Human Urinary Volatilome Analysis in Renal Cancer by Electronic Nose.

Currently, in clinical practice there are still no useful markers available that are able to diagnose renal cancer in the early stages in the context of population screening. This translates into very high costs for healthcare systems around the world. Analysing urine using an electronic nose (EN) provides volatile organic compounds that can be easily used in the diagnosis of urological diseases. Although no convincing results have been published, some previous studies suggest that dogs trained to sniff urine can recognize different types of tumours (bladder, lung, breast cancer) with different success rates. We therefore hypothesized that urinary volatilome profiling may be able to distinguish patients with renal cancer from healthy controls. A total of 252 individuals, 110 renal patients and 142 healthy controls, were enrolled in this pilot monocentric study. For each participant, we collected, stabilized (at 37 °C) and analysed urine samples using a commercially available electronic nose (Cyranose 320®). Principal component (PCA) analyses, discriminant analysis (CDA) and ROC curves were performed to provide a complete statistical analysis of the sensor responses. The best discriminating principal component groups were identified with univariable ANOVA analysis. The study correctly identified 79/110 patients and 127/142 healthy controls, respectively (specificity 89.4%, sensitivity 71.8%, positive predictive value 84.04%, negative predictive value 80.37%). In order to test the study efficacy, the Cross Validated Accuracy was calculated (CVA 81.7%, p < 0.001). At ROC analysis, the area under the curve was 0.85. The results suggest that urine volatilome profiling by e-Nose seems a promising, accurate and non-invasive diagnostic tool in discriminating patients from controls. The low costs and ease of execution make this test useful in clinical practice.

Wunderlich syndrome, an unexpected urological complication in a patient with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): A case report.

We describe the first case of Wunderlich syndrome as a hemorrhagic complication in a patient with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and acute respiratory distress syndrome. The possible underlying pathophysiological mechanisms have been extensively discussed. Emergency management included selective angioembolization of the upper polar arterial branches of the left kidney and discontinuation of thromboprophylaxis. The patient was discharged after 18 days. No other localizations or local recurrence of bleeding occurred during the hospitalization. Our report suggests a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations in patients with coronavirus disease 2019. As observed in our clinical case, in addition to thrombotic complications, bleeding is a significant cause of morbidity in coronavirus disease 2019 patients. Further studies should determine whether these urological bleeding sequelae are a direct manifestation of the infection or an indirect effect of thromboprophylaxis.

Volatilome Analysis in Prostate Cancer by Electronic Nose: A Pilot Monocentric Study.

Urine analysis via an electronic nose provides volatile organic compounds easily usable in the diagnosis of urological diseases. Although challenging and highly expensive for health systems worldwide, no useful markers are available in clinical practice that aim to anticipate prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis in the early stages in the context of wide population screening. Some previous works suggested that dogs trained to smell urine could recognize several types of cancers with various success rates. We hypothesized that urinary volatilome profiling may distinguish PCa patients from healthy controls. In this study, 272 individuals, 133 patients, and 139 healthy controls participated. Urine samples were collected, stabilized at 37 °C, and analyzed using a commercially available electronic nose (Cyranose C320). Statistical analysis of the sensor responses was performed off-line using principal component (PCA) analyses, discriminant analysis (CDA), and ROC curves. Principal components best discriminating groups were identified with univariable ANOVA analysis. groups were identified with univariable ANOVA analysis. Here, 110/133 and 123/139 cases were correctly identified in the PCa and healthy control cohorts, respectively (sensitivity 82.7%, specificity 88.5%; positive predictive value 87.3%, negative predictive value 84.2%). The Cross Validated Accuracy (CVA 85.3%, p < 0.001) was calculated. Using ROC analysis, the area under the curve was 0.9. Urine volatilome profiling via an electronic nose seems a promising non-invasive diagnostic tool.

Boswellia resin extract and propolis derived polyphenols in patients with type III chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: An Italian prospective multicenter study.

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of a treatment regimen based on rectal administration of Boswellia resin extract and propolis derived polyphenols in patients with type IIIa and type IIIb chronic prostatitis and chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Methods: Patients with type IIIa and type IIIb CP/CPPS received one rectal suppository a day for 15 days per month for 3 consecutive months. Participants were evaluated with National Institutes of Health-Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI), the International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS), International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF), four-glass test, uroflowmetry, and prostate-specific antigen assessments at baseline and at Week 4, and Week 12. Primary endpoints were improvement in pain domain of NIH-CPSI and improvement of NIH-CPSI total score. Secondary outcomes included improvement of micturition and quality of life (QoL) domains of NIH-CPSI questionnaire. Results: A total of 61 males were enrolled. No adverse events were reported. Significant improvements from baseline to Day 30 were reported for NIH-CPSI total score (mean difference: -9.2; p<0.01), NIH-CPSI pain domain (mean difference: -5.5; p<0.01), NIH-CPSI micturition domain, NIH-CPSI QoL domain, and IPSS total score (mean difference: -5.6; p<0.01). No significant changes from baseline in terms of IIEF score or maximum flow rate were observed. At final follow-up (Day 90), further significant improvements in terms of NIH-CPSI total score (mean difference: -12.2; p<0.01), NIH-CPSI pain domain (mean difference: -6.6; p<0.01), NIH-CPSI micturition domain, NIH-CPSI QoL domain, and IPSS total score were reported. Conclusion: Rectal administration of Boswellia resin extract and propolis derived polyphenols is well tolerated and delivers a significant symptomatic improvement in most patients with type IIIa and type IIIb CP/CPPS.

Novel Diagnostic Biomarkers of Prostate Cancer: An Update.

OBJECTIVE: In recent years, several biomarkers alternative to standard prostate specific antigen (PSA) for prostate cancer (PCa) diagnosis have become available. The aim of this systematic review is to assess the current knowledge about alternative serum and urinary biomarkers for the diagnosis of PCa. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A research was conducted in Medline, restricted to English language articles published between December 2014 and June 2018 with the aim to update previously published series on PCa biomarkers. The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) criteria were used for selecting studies with the lowest risk of bias. RESULTS: Emerging role and actual controversies on serum and urine alternative biomarkers to standard PSA for PCa diagnosis, staging and prognosis assessment, such as prostate health index (PHI), PCA3, ConfirmMDx, Aberrant PSA glycosylation, MiPS, miRNAs are critically presented in the current review. CONCLUSION: Although the use of several biomarkers has been recommended or questioned by different international guidelines, larger prospective randomized studies are still necessary to validate their efficacy in PCa detection, discrimination, prognosis and treatment effectiveness. To date, only PHI and 4Kscore have shown clinical relevance for discriminating more aggressive PCa. Furthermore, a new grading classification based on molecular features relevant for PCa risk-stratification and tailoring treatment is still needed.

Leiomyoma of the renal capsule: case report and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Mesenchymal tumors are an exceptional finding in the urinary tract and renal leiomyoma is even more rare. They are usually discovered incidentally during ultrasonography examinations or autopsy. Sometimes they are clinically symptomatic with hematuria, flank pain, or palpable mass. Till today, it is still difficult to make a diagnosis of leiomyoma using the radiological examinations. Although conventional imaging has a high sensitivity and specificity in the detection of both retroperitoneal and renal masses, the diagnosis is based on histological examination, due to the poor discrimination accuracy between different retroperitoneal tumors. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report a case of renal leiomyoma in a 47-year-old woman, who incidentally discovered a retroperitoneal mass with an abdominal ultrasound scheduled for a conventional follow-up schedule of a mammary neoplasm. Partial nephrectomy was carried out with an open flank surgical approach and the diagnosis was "leiomyoma of the renal capsule". Four years after surgery, the patient is disease-free. CONCLUSIONS: Renal leiomyomas are rare, benign, nonmetastasizing tumors with a good prognosis after surgical treatment. At present, the differential diagnosis is still possible by histopathological examination.

Mitomycin C: new strategies to improve efficacy of a well-known therapy.

Mitomycin C (MMC) as an intravesical chemotherapeutic agent is a well-known option for treatment of nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) recurrence; it is probably the most commonly used agent given its low rate of side effects and its efficacy.Both the American Urologic Association (AUA) and European Association of Urology (EAU) consider MMC as a standard treatment for immediate single-dose postoperative treatment and for adjuvant therapy in low and intermediate-risk NMIBC.Despite the popularity of this agent in the treatment of NMIBCs, many questions regarding the optimal approach to MMC therapy remain unanswered and the schedule widely used is empirical.Nevertheless, even when the current optimal approaches to MMC administration are used, a large proportion of NMIBCs recur.This apparent treatment resistance might be overcome by an optimization of standard MMC therapy or with a combination of MMC with other agents that have different mechanisms of action.Strategies to enhance passive delivery of MMC have been well studied and multiple measures are recommended for implementation of use in routine clinical practice.A modified scheme of instillation seems to be an easy and inexpensive alternative to increase efficacy of intravesical MMC and to also use this agent with an ablative intent.Enhancing tumor response with a sequential therapy is another option that has been investigated, mostly for chemo-immunotherapy wherein the different mechanisms of action of Bacillus of Calmette and Guerìn (BCG) and MMC are combined to achieve a higher response.

Postoperative Quality of Life in Patients with Ileal Neobladder at Short-, Intermediate- and Long-Term Follow-Up.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the difference at different steps of follow-up of the postoperative quality of life (QoL) in patients who had undergone radical cystectomy and ileal orthotopic neobladder derivation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A multicentric, cross-qualitative study was performed in 5 Italian centers of reference for the treatment of bladder cancer. One hundred seventy one patients who underwent radical cystectomy and creation of ileal orthotopic neobladder according to 'Vescica Ileale Padovana' between 2006 and 2011 have been analyzed. The validated and dedicated questionnaires EORTC QLQ-C30, IOB-PRO and EORTC QLQ-BLM30 were used. RESULTS: All data gathered were then processed, specifically means ± SD were included for comparison during 4 periods of follow-up (quartile): the first ranging from 1 to 18 months; the second ranging from 19 to 36 months; the third from 37 to 72 months and the fourth >72 months. Cancer-specific and health-related factors were analyzed separately, and the change was determined during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The global QoL, highlighted by validated cancer-specific and health-related questionnaires, is certainly on a satisfactory level. Thus, the education of the patient, the exploration of the pros and cons of an orthotopic neobladder and the active participation in treatment decision seem to be the keys to better improve the post-operative QoL during the follow-up period.

[Therapy for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: HP-NAP]. / La risposta immunitaria Th1 mediata nella terapia della neoplasia vescicale non muscolo invasiva: il ruolo di HP-NAP.

PURPOSE: Patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer recurrence after 2 induction courses of BCG are eligible for radical cystectomy. So, in the last years research to discover new drugs for the management of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer recurrence after failure of first and second line therapy is ongoing. In accordance to the results obtained with BCG, whose mechanism depends on the induction of the T helper 1 (TH1) immune response, we investigated the activity of a Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 ligand, named Helicobacter Pylori Neutrophil Activating Protein (HP-NAP), that we recently demonstrated being able of enhancing the differentiation of Th1 cells, both in vitro and in vivo, because of its ability to create an IL-12 enriched milieu. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We show here, in a mouse model of bladder neoplasm implants, that local administration of HP-NAP decreases tumor growth by inducing tumor necrosis. RESULTS: The result is joined up with a massive cluster of both CD4+ and CD8+ IFN-γ+ cells, within neoplasm and regional lymph nodes. It is of note that HP-NAP-treated tumors show also a reduced vascularization due to the anti-angiogenic activity of IFN-γ induced by HP-NAP. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that the activity of HP-NAP against urothelial tumor burden warrants subsequent in vivo studies.