent low-dose-rate brachytherapy. After 2 months, dysuria occurred, and ultrasonography revealed a needle-shaped high-intensity protruding from the prostate into the bladder. Cystoscopy examination found a seed link connector. With the possibility of natural dissolution of the seed link, careful observation was chosen. However, 16 months later, hematuria occurred, and an X-ray revealed a bladder stone encompassing the seed. Compared with the X-ray right after seeding, the seed located near the right bladder neck had fallen. The seed was removed by transurethral bladder lithotripsy. Conclusion: Seeds should be carefully located within the prostate, otherwise a bladder stone may be formed encompassing the seed.

Anisotropy of the R1/T2* value dependent on white matter fiber orientation with respect to the B0 field.

The R1 (1/T1) map divided by the T2* map (R1/T2* map) draws attention as a high-resolution myelin-related map. However, both R1 and R2* (1/T2*) values demonstrate anisotropy dependent on the white matter (WM) fiber orientation with respect to the static magnetic (B0) field. Therefore, this study primarily aimed to investigate the comprehensive impact of these angular-dependent anisotropies on the R1/T2* value. This study enrolled 10 healthy human volunteers (age = 25 ± 1.3) on the 3.0 T MRI system. For R1/T2* map calculation, whole brain R1 and T2* maps were repeatedly obtained in three head tilt positions by magnetization-prepared two rapid gradient echoes and multiple spoiled gradient echo sequences, respectively. Afterward, all maps were spatially normalized and registered to the Johns Hopkins University WM atlas. R1/T2*, R1, and R2* values were binned for fiber orientation related to the B0 field, which was estimated from diffusion-weighted echo-planar imaging data with 3° intervals, to investigate angular-dependent anisotropies in vivo. A larger change in the R1/T2* value in the global WM region as a function of fiber orientation with respect to the B0 field was observed compared to the R1 and R2* values alone. The minimum R1/T2* value at the near magic-angle range was 18.86% lower than the maximum value at the perpendicular angle range. Furthermore, R1/T2* values in the corpus callosum tract and the right and left cingulum cingulate gyrus tracts changed among the three head tilt positions due to fiber orientation changes. In conclusion, the R1/T2* value demonstrates distinctive and complicated angular-dependent anisotropy indicating the trends of both R1 and R2* values and may provide supplemental information for detecting slight changes in the microstructure of myelin and axons.

Does radical cystectomy have a better prognosis than bladder conservative treatment in the real world?

PURPOSE: To compare the prognosis and quality of life between radical cystectomy and bladder conservative treatment for muscle invasive bladder cancer in the real world. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients treated for muscle invasive bladder cancer without metastases were retrospectively evaluated for overall survival, progression-free survival, and rehospitalization. RESULTS: Of the 141 patients, 62 underwent bladder conservative treatment and 79 underwent radical cystectomy. Patients who underwent radical cystectomy had significantly better progression-free survival (HR: 1.83, 95% CI: 1.12-3.00; p < 0.01) and overall survival (HR: 1.82, 95% CI: 0.99-3.34; p = 0.03) than those who underwent conservative treatment. However, there was no significant difference in prognosis between patients who refused to undergo radical cystectomy and those who underwent. In addition, rehospitalization rates for complications and additional treatment were significantly higher in patients who received conservative treatment (69.3% vs. 34.2%; p < 0.01), and the length of hospital stay was also prolonged compared to patients who received radical cystectomy (26 vs. 9 days; p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, conservative treatment had a significantly poorer prognosis than radical cystectomy, but there was no significant difference in prognosis when comparing patients who refused radical cystectomy and received conservative treatment with those who received radical cystectomy. However, hospitalization rates and length of stay were significantly worse for patients who chose conservative treatment, which may lead to a decline in quality of life.

Procalcitonin in advanced urological cancer-bacterial versus non-bacterial infections: prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: Patients with advanced cancer may develop bacterial infections (BI) as their general condition worsens, but general blood tests often find it difficult to distinguish them from non-bacterial infections (NBI). The present prospective study was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of serum procalcitonin levels in distinguishing between BI and NBI in patients with advanced urological cancer. METHODS: This study prospectively evaluated patients diagnosed with locally advanced or metastatic or recurrent urological cancer in our department from September 2013 to December 2019. Body temperature was measured in the axilla and the measurement results were recorded. Febrile episodes of ≥38.0°C were analysed, and written patient consent was obtained at the onset of the fever. RESULTS: Of 75 patients enrolled in the present study, 90 febrile episodes were analysed. A total of 34 of 90 febrile episodes were regarded as BI, and the remaining 56 febrile episodes as NBI. The median procalcitonin value was significantly higher in the BI group (p=0.0015), while no significant difference was found between the two groups for white blood cell count and C reactive protein. Additionally, a white blood cell count of less than 1.0×10ˆ9/L resulted in BI in all cases. The procalcitonin receiver operating characteristic area under the curve was 0.710 (95% CI 0.586 to 0.83), excluding cases with white blood cell counts of <1.0 × 103/µL. CONCLUSIONS: Procalcitonin is a rapid and affordable marker for differentiation between BI and NBI in patients with advanced urological cancer.

Bone Turnover Markers, n-Terminal Propeptide of Type I Procollagen and Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase Type 5b, for Predicting Castration Resistance in Prostate Cancer.

Bone is a common site of prostate cancer metastasis. Bone turnover markers n-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (P1NP) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase type 5b (TRACP-5b) are highly sensitive to bone remodeling activity. However, their prognostic significance as markers of prostate cancer is unknown. This study retrospectively examined the usefulness of P1NP and TRACP-5b as prognostic biomarkers. Castration-resistant prostate cancer recurrence-free survival (CFS) was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. A predictive model for CFS was constructed using multivariate analysis. This study enrolled 255 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer at Kanazawa University Hospital. The median follow-up was 115.1 months. Patients with both high serum P1NP and TRACP-5b levels, defined as having a poor bone turnover category (BTC), had significantly shorter CFS. Multivariate analysis identified Gleason score, metastasis, and BTC poor as predictors for castration resistance in prostate cancer. Using these three factors, a prognostic model was established, categorizing patients into low-risk (no or one factor) and high-risk (two or three factors) groups. In the low-risk group, the median CFS was not reached, contrasting with 19.1 months in the high-risk group (hazard ratio, 32.23, p < 0.001). Combining P1NP and TRACP-5b may better predict castration resistance.

Does the quality of endoscopic equipment influence the recurrence rate after photodynamic diagnosis-assisted transurethral resection of bladder tumor?

BACKGROUND: Photodynamic diagnosis-assisted transurethral resection of bladder tumor (PDD-TURBT) for nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer is superior to conventional white-light TURBT for cancer detection. However, when performing PDD-TURBT, cystoscopy findings vary depending on the quality of the endoscopic equipment. In this study, we compared the effects of different types of endoscopic equipment on postoperative outcomes. METHODS: Patients who underwent their first PDD-TURBT at our clinic were selected. Patients on whom PDD-TURBT was performed using endoscopic equipment A were sorted into Group A, and patients on whom PDD-TURBT was performed using equipment S were sorted into Group S. The characteristics, recurrence-free survival (RFS), and recurrence frequency of these patients were retrospectively investigated and compared. The prognostic factors for RFS were also analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 49 patients were included in Group A and 46 in Group S. In Group S, a higher detection rate (8.2% vs. 30.4 %, p < 0.01) of carcinoma in situ (CIS) was noted. RFS tended to be better in Group S (HR 0.63, p = 0.15). The frequency of recurrence also tended to be lower in Group S (4.92 vs. 3.66 per 10,000 person-days, p = 0.08). Furthermore, CIS (HR 0.30, p = 0.04) and Bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy (HR: 0.26, p = 0.01) were significant favorable prognostic factors for RFS. CONCLUSION: The quality of the endoscopic equipment may influence postoperative recurrence after PDD-TURBT. Higher-quality endoscopic instruments have superior CIS detection capabilities, which can lead to improvements in postoperative outcomes with the appropriate selection of postoperative adjuvant therapy.

Factors Affecting Prostate Displacement During Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy in Prone Position After High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy for Prostate Cancer.

Purpose: In irradiating the prostate and pelvic lymph node regions, registration based on bony structures matches the pelvic lymph node regions but not necessarily the prostate position, and it is important to identify factors that influence prostate displacement. Therefore, we investigated factors influencing prostate displacement during volumetric modulated arc therapy after single-fraction high-dose-rate brachytherapy (HDR-BT) for prostate cancer and the trends in displacement for each fraction. Methods and Materials: Seventy patients who underwent pelvic volumetric modulated arc therapy of 46 Gy in the prone position 15 days after 13 Gy HDR-BT were included. Prostate displacement relative to bony structures was calculated using cone beam computed tomography. Systematic error (SE) and random error (RE) were evaluated in the right-left (RL), craniocaudal (CC), and anteroposterior (AP) directions. The association with clinical and anatomic factors on the planning computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging was analyzed. Prostate volume change (PVC) was defined as the volume change at 2 days after HDR-BT. Displacement trends were individually examined from the first to 23rd fractions. Results: The mean SE in the RL, CC, and AP directions was -0.01 mm, -2.34 mm, and -0.47 mm, respectively. The root mean square of the RE in the RL, CC, and AP directions was 0.44 mm, 1.14 mm, and 1.10 mm, respectively. SE in the CC direction was independently associated with bladder volume (P = .021, t statistic = 2.352) and PVC (P < .001, t statistic = -8.526). SE in the AP direction was independently associated with bladder volume (P = .013, t statistic = -2.553), PVC (P < .001, t statistic = 5.477), and rectal mean area (P = .008, t statistic = 2.743). RE in the CC direction was independently associated with smoking (P = .035). RE in the AP direction was associated with PVC (P = .043). Gradual displacement caudally and posteriorly occurred during the irradiation period. Conclusions: Anatomic characteristics of the bladder, rectum, and prostate predict SE. Smoking and PVC predict RE. In particular, whether PVC is ≥140% affects setting internal margins.

Role of Positive Biopsy Core Ratio in Prostate Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The percentage of positive cores (PPC) is increasingly recognized as a prognostic factor in prostate cancer. However, the usefulness of PPC for patients undergoing androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and high-risk group has not been adequately studied. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 255 patients who underwent prostate biopsy (all-case group). We examined the efficacy of PPC as a prognostic biomarker. RESULTS: Eighty-nine patients were treated with ADT alone (ADT group), and 107 patients were classified as high-risk (high-risk group). The median duration of follow-up was 112.4 months, 85.3 months, and 110.0 months for the all-case, ADT, and high-risk groups, respectively. Patients with PPC >60% had significantly shorter prostate cancer-specific survival (CSS) and castration-resistant prostate cancer-free survival (CFS) in the all-case and ADT groups. In the high-risk group, patients with PPC >60% had shorter CFS but no difference in CSS. Multivariate analysis showed that significant independent predictors of prostate CSS were the presence of metastasis at diagnosis and PPC >60% in the all-case and ADT groups. CONCLUSION: PPC may be a prognostic factor in ADT treated and high-risk prostate patients.

Efficacy of keishibukuryogan for hot flashes in prostate cancer patients receiving androgen deprivation therapy: a sub-analysis focusing on hormonal and cytokine levels.

Background: The current study attempted to elucidate the mechanisms of keishibukuryogan (TJ-25) efficacy by focusing on hormonal and cytokine levels. This is a sub-analysis of serum hormonal and cytokine levels extracted from the single-arm prospective study. Methods: Twenty-five participants were administrated TJ-25 at a dose of 2.5 g three times daily for 12 weeks, and competed for a diary of their hot flashes conditions. Various hormonal and cytokine values, including interleukin (IL)-8 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), were measured at the baseline and 12-week visits. The correlation of hot flashes with hormonal and cytokine levels at baseline was investigated. As part of the responder analyses, all participants were divided into two groups based on the median baseline values of all hormones and cytokines at baseline, and the change amounts in strength and frequency of hot flashes from baseline to 12-week visits in both groups were compared. Furthermore, a correlation in change amounts (Δ values) by TJ-25 administration between hot flashes and each parameter was also conducted. Results: Hot flashes intensity was inversely related to estradiol levels (r=-0.433, P=0.019), and frequency was inversely related to progesterone levels (r=-0.415, P=0.025). In the responder analyses, the effectiveness of TJ-25 for hot flash strength increased in the patients with higher levels of TNF-α at baseline (P=0.0372). TJ-25 was more efficient in frequency in the patients with higher levels of IL-8 (P=0.0312). TJ-25 efficacy, on the other hand, was not significantly associated with changes in any hormonal or cytokine levels between the baseline and 12-week visits. However, ΔIL-8 and ΔTNF-α were not significantly correlated with Δstrength and Δfrequency of hot flashes by TJ-25 administration. Conclusions: Hot flashes were inversely correlated with estradiol and progesterone levels. TJ-25 was more effective in patients with higher TNF-α and IL-8 levels, with no significant change in serum levels caused by the treatment. The suggestive mechanism for the effects of keishibukuryogan is that this drug doesn't suppress the production of IL-8 and TNF-α, but may inhibit some actions of these cytokines.

Relation between athletic club affiliation from school age and future serum free testosterone levels in Japan: A cross-sectional study.

Background and Aims: Testosterone deficiency is often related to geriatric syndrome including erectile dysfunction, osteo-porosis, depression, cognitive impairment, cardiovascular diseases and frailty. Despite the existence of many studies on short-term exercise and serum testosterone levels, few research have focused on exercise habits from young age and testosterone values in middle-aged male. In this study, we investigated whether belonging to an athletic club from school age could predict serum-free testosterone (FT) levels. Methods: The subjects were 1609 middle-aged male outpatients aged 40 years or older (median: 61 years, interquartile range: 54-69) who visited our hospital. Participants had their FT values measured in the morning hours during the period from December 2007 to June 2009. A questionnaire survey on exercise habits was conducted at the same time as the measurements. The exercise habit questionnaire was created based on whether the patients belonged to an athletic club in (a) elementary school, (b) junior high school, (c) high school, (d) college, (e) adult life, and (f) at the time of the test. Results: There was only one positive response to the questionnaire among 456 patients (28% of total), followed by zero for 358 patients (22% of total). The number of patients with low-testosterone levels (FT < 8.5 pg/mL) according to the Japanese diagnostic criteria for late-onset of hypogonadism was 839 (52.1%). In multivariate analysis, it was shown that with low-testosterone levels (FT < 8.5 pg/mL), age (odds ratio [OR]: 1.065, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.052-1.079; p < 0.001), hypertension (OR: 3.489, 95% CI: 2.728-4.462; p < 0.001), type-2 diabetes (OR: 3.035, 95% CI: 2.296-4.01; p < 0.001), and dyslipidemia (OR: 2.039, 95% CI: 1.558-2.668; p < 0.001) were risk factors, and more than two positive responses to the questionnaire (OR: 0.886, 95% CI: 0.802-0.980; p = 0.018) were also a significant independent factor. Conclusion: A sports club membership during school years may affect future testosterone levels.

Comparison of postoperative urinary continence and incontinence types between conventional and Retzius-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

AIMS: This study aimed to investigate the postoperative urinary continence rate and incontinence types compared over time between conventional robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (C-RARP) and Retzius-sparing RARP (RS-RARP). METHODS: All 61 cases were selected from the C-RARP and RS-RARP by propensity score matching, and the pad scale, 24-h pad weight test, and International consultation on incontinence questionnaire-short form (ICIQ-SF) were followed-up over time up to 12 months. RESULTS: The probability of urinary continence per pad scale evaluation differed according to how it was defined: the continence rate 12 months after C-RARP and RS-RARP were 94% and 95% for 1 pad/day, 85% and 92% for 1 security pad/day, 61% and 85% for no pad use, respectively, which were all significantly better with RS-RARP. The results of the 24-h pad weight test were significantly better with RS-RARP at both 3 and 12 months, with median C-RARP versus RS-RARP values of 5 versus 1 g and 2 versus 0 g, respectively. In terms of types of urinary incontinence, the rates of postoperative stress urinary incontinence (SUI) increased in both procedures but to a lesser extent in RS-RARP. Other types of urinary incontinence, such as urge incontinence and terminal dribbling, did not differ significantly before and after surgery and between the two procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative urinary continence was better with RS-RARP than with C-RARP per all follow-up parameters until 12 months postoperatively. Postoperative SUI was significantly lower with RS-RARP than with C-RARP, which was considered the main reason for better postoperative urinary continence with RS-RARP.

Intravesical BCG therapy with photodynamic diagnosis-guided transurethral resection of bladder tumors improves recurrence-free survival.

BACKGROUND: Intravesical Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy has been reported to be effective in preventing recurrence and progression in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. Furthermore, photodynamic diagnosis (PDD)-assisted transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) improves the accuracy of cancer diagnosis and contributes to lower recurrence rates. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether more tumor resection with PDD-TURBT rather than conventional TURBT before BCG therapy outweighs the benefit of BCG therapy alone. METHODS: Patients who underwent intravesical BCG therapy following TURBT in our institution from 2010 to 2021 were included. They were divided into the following two groups: those who received PDD-TURBT before BCG treatment (PDD + BCG group) and those who received conventional TURBT before BCG treatment (WL + BCG group). The 2-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of the two groups were retrospectively analyzed and compared. RESULTS: The 2-year RFS was significantly improved in the PDD + BCG group (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.41, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.26-4.60; p = 0.025). No significant difference in 2-year PFS was noted between the two groups. Analysis of prognostic factors for RFS showed that PDD-TURBT w We think that this text does not adequately express the meaning that we want to deliver to the reader.as a significant prognostic factor in univariate analysis (HR: 0.41, 95% CI: 0.18-0.92; p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: BCG treatment following PDD-TURBT significantly improved RFS more than BCG therapy following WL-TURBT. More accurate tumor localization and more efficient tumor resection by PDD-TURBT may have a positive impact on subsequent BCG treatments even if the treatment is administered postoperatively.

Postoperative functional and cancer control evaluation of conventional and Retzius-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy: Comparison of selected cases by propensity score matching.

AIM: Although many reports have shown that Retzius-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RS-RARP) is effective for postoperative urinary continence, the postoperative voiding status and sexual function associated with this technique have not yet been adequately compared with those associated with conventional RARP (C-RARP). In this study, the lower urinary tract function, erectile function, and cancer control after C-RARP and RS-RARP were compared chronologically. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We selected 50 cases of C-RARP and RS-RARP each by propensity score matching and evaluated them over time using various questionnaires. Urinary continence recovery rates and biochemical recurrence (BCR)-free survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared between the two groups using the log-rank test. RESULTS: When urinary continence was defined as 0 pads per day, 0 pads per day + 1 security linear, or ≤1 pad per day, the postoperative improvement in urinary continence was better with RS-RARP over the course of up to 1 year for all definitions. The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form total scores and the Overactive Bladder Symptom Scores were better in the postoperative RS-RARP group. There were no significant differences in the International Prostate Symptom Score total score, QOL score, and erectile hardness score between the two groups during the observation period. The BCR-free survival did not differ significantly between the two groups CONCLUSIONS: Postoperative urinary continence was better in the RS-RARP group than in the C-RARP group; however, the voiding function, erectile function, and cancer control did not differ significantly.

Is it Necessary to Treat all Metastatic Prostate Cancer With Upfront Androgen Receptor Axis-targeted Agents?

BACKGROUND/AIM: In recent years, initial treatment for patients with high-risk metastatic castration-sensitive (mCS) prostate cancer (PC) has been shifting from vintage hormone therapy to upfront androgen receptor axis-targeted agents (ARAT), but the proportion of Asian patients enrolled in clinical trials investigating the effectiveness of ARAT use is low. We examined the outcomes of Japanese patients with mCSPC who received ARAT as second-line therapy or afterwards. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Among the PC patients receiving treatment at Kanazawa University Hospital from 2000 to 2019, 190 patients with mCSPC were enrolled in the study. Their characteristics and prognosis were retrospectively investigated. RESULTS: All patients received androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) as initial treatment. A total of 142 (74.3%) of 190 patients had progression to castration-resistant PC (CRPC), of whom 77 (54.2%) received ARAT as second-line therapy or afterwards. The median overall survival (OS) of CRPC patients was 70.57 months and the median OS from CRPC was 44.88 months. The median OS of LATITUDE high-risk patients that used ARAT after the second-line treatment was 56.15 months, which was significantly longer than that of patients who did not use ARAT (hazard ratio=0.68, 95% confidence interval=0.40-1.15; p=0.0089). CONCLUSION: The prognosis of LATITUDE high-risk patients with CRPC selected for initial ADT therapy had a good prognosis compared to findings in other studies. These results suggest that there is a possibility that a certain number of patients with LATITUDE high-risk may have good prognosis even if only conventional ADT is performed and ARAT is used after CRPC.

Contribution of Retzius-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy to the mechanism of urinary continence as demonstrated by dynamic MRI.

Retzius-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) has been reported to exhibit better postoperative urinary continence, but the reasons behind this are unknown. This study included 254 cases who underwent RARP and underwent postoperative dynamic MRI. We measured the urine loss ratio (ULR) immediately after postoperative urethral catheter removal and investigated its affecting factors and the mechanisms. Nerve-sparing (NS) techniques was performed in 175 (69%) unilateral and 34 (13%) bilateral cases, whereas Retzius-sparing in 58 (23%) cases. The median ULR early after indwelling catheter removal in all patients was 4.0%. The multivariate analysis was performed on factors that reduce ULR and found that the following factors were associated with ULR: younger age, NS and Retzius-sparing, which were significant. Additionally, dynamic MRI findings showed that membranous urethral length and the anterior rectal wall movement toward the pubic bone during abdominal pressure were significant factors. The movement observed on the dynamic MRI during abdominal pressure was thought to reflect an effective urethral sphincter closure mechanism. Long membranous urethral length and an effective urethral sphincter closure mechanism during abdominal pressure were considered effective for favorable urinary continence after RARP. NS and Retzius-sparing were clearly shown to have an additive effect in preventing urinary incontinence.

Suppression of androgen receptor signaling induces prostate cancer migration via activation of the CCL20-CCR6 axis.

The suppression of androgen receptor (AR) expression exacerbates the migration potential of prostate cancer. This study identified a previously unrecognized regulation of the AR-controlled pathway that promotes migration potential in prostate cancer cells. Prostate cancer cells that pass through a transwell membrane (mig cells) have a higher migration potential with a decreased AR expression than parental cells. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the mechanism of migration enhancement associated with the suppression of AR signaling. Expression of C-C motif ligand 20 (CCL20) is upregulated in mig cells, unlike in the parental cells. Knockdown of AR with small interfering RNA (siAR) in LNCaP and C4-2B cells increased CCL20 secretion and enhanced the migration of cancer cells. Mig cells, CCL20-treated cells, and siAR cells promoted cell migration with an enhancement of AKT phosphorylation and Snail expression, while the addition of a C-C chemokine receptor 6 (CCR6, the specific receptor of CCL20) inhibitor, anti-CCL20 antibody, and AKT inhibitor suppressed the activation of AKT and Snail. With 59 samples of prostate cancer tissue, CCL20 secretion was profuse in metastatic cases despite low AR expression levels. Snail expression was associated with the expression of CCL20 and CCR6. A xenograft study showed that the anti-CCL20 antibody significantly inhibited Snail expression, thereby suggesting a new therapeutic approach for castration-resistant prostate cancer with the inhibition of the axis between CCL20 and CCR6.

Decreased febrile neutropenia during inpatient chemotherapy for urologic cancer during coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Since 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has led to the widespread practice of hand hygiene and wearing face masks, not only among medical personnel, but also among the general population. Thus, the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on the incidence of febrile neutropenia should be verified. This study aimed to examine the incidence of febrile neutropenia in hospitalized patients receiving chemotherapy at Kanazawa University Hospital. Among inpatients at the Department of Urology receiving chemotherapy, we compared the incidence of febrile neutropenia between 317 cases in 2018-2019 and 276 cases in 2020. We retrospectively analyzed the factors of febrile neutropenia via binomial logistic regression analysis based on patient characteristics and the characteristics of primary diseases, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Febrile neutropenia occurred in 20/317 cases in 2018-2019 and 1/276 cases in 2020, with a significant decrease in the latter (p = 0.005). In a multivariate analysis, we identified the following independent risk factors for febrile neutropenia: non-coronavirus disease 2019 era (p = 0.005), first course of therapy (p = 0.005), malnutrition (p = 0.032), and past history of febrile neutropenia (p = 0.018). Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, hygiene policies for medical personnel and quarantine measures for patients were thoroughly implemented. Therefore, the incidence of febrile neutropenia in 2020 decreased to 1/15 of the previous incidence. Thus, the hygiene for medical personnel and patients during the expected period of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia is important for febrile neutropenia prevention.