Is trimodal therapy the current standard for muscle-invasive bladder cancer?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review is to summarize the current evidence and future perspectives of bladder-sparing treatment for MIBC. METHODS: A non-systematic literature search in Medline/Pubmed was performed in October 2023 with the following keywords "bladder cancer", "bladder-sparing", "trimodal therapy", "chemoradiation", "biomarkers", "immunotherapy", "neoadjuvant chemotherapy", "radiotherapy". RESULTS: Urology guidelines recommend radical cystectomy as the standard curative treatment for muscle-invasive urothelial bladder cancer, reserving radiotherapy for patients who are unfit or who want to preserve their bladder. Given the morbidity and mortality of cystectomy and its impact on quality of life and bladder function, modern oncologic therapies are increasingly oriented toward organ preservation and maximizing functional outcomes while maintaining treatment efficacy. Trimodal therapy, which incorporates maximal transurethral resection followed by radiotherapy with concurrent radiosensitizing chemotherapy, is an effective regimen for bladder function preservation in well-selected patients. Despite the absence of comparative data from randomized trials, the two approaches seem to provide comparable oncologic outcomes. Studies are evaluating the expansion of eligibility criteria for trimodal therapy, the optimization of radiotherapy and immunotherapy delivery to further improve outcomes, and the validation of biomarkers to guide bladder preservation. CONCLUSIONS: Trimodal therapy has shown acceptable outcomes for bladder preservation; therefore, it provides a valid treatment option in well-selected patients.

Multidisciplinary consensus document on the current treatment of bacille Calmette-Guérin-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder tumor.

Radical cystectomy is the current treatment of choice for patients with BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder tumor (NMIBC). However, the high comorbidity of this surgery and its effects on the quality of life of patients require the investigation and implementation of bladder-sparing treatment options. These must be evaluated individually by the uro-oncology committee based on the characteristics of the BCG failure, type of tumor, patient preferences and treatment options available in each center. Based on FDA-required oncologic outcomes (6-month complete response rate for CIS: 50%; duration of response in responders for CIS and papillary: 30% at 12 months and 25% at 18 months), there is not currently a strong preference for one treatment over another, although the intravesical route seems to offer less toxicity. This work summarizes the evidence on the management of BCG-unresponsive NMIBC based on current scientific evidence and provides consensus recommendations on the most appropriate treatment.

Conservative management of high-grade renal trauma.

INTRODUCTION: Renal trauma is the most common of urological trauma and accounts for up to 5% of all. The AAST scale is the most widely used to assess renal trauma. This study focuses on high-grade trauma, whose treatment has evolved towards a conservative approach, with techniques such as angioembolization. The aim is to describe the evolution in the management of high-grade renal trauma in all patients treated at La Paz University Hospital from 2001 to 2022. METHODS: A descriptive retrospective study was conducted on patients treated at the hospital. The study was divided into two periods (2001-2010 and 2011-2022). A total of 285 patients with renal trauma were collected, of which 54 were high grade. The main variable is the type of management, conservative (embolization) or interventional through nephrectomy. RESULTS: In the completed series, there was a decrease in radical nephrectomy in high-grade renal trauma from 50% to 13.8% over time, with an increase in embolization from 23,1% to 44,8%. In patients with isolated renal trauma, those treated with embolization increased from 28.6% to 69.2%, while those undergoing radical/partial nephrectomy decreased from 42.8% to 7.69%. CONCLUSION: The management of renal trauma has evolved over the years in our center. The number of patients treated by embolization has increased, while the number of complications and nephrectomies has decreased.

Lesión medular asociada a hematoma epidural espinal espontáneo / Spinal cord injury associated with spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma

Introducción: El hematoma epidural espinal espontáneo (HEEE) es una entidad de baja incidencia, de elevada morbimortalidad y que causa una importante limitación funcional en la vida de los pacientes. Material y métodos: Con el objetivo de determinar la incidencia del HEEE y el tipo de lesión medular provocada y su repercusión funcional en este centro hospitalario, se realizó un estudio descriptivo retrospectivo analizando variables demográficas, de la lesión (ISCNSCI) y de la funcionalidad (SCIMIII). Resultados: Se revisaron los casos de HEEE atendidos en este centro. El 75% eran varones, con una mediana de edad de 55años. Todas las lesiones fueron incompletas. La localización más frecuente de las lesiones fue a nivel cervical bajo y dorsal alto. La mitad de los sangrados se produjeron en la región medular anterior. Se objetivó mejoría funcional tras el programa específico de rehabilitación. Conclusión: El HEEE podría considerarse de buen pronóstico funcional, relacionado con lesiones medulares habitualmente posteriores e incompletas sensitivo-motoras que se beneficiarían de un tratamiento rehabilitador específico precoz.(AU)

Introduction: Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) is a disease with low incidence and high morbidity/mortality. It can cause severe loss of function. Material and methods: In order to determine the incidence, type of spinal injury and functional impact, a descriptive and retrospective study was developed, analysing demographic data, functional scores (SCIMIII) and neurological scores (ISCNSCI). Results: Cases of SSEH were reviewed. Seventy-five percent were male, median age was 55years old. All of the spinal injuries were incomplete and were frequently in the lower cervical and thoracic regions. Fifty percent of bleedings occurred in the anterior spinal cord. Most showed with a progress after an intensive rehabilitation program. Conclusion: SSEH could be considered to have a good functional prognosis, related to usually posterior and incomplete sensory-motor spinal cord injuries that would benefit from early specific rehabilitative treatment.(AU)

Prostatitis: A Review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Pathologies of the prostate in men are one of the most prevalent clinical conditions today [1]. Specifically, pelvic inflammatory disease such as prostatitis can cause symptoms and syndromes different from urological ones, such as bowel or nervous system manifestations. This has a largely negative impact on the quality of life of patients. Therefore, it is convenient to know and update the information about the therapeutic approach to prostatitis, which is a challenge that involves different medical specialties. The aim of this article is to provide summarized and focused evidence to help in the therapeutic approach of patients with prostatitis. A computer-based search of the PubMed and Cochrane Library databases was used to perform a comprehensive literature review on prostatitis, with special interest in recent findings and latest therapeutic guideline recommendations. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent discoveries about the epidemiology and clinical classifications of prostatitis seem to incur in an increasingly individualized and directed management, with the aim of covering all the confluent factors in prostatic inflammatory pathology. In addition, the role of new drugs and combination with phytotherapy open up a range of new treatment possibilities, although future randomized studies will be necessary to better understand how to use all treatment modalities. Despite all the knowledge acquired about the pathophysiology of prostate diseases, and due to their interrelation with other pelvic systems and organs, there are still gaps that make it difficult for us to provide an optimal and standardized treatment in many of our patients. Being aware of the influence of all the factors potentially involved in prostate symptoms is crucial for a correct diagnosis and establishing an effective treatment plan.

[Spinal cord injury associated with spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma]. / Lesión medular asociada a hematoma epidural espinal espontáneo.

INTRODUCTION: Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) is a disease with low incidence and high morbidity/mortality. It can cause severe loss of function. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In order to determine the incidence, type of spinal injury and functional impact, a descriptive and retrospective study was developed, analysing demographic data, functional scores (SCIMIII) and neurological scores (ISCNSCI). RESULTS: Cases of SSEH were reviewed. Seventy-five percent were male, median age was 55years old. All of the spinal injuries were incomplete and were frequently in the lower cervical and thoracic regions. Fifty percent of bleedings occurred in the anterior spinal cord. Most showed with a progress after an intensive rehabilitation program. CONCLUSION: SSEH could be considered to have a good functional prognosis, related to usually posterior and incomplete sensory-motor spinal cord injuries that would benefit from early specific rehabilitative treatment.

General electrochemical Minisci alkylation of N-heteroarenes with alkyl halides.

Herein, we report, a general, facile and environmentally friendly Minisci-type alkylation of N-heteroarenes under simple and straightforward electrochemical conditions using widely available alkyl halides as radical precursors. Primary, secondary and tertiary alkyl radicals have been shown to be efficiently generated and coupled with a large variety of N-heteroarenes. The method presents a very high functional group tolerance, including various heterocyclic-based natural products, which highlights the robustness of the methodology. This applicability has been further proved in the synthesis of various interesting biologically valuable building blocks. In addition, we have proposed a mechanism based on different proofs and pieces of electrochemical evidence.

The Impact of Robotic Therapy on the Self-Perception of Upper Limb Function in Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the impact of robotic therapy in patients with cervical spinal cord injury (SCI), measured on the basis of the patients' self-perception of limited upper limb function and level of independence in activities of daily living. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with cervical SCI completed the treatment after being randomly assigned to the intervention or control group. The training consisted of 40 experimental sessions 1 h in duration, ideally occurring 5 days/week for 8 weeks. In addition to the conventional daily therapy (30 min), the control group received another 30 min of conventional therapy, whereas the intervention group received 30 min of robotic therapy. Patients were evaluated by means of the Capabilities of Upper Extremity Questionnaire (CUE) and Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM) clinical scales. RESULTS: The improvement in the feeding item of SCIM was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group after the treatment (2.00 (0.91) vs. 1.18 (0.89), p = 0.03). The correlation between the CUE and SCIM scales was higher at the ending than at baseline for both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although both groups improved, the clinical relevance related to the changes observed for both assessments was slightly higher in the intervention group than in the control group.

Valor pronóstico de la citología urinaria en la recidiva del carcinoma urotelial vesical tras la cistectomía radical / Prognostic value of urinary cytology for detecting urothelial carcinoma recurrence after radical cystectomy

Introducción: Las recidivas del carcinoma urotelial (CaU) en uretra o en el tracto urinario superior (TUS), tras una cistectomía radical (CR) son infrecuentes (4-6%), y su diagnóstico suele ocurrir en los 2 primeros años. Actualmente, no existen claras recomendaciones para la detección de recidivas en el urotelio remanente (UR), aunque se sabe que su detección precoz ofrece beneficios en la supervivencia. Nuestro objetivo es determinar el valor diagnóstico de la citología urinaria (CU) para la detección de recidivas en el UR y calcular su impacto como método de diagnóstico precoz en la supervivencia.Material y métodosRevisión retrospectiva de pacientes intervenidos de CR por CaU entre 2008-2016, con un seguimiento mayor de 24 meses.ResultadosSe incluyeron 142 pacientes. En una mediana de seguimiento de 68,5 meses, 9 pacientes (6,3%) presentaron recidivas en el UR (uretra: 4, TUS: 4, sincrónica: uno). La sensibilidad de la CU para el diagnóstico de recidivas en el TUS fue del 20% y la especificidad del 96%. No se encontraron diferencias significativas entre la supervivencia global y la supervivencia cáncer específica entre pacientes según el resultado de la CU.ConclusiónLas recidivas en el UR tras una CR son infrecuentes, y en nuestro estudio, hemos encontrado una baja sensibilidad para el diagnóstico de estas con CU. Por estas razones, no consideramos que la CU aporta información útil para el seguimiento de estos pacientes. (AU)

Introduction: Urethral or upper urinary tract (UUT) recurrence of urothelial carcinoma (UC) after radical cystectomy (RC) are rare (4-6%), and their diagnosis usually occurs within the first two years. Although it is known that its early detection offers benefit in terms of survival, currently there are no clear recommendations for the detection of recurrence in the remnant urothelium (RU). Our aim is to determine the diagnostic value of urinary cytology for the detection of recurrences in the RU and to estimate its impact as an early diagnostic method on survival.Material and methodsRetrospective review of patients who underwent RC for urothelial carcinoma between 2008-2016, with a follow-up of at least 24 months.ResultsThe study included 142 patients. In a median follow-up of 68.5 months, nine patients (6.3%) presented recurrences in the RU (urethra: four, UUT: four, synchronous: one). The sensitivity and specificity of urinary cytology for the diagnosis of UUT recurrences were 20% and 96%, respectively. No significant differences were found between overall survival and cancer-specific survival among patients according to the urinary cytology results.ConclusionRecurrences in the RU after RC are infrequent; our study has shown that urinary cytology offers a low sensitivity for their diagnoses. For these reasons, we do not consider that urinary cytology provides useful information for surveillance of these patients. (AU)

Prognostic value of urinary cytology for detecting urothelial carcinoma recurrence after radical cystectomy.

INTRODUCTION: Urethral or upper urinary tract (UUT) recurrence of urothelial carcinoma (UC) after radical cystectomy (RC) are rare (4-6%), and their diagnosis usually occurs within the first two years. Although it is known that its early detection offers benefit in terms of survival, currently there are no clear recommendations for the detection of recurrence in the remnant urothelium (RU). Our aim is to determine the diagnostic value of urinary cytology for the detection of recurrences in the RU and to estimate its impact as an early diagnostic method on survival. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective review of patients who underwent RC for urothelial carcinoma between 2008-2016, with a follow-up of at least 24 months. RESULTS: The study included 142 patients. In a median follow-up of 68.5 months, nine patients (6.3%) presented recurrences in the RU (urethra: four, UUT: four, synchronous: one). The sensitivity and specificity of urinary cytology for the diagnosis of UUT recurrences were 20% and 96%, respectively. No significant differences were found between overall survival and cancer-specific survival among patients according to the urinary cytology results. CONCLUSION: Recurrences in the RU after RC are infrequent; our study has shown that urinary cytology offers a low sensitivity for their diagnoses. For these reasons, we do not consider that urinary cytology provides useful information for surveillance of these patients.