Salvage procedures for infected penile implants: A comprehensive review and analysis of functional outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The salvage procedure for infected penile implants (IPs) has been a subject of interest since its inception in the late 1980s, yet its widespread adoption remains limited. The aim of this study was to realize a systematic literature review to provide a comprehensive analysis of salvage techniques for IPs and assess their efficacy, specifically focusing on functional success. METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, employing Mesh terms related to penile prosthesis, penile implant, infection, and salvage procedures. Articles in French or English were considered for the final analysis, with exclusion of literature reviews. RESULTS: Fifteen articles detailing various salvage techniques for IPs were identified. Mulcahy's initial technique was described in 1996, and consisted of complete removal of infected components, extensive lavage, and subsequent replacement with a similar implant. Success rates ranged from 80% to 100%, with emerging trends favoring the use of malleable implants during salvage. Unfortunately, functional data remained limited. When salvage penile prosthesis placement involved a malleable prosthesis, between 20% and 33% of patients underwent conversion to hydraulic prosthesis. CONCLUSION: The salvage procedure for infected penile implants is a reliable method, with success rates surpassing 80%. The need for comparative studies assessing the type of implant used during salvage is required to tailor conservative management strategies for optimal patient outcomes. Finally, few data have been published regarding subsequent conversions from malleable penile implants to hydraulic penile implants after salvage.

The State of Intermediate Clinical Endpoints as Surrogates for Overall Survival in Prostate Cancer in 2024.

In the past, selection of intermediate clinical endpoints (ICEs) in prostate cancer (PCa) trials largely depended on qualitative assessments; however, the advancing quality of research necessitates a robust correlation with overall survival (OS). This review summarises the results from several high-quality meta-analyses that explored the validity of ICEs as surrogates for OS. We found strong evidence that metastasis-free survival can serve as an ICE in localized PCa. In advanced disease, valid ICEs were identified only within the context of metastatic hormone-sensitive PCa, including radiological and clinical progression-free survival; however, concerns remain regarding their use owing to the limited generalisability of the data used to validate their surrogacy. PATIENT SUMMARY: Intermediate clinical endpoints can reduce the costs of trials and allow earlier introduction of new treatment methods. This article summarises results from studies verifying the validity of these endpoints as surrogates for overall survival.

Effect of Sex on the Oncological Outcomes in Response to Immunotherapy and Antibody-drug Conjugates in Patients with Urothelial and Kidney Cancer: A Systematic Review and a Network Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) herald a transformative era in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) treatment, amid acknowledged sex-based disparities in these cancers. We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) to identify sex-specific differences in the efficacy of ICI/ADC monotherapy or combination therapies for RCC and TCC survival, in metastatic and adjuvant settings. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted up to October 2023 for English articles on ICIs and ADCs as systemic therapies (ICIs in first-line and adjuvant treatment for RCC, ICIs and ADCs in first- and second-line treatment for TCC). Randomised clinical trials were considered. The primary objective was overall survival (OS) of ICIs and ADCs between males and females. The secondary outcomes included progression-free survival, overall response rate, disease-free survival, and recurrence-free survival. Treatment efficacy was evaluated by sex via odds ratios (ORs) and confidence intervals compared with controls. Log ORs were used for creating a frequentist NMA. This meta-analysis was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42023468632). KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS: Eighteen articles met the inclusion criteria. Females had an advantage for RCC-adjuvant treatment for atezolizumab (log OR [SE] = -0.57 ± 0.25, p = 0.024) in OS. Males showed a survival advantage in TCC second-line treatment for ADC-Nectin 4 (log OR [SE] = 0.65 ± 0.28, p = 0.02). No other significant results were shown. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The NMA revealed gender-specific variations in ICI and ADC responses for RCC and TCC, offering insights for personalised cancer care and addressing disparities in cancer care and outcomes. PATIENT SUMMARY: In this systematic review, we looked at the sex differences for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) for antibody-drug conjugates and immune checkpoint inhibitors. In our analysis, female and male sex has better overall survival for adjuvant and second-line therapies for RCC and TCC, respectively. Urgent research on gender-specific cancer therapies is imperative.

Adjuvant intravesical therapy in intermediate-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of adjuvant therapy on oncological outcomes in patients with intermediate-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), as due to the poorly-defined and overlapping diagnostic criteria optimal decision-making remains challenging in these patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this multicentre study, patients treated with transurethral resection of bladder tumour for Ta disease were retrospectively analysed. All patients with low- or high-risk NMIBC were excluded from the analysis. Associations between adjuvant therapy administration with recurrence-free survival (RFS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates were assessed in Cox regression models. RESULTS: A total of 2206 patients with intermediate-risk NMIBC were included in the analysis. Among them, 1427 patients underwent adjuvant therapy, such as bacille Calmette-Guérin (n = 168), or chemotherapeutic agents, such as mitomycin C or epirubicin (n = 1259), in different regimens up to 1 year. The median (interquartile range) follow-up was 73.3 (38.4-106.9) months. The RFS at 1 and 5 years in patients treated with adjuvant therapy and those without were 72.6% vs 69.5% and 50.8% vs 41.3%, respectively. Adjuvant therapy was associated with better RFS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.79, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.70-0.89, P < 0.001), but not with PFS (P = 0.09). In the subgroup of patients aged ≤70 years with primary, single Ta Grade 2 <3 cm tumours (n = 328), adjuvant therapy was not associated with RFS (HR 0.71, 95% CI 0.50-1.02, P = 0.06). While in the subgroup of patients with at least one risk factor including patient age >70 years, tumour multiplicity, recurrent tumour and tumour size ≥3 cm (n = 1878), adjuvant intravesical therapy was associated with improved RFS (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.68-0.88, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: In our study, patients with intermediate-risk NMIBC benefit from adjuvant intravesical therapy in terms of RFS. However, in patients without risk factors, adjuvant intravesical therapy did not result in a clear reduction in the recurrence rate.

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of the Impact of Local Therapies on Local Event Suppression in Metastatic Hormone-sensitive Prostate Cancer.

CONTEXT: It remains unclear to what extent the therapy of the primary local tumor, such as radical prostatectomy (RP) and radiation therapy (RT), improves overall survival in patients with low-volume metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). However, data suggest a benefit of these therapies in preventing local events secondary to local tumor progression. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of adding local therapy (RP or RT) to systemic therapies, including androgen deprivation therapy, docetaxel, and/or androgen receptor axis-targeted agents, in preventing local events in mHSPC patients compared with systemic therapy alone (ie, without RT of the prostate or RP). EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: Three databases and meeting abstracts were queried in November 2023 for studies analyzing mHSPC patients treated with local therapy. The primary outcome of interest was the prevention of overall local events (urinary tract infection, urinary tract obstruction, and gross hematuria) due to local disease progression. Subgroup analyses were conducted to assess the differential outcomes according to the type of local therapy (RP or RT). EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Overall, six studies, comprising two randomized controlled trials, were included for a systematic review and meta-analysis. The overall incidence of local events was significantly lower in the local treatment plus systemic therapy group than in the systemic therapy only groups (relative risk [RR]: 0.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.28-0.88, p = 0.016). RP significantly reduced the incidence of overall local events (RR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.11-0.52) and that of local events requiring surgical intervention (RR: 0.08, 95% CI: 0.03-0.25). Although there was no statistically significant difference between the RT plus systemic therapy and systemic therapy only groups in terms of overall local events, the incidence of local events requiring surgical intervention was significantly lower in the RT plus systemic therapy group (RR: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.49-0.99); local events requiring surgical intervention of the upper urinary tract was significantly lower in local treatment groups (RR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.37-0.98, p = 0.04). However, a subgroup analysis revealed that neither RP nor RT significantly impacted the prevention of local events requiring surgical intervention of the upper urinary tract. CONCLUSIONS: In some patients with mHSPC, RP or RT of primary tumor seems to reduce the incidence of local progression and events requiring surgical intervention. Identifying which patients are most likely to benefit from local therapy, and at what time point (eg, after response of metastases), will be necessary to set up a study assessing the risk, benefits, and alternatives to therapy of the primary tumor in the mHSPC setting. PATIENT SUMMARY: Our study suggests that local therapy of the prostate, such as radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy, in patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer can prevent local events, such as urinary obstruction and gross hematuria.

Preparing for the Worst: Management and Predictive Factors of Open Conversion During Minimally Invasive Renal Tumor Surgery (UroCCR-135 Study).

Background and objective: Data regarding open conversion (OC) during minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for renal tumors are reported from big databases, without precise description of the reason and management of OC. The objective of this study was to describe the rate, reasons, and perioperative outcomes of OC in a cohort of patients who underwent MIS for renal tumor initially. The secondary objective was to find the factors associated with OC. Methods: Between 2008 and 2022, of the 8566 patients included in the UroCCR project prospective database (NCT03293563), who underwent laparoscopic or robot-assisted minimally invasive partial (MIPN) or radical (MIRN) nephrectomy, 163 experienced OC. Each center was contacted to enlighten the context of OC: "emergency OC" implied an immediate life-threatening situation not reasonably manageable with MIS, otherwise "elective OC". To evaluate the predictive factors of OC, a 2:1 paired cohort on the UroCCR database was used. Key findings and limitations: The incidence rate of OC was 1.9% for all cases of MIS, 2.9% for MIRN, and 1.4% for MIPN. OC procedures were mostly elective (82.2%). The main reason for OC was a failure to progress due to anatomical difficulties (42.9%). Five patients (3.1%) died within 90 d after surgery. Increased body mass index (BMI; odds ratio [OR]: 1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.01-1.09, p = 0.009) and cT stage (OR: 2.22, 95% CI: 1.24-4.25, p = 0.008) were independent predictive factors of OC. Conclusions and clinical implications: In MIS for renal tumors, OC was a rare event (1.9%), caused by various situations, leading to impaired perioperative outcomes. Emergency OC occurred once every 300 procedures. Increased BMI and cT stage were independent predictive factors of OC. Patient summary: The incidence rate of open conversion (OC) in minimally invasive surgery for renal tumors is low. Only 20% of OC procedures occur in case of emergency, and others are caused by various situations. Increased body mass index and cT stage were independent predictive factors of OC.

Open versus robotic partial nephrectomy in obese patients: a multi-institutional propensity score-matched analysis (UroCCR 43-Robese study).

INTRODUCTION: There is limited evidence on the outcomes of robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN) and open partial nephrectomy (OPN) in obese patients (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2). In this study, we aimed to compare perioperative and oncological outcomes of RPN and OPN. METHODS: We relied on data from patients who underwent PN from 2009 to 2017 at 16 departments of urology participating in the UroCCR network, which were collected prospectively. In an effort to adjust for potential confounders, a propensity-score matching was performed. Perioperative outcomes were compared between OPN and RPN patients. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. RESULTS: Overall, 1277 obese patients (932 robotic and 345 open were included. After propensity score matching, 166 OPN and 166 RPN individuals were considered for the study purposes; no statistically significant difference among baseline demographic or tumor-specific characteristics was present. A higher overall complication rate and major complications rate were recorded in the OPN group (37 vs. 25%, p = 0.01 and 21 vs. 10%, p = 0.007; respectively). The length of stay was also significantly longer in the OPN group, before and after propensity-score matching (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in Warm ischemia time (p = 0.66), absolute change in eGFR (p = 0.45) and positive surgical margins (p = 0.12). At a median postoperative follow-up period of 24 (8-40) months, DFS and OS were similar in the two groups (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, RPN was associated with better perioperative outcomes (improvement of major complications rate and LOS) than OPN. The oncological outcomes were found to be similar between the two approaches.

Primary urethral carcinoma: Recommendations of the oncology committee of the French Urology Association.

Primary urethral carcinoma (PUC) is defined as a tumor process arising within the urethra, with no history of other urinary tract localization or synchronous tumor of the urinary tract. The most common histological types are urothelial carcinoma (UC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (AC). In men, UC predominates, while AC is rare. In women, AC affects around one in two patients, while EC and UC are equally divided between the remaining cases. Diagnosis is often delayed, and requires endoscopic examination with biopsies. MRI is the gold standard for local staging. FDG-PET scan can help in cases of doubt about regional or distant extension. The prognosis remains unfavorable despite aggressive surgical treatment. Multimodal management combining surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy appears to improve prognosis in severe forms.

Radiotherapy Combined with a Radiosensitizer for Bacillus Calmette-Guérin-unresponsive Non-muscle-invasive Carcinoma In Situ Bladder Cancer: An Open-label, Single-arm, Multicenter, Phase 2 European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Trial.

Radical cystectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection and urinary diversion is the standard of care for patients with bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). However, many patients are unwilling or unable to undergo such major surgery associated with high morbidity and a negative impact on quality of life. Chemoradiotherapy is an established treatment option for muscle-invasive bladder cancer. However, it has not been investigated adequately in NMIBC until now. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) 2235 study (NCT06310369) is designed as a multicenter, prospective, international, phase 2 trial of moderate hypofractionated radiotherapy combined with a radiosensitizer in BCG-unresponsive NMIBC patients with carcinoma in situ (CIS) who are not eligible for or declined to undergo radical cystectomy. Patients who have received nadofaragene firadenovec or TAR-200 are eligible. The primary endpoint is the 6-mo complete response (CR) rate defined by the absence of CIS proven by a control biopsy of the bladder. The secondary endpoints include overall survival, progression-free survival, durability of CR, grade 3-4 adverse events rate, patients' quality of life, and organ preservation rate. PATIENT SUMMARY: Intravesical instillation of bacillus Calmette-Guérin is the standard treatment of non-muscle-invasive, also coined as superficial, bladder cancer. In case the cancer recurs, even superficially, there is no other proven treatment than a radical cystectomy-the surgical removal of the bladder. Although the surgical technique has improved dramatically over the past few years, it remains contraindicated in patients with severe comorbidities. In addition, because it affects the quality of life, patients may reject this option. This study will assess the efficacy of external beam radiotherapy, a robust alternative to surgery in muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Radiotherapy will be administered 5 d a week for 4 wk. It will be associated with a "radiosensitizer," an intravenous or oral drug, during the radiotherapy treatment. The study will measure the proportion of patients remaining recurrence free at 6 mo and thereafter. It will also evaluate the safety of the treatment and its impact on quality of life.

The Impact of Histological Variants on Oncological Outcomes After Surgical Resection of a Nonmetastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma with Tumor Thrombus: A Multi-institutional Study.

Background: There is no definitive evidence of the prognosis impact of histological variants (HVs) in patients who undergo surgical resection of a nonmetastatic renal cell carcinoma (nm-RCC) with venous tumor thrombus (TT). Objective: To investigate the impact of HVs on the prognosis of patients with nm-RCC with TT after radical surgery. Design setting and participants: Patients who underwent radical nephrectomy with the removal of the venous TT for an nm-RCC were included in a retrospective study. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis: Three groups were identified: clear cell (ccRCC), papillary (pRCC), and chromophobe (chRCC) RCC. The primary outcome measures (disease-free and overall survival [OS]) were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared using the log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to study the impact of HVs on survival. Results and limitations: A total of 873 patients were included. The histological subtypes were distributed as follows: ccRCC in 780 cases, pRCC in 58 cases, and chRCC in 35 cases. At the time of data analysis, 612 patients were recurrence free and 228 had died. A survival analysis revealed significant differences in both OS and recurrence-free survival across histological subtypes, with the poorest outcomes observed in pRCC patients (p < 0.05). In a multivariable analysis, pRCC was independently associated with worse disease-free survival and OS (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.71; p = 0.01 and HR: 1.24; p = 0.04), while chRCC was associated with more favorable outcomes than ccRCC (HR: 0.05; p < 0.001 and HR: 0.02; p < 0.001). A limitation of the study is its retrospective nature. Conclusions: In this multicentric series, HVs appeared to impact the medium-term oncological prognosis of kidney cancer with TT. Patient summary: This study investigated the differences in oncological outcomes among histological variants (clear cell, papillary, and chromophobe) in a cohort of nonmetastatic renal cell carcinoma patients with venous tumor thrombus extension. We observed that these histological variants within this specific subgroup exhibit distinct outcomes, with papillary renal cell carcinoma being associated with the worst prognosis.

A Comprehensive National Survey of Prostate-specific Antigen Testing and Prostate Cancer Management in France: Uncovering Regional and Temporal Disparities.

We report nationwide real-life practice in the management of prostate cancer (PC) in France in a population of 4936750 men. All prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood tests performed between 2006 and 2018 were recorded in a National Health registry, which allowed to identify 692516 men diagnosed with PC and a control population consisting of 3899509 men without PC. PSA tests, age at diagnosis, treatments, and survival were analysed. Their management was analysed by age range and compared in the different French regions. Disparities were found in age at PSA testing and management approaches (surveillance, and local and systemic therapies). We found that 50% of men had received five PSA blood tests, but the first PSA test was taken late in life, with a peak in the decade between 65 and 75 yr of age. Adoption of monitoring was low (12%). Older men appeared to receive a late diagnosis with reduced chances of curative therapy and a subsequent increase in mortality, but cautious interpretation of our data is warranted in view of competing morbidities and other causes of death. The incidence of metastases at diagnosis, indicated by the use of systemic therapies, increased progressively from 2011 onwards. PATIENT SUMMARY: In this study, we report nationwide real-life practice in the management of prostate cancer (PC) in France in a population of 4936750 men, including 692516 patients with PC. We found that the first prostate-specific antigen test is taken too late in life, leading to a late diagnosis with reduced chances of curative therapy and a subsequent increase in mortality.

The role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for patients with variant histology muscle invasive bladder cancer undergoing robotic cystectomy: Data from the International Robotic Cystectomy Consortium.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) before robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) for patients with variant histology (VH) muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). METHODS: Retrospective review of 988 patients who underwent RARC (2004-2023) for MIBC. Primary outcomes included the utilization of NAC among this cohort of patients, frequency of downstaging, and discordance between preoperative and final pathology in terms of the presence of VH. Secondary outcomes included disease-specific (DSS), recurrence-free (RFS), and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: A total of 349 (35%) had VH on transurethral resection or at RARC. The 4 most common VH subgroups were squamous (n = 94), adenocarcinoma (n = 64), micropapillary (n = 34), and sarcomatoid (n = 21). There was no difference in OS (log-rank: P = 0.43 for adenocarcinoma, P = 0.12 for micropapillary, P = 0.55 for sarcomatoid, P = 0.29 for squamous), RFS (log-rank: P = 0.25 for adenocarcinoma, P = 0.35 for micropapillary, P = 0.83 for sarcomatoid, P = 0.79 for squamous), or DSS (log-rank P = 0.91 for adenocarcinoma, P = 0.15 for micropapillary, 0.28 for sarcomatoid, P = 0.92 for squamous) among any of the VH based on receipt of NAC. Patients with squamous histology who received NAC were more likely to be downstaged on final pathology compared to those who did not (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our data showed no significant difference in OS, RFS, or DSS for patients with VH MIBC cancer who received NAC before RARC. Patients with the squamous variant who received NAC had more pathologic downstaging compared to those who did not. The role of NAC among patients with VH is yet to be defined. Results were limited by small number in each individual group and lack of exact proportion of VH.

UroPredict: Machine learning model on real-world data for prediction of kidney cancer recurrence (UroCCR-120).

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is most often diagnosed at a localized stage, where surgery is the standard of care. Existing prognostic scores provide moderate predictive performance, leading to challenges in establishing follow-up recommendations after surgery and in selecting patients who could benefit from adjuvant therapy. In this study, we developed a model for individual postoperative disease-free survival (DFS) prediction using machine learning (ML) on real-world prospective data. Using the French kidney cancer research network database, UroCCR, we analyzed a cohort of surgically treated RCC patients. Participating sites were randomly assigned to either the training or testing cohort, and several ML models were trained on the training dataset. The predictive performance of the best ML model was then evaluated on the test dataset and compared with the usual risk scores. In total, 3372 patients were included, with a median follow-up of 30 months. The best results in predicting DFS were achieved using Cox PH models that included 24 variables, resulting in an iAUC of 0.81 [IC95% 0.77-0.85]. The ML model surpassed the predictive performance of the most commonly used risk scores while handling incomplete data in predictors. Lastly, patients were stratified into four prognostic groups with good discrimination (iAUC = 0.79 [IC95% 0.74-0.83]). Our study suggests that applying ML to real-world prospective data from patients undergoing surgery for localized or locally advanced RCC can provide accurate individual DFS prediction, outperforming traditional prognostic scores.

Transperineal Versus Transrectal Magnetic Resonance Imaging-targeted Biopsies for Prostate Cancer Diagnosis: Final Results of the Randomized PERFECT trial (CCAFU-PR1).

BACKGROUND: Recent guidelines favor transperineal (TP) prostate biopsies over the transrectal (TR) approach due to a reduced sepsis risk. Yet, evidence from controlled trial comparing both approaches within the MRI-targeted pathway for significant prostate cancer (PCa) detection is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To compare the significant PCa detection rate between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-targeted TR and TP approaches in biopsy-naïve patients. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: In this noninferiority controlled trial, we randomized (ratio 1:1) 270 MRI-positive biopsy-naïve patients. INTERVENTION: MRI-targeted TP versus TR biopsy. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSES: The primary outcome was the detection rate of significant PCa (International Society of Urological Pathology [ISUP] ≥2) in MRI-targeted biopsies. Secondary outcomes were any-grade PCa detection, detection on concomitant systematic biopsy, complications, and functional outcomes. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: Targeted biopsies identified significant PCa in 47.2% of TP and 54.2% of TR participants (-7%, p = 0.6235). On a per-lesion analysis, posterior lesions yielded higher detection rates via TR (59.0% vs 44.3%, p = 0.0443), while anterior lesions were more frequently detected via TP (40.6% vs 26.5%, p = 0.2228). The overall (any grade) cancer detection rate in targeted biopsies was comparable between groups: 71.3% (TP) versus 64.1% (TR; p = 0.2209) with significantly more ISUP 1 cases detected in the TP arm. Adverse events of grade ≥2 were not different between TP (35.7%) and TR (40.5%, p = 0.4256). One TR patient (0.8%) experienced grade 3 sepsis. Quality of life, and urinary and sexual function, as well as pain scores, were comparable between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Despite a comparable overall detection rate for any-grade PCa, noninferiority of TP over TR for MRI-targeted biopsies for significant PCa detection was not demonstrated. However, MRI lesion location influenced biopsy route performance, suggesting that a pragmatic approach based on lesion location might enhance significant PCa assessment. PATIENT SUMMARY: This trial compared the efficacy and safety of two biopsy approaches for prostate cancer diagnosis. Both approaches seem complementary according to the lesion location.

Learning curve for fusion magnetic resonance imaging targeted prostate biopsy and three-dimensional transrectal ultrasonography segmentation.

OBJECTIVE: To report the learning curve of multiple operators for fusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) targeted biopsy and to determine the number of cases needed to achieve proficiency. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All adult males who underwent fusion MRI targeted biopsy between February 2012 and July 2021 for clinically suspected prostate cancer (PCa) in a single centre were included. Fusion transrectal MRI targeted biopsy was performed under local anaesthesia using the Koelis platform. Learning curves for segmentation of transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) images and the overall MRI targeted biopsy procedure were estimated with locally weighted scatterplot smoothing by computing each operator's timestamps for consecutive procedures. Non-risk-adjusted cumulative sum (CUSUM) methods were used to create learning curves for clinically significant (i.e., International Society of Urological Pathology grade ≥ 2) PCa detection. RESULTS: Overall, 1721 patients underwent MRI targeted biopsy in our centre during the study period. The median (interquartile range) times for TRUS segmentation and for the MRI targeted biopsy procedure were 4.5 (3.5, 6.0) min and 13.2 (10.6, 16.9) min, respectively. Among the 14 operators with experience of more than 50 cases, a plateau was reached after 40 cases for TRUS segmentation time and 50 cases for overall MRI targeted biopsy procedure time. CUSUM analysis showed that the learning curve for clinically significant PCa detection required 25 to 45 procedures to achieve clinical proficiency. Pain scores ranged between 0 and 1 for 84% of patients, and a plateau phase was reached after 20 to 100 cases. CONCLUSIONS: A minimum of 50 cases of MRI targeted biopsy are necessary to achieve clinical and technical proficiency and to reach reproducibility in terms of timing, clinically significant PCa detection, and pain.

Oncologic Outcomes in Patients with Residual Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma Following Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Growing evidence supports the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). However, the implications of residual UTUC at radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) after NAC are not well characterized. Our objective was to compare oncologic outcomes for pathologic risk-matched patients who underwent RNU for UTUC who either received NAC or were chemotherapy-naïve. METHODS: We retrospectively identified 1993 patients (including 112 NAC recipients) who underwent RNU for nonmetastatic, high-grade UTUC between 1985 and 2022 in a large, international, multicenter cohort. We divided the cohort into low-risk and high-risk groups defined according to pathologic findings of muscle invasion and lymph node involvement at RNU. Recurrence-free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS) estimates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariable analyses were performed to determine clinical and demographic factors associated with these outcomes. KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS: Among patients with low-risk pathology at RNU, RFS, OS, and CSS were similar between the NAC and chemotherapy-naïve groups. Among patients with high-risk pathology at RNU, the NAC group had poorer RFS (hazard ratio [HR] 3.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.10-4.48), OS (HR 2.06, 95% CI 1.33-3.20), and CSS (subdistribution HR 2.54, 95% CI 1.37-4.69) in comparison to the pathologic risk-matched, chemotherapy-naïve group. Limitations include the lack of centralized pathologic review. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Patients with residual invasive disease at RNU after NAC represent a uniquely high-risk population with respect to oncologic outcomes. There is a critical need to determine an optimal adjuvant approach for these patients. PATIENT SUMMARY: We studied a large, international group of patients with cancer of the upper urinary tract who underwent surgery either with or without receiving chemotherapy beforehand. We identified a high-risk subgroup of patients with residual aggressive cancer after chemotherapy and surgery who should be prioritized for clinical trials and drug development.

Management of patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer with clinical evidence of pelvic lymph node metastases.

Identification of clinically positive pelvic lymph node metastases (cN+) in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer is currently challenging, as the diagnostic accuracy of available imaging modalities is limited. Conventional CT is still considered the gold-standard approach to diagnose lymph node metastases in these patients. The development of innovative diagnostic methods including radiomics, artificial intelligence-based models and molecular biomarkers might offer new perspectives for the diagnosis of cN+ disease. With regard to the treatment of these patients, multimodal strategies are likely to provide the best oncological outcomes, especially using induction chemotherapy followed by radical cystectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection in responders to chemotherapy. Additionally, the use of adjuvant nivolumab has been shown to decrease the risk of recurrence in patients who still harbour ypT2-T4a and/or ypN+ disease after surgery. Alternatively, the use of avelumab maintenance therapy can be offered to patients with unresectable cN+ tumours who have at least stable disease after induction chemotherapy alone. Lastly, patients with cN+ tumours who are not responding to induction chemotherapy are potential candidates for receiving second-line treatment with pembrolizumab.

Patients and general practitioner knowledge and perception of testicular self-examination for cancer.

PURPOSE: Testicular cancer (TC) predominantly affects young men and early detection enhances survival. However, uncertainty surrounds the impact of population-wide screening. Testicular self-examination (TSE) is a simple detection method but there is a gap in current practices that needs to be assessed. Our goal was to assess the perceptions and knowledge of male subjects in the general population (MP) and general practitioners (GPs) regarding TSE for TC. METHODS: Two distinct surveys evaluating knowledge and perceptions of TSE for TC were administered to GPs and MP, aged 15‒45-years. Factors that could favour the realisation of TSE or improve the knowledge of TC were evaluated by multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Overall, 1048 GPs (mean (SD) age: 35.1 ± 10.3 years) and 1032 MP (mean (SD) age: 27 ± 8.2 years) answered the survey. Among the GPs, only 93 (8.9%) performed scrotal examination for TC screening. Although the majority (n = 993, 94.8%) were aware of the age of onset of TC, most (n = 768, 73.3%) did not know the overall survival rate from TC. GPs familiar with the guidelines were more likely to explain TSE to their patients (OR = 2.5 [95% CI 1.5‒4.1]; p < 0.01). Among the MP, 800 (77.5%) admitted that they did not know how to perform TSE and 486 (47.1%) did not know the main symptoms associated with TC. MP who had already undergone TC screening were more likely to be familiar with the main symptoms (OR = 2.1 [95% CI 1.6‒2.7]; p < 0.001) and MP who knew someone with TC or who had already undergone TC screening were more likely to be aware of the correct prevalence of TC (OR = 1.9 [95% CI 1.3‒2.7], p < 0.01; and OR = 1.6 [95% CI 1.2‒2.1], p < 0.01; respectively). CONCLUSION: The knowledge of both GPs and MP regarding TC could be improved. TSE screening and knowing someone close with TC improved the awareness of our subjects.