Performance status may alter outcomes in those treated with abiraterone

The drug therapies available for those with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer have increased over the past few years. Abiraterone, a CYP17 inhibitor, has been proven effective in phase three trials, however those with poor performance status were largely under-represented in...

Urology MDTs: what members think

This study aimed to examine the functionality of urology cancer multidisciplinary team meetings (MDTs). Evidence has suggested that urology MDTs are not as well structured as other surgical disciplines. MDT members were asked their views on if there were any...

Robot assisted radical prostatectomy – could it be gold standard?

Prostate cancer (PCa) is still the second leading cause of cancer-related death in men in the United States. Most of the PCa are organ confined at the time of diagnosis. To watch (observation / active surveillance) or fry (radiotherapy) or...

BCG strain differences have an impact on clinical outcome in bladder cancer immunotherapy

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) has been part of the treatment algorithm for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) for a number of years. In this single centre, prospective, randomised trial, two of the most commonly available strains, BCG Connaught and BCG Tice,...

Is TRUS and biopsy obsolete as a diagnostic test for prostate cancer: refining the perineal biopsy technique?

Whilst there has been a dramatic shift in how patients are investigated for potential prostate cancer, transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) and biopsy remains the most commonly used technique for tissue sampling. In this single centre, retrospective analysis, 634 men, over a...

Impact of prostatic apex in continence after RARP

This article investigates the impact of prostatic apical shape from preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on early recovery of urinary continence after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP). It is a retrospective study of 1011 patients at a tertiary centre. Patients were...

Cryotherapy in prostate cancer

This review of the literature aims to summarise what is known in regards to outcomes in patients undergoing cryotherapy in a number of settings: whole gland, salvage and targeted focal therapy. It highlights that more prostate cancers are being diagnosed...

Impact of adjuvant radiation therapy on urinary continence recovery after radical prostatectomy

The functional side-effects of both radical prostatectomy and radiotherapy for prostate cancer are well known. The aim of this study was to evaluate if there was a significant worsening in recovery of urinary continence in those undergoing radical prostatectomy followed...

Patient-reported outcomes after prostate cancer treatment

This study used the survivorship (LIVESTRONG) care plan tool to identify patient-reported toxicities that occurred following treatment for prostate cancer. All patients had undergone treatments, which were considered to have similar oncological endpoints. The tool asked patients questions with regard...

Model to predict malignancy among Bosniak III cysts

This retrospective study over a 15-year period is to identify independent predictors of malignancy in Bosniak III (BIII) renal lesions and to build a prediction model based on identifiable clinical variables. These cysts, characterised by contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT), have...

Does one-year decline in eGFR after radical nephrectomy and in matched living donors match?

In the May issue of BJUI Miki N Hew et al. discuss differences in renal function evolution between patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) submitted to radical nephrectomy (RN) and living kidney donors matched for age and gender. They also...

Robot assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy versus open retropubic prostatectomy – complication and readmission rates

Readmission rates in postoperative patients are an important health economic and clinical challenge faced in the modern NHS, with financial levies attached. In America since 2013, hospitals have been faced with ‘readmission penalties’ deducted from Medicare reimbursements. This was the...