Risk factors for failing to complete gemcitabine-cisplatin neoadjuvant chemotherapy in muscle invasive bladder cancer patients.

PURPOSE: We evaluated the risk factors associated with failure to complete gemcitabine-cisplatin (GP) neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 231 patients with MIBC treated with NAC before undergoing radical cystectomy between 2013 and 2022 participated in this study. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between the likelihood of incomplete NAC and clinical and demographic variables, including age, sex, hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus (DM), prechemotherapy glomerular filtration rate, clinical T stage, clinical N stage, and body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: Of 231 patients, 209 (90.5%) and 22 (9.5%) completed and discontinued the NAC course, respectively. The mean age was 66.13±9.15, 65.63±9.07, and 70.86±8.66 years for the total sample, continuation, and discontinuation groups, respectively (p=0.010). No significant inter-group differences in sex, HTN, height, weight, BMI, pre-chemotherapy glomerular filtration rate, clinical T stage, or clinical N stage were observed. According to the results of the multivariable analysis, age (odds ratio [OR] 1.076, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.013-1.143, p=0.018) and the presence of DM (OR 2.541, 95% CI 1.028-6.281, p=0.043) were significantly associated with NAC discontinuation. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, older age and presence of DM are potential risk factors for GP NAC discontinuation in patients with MIBC. Further studies are required to validate our findings and develop strategies to minimize the rate of GP NAC discontinuation in this population.

Association of preoperative sarcopenia with the long-term prognosis of patients with bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy.

PURPOSE: This retrospective study aimed to assess the correlation between preoperative sarcopenia and long-term oncologic outcomes in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer. METHODS: We included 528 patients who underwent radical cystectomy for bladder cancer between 2000 and 2010 at Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. Preoperative skeletal muscle mass was quantified by analyzing computed tomography images at the third lumbar vertebra. Sarcopenia was defined based on the skeletal muscle index. We evaluated various clinical and pathological factors to analyze the association between sarcopenia and long-term oncologic outcomes. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 104 months. Sarcopenia was identified in 37.9% of the patients. Although no significant differences were observed in traditional pathological factors between the sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic groups, sarcopenia was significantly associated with worse oncologic outcomes. Compared to the non-sarcopenic groups, the sarcopenic group had lower overall survival rates (52.0% vs. 67.1% at 5 years, 35.5% vs. 52.7% at 10 years) and higher cancer-specific mortality (63.3% vs. 74.3% at 5 years, 50.7% vs. 67.4% at 10 years). Multivariable Cox regression analysis demonstrated that sarcopenia was an independent predictor of cancer-specific survival (hazard ratio: 1.49, 95% confidence interval: 1.11-2.01, p = 0.008), alongside body mass index, tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, and lymphovascular invasion. CONCLUSION: Sarcopenia was significantly associated with poor cancer-specific survival in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer. Detecting sarcopenia may assist in preoperative risk stratification and long-term management after radical cystectomy.

Effectiveness of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Variant Histology Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma Following Radical Nephroureterectomy: Stabilized Inverse Probability Treatment Weighting Analysis of Single Center Experience.

PURPOSE: The study aimed to investigate the impact of adjuvant chemotherapy on time to recurrence (TTR) and overall survival (OS) in patients with histologic variants of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (VUTUC) following radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of 131 VUTUC patients' medical records, from a pool of 368 non-metastatic localized or locally advanced UTUC cases, treated at a single tertiary referral center between January 2011 and January 2021. The intervention was adjuvant chemotherapy administration post-RNU. TTR and OS were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard regression, covariates adjusted for age, postoperative GFR, history of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, T and N stage with stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting (sIPTW). RESULTS: The application of adjuvant chemotherapy showed a significant extension in TTR (P = .01), but no substantial impact on OS (P = .19) after sIPTW adjustment for covariates. Multivariate analysis revealed adjuvant chemotherapy, tumor size, and lymphovascular invasion as significant prognostic factors for TTR. In contrast, only tumor size and perineural invasion were significant for OS. Adjuvant chemotherapy reduced the progression risk in certain VUTUC subtypes (squamous or glandular/micropapillary), but not in sarcomatoid variants. CONCLUSIONS: Adjuvant chemotherapy appears to improve TTR, albeit without a significant effect on OS, in nonmetastatic localized and locally advanced VUTUC patients post-RNU. While beneficial to some VUTUC subtypes, it did not yield significant advantages for sarcomatoid variants. Despite adjustments for known confounders, the study's findings may be subject to potential selection bias and unmeasured confounding factors.

No difference in follow-up estimated glomerular filtration rate between hypertensive and matched nonhypertensive kidney donors / No hay diferencia en la tasa de filtración glomerular estimada de seguimiento entre donantes de riñón hipertensos y no hipertensos compatibles

Background According to current guidelines, kidney donor candidates with controlled hypertension using 1 or 2 antihypertensive drugs may be considered as donor. However, this recommendation is based on the study that antihypertensive drug was initiated in mainly “after donor registration” and this may be white-coat hypertension because of donation-related anxiety. We compared the follow-up eGFR between kidney donors with preexisting hypertension and matched nonhypertensive donors. Methods This single-center retrospective study classified 97 living hypertensive donors previously receiving antihypertensive drugs into two groups: 1 drug group (61 donors) and 2 drugs group (36 donors). We compared the follow-up eGFR between each donor previously receiving antihypertensive drugs and three matched nonhypertensive donors in terms of age, sex, and follow-up duration. Results At a mean (range) of 51 months (12–214) in the 1 drug group, and 54 months (12–175) in the 2 drugs group after donation, there was no significant difference in follow-up eGFR between hypertensive donors previously receiving antihypertensive drugs and matched controls in each group and in total donors. There was no difference in the incidence of the patients with follow-up eGFR<45mL/min/m2 in each group and their matched controls. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that baseline eGFR was the only independent predictor for the final follow-up eGFR in the total donors. Conclusion Our results support the current guidelines that donor candidates with controlled hypertension using 1 or 2 antihypertensive drugs may be considered as donors, and may increase the strength of this recommendation (AU)

Antecedentes Según las guías actuales, los candidatos a donantes con hipertensión controlada que utilicen 1 o 2 antihipertensivos pueden considerarse donantes. Sin embargo, esta recomendación se basa en el estudio en el que el fármaco antihipertensivo se inició principalmente «después del registro del donante» y esto puede ser hipertensión de bata blanca debido a la ansiedad relacionada con la donación. Comparamos la TFGe de seguimiento entre donantes de riñón con hipertensión preexistente y donantes no hipertensos compatibles. Métodos Este estudio retrospectivo de un solo centro clasificó a 97 donantes hipertensos vivos que recibieron previamente fármacos antihipertensivos en dos grupos: 1 grupo de fármacos (61 donantes) y 2 grupos de fármacos (36 donantes). Comparamos la TFGe de seguimiento entre cada donante que recibió previamente fármacos antihipertensivos y tres donantes no hipertensivos compatibles en términos de edad, sexo y duración del seguimiento. Resultados A una media (rango) de 51 meses (12-214) en el grupo de un fármaco y 54 meses (12-175) en el grupo de 2 fármacos después de la donación, No hubo diferencias significativas en la TFGe de seguimiento entre los donantes hipertensos que recibieron previamente fármacos antihipertensivos y los controles emparejados en cada grupo y en el total de donantes. No hubo diferencia en el número de pacientes con TFGe de seguimiento <45ml/min/m2 en cada grupo y sus controles emparejados. El análisis de regresión lineal múltiple mostró que la TFGe basal fue el único factor de riesgo independiente para la TFGe de seguimiento final en el total de donantes. Conclusión Nuestros resultados apoyan las directrices actuales de que los candidatos a donantes con hipertensión controlada que utilizan 1 o 2 fármacos antihipertensivos pueden considerarse donantes y pueden aumentar la fuerza de esta recomendación (AU)

Bilateral Seminal Vesicle Invasion as a Strong Prognostic Indicator in T3b Prostate Cancer Patients Following Radical Prostatectomy: A Comprehensive, Multi-Center, Long-Term Follow-Up Study.

Purpose: Pathologic T3b (pT3b) prostate cancer, characterized by seminal vesicle invasion (SVI), exhibits variable oncological outcomes post-radical prostatectomy (RP). Identifying prognostic factors is crucial for patient-specific management. This study investigates the impact of bilateral SVI on prognosis in pT3b prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: We evaluated the medical records of a multi-institutional cohort of men who underwent RP for prostate cancer with SVI between 2000 and 2012. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and covariate-adjusted Cox-proportional hazard regression for biochemical recurrence (BCR), clinical progression (CP), and cancer-specific survival (CSS). Results: Among 770 men who underwent RP without neo-adjuvant treatment, median follow-up was 85.7 months. Patients with bilateral SVI had higher preoperative prostate-specific antigen levels and clinical T stage (all p<0.001). Extracapsular extension, tumor volume, lymph node metastasis (p<0.001), pathologic Gleason grade group (p<0.001), and resection margin positivity (p<0.001) were also higher in patients with bilateral SVI. The 5-, 10-, and 15-year BCR-free survival rates were 23.9%, 11.7%, and 8.5%; CP-free survival rates were 82.8%, 62.5%, and 33.4%; and CSS rates were 96.4%, 88.1%, and 69.5%, respectively. The bilateral SVI group demonstrated significantly lower BCR, CP-free survival rates, and CSS rates all (p<0.001). Bilateral SVI was independently associated with BCR (HR 1.197, 95% CI 1p=0.049), CP (p=0.022), and CSS (p=0.038) in covariate-adjusted Cox regression. Conclusion: Bilateral SVI is a robust, independent prognostic factor for poor oncological outcomes in pT3b prostate cancer.

Preoperative C-reactive protein to albumin ratio as a novel prognostic biomarker for the oncological outcomes of radical nephroureterectomy.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of the preoperative C-reactive protein to albumin ratio (CAR) on progression-free survival (PFS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) undergoing radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from a single-center nephroureterectomy registry between January 2011 and December 2017. Participants were categorized into high and low CAR groups based on the optimal CAR cut-off value determined using the Youden index. The primary endpoint was PFS, the time from RNU to metastasis or disease recurrence. The secondary endpoint was CSS, the time from RNU to UTUC-related death. Median PFS and CSS were compared between the high and low CAR groups using Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was performed to assess the prognostic significance of CAR, adjusting for known prognostic factors. RESULTS: We included 491 patients with UTUC in the analysis. The optimal CAR cut-off value was determined to be 0.036, which resulted in classifying 49.3% (242/491) of patients into the high CAR group. The high CAR group had older patients (69.8 vs. 67.4, p-value = 0.01), advanced T and N stages (p-value<0.001), high-grade tumor (p-value = 0.03), and a higher incidence of preoperative hydronephrosis (p-value < 0.01) than the low CAR group. The high CAR group demonstrated significantly inferior median PFS (78.3 vs. 100.3 months, p-value < 0.01) and CSS (73.2 vs. 96.1 months, p-value < 0.01) than the low CAR group. Moreover, high CAR independently increased the risk of disease progression (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.80, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.23-2.64, p < 0.01) and UTUC-related mortality (HR: 1.79, 95% CI: 1.15, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Pre-operative CAR is independently associated with poor PFS and CSS in patients with UTUC undergoing RNU. Moreover, CAR may be an independent UTUC prognostic factor, offering a cost-effective and minimally invasive marker. However, further validation through large-scale, multi-center studies is necessary to confirm these findings and determine the optimal CAR cut-off value.

Clinical Significance of Radical Prostatectomy in Clinical Lymph Node Metastasis in Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the role of radical prostatectomy (RP) among clinical nodal metastasis prostate cancer and whether histological confirmation of lymph node metastasis through surgery can help with treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: After excluding patients with distant metastatic prostate cancer or neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy, 42 patients with clinical nodal metastasis who underwent RP at our institution were included in the study. We classified them as having or not having pathological lymph node metastasis. Clinicopathologic data were analyzed in this retrospective chart review. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to calculate the estimated castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC)-free survival, biochemical recurrence (BCR)-free survival, and cancer-specific survival (CSS). RESULTS: There is no significant difference in age, presence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, BCR time, CRPC time, overall survival, salvage RT rate, and initial prostate-specific antigen level between the two groups. However, there is a significant difference in the pathology N1 group in terms of pathological T stage, pathologic Gleason score, BCR rate, CRPC rate, and CSS. A multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to identify predictors of CRPC-free survival. Patients with pathological lymph node metastasis had a shorter CRPC-free survival [hazard ratio (HR) 4.87; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25-19.00, p = 0.02]. CONCLUSION: Radical prostatectomy can confirm lymph node metastasis. Although pathologic diagnosis has no effect on time to BCR and CPRC, because it affects BCR rate, CRPC rate, and CSS, an accurate pathological diagnosis obtained through surgery is beneficial in the treatment of clinical lymph node metastasis prostate cancer.

Kidney sparing surgery in upper tract urothelial carcinoma: paradigm change in surgical treatment for ureter cancer.

PURPOSE: To extend the indications of kidney-sparing surgery (KSS) for ureter cancer by comparing the oncological outcomes between patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) who underwent radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) or KSS. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 708 patients with UTUC who underwent RNU (N = 646) or KSS (N = 62) between 2011 and 2019 to analyze the oncologic outcomes and prognostic factors. Subgroup analyses were performed for patients with unifocal ureteral urothelial carcinoma (UC). RESULTS: No significant difference was observed in the overall survival (OS) or cancer-specific survival (CSS) between RNU and KSS (distal ureterectomy with reimplantation (N = 33), ureterectomy with ileal ureter (N = 14), ureteroscopic tumor resection (N = 10), and ureterectomy with ureteroureterostomy (N = 5)). Among 269 (38.0%) patients with unifocal ureteral UC, 219 and 50 patients underwent RNU and KSS, respectively. OS and CSS were not significantly different between these two groups. Pathologic stage was a significant risk factor in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio = 2.621; p = 0.000). Among 646 RNU patients, 219 (33.9%) had unifocal ureteral UC, 40 (18.3%) with low-grade tumors. Among these, 13 (5.9%) patients with unifocal, low-grade and small (< 2 cm) tumors received nephroureterectomy. CONCLUSION: Kidney-sparing surgery should be regarded as an important alternative to RNU for patients with unifocal ureteral UC thought to have noninvasive disease to preserve renal function and reduce overtreatment.

Effect of decreased renal function on poor oncological outcome after radical cystectomy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of preoperative renal impairment on the oncological outcomes of patients with urothelial carcinoma who underwent radical cystectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with urothelial carcinoma who underwent radical cystectomy from 2004 to 2017. All patients who underwent preoperative 99mTc-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid renal scintigraphy (DTPA) were identified. We divided the patients into two groups according to their glomerular filtration rates (GFRs): GFR group 1, GFR≥90 mL/min/1.73 m²; GFR group 2, 60≤GFR<90 mL/min/1.73 m². We included 89 patients in GFR group 1 and 246 patients in GFR group 2 and compared the clinicopathological characteristics and oncological outcomes between the two groups. RESULTS: The mean time required for recurrence was 125.5±8.0 months in GFR group 1 and 85.7±7.4 months in GFR group 2 (p=0.030). The mean cancer-specific survival was 131.7±7.8 months in GFR group 1 and 95.5±6.9 months in GFR group 2 (p=0.051). The mean overall survival was 123.3±8.1 months in GFR group 1 and 79.5±6.6 months in GFR group 2 (p=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative GFR values in the range of 60≤GFR<90 mL/min/1.73 m² are independent prognostic factors for poor recurrence-free survival, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival in patients after radical cystectomy compared with GFR values of ≥90 mL/min/1.73 m².

The association between serum lipid profile and the prostate cancer risk and aggressiveness.

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the association of serum lipid profile on prostate cancer (PC) risk and aggressiveness. Methods: Men who underwent prostate biopsy between January 2005 and December 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. The association between lipid profile and the risk, stage, and Gleason grade group (GG) of the PC were investigated. Sensitivity analysis was conducted using univariate and multivariate quantile analysis for lipide profile on the risk and stage of PC. Results: Of the 1740 study populations, 720 men (41.4%) were diagnosed as PC. From multivariate logistic regression analysis, age, prostate specific antigen, triglyceride (odds ratio (OR):1.05, confidence interval (CI):1.03-1.07, p-value<0.001) significantly increased PC risk, while total cholesterol (OR:0.96, CI:0.92-0.99, p-value=0.011) significantly decreased the PC risk. The increase of serum triglyceride increased the risk of both of locally advanced (OR:1.03, CI:1.00-1.07, p-value=0.025) and metastatic PC (OR:1.14, CI:1.04-1.25, p-value=0.004). The increase of serum triglyceride increased the risk of GG2-3 (OR:1.03, CI:1.00-1.06, p-value=0.027) and GG4-5 (OR:1.04, CI:1.01-1.08, p-value=0.027). Univariate quartile analysis founded serum triglyceride increasing risk of locally advanced disease than organ confined disease. (OR: 1.00, 1.25, 2.04, 4.57 for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th quartile, p-value<0.001). Adjusted multivariate quartile analysis confirmed statistically significant increasing PC risk of triglyceride (OR: 1.00, 1.25, 2.04, 4.57 for 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th quartile, p-value<0.001). Conclusions: This study findings suggested increased in triglyceride level increased the risk PC. Increased in triglyceride level also associated with aggressive presentation of PC, with higher stage and GG.

Long-term oncologic outcomes of robot-assisted versus open radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer with seminal vesicle invasion: a multi-institutional study with a minimum 5-year follow-up.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the long-term oncological outcomes of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) vs. open radical prostatectomy (ORP) in pathologically proven prostate cancer with seminal vesicle invasion (SVI). METHODS: We performed a cohort study involving men who underwent radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer with SVI. We adjusted the confounders for RARP versus open surgery using the stabilized inverted probability of treatment weighting. Multivariable survival regression analysis was used to compare the treatment effect of RARP vs. ORP on biochemical recurrence (BCR) and clinical progression (CP). RESULTS: Between January 2000 and December 2012, 272 of 510 men (53.3%) underwent RARP at four tertiary hospitals in Korea. The median follow-up in the entire cohort was 75.7 months (interquartile range, 58.9-96.6 months). Among 389 BCR events, 205 (75.4%) and 184 (77.3%) occurred in the robot-assisted and open groups, respectively. The 5-year BCR-free survival was 22.2% and 20.5% among men who underwent RARP and ORP, respectively (hazard ratio (HR) 0.90; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.73-1.10; P = 0.29 by the log-rank test). Ninety-nine patients experienced CP (55 and 44 in the RARP and open groups, respectively), representing Kaplan-Meier estimated 5-year event-free rates of 82.1% and 86.1% in the RARP and open groups, respectively, (HR 1.20; 95% CI 0.80-1.79; P = 0.39). CONCLUSION: The long-term outcomes of RARP for prostate cancer with SVI were comparable to those of open surgery in this large multi-institutional study. However, this result should be confirmed by well-designed prospective randomized controlled trials.

Biopsy-Integrated 3D Magnetic Resonance Imaging Modeling of Prostate Cancer and Its Application for Gleason Grade and Tumor Laterality Assessment.

CONTEXT.­: Grade Group assessed using Gleason combined score and tumor extent is a main determinant for risk stratification and therapeutic planning of prostate cancer. OBJECTIVE.­: To develop a 3-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) model regarding Grade Group and tumor extent in collaboration with uroradiologists and uropathologists for optimal treatment planning for prostate cancer. DESIGN.­: We studied the data from 83 patients with prostate cancer who underwent multiparametric MRI and subsequent MRI-transrectal ultrasound fusion biopsy and radical prostatectomy. A 3-dimensional MRI model was constructed by integrating topographic information of MRI-based segmented lesions, biopsy paths, and histopathologic information of biopsy specimens. The multiparametric MRI-integrated Grade Group and laterality were assessed by using the 3-dimensional MRI model and compared with the radical prostatectomy specimen. RESULTS.­: The MRI-defined index tumor was concordant with radical prostatectomy in 94.7% (72 of 76) of cases. The multiparametric MRI-integrated Grade Group revealed the highest agreement (weighted κ, 0.545) and a significantly higher concordance rate (57.9%) than the targeted (47.8%, P = .008) and systematic (39.4%, P = .01) biopsies. The multiparametric MRI-integrated Grade Group showed significantly less downgrading rates than the combined biopsy (P = .001), without significant differences in upgrading rate (P = .06). The 3-dimensional multiparametric MRI model estimated tumor laterality in 66.2% (55 of 83) of cases, and contralateral clinically significant cancer was missed in 9.6% (8 of 83) of cases. The tumor length measured by multiparametric MRI best correlated with radical prostatectomy as compared with the biopsy-defined length. CONCLUSIONS.­: The 3-dimensional model incorporating MRI and MRI-transrectal ultrasound fusion biopsy information easily recognized the spatial distribution of MRI-visible and MRI-nonvisible cancer and provided better Grade Group correlation with radical prostatectomy specimens but still requires validation.

No difference in follow-up estimated glomerular filtration rate between hypertensive and matched nonhypertensive kidney donors.

BACKGROUND: According to current guidelines, kidney donor candidates with controlled hypertension using 1 or 2 antihypertensive drugs may be considered as donor. However, this recommendation is based on the study that antihypertensive drug was initiated in mainly "after donor registration" and this may be white-coat hypertension because of donation-related anxiety. We compared the follow-up eGFR between kidney donors with preexisting hypertension and matched nonhypertensive donors. METHODS: This single-center retrospective study classified 97 living hypertensive donors previously receiving antihypertensive drugs into two groups: 1 drug group (61 donors) and 2 drugs group (36 donors). We compared the follow-up eGFR between each donor previously receiving antihypertensive drugs and three matched nonhypertensive donors in terms of age, sex, and follow-up duration. RESULTS: At a mean (range) of 51 months (12-214) in the 1 drug group, and 54 months (12-175) in the 2 drugs group after donation, there was no significant difference in follow-up eGFR between hypertensive donors previously receiving antihypertensive drugs and matched controls in each group and in total donors. There was no difference in the incidence of the patients with follow-up eGFR<45mL/min/m2 in each group and their matched controls. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that baseline eGFR was the only independent predictor for the final follow-up eGFR in the total donors. CONCLUSION: Our results support the current guidelines that donor candidates with controlled hypertension using 1 or 2 antihypertensive drugs may be considered as donors, and may increase the strength of this recommendation.

Solo-surgeon pure laparoscopic donor nephrectomy using passive camera holder: IDEAL stage 2a study.

BACKGROUND: Solo-surgery can be defined as a practice of a surgeon operating alone using a camera holder, without other surgical members except for a scrub nurse. This study was designed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of solo-surgeon pure laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. METHODS: The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea. The brief study protocol was registered on the Clinical Research Information Service site of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Candidates fulfilling all inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled in the clinical trial and underwent solo-surgeon pure laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. The feasibility was assessed by the proportion of subjects who could undergo solo-surgeon pure laparoscopic donor nephrectomy without difficulty. The perioperative complications were identified to assess the safety of solo-surgeon pure laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. RESULTS: Of the 47 potential candidates from November 2018 to August 2019, 40 were enrolled in the clinical trial and seven excluded due to declining participation. The feasibility of solo-surgeon pure laparoscopic donor nephrectomy was 100%, without an occasion of any difficulty requiring conversion to the human assisted pure laparoscopic donor nephrectomy. Fourteen intraoperative complications occurred in 10 patients. The most common intraoperative complication was spleen injury. Two of three cases classified as the Satava classification grade II were due to the incomplete stapling of endoscopic stapler. Seventy-eight postoperative complications occurred in 34 patients. The most common postoperative complication was nausea/vomiting and followed by aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase elevation. Most postoperative complication was independent of the solo-surgery itself. CONCLUSIONS: Solo-surgeon pure laparoscopic donor nephrectomy using passive camera holder is technically feasible. In terms of safety, it is necessary to adjust the scope of surgery performed alone. Trial Registration CRIS, KCT0003458. Registered 30/01/2019, Retrospectively registered, https://cris.nih.go.kr/cris/search/detailSearch.do/15868 .

Association Between Sarcopenia and Survival of Patients with Organ-Confined Renal Cell Carcinoma after Radical Nephrectomy.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to describe the effect of preoperative sarcopenia on oncologic outcomes of organ-confined renal cell carcinoma (RCC) after radical nephrectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 632 patients with pT1-2 RCC who underwent radical nephrectomy between 2004 and 2014 were retrospectively analyzed. From preoperative computerized tomography (CT) scans, skeletal muscle index (SMI) was measured and gender-specific cutoff values at third lumbar vertebra of 52.4 cm2/m2 for men and 38.5 cm2/m2 for women were used to define sarcopenia. Survivals were compared and associations with sarcopenia were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier log rank tests and Cox proportional hazard regression models. Median follow-up was 83 months. RESULTS: Of 632 patients, 268 (42.4%) were classified as sarcopenic. The sarcopenic group was more advanced in age (57 versus 53 years) and more predominantly male (71.3% versus 59.9%). Sarcopenic patients had lower body mass index (BMI, 23.0 versus 25.9 kg/m2), but there was no difference in tumor size, stage, or nuclear grade. Sarcopenia was associated with poorer overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS; OS 94.0% versus 82.1%; p < 0.001 and CSS 97.5% versus 91.8%; p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, sarcopenia was an independent risk factor for all-cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 2.58; 95% CI 1.02-6.54] and cancer-specific mortality (HR 3.07; 95% CI 1.38-6.83). CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia at diagnosis was an independent risk factor for all-cause and cancer-specific mortality after radical nephrectomy for pT1-2 RCC. These findings underscore the importance of assessing presence of sarcopenia for risk stratification even among surgical candidates.

Biopsy-detected Gleason grade 5 tumor is an additional prognostic factor in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: A Gleason score ≥ 8, metastatic tumor burden, and visceral metastasis are known prognostic factors for patients with metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). Notably, however, these indicators have not been fully validated internationally. We aimed in this present study to further analyze the factors that influence the prognosis of mHSPC. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we identified 201 patients with newly diagnosed mHSPC between 2008 and 2014 and collected their clinical information. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to identify prognostic factors in mHSPC. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients at presentation was 70 years (interquartile range (IQR), 64-76 years). The prostate-specific antigen level was 141 ng/mL (IQR, 58.8-464.5 ng/mL). Of the 201 study patients, 191 (94.5%) and 131 (65.2%) cases had a biopsy Gleason score ≥ 8 and grade 5, respectively. More than 4 metastases were detected in 134 patients. Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) was evident in 160 cases after a mean follow-up period of 46.6 months. By multivariable analysis, a Gleason grade of 5 and bone metastasis lesion count ≥ 4 were found to be significantly associated with CRPC-free survival (hazard ratio (HR), 1.45; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01-2.07) and (HR 2.02; 95% CI 1.39-2.92) and overall survival (HR 1.67 95%; CI 1.16-2.42) and (HR 1.67 95%; CI 1.16-2.41). CONCLUSIONS: Bone metastases ≥ 4 and a Gleason grade 5 are independent prognostic factors for CRPC-free and overall survival in mHSPC. A Gleason grade 5 is therefore a new prognostic indicator in mHSPC.

Adjuvant Low-dose Statin Use after Radical Prostatectomy: The PRO-STAT Randomized Clinical Trial.

PURPOSE: Statin use is reportedly associated with the risk of prostate cancer, outcomes after treatment, and prostate cancer-specific mortality. We sought to determine the efficacy of adjuvant atorvastatin in prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind trial, we assigned patients with pathologic high-risk prostate cancer to receive either low-dose atorvastatin (20 mg/day, n = 183) or placebo (n = 181) for 1 year after radical prostatectomy. The primary endpoint was the 1-year biochemical recurrence rate. The secondary endpoints included the 5-year biochemical recurrence-free survival and changes in lipid, testosterone, and sex hormone binding globulin levels. RESULTS: From October 2012 through January 2019, a total of 364 patients underwent randomization. Among 59 total primary end points, 30 (16.4%) and 29 (16.0%) occurred in the atorvastatin and placebo groups, respectively. Atorvastatin did not significantly reduce the primary endpoint of 1-year biochemical recurrence [HR, 0.96; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.58-1.60]. During a median follow-up of 24 months, 131 patients experienced biochemical recurrence (68 in the atorvastatin group and 63 in the placebo group), representing Kaplan-Meier estimated event rates of 24.0% and 25.4% in the atorvastatin and placebo groups, respectively, at 24 months (HR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.71-1.41). We observed no significant between-group differences in the testosterone and sex hormone binding globulin levels. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with high-risk pathologic features after radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer, 1-year adjuvant use of atorvastatin was not associated with a lower risk of disease recurrence compared with that for placebo. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01759836).See related commentary by Murtola and Siltari, p. 4947.

Prevalence of Postprostatectomy Incontinence Requiring Anti-incontinence Surgery After Radical Prostatectomy for Prostate Cancer: A Retrospective Population-Based Analysis.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to examine the prevalence of surgery for postprostatectomy incontinence (PI) following minimally invasive surgery compared to conventional open surgery for prostate cancer. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used the Florida State Ambulatory Surgery and State Inpatient Databases, 2008 to 2010, radical prostatectomy (RP) patients were identified using International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-9/10 procedure codes and among this cohort, PI was identified also using ICD-9/10 codes. Surgical approaches included minimally invasive (robotic or laparoscopic) versus open (retropubic or perineal) RP. The primary outcome was the overall prevalence of surgery for PI. The secondary outcome was the association of PI requiring anti-incontinence surgery with the surgical approach for RP. RESULTS: Among the 13,535 patients initially included in the study (mean age, 63.3 years), 6,932 (51.2%) underwent open RP and 6,603 (49.8%) underwent minimally invasive RP. The overall prevalence of surgical procedures for PI during the observation period among the all patients who had received RP was 3.3%. The rate of PI surgery for patients receiving minimally invasive surgery was higher than that for patients receiving open surgery (4.8% vs. 3.0%; risk difference, 1.8%; 95% confidence interval, 0.3%-3.4%). The adjusted prevalence of PI surgery for patients who had undergone laparoscopic RP was higher than that for those with retropubic RP (8.6% vs. 3.7%). CONCLUSION: Among patients undergoing RP for prostate cancer, the prevalence of PI surgery is not negligible. Patients undergoing minimally invasive RP had higher adjusted rates for PI surgery compared to open approaches, which was attributed to high rate of PI surgery following laparoscopic approach and low rate of PI surgery following perineal approach. More studies are needed to establish strategies to reduce the rate of PI surgery after RP.

Performance of Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System Version 2.1 for Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) was introduced in 2012 and updated to version 2.1 (v2.1) in early 2019 to improve diagnostic performance and interreader reliability. PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of PI-RADS v2.1 in comparison with v2. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases to identify studies evaluating the diagnostic performance of PI-RADS v2.1 for diagnosing clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa). STUDY TYPE: Systematic review and meta-analysis. SUBJECT: One thousand two hundred forty-eight patients with 1406 lesions from 10 eligible articles. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: Conventional MR sequences at 1.5 T and 3 T. ASSESSMENT: Two reviewers independently identified and reviewed the original articles reporting diagnostic performance of PI-RADS v2.1. STATISTICAL TESTS: Meta-analytic summary sensitivity and specificity were calculated using a bivariate random effects model. Meta-analytic sensitivity and specificity between PI-RADS v2 and v2.1 were compared. RESULTS: The pooled sensitivity and specificity of PI-RADS v2.1 were 87% (95% confidence intervals, 82-91%) and 74% (63-82%), respectively. In five studies available for a head-to-head comparison between PI-RADS v2.1 and v2, there were no significant differences in either sensitivity (90% [86-94%] vs. 88% [83-93%], respectively) or specificity (76% [59-93%] vs. 61% [39-83%], respectively; P = 0.37). The sensitivity and specificity were 81% (73-87%) and 82% (68-91%), respectively, for a PI-RADS score cutoff of ≥4, and 94% (88-97%) and 56% (35-97%) for ≥3. Regarding the zonal location, the sensitivity and specificity for the transitional zone only were 90% (84-96%) and 76% (62-90%) respectively, whereas for the whole gland they were 85% (79-91%) and 71% (57-85%). DATA CONCLUSION: PI-RADS v2.1 demonstrated good overall performance for the diagnosis of csPCa. PI-RADS v2.1 tended to show higher specificity than v2, but the difference lacked statistical significance. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 3.

Validation of the European association of urology biochemical recurrence risk groups after radical prostatectomy in an Asian cohort and suggestions for refinement.

BACKGROUND: To validate the prognostic utility of the novel European Urology Association (EAU) biochemical recurrence (BCR) risk groups in an Asian cohort and to determine whether refinement is necessary. METHODS: Two cohorts of men who experienced BCR after radical prostatectomy between 1998 and 2014 were employed. The Cox model was used to validate and model the probability of metastasis and death after BCR. Data from 817 men from the first cohort were used to develop a modified model and external validation was performed on 344 men from the second cohort. RESULTS: Distant metastasis-free survival and cancer-specific survival from the time of BCR were significantly higher in patients with a low EAU BCR risk (prostate-specific antigen doubling time [PSADT] >1 year and pathologic Gleason score [pGS] ≤7) than in high EAU BCR risk patients (PSADT ≤1 year or pGS 8-10). In the high EAU BCR risk group, survival outcomes and efficacy of early salvage radiotherapy in patients with PSADT 6-12 months and pGS ≤7 were similar to those in the low EAU BCR risk group. The C-index, which predicts metastatic progression and cancer-specific death, improved after PSADT cutoff point was modified to 6 months, and was validated externally. CONCLUSION: EAU BCR risk stratification reliably identified patients at increased risk of metastasis and cancer-specific mortality in the present cohort. Modification of the PSADT cutoff point may help to optimize the predictive performance and utility of the EAU BCR risk groups in clinical practice.