Extended Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection Research Articles

Extended pelvic lymph node dissection during robotic prostatectomy: antegrade versus retrograde technique

BackgroundRobot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) with extended lymphadenectomy (ePLND) is the gold standard for surgical treatment of prostate cancer (PCa). Recently, the en-bloc ePLND has been proposed but no studies reported on the standardization of the technique. The aim of the study is to describe different standardized en-bloc ePLND, the antegrade and the retrograde ePLND, and to compare their surgical and oncological outcomes.Materials & MethodsFrom January 2018 to September 2019, all patients subjected to RARP plus ePLND by one single surgeon were enrolled. ePLND was performed in a retrograde fashion by starting laterally to the medial umbilical ligament from the internal inguinal ring proceeding towards the ureter, or in an antegrade way by starting from the ureter at its crossing with the common iliac artery and proceeding towards the femoral canal. Patients’ demographic data, clinical and surgical data were collected. Each en-bloc ePLND was categorized as “efficient” or “inefficient” by the operator, as surrogate of surgeon’s satisfaction.ResultsAntegrade and retrograde ePLND were performed in 41/105 (group A) and 64/105 (group R) patients, respectively. The two groups (A vs R) had similar median (IQR) number of lymph nodes retrieved [20 (16.25–31.5) vs 19 (15–26.25); p = 0.18], ePLND time [33.5 (29.5–38.5) min vs 33.5 (26.5–37.5) min; p = 0.4] and post-operative complications [8/41 (19.5%) vs 9/64 (14.1%); p = 0.61]. In group A, 3/41 (7.3%) clinically significant lymphoceles were reported, while 1/64 (1.6%) in group R (p = 0.3). 33/41 (80.5%) and 28/64 (44%) procedures were scored as efficient 59 in group A and R, respectively (p = 0.01). On multivariate regression, only BMI (B = 0.93; 95% CI 0.29–1.56; p = 0.005) was associated with a longer ePLND time.ConclusionsThe study indicates that antegrade and retrograde en-bloc extended pelvic lymph node dissection (ePLND) have comparable surgical and oncologic outcomes, supporting the importance of standardizing the procedure rather than focusing on the direction. Although both techniques aligned with current evidence regarding lymph node invasion and complications, the antegrade approach was subjectively perceived as safer due to early isolation of critical anatomical landmarks. Encouragement for the use of en-bloc ePLND, regardless of direction, is emphasized to improve prostate cancer staging accuracy and procedural standardization.

Outcomes of robot-assisted laparoscopic extended pelvic lymph node dissection for prostate Cancer

IntroductionExtended pelvic lymph node dissection (ePLND) in men undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP) is a widely used procedure. However, little is known about anatomical site-specific yields and subsequent metastatic patterns in these patients.Patients and methodsData on a consecutive series of 1107 patients undergoing RARP at our centre between 2004 and 2018 were analysed. In men undergoing LN dissection, the internal, external and obturator nodes were removed and sent in separately. We performed an analysis of LN yields in total and for each anatomical zone, patterns of LN metastases and complications. Oncological outcome in pN+ disease was assessed including postoperative PSA persistence and survival.ResultsA total of 823 ePLNDs were performed in the investigated cohort resulting in 98 men being diagnosed as pN+ (8.9%). The median (IQR) LN yield was 19 (14–25), 10 (7–13) on the right and 9 (6–12) on the left side (P < 0.001). A median of six (4–8) LNs were retrieved from the external, three (1–6) from the internal iliac artery, and eight (6–12) from the obturator fossa. More men had metastatic LNs on the right side compared to the left (41 vs. 19). Symptomatic lymphoceles occurred exclusively in the ePLND group (2.3% vs. 0%, p = 0.04). Postoperatively, 47 (47.9%) of men with pN+ reached a PSA of < 0.1μg/ml. There was no association between a certain pN+ region and postoperative PSA persistence or BCRFS. The estimated cancer specific survival rate at 5 years was 98.5% for pN+ disease.ConclusionRobot-assisted laparoscopic ePLND with a high LN yield and low complication rate is feasible. However, we observed an imbalance in more removed and positive LNs on the right side compared to the left. A high rate of postoperative PSA persistence and early recurrence in pN+ patients might indicate a possibly limited therapeutical value of the procedure in already spread disease. Yet, these men demonstrated an excellent survival.

A comparative analysis of perioperative complications and biochemical recurrence between standard and extended pelvic lymph node dissection in prostate cancer patients undergoing radical prostatectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) is commonly performed during radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer staging. This study aimed to comprehensively analyze existing evidence compare perioperative complications associated with standard (sPLND) versus extended PLND templates (ePLND) in RP patients. A meta-analysis of prospective studies on PLND complications was conducted. Systematic searches were performed on Web of Science, Pubmed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library until May 2023. Risk ratios (RRs) were estimated using random-effects models in the meta-analysis. The statistical analysis of the data was carried out using Review Manager software. Nine studies, including 3 randomized clinical trial and 6 prospective studies, with a total of 4,962 patients were analyzed. The meta-analysis revealed that patients undergoing ePLND had a higher risk of partial perioperative complications, such as lymphedema (I2=28%; RR 0.05; 95% CI, 0.01-0.27; P<0.001) and urinary retention (I2=0%; RR 0.30; 95% CI, 0.09-0.94; P=0.04) compared to those undergoing sPLND. However, there were no significant difference was observed in pelvic hematoma (I2=0%; RR 1.65; 95% CI, 0.44-6.17; P=0.46), thromboembolic (I2=57%; RR 0.91; 95% CI, 0.35-2.38; P=0.85), ureteral injury (I2=33%; RR 0.28; 95% CI, 0.05-1.52; P=0.14), intraoperative bowel injury (I2=0%; RR 0.87; 95% CI, 0.14-5.27; P=0.88), and lymphocele (I2=0%; RR 1.58; 95% CI, 0.54-4.60; P=0.40) between sPLND and ePLND. Additionally, no significant difference was observed in overall perioperative complications (I2=85%; RR 0.68; 95% CI, 0.40-1.16; P=0.16). Furthermore, ePLND did not significantly reduce biochemical recurrence (I2=68%; RR 0.59; 95% CI, 0.28-1.24; P=0.16) of prostate cancer. This analysis found no significant differences in overall perioperative complications or biochemical recurrence between sPLND and ePLND, but ePLND may offer enhanced diagnostic advantages by increasing the detection rate of lymph node metastasis.

P134 - Risk for progression in patients with pathological lymph-node metastatic disease (pN1) who underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy and extensive pelvic lymph node dissection.

P134 - Risk for progression in patients with pathological lymph-node metastatic disease (pN1) who underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy and extensive pelvic lymph node dissection.

Open Extended Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection as Validation of the Results of Preoperative Multiparametric Contrast-enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Detection of Lymph Node Metastases in Intermediate- and High-risk Prostate Cancer

Open Extended Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection as Validation of the Results of Preoperative Multiparametric Contrast-enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Detection of Lymph Node Metastases in Intermediate- and High-risk Prostate Cancer

Identification of the Optimal Candidates for Nodal Staging with Extended Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection Among Prostate Cancer Patients Who Underwent Preoperative Prostate-specific Membrane Antigen Positron Emission Tomography. External Validation of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Briganti Nomograms and Development of a Novel Tool

BackgroundAlthough the therapeutic role of extended pelvic lymph node dissection (ePLND) in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) is still under debate, this procedure is recommended for staging purposes in selected cases. Nomograms for predicting lymph node invasion (LNI) do not account for prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, which is characterized by a high negative predictive value for nodal metastases. ObjectiveTo externally validate models predicting LNI in patients with miN0M0 PCa at PSMA PET and to develop a novel tool in this setting. Design, setting, and participantsOverall, 458 patients with miN0M0 disease undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) and ePLND at 12 centers between 2017 and 2022 were identified. Outcome measurements and statistical analysesAvailable tools were externally validated using calibration plots, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), and decision curve analyses to assess calibration, discrimination, and the net benefit. A novel coefficient-based model was developed, internally validated, and compared with available tools. Results and limitationsOverall, 53 patients (12%) had LNI. The AUC was 69% for the Briganti 2012, 64% for the Briganti 2017, 73% for the Briganti 2019, and 66% for the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center nomogram. Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging stage, biopsy grade group 5, the diameter of the index lesion, and the percentage of positive cores at systematic biopsy were independent predictors of LNI (all p ≤ 0.04). Internal cross-validation confirmed a coefficient-based model with AUC of 78%, better calibration, and a higher net benefit in comparison to the other nomograms assessed. Use of a 5% cutoff would have spared 47% ePLND procedures (vs 13% for the Briganti 2019 nomogram) at the cost of missing only 2.1% LNI cases . The lack of central review of imaging and pathology represents the main limitation. ConclusionsTools for predicting LNI are associated with suboptimal performance for men with miN0M0 PCa. We propose a novel model for predicting LNI that outperforms available tools in this population. Patient summaryTools currently used to predict lymph node invasion (LNI) in prostate cancer are not optimal for men with negative node findings on PET (positron emission tomography) scans, leading to a high number of unnecessary extended pelvic lymph node dissection (ePLND) procedures. A novel tool should be used in clinical practice to identify candidates for ePLND to reduce the risk of unnecessary procedures without missing LNI cases.

Laparoscopic and Robotic-Assisted Extended Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection for Invasive Bladder Cancer: A Review

Minimally invasive surgical techniques, including laparoscopic and robotic-assisted radical cystectomy (RC), are emerging as the preferred treatment options for invasive bladder cancer. Mounting evidence has demonstrated that laparoscopic and robotic-assisted RC with extended pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) is a viable alternative for managing invasive bladder cancer. In this review, we summarized recent advances and critically assessed the minimally invasive approaches and risk factors associated with extended PLND in patients undergoing laparoscopic or robotic-assisted RC. The findings indicated that laparoscopic and robotic-assisted PLND, employing either a standard or extended approach, is technically feasible and offers benefits such as minimal invasiveness, superior visualization, reduced blood loss, and expedited recovery. The risk factors involved in the laparoscopic extended PLND are minimal. Clinically, laparoscopic and robotic-assisted extended PLND is significantly advantageous in that it sticks to the principles of open surgery and respects anatomical boundaries. Nevertheless, laparoscopic and robotic-assisted extended PLND is technically challenging and necessitate extended operation time. Furthermore, large-scale, prospective, multicenter trials are warranted to validate the long-term efficacy of laparoscopic and robotic-assisted extended PLND in terms of disease-specific survival.

Unilateral Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection in Prostate Cancer Patients Diagnosed in the Era of Magnetic Resonance Imaging-targeted Biopsy: A Study That Challenges the Dogma.

Bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection at the time of radical prostatectomy is the current standard of care if pelvic lymph node dissection is indicated; often, however, pelvic lymph node dissection is performed in pN0 disease. With the more accurate staging achieved with magnetic resonance imaging-targeted biopsies for prostate cancer diagnosis, the indication for bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection may be revised. We aimed to assess the feasibility of unilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection in the era of modern prostate cancer imaging. We analyzed a multi-institutional data set of men with cN0 disease diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging-targeted biopsy who underwent prostatectomy and bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection. The outcome of the study was lymph node invasion contralateral to the prostatic lobe with worse disease features, ie, dominant lobe. Logistic regression to predict lymph node invasion contralateral to the dominant lobe was generated and internally validated. Overall, data from 2,253 patients were considered. Lymph node invasion was documented in 302 (13%) patients; 83 (4%) patients had lymph node invasion contralateral to the dominant prostatic lobe. A model including prostate-specific antigen, maximum diameter of the index lesion, seminal vesicle invasion on magnetic resonance imaging, International Society of Urological Pathology grade in the nondominant side, and percentage of positive cores in the nondominant side achieved an area under the curve of 84% after internal validation. With a cutoff of contralateral lymph node invasion of 1%, 602 (27%) contralateral pelvic lymph node dissections would be omitted with only 1 (1.2%) lymph node invasion missed. Pelvic lymph node dissection could be omitted contralateral to the prostate lobe with worse disease features in selected patients. We propose a model that can help avoid contralateral pelvic lymph node dissection in almost one-third of cases.

PD10-07 CAN WE RELY ON AVAILABLE MODELS TO IDENTIFY CANDIDATES FOR EXTENDED PELVIC LYMPH NODE DISSECTION (EPLND) IN MEN STAGED WITH PSMA-PET? EXTERNAL VALIDATION OF THE BRIGANTI NOMOGRAMS AND DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL TOOL TO IDENTIFY OPTIMAL CANDIDATES FOR EPLND

PD10-07 CAN WE RELY ON AVAILABLE MODELS TO IDENTIFY CANDIDATES FOR EXTENDED PELVIC LYMPH NODE DISSECTION (EPLND) IN MEN STAGED WITH PSMA-PET? EXTERNAL VALIDATION OF THE BRIGANTI NOMOGRAMS AND DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL TOOL TO IDENTIFY OPTIMAL CANDIDATES FOR EPLND

Radical prostatectomy findings in patients with locally aggressive Grade group 5 prostatic adenocarcinoma and negative limited or extended pelvic lymph node dissection

Current management options for high-risk prostate cancer (PCa) patients include radical prostatectomy with lymph node dissection and other local or systemic therapeutic approaches. However, there is paucity of data in the pathology literature on the radical prostatectomy findings in patients with locally aggressive Grade group 5 PCa with negative limited or extended lymph node dissection. A search was made through our Urologic Pathology files and consults of the senior author for patients who had radical prostatectomy specimens with locally aggressive Grade group 5 PCa and limited or extended lymph node dissection from 2010 to 2022. Patients with lymph node metastasis were excluded. Clinicopathologic and follow up data were obtained. Forty-two patients were included in the study. Mean age was 64 years (range: 49–79 years). Forty-one (98 %) patients had PCa Gleason score 4 + 5 = 9 and 1 (2 %) patient had Gleason score 5 + 4 = 9. Extraprostatic extension and/or bladder neck invasion was present in 30 (71 %) patients and seminal vesicle invasion was present in 20 (48 %) patients, of which 10 (50 %) were bilateral. Extended lymph node dissection was performed in 18 patients with mean of 22 lymph nodes (range: 6–51 lymph nodes). Limited lymph node dissection was performed in 24 patients with mean of 7 lymph nodes (range: 2–25 lymph nodes). This study demonstrates that a subset of patients with very advanced/high grade PCa still benefit from radical prostatectomy/tumor debulking even in the setting of positive margins, and may not have lymph node metastasis.

Comparison of Four Validated Nomograms (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Briganti 2012, 2017, and 2019) Predicting Lymph Node Invasion in Patients with High-Risk Prostate Cancer Candidates for Radical Prostatectomy and Extended Pelvic Lymph Node Dissection: Clinical Experience and Review of the Literature.

The indication for extended pelvic lymph node dissection (ePLND) at the time of radical prostatectomy (RP) is based on nomograms predicting the risk of lymph node invasion (LNI). However, limited data are available on the comparison of these predictive models in high-risk prostate cancer (PC) patients. Therefore, we compared the accuracy of the most used nomograms (MSKCC, Briganti 2012, 2017, and 2019) in the setting of high-risk PC patients submitted to ePLND. 150 patients with high-risk PC disease treated from 2019 to 2022 were included. Before RP + ePLND, we assessed the MSKCC, Briganti 2012, 2017, and 2019 nomograms for each patient, and we compared the prediction of LNI with the final histopathological analysis of the ePLND using pathologic results as a reference. LNI was found in 39 patients (26%), and 71.3% were cT2. The percentage of patients with estimated LNI risk above the cut-off was significantly higher in pN+ cases than in pN0 for all Briganti nomograms. The percentage of patients at risk of LNI, according to Briganti Nomogram (2012, 2017, and 2019), was significantly higher in pN+ cases than in pN0 (p < 0.04), while MSKCC prediction didn't vary significantly between pN0 and pN+ groups (p = 0.2). All nomograms showed high sensitivity (Se > 0.90), low specificity (Sp < 0.20), and similar AUC (range: 0.526-0.573) in predicting pN+. Particularly, 74% of cases patients with MSKCC estimated risk > 7% showed pN0 compared to 71% with Briganti 2012 > 5%, 69% with Briganti 2017 > 7%, and 70% with Briganti 2019 > 7%. Despite the high-risk disease, in our patients treated with ePLND emerges a still high number of pN0 cases and a similar low specificity of nomograms in predicting LNI.

Comparison of neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy vs. extended pelvic lymph-node dissection in high-risk prostate cancer treated with robot-assisted radical prostatectomy

We compared the impact of treatment strategies on postoperative complications and prognosis between robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) plus extended pelvic lymph-node dissection (ePLND) and RARP plus neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy (NCHT) without ePLND. We retrospectively evaluated 452 patients with high-risk prostate cancer (defined as any one of prostate-specific antigen ≥ 20 ng/mL, Gleason score 8–10, or cT2c–3) who were treated with RARP between January 2012 and February 2021. The patients were divided into two groups: RARP with ePLND (ePLND group) and NCHT plus RARP without ePLND (NCHT group). We compared the complication rate (Clavien–Dindo classification), biochemical recurrence-free survival, and castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC)-free survival between the groups. We performed multivariable Cox regression analysis using inverse probability weighting (IPTW) methods to assess the impact of the different treatments on prognosis. There were 150 and 302 patients in the ePLND and NCHT groups, respectively. The postoperative complication rate was significantly higher in the ePLND group than in the NCHT group (P < 0.001). IPTW-adjusted biochemical recurrence-free survival and CRPC-free survival were significantly higher in the NCHT group than in the ePLND group (hazard ratio [HR] 0.29, P < 0.001, and HR 0.29, P = 0.010, respectively). NCHT plus RARP without ePLND may reduce the risk of postoperative complications compared with ePLND during RARP. The impact of treatment strategies on oncological outcomes needs further studies.

Performance of Node-RADS Scoring System for a Standardized Assessment of Regional Lymph Nodes in Bladder Cancer Patients.

Current cross-sectional imaging modalities exhibit heterogenous diagnostic performances for the detection of a lymph node invasion (LNI) in bladder cancer (BCa) patients. Recently, the Node-RADS score was introduced to provide a standardized comprehensive evaluation of LNI, based on a five-item Likert scale accounting for both size and configuration criteria. In the current study, we hypothesized that the Node-RADS score accurately predicts the LNI and tested its diagnostic performance. We retrospectively reviewed BCa patients treated with radical cystectomy (RC) and bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection, from January 2019 to June 2022. Patients receiving preoperative systemic chemotherapy were excluded. A logistic regression analysis tested the correlation between the Node-RADS score and LNI both at patient and lymph-node level. The ROC curves and the AUC depicted the overall diagnostic performance. In addition, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for different cut-off values (>1, >2, >3, >4). Overall, data from 49 patients were collected. Node-RADS assigned on CT scans images, was found to independently predict the LNI after an adjusted multivariable regression analysis, both at the patient (OR 3.36, 95%CI 1.68-9.40, p = 0.004) and lymph node (OR 5.18, 95%CI 3.39-8.64, p < 0.001) levels. Node-RADS exhibited an AUC of 0.87 and 0.91 at the patient and lymph node levels, respectively. With increasing Node-RADS cut-off values, the specificity and PPV increased from 57.1 to 97.1% and from 48.3 to 83.3%, respectively. Conversely, the sensitivity and NPV decreased from 100 to 35.7% and from 100 to 79.1%, respectively. Similar trends were recorded at the lymph node level. Potentially, Node-RADS > 2 could be considered as the best cut-off value due to balanced values at both the patient (77.1 and 78.6%, respectively) and lymph node levels (82.4 and 93.4%, respectively). The current study lays the foundation for the introduction of Node-RADS for the regional lymph-node evaluation in BCa patients. Interestingly, the Node-RADS score exhibited a moderate-to-high overall accuracy for the identification of LNI, with the possibility of setting different cut-off values according to specific clinical scenarios. However, these results need to be validated on larger cohorts before drawing definitive conclusions.

The Effect of a Peritoneal Iliac Flap on Lymphocele Formation After Robotic Radical Prostatectomy: Results From the PLUS Trial

To assess the effectiveness of a peritoneal flap on the formation of lymphoceles after robotic assisted radical prostatectomy with bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection. We conducted a single surgeon, assessor blinded prospective randomized controlled trial (the Prospective Lymphocele Ultrasound Study) in men undergoing robotic assisted radical prostatectomy with bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection. At the conclusion of the node dissection, patients were block randomized 1:1 to either standard of care (no bladder peritoneal flap) or to the creation of a bladder peritoneal flap. Lymphocele formation was assessed by pelvic ultrasound postoperatively. The primary outcome was lymphocele formation. Rates of lymphocele formation and complications were analyzed using chi-square. Other outcomes, including length of stay, number of lymph nodes removed, lymphocele volume, and quality of life measures, were analyzed by t-tests or Wilcoxon Ranked Sum Tests, as appropriate. An a priori power calculation was performed using O'Brien-Fleming alpha sharing for the interim analyses. Two preplanned interim analyses were performed when 45 and 90 patients per group had follow-up ultrasounds. A statistically significant difference in lymphocele formation was seen on the second interim analysis for 183 patients (4.3% vs. 15.6%, p=.011) stopping enrollment; this remained significant in the final analysis of 216 patients (3.6% vs 14.2%, p=.006). No other significant differences were observed. This prospective randomized trial supports the implementation of this simple modification for robotic assisted radical prostatectomy with bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection.

Clinical significance of limited and extended pelvic lymph node dissection during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy for patients with localized prostate cancer: A retrospective, propensity score matching analysis.

We investigated the diagnostic and therapeutic benefits of limited or extended pelvic lymph node dissection during a robot-assisted radical prostatectomy for localized prostate cancer. Diagnostic and therapeutic benefits were assessed according to the rates of pN1 and biochemical recurrence, respectively. The primary outcome was the biochemical recurrence-free rate, and secondary outcomes included the diagnostic and therapeutic benefits of pelvic lymph node dissection. A total of 534 patients were analyzed. Out of the 534 patients, 207 (38.8%) received limited pelvic lymph node dissection while 134 (25.1%) received extended dissection. There were 297 patients with a Briganti index ≥5%. Extended dissections yielded significantly more resected lymph nodes (p < 0.0001), and 72.2% of cases of pN1 were located outside the obturator. The incidence rate of pN1 was 6.1%, and performance of extended lymph node dissection was an independent predictor for pN1 (odds ratio 9.0, 95% confidence interval 2.5-33.1). The rate of biochemical recurrence was 14.9%, and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis of the propensity score matched population revealed that patients with high or very-high risk tended to benefit from limited lymph node dissection (hazard ratio 8.4, 95% confidence interval 0.8-82.3) while the therapeutic benefit of extended dissection was unclear by comparison. Extended pelvic lymph node dissection significantly improves diagnostic accuracy; however, the therapeutic benefit of pelvic lymph node dissection was not observed in this study.

SC207 - A more extended pelvic lymph node dissection decreases recurrence rates in selected prostate cancer patients undergoing radical prostatectomy

SC207 - A more extended pelvic lymph node dissection decreases recurrence rates in selected prostate cancer patients undergoing radical prostatectomy

VE24 - The Aalst technique for en-bloc extended pelvic lymph node dissection during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy

VE24 - The Aalst technique for en-bloc extended pelvic lymph node dissection during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy

Selecting lymph node-positive patients for adjuvant therapy after radical prostatectomy and extended pelvic lymphadenectomy: An outcome analysis of 100 node-positive patients managed without adjuvant therapy.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the effect of deferred androgen deprivation therapy on biochemical recurrence (BCR) and other survival parameters in node-positive prostate cancer patients after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy with bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection (RARP + EPLND). Of the 453 consecutive RARP procedures performed from 2011 to 2018, 100 patients with no prior use of androgen deprivation therapy were found to be lymph node (LN) positive and were observed, with initiation of salvage treatment at the time of BCR only. Patients were divided into 1 or 2 LNs (67)-and more than 2 LNs (33)-positive groups to assess survival outcomes. At a median follow-up of 21 months (1-70 months), the LN group (p < 0.000), preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA, p = 0.013), tumor volume (TV, p = 0.031), and LND (p = 0.004) were significantly associated with BCR. In multivariate analysis, only the LN group (p = 0.035) and PSA level (p = 0.026) were statistically significant. The estimated BCR-free survival rates in the 1/2 LN group were 37.6% (27%-52.2%), 26.5% (16.8%-41.7%), and 19.9% (9.6%-41.0%) at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively, with a hazard of developing BCR of 0.462 (0.225-0.948) compared with the more than 2 LN-positive group. Estimated 5-year overall survival, cancer-specific, metastasis-free, and local recurrence-free survival rates were 88.4% (73.1%-100%), 89.5% (74%-100%), 65.1% (46.0%-92.1%), and 94.8% (87.2%-100.0%), respectively, for which none of the factors were significant. Based on cutoff values for PSA, TV, and LND of 30 ng/mL, 30%, and 10%, respectively, the 1/2 LN group was substratified, wherein the median BCR-free survival for the low- and intermediate-risk groups was 40 and 12 months, respectively. Nearly one fourth and one fifth of 1/2 node-positive patients were BCR-free at 3 and 5 years after RARP + EPLND. Further substratification using PSA, TV, and LN density may help in providing individualized care regarding the initiation of adjuvant therapy.

Cost-effectiveness of the implementation of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT at initial prostate cancer staging

BackgroundDespite its high specificity, PSMA PET/CT has a moderate to low sensitivity of 40–50% for pelvic lymph node detection, implicating that a negative PSMA PET/CT cannot rule out lymph node metastases. This study investigates a strategy of implementing PSMA PET/CT for initial prostate cancer staging and treatment planning compared to conventional diagnostics. In this PSMA PET/CT strategy, a bilateral extended pelvic lymph node dissection (ePLND) is only performed in case of a negative PSMA PET/CT; in case of a positive scan treatment planning is solely based on PSMA PET/CT results.MethodA decision table and lifetime state transition model were created. Quality-adjusted life years and health care costs were modelled over lifetime.ResultsThe PSMA PET/CT strategy of treatment planning based on initial staging with [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT results in cost-savings of €674 and a small loss in quality of life (QoL), 0.011 QALY per patient. The positive effect of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT was caused by abandoning both an ePLND and unnecessary treatment in iM1 patients, saving costs and resulting in higher QoL. The negative effect was caused by lower QoL and high costs in the false palliative state, due to pN1lim patients (≤ 4 pelvic lymph node metastases) being falsely diagnosed as iN1ext (> 4 pelvic lymph node metastases). These patients received subsequently palliative treatment instead of potentially curative therapy.ConclusionInitial staging and treatment planning based on [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT saves cost but results in small QALY loss due to the rate of false positive findings.

Contemporary use trends and effect on survival of pelvic lymph node dissection for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

BackgroundPatients diagnosed with non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) who are at a very high risk of disease progression and failure of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin treatment are recommended to undergo immediate radical cystectomy (RC). The role and optimal degree of pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) during RC for NMIBC patients, however, have not been well investigated.Patients and methodsThe Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was used to identify patients. Overall survival (OS) was assessed with the Kaplan–Meier technique. Multivariable Cox regression analysis was conducted to determine independent factors of OS.ResultsA total of 1,701 patients were identified in the SEER database from 2004 to 2015. Any level of PLND (>0 lymph nodes examined) was performed in 1,092 patients (64.2%). The median number of lymph nodes examined was 8 (interquartile range, 0–20) in T1, 0 (interquartile range, 0–11) in Ta, and 0 (interquartile range, 0–14) in Tia patients. Compared with non-PLND, any level of PLND improved OS in T1 but not in Ta or Tis patients. Compared to limited (1–9 lymph nodes examined) and non-PLND, extensive PLND (lymph nodes examined ≥10) resulted in better OS only in T1 patients (all p < 0.001, adjusted significance level = 0.017). PLND was identified as a independent protective factor for OS.ConclusionBased on the SEER database, we found that PLND during RC led to better OS and extensive PLND was associated with better OS in T1 but not in Ta or Tis patients. The implementation of PLND was insufficient both in population proportions and scope.