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Chinese Clinical Oncology May 2024Histopathological examination, a cornerstone in diagnosing cancer, faces challenges due to its time-consuming nature. This review explores the potential of ex-vivo...
BACKGROUND
Histopathological examination, a cornerstone in diagnosing cancer, faces challenges due to its time-consuming nature. This review explores the potential of ex-vivo fluorescent confocal microscopy (FCM) in urology, addressing the need for real-time pathological assessment, particularly in prostate cancer. This systematic review aims to assess the applications of FCM in urology, including its role in prostate cancer diagnosis, surgical margin assessment, and other urological fields.
METHODS
Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, a systematic search of PubMed and SCOPUS was conducted, focusing on English written original articles published after January 1, 2018, discussing the use of FCM in urological practice. The search included keywords related to FCM and urological terms. The risk of bias assessment was performed using Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool.
RESULTS
A total of 17 relevant studies were included in the review that focuses on three main urological issues: prostate cancer (15 articles), bladder cancer (1 article), and renal biopsy (1 article). FCM exhibited significant promise in diagnosing prostate cancer. These studies reported an accuracy range of 85.33% to 95.1% in distinguishing between cancerous and non-cancerous prostate tissues. Moreover, FCM proved valuable for assessing surgical margins in real-time during radical prostatectomy, reducing the need for frozen section analysis. In some investigations, researchers explored the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) with FCM to automate diagnostic processes. Concerning bladder cancer, FCM played a beneficial role in evaluating urethral and ureteral margins during radical cystectomy. Notably, it showed substantial agreement with conventional histopathology and frozen section examination. In the context of renal biopsy, FCM demonstrated the potential to differentiate normal renal parenchyma from cancerous tissue, although the available evidence is limited in this area. The main limitation of the current study is the scarcity of data regarding the topic of interest.
CONCLUSIONS
Ex-vivo FCM holds promise in urology, particularly in prostate cancer diagnosis and surgical margin assessment. Its real-time capabilities may reduce diagnostic delays and patient stress. However, most studies remain experimental, requiring further research to validate clinical utility.
PubMed: 38769791
DOI: 10.21037/cco-23-150 -
European Urology Oncology May 2024Treatment decision-making (TDM) for patients with localized (LPC) or locally advanced (LAPC) prostate cancer is complex, and post-treatment decision regret (DR) is... (Review)
Review
Influential Factors Impacting Treatment Decision-making and Decision Regret in Patients with Localized or Locally Advanced Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Literature Review.
CONTEXT
Treatment decision-making (TDM) for patients with localized (LPC) or locally advanced (LAPC) prostate cancer is complex, and post-treatment decision regret (DR) is common. The factors driving TDM or predicting DR remain understudied.
OBJECTIVE
Two systematic literature reviews were conducted to explore the factors associated with TDM and DR.
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION
Three online databases, select congress proceedings, and gray literature were searched (September 2022). Publications on TDM and DR in LPC/LAPC were prioritized based on the following: 2012 onward, ≥100 patients, journal article, and quantitative data. The Preferred Reporting Items Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines were followed. Influential factors were those with p < 0.05; for TDM, factors described as "a decision driver", "associated", "influential", or "significant" were also included. The key factors were determined by number of studies, consistency of evidence, and study quality.
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS
Seventy-five publications (68 studies) reported TDM. Patient participation in TDM was reported in 34 publications; overall, patients preferred an active/shared role. Of 39 influential TDM factors, age, ethnicity, external factors (physician recommendation most common), and treatment characteristics/toxicity were key. Forty-nine publications reported DR. The proportion of patients experiencing DR varied by treatment type: 7-43% (active surveillance), 12-57% (radical prostatectomy), 1-49% (radiotherapy), 28-49% (androgen-deprivation therapy), and 21-47% (combination therapy). Of 42 significant DR factors, treatment toxicity (sexual/urinary/bowel dysfunction), patient role in TDM, and treatment type were key.
CONCLUSIONS
The key factors impacting TDM were physician recommendation, age, ethnicity, and treatment characteristics. Treatment toxicity and TDM approach were the key factors influencing DR. To help patients navigate factors influencing TDM and to limit DR, a shared, consensual TDM approach between patients, caregivers, and physicians is needed.
PATIENT SUMMARY
We looked at factors influencing treatment decision-making (TDM) and decision regret (DR) in patients with localized or locally advanced prostate cancer. The key factors influencing TDM were doctor's recommendation, patient age/ethnicity, and treatment side effects. A shared, consensual TDM approach between patients and doctors was found to limit DR.
PubMed: 38744587
DOI: 10.1016/j.euo.2024.04.016 -
Minerva Urology and Nephrology Apr 2024One recent addition to different lasers used for endoscopic enucleation of the prostate is the thulium fiber laser (TFL). The purpose of this systematic review is to... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
One recent addition to different lasers used for endoscopic enucleation of the prostate is the thulium fiber laser (TFL). The purpose of this systematic review is to present the feasibility, safety and efficacy of TFL Enucleation of the Prostate (ThuFLEP).
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION
PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane primary databases were systematically screened. The search strategy used the PICO (Patients, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) criteria. Patients should be adults with benign prostatic obstruction (BPO) undergoing ThuFLEP. While comparative studies reporting comparison of ThuFLEP to other BPO treatments were included, cohort studies with no comparison group were also accepted. Outcomes including enucleation time and complication rates were reported.
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS
Twelve studies met all the predefined criteria and were included in the final qualitative synthesis. Mean operative time and enucleation time ranged from 46.6±10.2 to 104.5±33.6 and from 38.8±17.9 to 66.0±24.9 minutes, respectively. Most of the complications were Grade I or Grade II ones. Although TFL was found to present some advantages over older BPO treatments, its outcomes were comparable with other endoscopic enucleation approaches.
CONCLUSIONS
ThuFLEP seems to be a feasible, safe and efficient approach for BPO symptoms management. Limited evidence showed that although ThuFLEP was associated with a reduced total operative time, it was also associated with worse IPSS improvement at 1-year follow-up, when compared with MOSES Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate (HoLEP). These findings confirm the well-established opinion that the enucleation technique itself is more important than the technology which is used.
Topics: Humans; Male; Prostatic Hyperplasia; Thulium; Laser Therapy; Treatment Outcome; Prostatectomy; Lasers, Solid-State; Operative Time
PubMed: 38742551
DOI: 10.23736/S2724-6051.24.05654-4 -
Minerva Urology and Nephrology Apr 2024Patients with high-risk prostate cancer (HRPCa) are prone to have worse pathological features, resulting in early biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy...
INTRODUCTION
Patients with high-risk prostate cancer (HRPCa) are prone to have worse pathological features, resulting in early biochemical recurrence after radical prostatectomy (RP). There is an urgent need to develop novel treatment strategies for this group of patients to optimize their outcomes. The purpose of this study is to perform a systematic review of the role of neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT) followed by RP in HRPCa patients.
EVIDENCE ACQUISITION
We performed a systematic review of the following databases, MEDLINE (PubMed), EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and clinical Trial.gov; between January 2007 and August 2023, following the PRISMA guidelines.
EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS
After screening and deduplication, we included ten studies from an initial pool of 1275. The risk of bias was low in observational studies but ranged from moderate to low in controlled trials. Five studies utilized traditional androgen deprivation treatments (ADT), revealing favorable pathological outcomes but inconsistency in evaluating oncological results. Additionally, four studies focused on RP combined with androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARPIs) in the NHT setting, all showing primarily positive pathological outcome, with no clear evidence of an oncological benefit. Limited long-term follow-up data and a shortage of randomized controlled trials were evident among all the studies included in this review, regardless of the type of hormonal treatment used.
CONCLUSIONS
Different hormonal treatments, including traditional ADT and ARPIs, yield positive pathology outcomes. Oncological evidence remains limited, echoing older findings predating ARPIs. Definitive conclusions require longer follow-ups and precise patient selection. Currently, insufficient evidence support ARPIs' superiority over conventional therapy before RP.
Topics: Humans; Prostatectomy; Prostatic Neoplasms; Male; Androgen Antagonists; Neoadjuvant Therapy; Risk Assessment
PubMed: 38742549
DOI: 10.23736/S2724-6051.24.05630-1 -
Journal of Clinical Medicine Apr 2024: to assess surgical, oncological, and functional outcomes of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) performed using the novel Hugo™ RAS system. : A systematic... (Review)
Review
Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy Performed with the Novel Hugo™ RAS System: A Systematic Review and Pooled Analysis of Surgical, Oncological, and Functional Outcomes.
: to assess surgical, oncological, and functional outcomes of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) performed using the novel Hugo™ RAS system. : A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines, using PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Embase databases. Eligible papers included studies involving adult males undergoing RARP with the Hugo™ RAS platform, with at least ten patients analyzed. The pooled analysis was performed using a random-effect model. : Quantitative analysis was conducted on 12 studies including 579 patients. The pooled median docking time, console time, and operative time were 11 min (95% CI 7.95-14.50; I = 98.4%, ten studies), 142 min (95% CI 119.74-164.68; I = 96.5%, seven studies), and 176 min (95% CI 148.33-203.76; I = 96.3%, seven studies), respectively. The pooled median estimated blood loss was 223 mL (95% CI 166.75-280.17; I = 96.5%, eleven studies). The pooled median length of hospital stay and time to catheter removal were 2.8 days (95% CI 1.67-3.89; I = 100%, ten studies) and 8.3 days (95% CI 5.53-11.09; I = 100%, eight studies), respectively. The pooled rate of postoperative CD ≥ 2 complications was 4.1% (95% CI 1-8.5; I = 63.6%, eleven studies). The pooled rate of positive surgical margins and undetectable postoperative PSA were 20% (95% CI 12.6-28.5; I = 71.5%, nine studies) and 94.2% (95% CI 87.7-98.6; I = 48.9%, three studies), respectively. At three months, a pooled rate of social continence of 81.9% (95% CI 73.8-88.9; I = 66.7%, seven studies) was found. Erectile function at six months was 31% in one study. : despite the preliminary nature of the evidence, this systematic review and pooled analysis underscores the feasibility, safety, and reproducibility of the Hugo™ RAS system in the context of RARP.
PubMed: 38731080
DOI: 10.3390/jcm13092551 -
Clinical Genitourinary Cancer Jun 2024Several phase II trials have investigated neoadjuvant novel androgen receptor signaling inhibitors (ARSIs) in combination with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Cardiovascular and Thromboembolic Events in Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer Receiving Intensified Neoadjuvant Androgen Deprivation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Several phase II trials have investigated neoadjuvant novel androgen receptor signaling inhibitors (ARSIs) in combination with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) followed by radical prostatectomy (RP) in prostate cancer (PC) patients. However, data regarding complications of intense hormone therapy and surgical complications are scarce. Our objective was to evaluate the occurrence of cardiovascular (CV) and thromboembolic (TE) adverse events (AE) in patients with localized PC who have received intense neoadjuvant ADT followed by prostatectomy. A comprehensive search in MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus and conference abstracts was performed. The strategies were developed and applied for each electronic database on March 7th, 2023. Eligible studies included randomized and single-arm trials testing ARSIs prior to prostatectomy that adequately reported safety data regarding CV and TE AE, peri-operative complications, and mortality during therapy. Pooled incidence (PI) of AE with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was estimated using a random effects model. Quality assessment and reporting followed Cochrane Collaboration Handbook and PRISMA guidelines. PROSPERO: CRD42022344104. Nine randomized controlled trials and three single-arm phase II trials were included, comprising 702 patients (702 patients for CV AE and 522 for perioperative complications). The neoadjuvant regimen was classified as monotherapy with ARSI (100 patients), combination therapy with ADT + ARSI (383 patients), or ADT + ARSI + ARSI (219 patients). The PI of TE within the perioperative interval was 4.2% (95% CI = 2.6%-6.6%, I2 = 0.0%, P = .65), and the PI for CV AE was 4.6% (95% CI = 3.1%-6.7%, I2 = 0.0%, P = .71). Seven deaths were reported, resulting in a PI of 2.2% (95% CI = 1.3%-3.8%, I2 = 0.0%, P = .99), of which two were considered treatment-related and occurred within the perioperative period. The PI of hypertension grade 3-5 was 7.3% (95% CI = 4.8%-11.0%, I2 = 38.8%, P = .04). CV and TE AE associated with intense neoadjuvant hormone therapy in patients with localized PC can occur in up to 4.6% of cases. Our data warns for further assessment of thrombotic risk and prophylactic anticoagulation in this setting.
Topics: Humans; Male; Prostatic Neoplasms; Neoadjuvant Therapy; Thromboembolism; Prostatectomy; Androgen Antagonists; Cardiovascular Diseases; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; Postoperative Complications
PubMed: 38718699
DOI: 10.1016/j.clgc.2024.102088 -
American Journal of Surgery Apr 2024Regret after gender-affirming surgery (GAS) is a complex issue. Comparing regret after GAS to regret after plastic surgery operations and other major life decisions is a... (Review)
Review
Regret after gender-affirming surgery (GAS) is a complex issue. Comparing regret after GAS to regret after plastic surgery operations and other major life decisions is a novel approach that can provide insight into the magnitude of this issue. A systematic review of three databases was conducted to investigate regret after common plastic surgery operations. Three separate literature reviews on regret after GAS, regret after elective operations, and regret after major life decisions were performed. A total of 55 articles examining regret after plastic surgery were included. The percentage of patients reporting regret ranged from 0 to 47.1 % in breast reconstruction, 5.1-9.1 % in breast augmentation, and 10.82-33.3 % in body contouring. In other surgical subspecialties, 30 % of patients experience regret following prostatectomy and up to 19.5 % following bariatric surgery. Rate of regret after GAS is approximately 1 %. Other life decisions, such as having children and getting a tattoo have regret rates of 7 % and 16.2 %, respectively. When comparing regret after GAS to regret after other surgeries and major life decisions, the percentage of patients experiencing regret is extremely low.
PubMed: 38688814
DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2024.04.021 -
Asian Journal of Urology Apr 2024To analyze data available in the literature regarding a possible prognostic value of the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in... (Review)
Review
Prognostic role of platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with non-metastatic and metastatic prostate cancer: A meta-analysis and systematic review.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze data available in the literature regarding a possible prognostic value of the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in prostate cancer (PCa) patients stratified in non-metastatic and metastatic diseases.
METHODS
A literature search process was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. In our meta-analysis, the pooled event rate estimated and the pooled hazard ratio were calculated using a random effect model.
RESULTS
Forty-two articles were selected for our analysis. The pooled risk difference for non-organ confined PCa between high and low NLR cases was 0.06 (95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.03-0.15) and between high and low PLR cases increased to 0.30 (95% CI: 0.16-0.43). In non-metastatic PCa cases, the pooled hazard ratio for overall mortality between high and low NLR was 1.33 (95% CI: 0.78-1.88) and between high and low PLR was 1.47 (95% CI: 0.91-2.03), whereas in metastatic PCa cases, between high and low NLR was 1.79 (95% CI: 1.44-2.13) and between high and low PLR was 1.05 (95% CI: 0.87-1.24).
CONCLUSION
The prognostic values of NLR and PLR in terms of PCa characteristics and responses after treatment show a high level of heterogeneity of results among studies. These two ratios can represent the inflammatory and immunity status of the patient related to several conditions. A higher predictive value is related to a high NLR in terms of risk for overall mortality in metastatic PCa cases under systemic treatments.
PubMed: 38680577
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajur.2023.01.002 -
Asian Journal of Urology Apr 2024To analyze outcomes and complications of cytoreductive prostatectomy (CRP) for oligometastatic prostate cancer (PCa) in order to elucidate its role in this space. (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To analyze outcomes and complications of cytoreductive prostatectomy (CRP) for oligometastatic prostate cancer (PCa) in order to elucidate its role in this space.
METHODS
We performed a systematic literature search using three databases (Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science). The primary endpoints were oncologic outcomes. The secondary endpoints were complication rates and functional results.
RESULTS
In all studies, overall survival was better or at least comparable variable in the groups with CRP compared to no local treatment. The greatest benefit from CRP in 5-year overall survival in one study was 67.4% for CRP versus 22.5% for no local treatment. Cancer-specific survival (CSS) showed the same trend. Several authors found significant benefits from CSS in the CRP group: from 79% . 46% to 100% . 61%. CRP was a predictor of better CSS (hazard ratio 0.264, =0.004). Positive surgical margin rates differed widely from 28.6% to 100.0%. Urinary continence in CRP versus RP for localized PCa was significantly lower (57.4% 90.8%, <0.0001). Severe incontinence occurred seldom (2.5%-18.6%). Total complication rates after CRP differed widely, from 7.0% to 43.6%. Rates of grades 1 and 2 events prevailed. Patients on ADT alone also showed a considerable number of complications varying from 5.9% to 57.7%.
CONCLUSION
CRP improves medium-term cancer control in patients with oligometastatic PCa. The morbidity and complication rates of this surgery are comparable with other approaches, but postoperative incontinence rate is higher compared with RP for localized disease.
PubMed: 38680575
DOI: 10.1016/j.ajur.2022.03.017 -
Biomedicines Apr 2024Serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) needs to be monitored with ultrasensitive PSA assays (uPSAs) for oncologists to be able to start salvage radiotherapy (SRT) while... (Review)
Review
Serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) needs to be monitored with ultrasensitive PSA assays (uPSAs) for oncologists to be able to start salvage radiotherapy (SRT) while PSA is <0.5 µg/L for patients with prostate cancer (PCa) relapsing after a radical prostatectomy (RP). Our systematic review (SR) aimed to summarize uPSAs for patients with localized PCa. The SR was registered as InPLASY2023110084. We searched for studies on Google Scholar, PUBMED and reference lists of reviews and studies. We only included studies on uPSAs published in English and excluded studies of women, animals, sarcoidosis and reviews. Of the 115 included studies, 39 reported PSA assay methods and 76 reported clinical findings. Of 67,479 patients, 14,965 developed PSA recurrence (PSAR) and 2663 died. Extremely low PSA nadir and early developments of PSA separated PSAR-prone from non-PSAR-prone patients (cumulative value 3.7 × 10). RP patients with the lowest post-surgery PSA nadir and patients who had the lowest PSA at SRT had the fewest deaths. In conclusion, PSA for patients with localized PCa in the pre-PSAR phase of PCa is strongly associated with later PSAR and survival. A rising but still exceedingly low PSA at SRT predicts a good 5-year overall survival.
PubMed: 38672176
DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12040822