A Prospective Comparison of Transrectal Standard, Cognitive, Transperineal Fusion, and Mapping Prostate Biopsy for Cancer Detection.

Purpose: The aim of this research was to compare the clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) detection rate (International Society of Urological Pathology [ISUP] ≥2) for the four biopsy methods: transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy (TRUS-GB), cognitive transrectal biopsy (COG-TB), fusion transperineal biopsy (FUS-TB), and transperineal template mapping biopsy (TPMB). Materials and Methods: The inclusion criteria were as follows: prostate-specific antigen (PSA) >2 ng/mL, and/or positive digital rectal examination (DRE), and/or suspicious lesion on transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) and Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (Pi-RADS) v2.1 ≥ 3 score. In total, 102 patients were enrolled in the study. Biopsies were performed by two urologists. In a single procedure, the first urologist performed a FUS-TB and TPMB followed by second urologist who performed TRUS-GB and COG-TB. All specimens were obtained within a single procedure. Results: The csPCa detection rate and overall cancer detection rate (CDR) per patient were comparable among the respective biopsy methods (p > 0.05). Compared with other biopsy methods, a lower clinically insignificant prostate cancer (cisPCa) was detected using COG-TB (p = 0.004). The positive cores percentage ratio (p < 0.001) as well as positive cores containing csPCa percentage ratio (p < 0.001) significantly increased for the targeted biopsy methods. The median maximum cancer core length (MCCL; p = 0.52) as well the median for the MCCL of csPCa (p = 0.47) did not differ significantly among the respective biopsy methods. Concordance of the Gleason scores between biopsy and postprostatectomy pathology did not differ significantly among biopsy methods (p = 0.87). For TRUS-GB, FUS-TB, and TPMB, the common predictive factors for csPCa were positive DRE, suspicious lesion on ultrasound and Pi-RADS 5. As for COG-TB, the only predictor was Pi-RADS 5. Conclusion: The targeted methods did not show an increase in detection of csPCa and overall CDR over systematic ones in patients with Pi-RADS ≥3. A lower cisPCa was detected using COG-TB in comparison with the other methods. The sampling efficiency increased for the targeted biopsy methods, which used only a proportion of positive cores and cores containing csPCa. There was no statistical difference in histology concordance among the biopsies. One common predictive factor of increased csPCa detection for all biopsy methods was Pi-RADS 5.

Prospective two-arm study of the testicular function in patients with COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has led the international community to conduct extensive research into potential negative effects of the disease on multiple organs and systems in the human body. One of the most discussed areas is potential of the virus to compromise the testicular function. However, the lack of prospective studies on this topic makes it impossible to draw reliable conclusions on whether the disease affects the male reproductive system and, if so, to what extent. OBJECTIVES: The current trial is aimed at investigating the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on the testicular function, hormone levels and determining the extent of impact on spermatogenesis and damage to testicular tissue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study included healthy controls and cases of patients suffering from viral pneumonia based on chest computed tomography (CT) and a positive SARS-CoV-2 throat swab exhibited moderate symptoms (World Health Organization (WHO) classification). Epidemiological, clinical, laboratory and ultrasound data were collected. A semen analysis was performed in cases during their hospital stay and 3 months after the discharge home. We also assessed the testicles obtained during autopsies of patients who died of COVID-19 (n = 20). RESULTS: A total of 88 participants were included (44 controls and 44 cases). Blood testosterone levels were significantly decreased in 27.3% of the cases (12/44). The mean level (7.3±2.7 nmol/L) was lower than that in the healthy controls (13.5±5.2 nmol/L, p < 0.001). An increase in luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) was also detected compared to the healthy controls (p = 0.04 and p = 0.002). The semen analysis revealed decreased motility in COVID-19 patients (p = 0.001), and a higher number of immobile sperm (during COVID-19: 58.8% and at 3 months 47.4%, p = 0.005). All parameters returned to normal at 3 months after discharge. Direct mixed agglutination reaction (MAR) test at 3 months showed an increase of Ig A (p = 0.03). In the majority of autopsies (18/20), structural disorders of the testicular tissue, with signs of damage to germ cells were observed. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: COVID-19 and its management strategies significantly affect male hormone levels and sperm quality at the onset of the disease. Postmortem examination of testicular tissue confirmed inflammation and viral infiltration of the testicles. However, in patients with moderate to severe disease, the studied parameters of the testicular function returned to normal values within 3 months.

Evaluation of Prostate HistoScanning as a Method for Targeted Biopsy in Routine Practice.

BACKGROUND: Prostate HistoScanning (PHS) is a tissue characterization system used to enhance prostate cancer (PCa) detection via transrectal ultrasound imaging. OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of supplementing systematic transrectal biopsy with up to three PHS true targeting (TT) guided biopsies on the PCa detection rate and preclinical patient assessment. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This was a prospective study involving a cohort of 611 consecutive patients referred for transrectal prostate biopsy following suspicion of PCa. PHS-TT guided cores were obtained from up to three PHS lesions of ≥0.5cm3 per prostate and only one core per single PHS lesion. Histological outcomes from a systematic extended 12-core biopsy (Bx) scheme and additional PHS-TT guided cores were compared. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Comparison of PHS results and histopathology was performed per sextant. The χ2 and Mann-Whitney test were used to assess differences. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: PHS showed lesions of ≥0.5cm3 in 312 out of the 611 patients recruited. In this group, Bx detected PCa in 59% (185/312) and PHS-TT in 87% (270/312; p<0.001). The detection rate was 25% (944/3744 cores) for Bx and 68% (387/573 cores) for PHS-TT (p<0.001). Preclinical assessment was significantly better when using PHS-TT: Bx found 18.6% (58/312) and 8.3% (26/312), while PHS-TT found 42.3% (132/312) and 20.8% (65/312) of Gleason 7 and 8 cases, respectively (p<0.001). PHS-TT attributed Gleason score 6 to fewer patients (23.4%, 73/312) than Bx did (32.4%, 101/312; p=0.0021). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a suspicion of PCa may benefit from addition of a few PHS-TT cores to the standard Bx workflow. PATIENT SUMMARY: Targeted biopsies of the prostate are proving to be equivalent to or better than standard systematic random sampling in many studies. Our study results support supplementing the standard schematic transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy with a few guided cores harvested using the ultrasound-based prostate HistoScanning true targeting approach in cases for which multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging is not available.