Urological Cancer Research Articles

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae related urinary tract infection in adult cancer patients: a multicenter retrospective study, 2015–2019

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae related urinary tract infections (UTI) in adult cancer patients.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective study of three cancer hospitals centered on Cancer Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences from 2015 to 2019. The clinical characters, risk factors and antimicrobial susceptibility of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae UTI in adult cancer patients were described and analyzed.ResultsA total of 4967 specimens of UTI were evaluated, of which 909 were positive. After excluding multiple infection bacteria, non-conforming strains, inconsistent pathological information, no drug sensitivity test or medical records, 358 episodes remained. Among them, 160 episodes belonged to ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, while 198 were classified into non-ESBL group. The prevalence of ESBL UTI circled around 39.73 to 53.03% for 5 years. Subgroup analysis by tumor type revealed that 62.5% of isolates from patients with urological tumors were ESBL positive. Multivariate analysis showed that tumor metastasis (OR 3.41, 95%CI 1.84–6.30), urological cancer (OR 2.96, 95%CI 1.34–6.53), indwelling catheter (OR 2.08, 95%CI 1.22–3.55) and surgery or invasive manipulation (OR 1.98, 95%CI 1.13–3.50) were the independent risk factors. According to antimicrobial sensitivity, meropenem, imipenem and piperacillin/tazobactam were the most commonly used antibiotics for ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae UTI.ConclusionsIn view of the high prevalence, clinicians should be alert to the occurrence of ESBL UTI, especially for patients with urological cancer or metastatic tumors. Regular replacement of urinary catheters, reduction of unnecessary invasive operations and selection of appropriate antibiotics are the necessary conditions to deal with the occurrence of ESBL UTI in adult cancer patients.

The test-retest reproducibility of the multiple array probe Leiden in men with lower urinary tract symptoms.

We aimed to study the test-retest reliability of the Multiple Array Probe Leiden (MAPLe), a multiple electrode probe designed to acquire and discriminate electromyography signals in the pelvic floor muscles, in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). Adult male patients with LUTS with sufficient knowledge of Dutch language, but without complications (e.g., urinary tract infection), or previous urologic cancer and/or urologic surgery were enrolled. In the initial study, next to physical examination and uroflowmetry, all men underwent MAPLe assessment at baseline and after 6 weeks. Second, participants were reinvited for a new assessment using a stricter protocol. A time interval of 2 h (M2) and 1 week (M3) after baseline (M1) allowed the calculation of the intraday agreement (M1 vs. M2), and the interday agreement (M1 vs. M3) for all 13 MAPLe variables. The outcomes of the initial study in 21 men suggested a poor test-retest reliability. The second study in 23 men showed a good test-retest reliability with intraclass correlations ranging from 0.61 (0.12-0.86) to 0.91 (0.81-0.96). The agreement was generally higher for the intraday determinations than for the interday determinations. This study revealed a good test-retest reliability of the MAPLe device in men with LUTS, when using a strict protocol. With a less strict protocol, the test-retest reliability of MAPLe was poor in this sample. To make valid interpretations of this device in a clinical or research setting, a strict protocol is needed.

Immunotherapy in Urological, Gynecological and Gastrointestinal Cancers - Current Landscape.

Immunotherapy is becoming increasingly important in the management of urological, gynecological, and gastrointestinal cancers. Immune checkpoint inhibitor-based combinations have become a standard of care for patients with metastatic renal and liver cancers, as well as for many patients with bladder, cervical, gastric, and esophageal cancers, based on various biomarkers. Some tumor types are less responsive to immunotherapy, such as prostate and colon cancer. In these tumors, however, a subgroup of patients with a microsatellite-instability-high/DNA-mismatch repair deficient molecular phenotype significantly benefits from immunotherapy. Molecular characterization is therefore essential to identify patients who may benefit from these treatments. One of the major challenges is the search for new predictive biomarkers and novel combinations or strategies to further improve patient outcome.

UROTHELIAL BLADDER CANCER IN YOUNG PATIENTS UNDER 40 YEARS OLD

Bladder cancer is the 2nd urological cancer, most known in people over 50 years old. We are witnessing increased number ofcases in subjects under 40 years of age, mostly due to several factors. The purpose of our study is to study the pathologic and clinical features of urothelial tumors of the urinary bladder in young patients and to understand the particularity of this entity.Retrospective, descriptive study, on 17 patients, treated at two centers, the urology department of the University Hospital of Souss-Massa (Center A) and Urology department ofUniversity Hospital Ibn Sina in Rabat (Center B).From March 1, 2019 to March 1, 2022.This study concerns 17 patients hospitalized in center A and B with an average age of 35 years, sharing the same risk factors. the pathology was revealed by hematuria. our patients benefited from an initial TUR-V resection, the follow-up was then based on the results of anatomopathology.These tumors were preferentiallylocalized on the lateral face of the bladder, and retrotrigone with an average size of 3 cm in both centers. The most common histologic type wasurothelial carcinomapTa Low Grade in both centers. Bladder tumors in young people are unusual, favored by the presence of risk factors. However, these factorscannot be incriminated due to the short exposure time. Superficial bladder tumors seem to have a good prognosis with little recurrenceunlike infiltrating tumors.

Micronutrients and risks of three main urologic cancers: A mendelian randomization study.

The effect of micronutrients on urologic cancers has been explored in observational studies. We conducted the two-sample mendelian randomization (TSMR) study to investigate whether micronutrients could causally influence the risk of urologic cancers. Summary statistics for four micronutrients and three main urologic cancers outcomes were obtained from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). MR analyses were applied to explore the potential causal association between them. Sensitivity analyses using multiple methods were also conducted. Genetically predicted one SD increase in serum copper and iron concentrations was causally associated with increased risks of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) (OR = 3.021, 95%CI = 2.204-4.687, P < 0.001, male; OR = 2.231, 95%CI = 1.524-3.953, P < 0.001, female; OR = 1.595, 95%CI = 1.310-1.758, P = 0.0238, male; OR = 1.484, 95%CI = 1.197-2.337, P = 0.0210, female, respectively) and per SD increase in serum zinc levels was related to decreased risks of RCC (OR = 0.131, 95%CI = 0.0159-0.208, P < 0.001, male; OR = 0.124, 95%CI = 0.0434-0.356, P < 0.001, female). No significant results were observed between micronutrients and the risk of bladder cancer after Bonferroni correction. Additionally, per SD increase in serum zinc level was associated with a 5.8% higher risk of prostate cancer (PCa) [OR = 1.058, 95%CI = 1.002-1.116, P = 0.0403, inverse-variance weight (IVW)]. Micronutrients play a vital role in the development of urological tumors. Future studies are required to replicate the findings, explore the underlying mechanisms, and examine the preventive or therapeutic role of micronutrients in clinical settings.

Integrative review of remote patient monitoring in gynecologic and urologic surgical oncology.

Patients with cancer facing complex and invasive urologic and gynecologic cancer surgery often experience symptoms and rapid declines in functional capacity postoperatively. Remote patient monitoring that leverages patient-generated health datais a potential approach to assess and promote postoperative recovery. This integrative review aims to provide an overview of the current literature and research on remote patient monitoring in gynecologic and urologic surgical oncology.

Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index and Mortality in Testicular Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The systemic immune-inflammation index (SIII) is a marker studied in multiple types of urologic cancer. This systematic review evaluates the association between SIII values with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in testicular cancer. We searched observational studies in five databases. The quantitative synthesis was performed using a random-effects model. The risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). The only measure of the effect was the hazard ratio (HR). A sensitivity analysis was performed according to the risk of bias in the studies. There were 833 participants in a total of 6 cohorts. We found that high SIII values were associated with worse OS (HR = 3.28; 95% CI 1.3-8.9; p < 0.001; I2 = 78) and PFS (HR = 3.9; 95% CI 2.53-6.02; p < 0.001; I2 = 0). No indication of small study effects was found in the association between SIII values and OS (p = 0.5301). High SIII values were associated with worse OS and PFS. However, further primary studies are suggested to enhance the effect of this marker in different outcomes of testicular cancer patients.

Impact of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 on the risk of hospital admission and death among infected patients with urologic cancers: A population-based study in northern Italy.

205 Background: Background: Hospital admission and death of infected cancer patients were investigated according to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status. Methods: Population-based observational study on 1874 SARS-CoV-2 infected patients with prostate (n=1276), kidney (n=327), and bladder (n=271) cancers. Hazard ratios (HR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI), adjusted for sex and age, were computed to assess the risk of hospital admission and death of unvaccinated patients as compared to vaccinated ones. Results: 24.5% of patients with prostate, 26.9% with kidney and 29.5% with bladder cancer were unvaccinated. As compared to vaccinated ones, a statistically significant excess risk of hospital admission emerged for unvaccinated ones with prostate (HR=3.33, 95% CI: 2.50-4.55), and kidney (HR=4.35, 95% CI: 2.33-8.33) cancer. The 312 unvaccinated prostate cancer patients were also at a nearly 3-fold higher risk of death than vaccinated ones (HR=2.98, 95% CI:1.89-4.70). Conclusions: Study findings stress the importance of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in reducing hospital admission and death in patients with urologic cancers, particularly prostate cancer.

Surgery for urologic cancers after SARS-CoV-2 infection: Adverse outcomes and optimal delay.

484 Background: Perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection has been associated with increased adverse outcomes. Research conducted early in the COVID-19 pandemic suggested an 8 week delay after SARS-CoV-2 infection prior to undergoing surgery. The aim of this study is to determine if prior COVID-19 infection is an independent risk factor for adverse outcomes following surgery for urologic cancers. A secondary objective was to determine the optimal duration to delay surgery, specifically cystectomy, prostatectomy, or nephrectomy, after COVID-19 infection. Methods: Data from the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C) data enclave was used to conduct this retrospective cross-sectional study. Patients with cancer diagnoses that underwent surgery for urologic cancers after January 2020 were included in the analyses. Urologic surgeries were queried using standard SNOMED concepts corresponding to cystectomy, nephrectomy, and prostatectomy. Patients were assessed for adverse postoperative events that were defined using standard SNOMED clinical concepts. COVID-19 positive patients were identified via the N3C Knowledge Store using positive lab measurement or a positive SARS-CoV-2 diagnosis. Analyses were conducted in the N3C data enclave. Results: The study cohort included 38,974 total patients with 15,216, 14,778, and 8,980, undergoing cystectomy, prostatectomy, and nephrectomy, respectively. 2,807 had a history of COVID-19 infection greater than 20 days prior to surgery. Prior history of COVID-19 was independently associated with adverse outcomes for cystectomy (OR 1.21 [1.03-1.43], p&lt;0.05) and nephrectomy (OR 1.27 [1.06-1.52], p&lt;0.05), but not prostatectomy (OR 1.14 [0.95-1.36]). Multivariable regression assessing time to surgery and risk for any adverse events, did not reveal significant benefit to waiting greater than 20 days after COVID-19 infection to operate. Conclusions: Patients with known prior COVID-19 infection who underwent surgical treatment of urologic cancers experienced increased risk of adverse surgical outcomes. Among this group, those who delayed surgery greater than 20 days after infection did not demonstrate decreased risk of these negative outcomes across the procedures studied. Optimal surgical delay in the treatment of urologic cancers after COVID-19 infection does not appear to be greater than 20 days.

Urologic oncology and critical care: What are prognostic factors that correlate with 6-month mortality in patients (pts) with urological tumors referred to intensive care unit (ICU)?

91 Background: Defining which oncologic pts actually benefit from ICU admission can be a difficult task. There is a lack of data that consistently support indication and benefit with impact on patient survival when this care is offered. The present retrospective study sought to evaluate prognostic factors related to mortality in 6 months after hospital discharge of pts with urological tumors admitted to ICU at the A C Camargo Cancer Center. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of pts with urological cancers (bladder, prostate, kidney, testicular, and other) admitted to ICU in 2017-2018. We collected the following data to identify possible predictors of 6-month mortality: gender, age, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, type of ICU admission (planned or unplanned), clinical stage at diagnosis (locoregional vs. metastatic). All these variables were included in a logistic regression model with mortality at 6 months as the dependent variable. Results: Assessing the medical record of 677 patients, the pts with ECOG grading &gt;2 presented poorer results compared to the ones 0-2, with an Odds Ratio (OR) 5.10 [Confidence Interval 95% (CI) 2.46-11.69]. The urological tumor type did influence the 6-month mortality, with the best results for pts with testicular tumors: OR 0.27 (CI 0.05-0.99) and the worst ones to bladder tumors with an OR 2.35 (CI 1.44-3.87) when compared to prostate tumors. For metastatic diagnoses, as expected, the mortality results appeared to be worse than for pts with locoregional disease, with an OR 4.06 (CI 2.73-6.07). Finally, pts undergoing unplanned hospitalization at ICU, understanding clinical and surgical ones, presented poorer results compared to the elective ones, with an OR 3.22 (2.16-4.84). Conclusions: In this cohort of pts with urological cancers, 6-month mortality was 39%. Performance status, bladder cancer, metastatic disease and unplanned hospitalizations were all associated with increased mortality.

Preliminary findings of G8 and G8-modified as screening tools associated with quality of life in elderly patients with prostate, renal or bladder neoplasms in a Brazilian cancer center.

122 Background: Population aging and cancer increased incidence are a public health challenge, as the elderly vary widely in terms of health status and aging process. Aiming at therapeutic efficacy and minimization of toxicities, treatment should be individualized. To aid in clinical decision and patient (pt) management, screening tools use is recommended, such as the G8 and the G8-modified (G8m), which identify geriatric problems: scored as abnormal when ≤ 14 and ≥6, respectively. These scales include health status self-assessment, which can be investigated by specific tools as EQ-5D-5L. The objective is to compare the G8 and G8m scales as screening tools in Brazilians ≥ 60 years old with urological tumors and describe Quality of Life using the Visual Analogue Scale of EQ-5D-5L (EQ VAS), which scores from 0-100 (higher better). Methods: Sociodemographic data were collected, and scales G8, G8m and EQ-5D-5L were applied to elderly people ≥ 60 years old with urologic cancer diagnosed within 6 months or prior to a change in therapeutic strategy, from Feb to Sep 2022. Statistical analyzes were performed, such as means, median, standard deviation and proportions, as well as comparisons of G8 total score versus G8m, using Kappa Coefficient. Fisher's Exact Test was used to analyze these scores related to sociodemographic data and the Pearson Correlation test to verify the relationship of the scores with the EQ VAS. Results: 43 pt aged ≥ 60 completed G8 with a mean score of 13,7(±2,2), G8m with 7,7 (±6,6) and EQ VAS 81,5 (±14,9). The mean age was 72,7 (±8,7) and 100% were men and 27 (62,8%) were white; furthermore, 9 (20,9%) lived alone. The most frequent cancer type was prostate 34(79,1%), followed by renal 5 (11,6%). 36 (83.7%) pt were changing treatment strategy and 7 (16.3%) had a diagnosis within 6 months. A weak agreement of 72.2% between normal G8 and G8m scores was identified (Kappa = 0.435 and p 0.006). A statistically significant association between normal G8m score and married marital status (p=0.039) was found, however there was no statistically significant association between G8 and G8m scores and comorbidities, smoking or polypharmacy. As well as no statistically significant correlation was found between the G8 and G8m scores with the Quality of Life measured by the EQ VAS. Conclusions: G8 and G8m demonstrated similar results in elderly pt with urologic tumors, identifying pt with frailties that are warranting a complete geriatric evaluation. In addition, this study indicates that it is better to assess quality of life using specific instruments, since the G8 and G8m scores were not correlated with the EQ VAS, although the screening scales included self-rated health. We intend to prospectively evaluate the prognostic power in the short term - 6 months, relating it to the quality of life, by the EQ-5D-5L.

A national questionnaire survey of Japanese urologists on the treatment perspective for elderly patients with prostate cancer.

327 Background: Physicians' attitudes toward elderly prostate cancer patients in Japan remain unknown. So, we conduct a national questionnaire survey of Japanese urologists from a treatment perspective for elderly patients with prostate cancer. Methods: A questionnaire was sent to 922 Japanese urological association teaching base hospitals. The following items were included: years of experience as a urologist, gender, workplace, treatment equipment owned, specialty area of daily practice, specialty area of urological cancer, reference items for treatment of the elderly, upper age limit for radical treatment, medication, and two hypothetical cases of Gleason grade Group 2 prostate cancer with or without oligometastasis. For examined the correlation between experience for urological practice and the answer, “not considering the upper age limit”, Cochran-Armitage trend test was used. For comparison of the rate of answering with “not considering the upper age limit” between variables, z-tests were conducted repeatedly and Bonferroni adjustments were made. In this analysis, the statistical significance was set at a P-value &lt;0.05. Results: Altogether, 1,732 questionnaires were analyzed. The responses were almost equally distributed among all age groups. Workplaces included general hospitals (49.4%), university hospitals (40.3%), and cancer centers (4.2%). Performance status was the most frequently referenced item in treating the elderly, followed by the presence of comorbidities and cognitive function. Furthermore, 13.3% of respondents used the geriatric assessment. There was no upper age limit for total prostatectomy, brachytherapy, and external radiation therapy. Antiandrogens, androgen receptor-axis-targeted agents, chemotherapy, PARP inhibitors, and immune-checkpoint inhibitors were selected by 6.8%, 35.6%, 47.3%, 89%, 62.8%, 24.7%, 41.9%, and 41.7% of the respondents, respectively. The answers for the administration of hormone therapy for hypothetical cases of Gleason grade Group 2 prostate cancer with or without oligometastasis were 96.8% and 61.2%, respectively. The answers for the administration of hormone therapy for hypothetical cases of Gleason grade Group 2 prostate cancer with or without oligometastasis were 96.8% and 61.2%, respectively. Conclusions: Fewer than 10% of urologists used geriatric assessments. Many urologists responded that they would set age limits for highly invasive radical and systemic therapies. [Table: see text]

Comparison of urine cell-free DNA with blood-based screening for detection of bladder cancer.

457 Background: Plasma cell-free DNA (pcfDNA) has shown great promise for non-invasive, multi-cancer early detection (MCED), but has lower sensitivity for early-stage urological cancers due to low tumor fraction in plasma. Urine cfDNA (ucfDNA) has the potential to improve detection and monitoring of early-stage urological cancers due to its proximity to the affected organs and ease of collection. We conducted an exploratory study to assess the utility of methylation patterns in ucfDNA to detect BC in patients with suspicious bladder lesions, and compare to detection using matched pcfDNA. Methods: Urine and blood were collected from patients with suspicion of new (N=17) or recurrent (N=20) non-muscle invasive BC (NMIBC), and from non-cancer (NC) patients with urological conditions (N=16). Patients with suspicion of NMIBC were diagnosed and staged by transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) and conventional imaging. Tumor allele fraction (TAF) estimates from ucfDNA were inferred using a method trained on methylation patterns enriched in BC tissue (N=49) relative to an external reference dataset of NC ucfDNA (N=176). We set a detection threshold, using a maximum TAF value from a separate set of NC urine samples (N=50), to determine ucfDNA sensitivity for detecting BC in our study. Sensitivity in pcfDNA was determined using a validated MCED test classifier at 99% specificity. Results: Of 17 patients with suspicion of new NMIBC, 12 were diagnosed with BC after TURBT (Stage 0: N=6, I: N=5, II: N=1), and 10/12 were high grade (HG). Among patients with confirmed BC, ucfDNA sensitivity was 91.7% overall (11/12; 95% CI 61.5-99.8%) and 90% for HG (9/10). Whereas, pcfDNA sensitivity was 16.7% overall (2/12) and 10.0% for HG (1/10). Of 20 patients with suspicion of recurrent NMIBC, 14 were confirmed as BC (Stage 0: N=10, I: N=2, II: N=2) and 11/14 were HG. Sensitivity of ucfDNA for recurrence detection was 78.6% overall (11/14; 95% CI 49.2-95.3%), and 100% for HG (11/11), while pcfDNA sensitivity was 14.3% (2/14) overall and 18.2% (2/11) for HG. Notably, TAF in urine from NC patients (N=16) and patients with suspicion of new NMIBC found to be benign by TURBT (N=5) were all below the detection threshold. Among patients with suspicion of recurrent NMIBC but not found to have BC by TURBT, TAF estimates for 4/6 (66.7%) were above the detection threshold. Conclusions: We observed increased sensitivity in urine compared to matched plasma in patients with NMIBC, consistent with local shedding of bladder tumors into stored urine. A urine-based cfDNA assay with high sensitivity at high specificity, combined with non-invasive sampling, could be an ideal tool to use alongside the standard of care (e.g., cystoscopy) for clinical diagnosis and monitoring of BC. Further studies are needed to validate these findings and determine the clinical utility of ucfDNA in the diagnosis and surveillance of BC.

Our Current Understanding of the Heterogeneity in Prostate Cancer and Renal Cell Carcinoma

Urological cancer is a collective term for cancers of the bladder, kidney, ureter, penis, prostate, and testicles. Last year, more than 444,000 people were diagnosed with urinary cancers in the United States. In this review, we talk about the complexity of prostate and kidney cancer.

Level 1 Evidence for Robotic Surgery for Urological and Gynecological Pelvic Cancers: Where do We Currently Stand?

Robotic surgery is used for the surgical removal of female pelvic malignancies and encompasses procedures as radical cystectomy and radical hysterectomy. The aim of this paper is to provide an update of level 1 literature evidence about the outcomes of robotic surgery compared to other surgical approaches for the treatment of bladder, endometrial and cervical cancer. A non- systematic search of the PubMed and Scopus databases was conducted to identify peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing surgical approaches for radical cystectomy and hysterectomy. To the purpose of capturing the lastest updates, 2020–2022 literature was reviewed. In the field of radical cystectomy, two RCTs supported the implementation of robotics as a more beneficial approach than open surgery - in terms of faster recovery, less thromboembolic events, less infectious events. In gynecology, despite robotics is accepted for the treatment of early endometrial tumors, the role of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for the treatment of cervical cancer is still debated, with two recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses reporting conflicting results. Two- decades after the introduction of robotic surgery, there is still a number of current studies evaluating its role for the treatment of urological pelvic malignancies, especially for bladder cancer. The role of robotic surgery alone for the treatment of gynecological malignancies has been scarcely addressed with robotics being mostly evaluated as a part of MIS; updates about MIS for the treatment of cervical cancer continue to be ongoing.

Implementation and Assessment of No Opioid Prescription Strategy at Discharge After Major Urologic Cancer Surgery

Postoperative opioid prescriptions are associated with delayed recovery, perioperative complications, opioid use disorder, and diversion of overprescribed opioids, which places the community at risk of opioid misuse or addiction. To assess a protocol for eliminating postdischarge opioid prescriptions after major urologic cancer surgery. This cohort study of the no opioid prescriptions at discharge after surgery (NOPIOIDS) protocol was conducted between May 2017 and June 2021 at a tertiary referral center. Patients undergoing open or minimally invasive radical cystectomy, radical or partial nephrectomy, and radical prostatectomy were sorted into the control group (usual opioids), the lead-in group (reduced opioids), and the NOPIOIDS group (no opioid prescriptions). The NOPIOIDS group received a preadmission educational handout, postdischarge instructions for using nonopioid analgesics, and no routine opioid prescriptions. The lead-in group received a postdischarge instruction sheet and reduced opioid prescriptions at prescribers' discretion. The control group received opioid prescriptions at prescribers' discretion. Primary outcome measures included rate and dose of opioid prescriptions at discharge and for 30 days postdischarge. Additional outcome measures included patient-reported pain and satisfaction level, unplanned health care utilization, and postoperative complications. Of 647 opioid-naive patients (mean [SD] age, 63.6 [10.0] years; 478 [73.9%] male; 586 [90.6%] White), the rate of opioid prescriptions at discharge for the control, the lead-in, and the NOPIOIDS groups was 80.9% (157 of 194), 57.9% (55 of 95), and 2.2% (8 of 358) (Kruskal-Wallis test of medians: P < .001), and the overall median (IQR) tablets prescribed was 14 (10-20), 4 (0-5.3), and 0 (0-0) per patient in the control, lead-in, and NOPIOIDS groups, respectively (Kruskal-Wallis test of medians: P < .001). In the NOPIOIDS group, median and mean opioid dose was 0 tablets for all procedure types, with the exception of kidney procedures (mean [SD], 0.5 [1.7] tablets). Patient-reported pain surveys were received from 358 patients (72.6%) in the NOPIOIDS group, demonstrating low pain scores (mean [SD], 2.5 [0.86]) and high satisfaction scores (mean [SD], 86.6 [3.8]). There was no increase in postoperative complications in the group with no opioid prescriptions. This perioperative protocol, with emphasis on nonopioid alternatives and patient instructions, may be safe and effective in nearly eliminating the need for opioid prescriptions after major abdominopelvic cancer surgery without adversely affecting pain control, complications, or recovery.

Nanomedicine for Combination Urologic Cancer Immunotherapy.

Urologic cancers, particularly kidney, bladder, and prostate cancer, have a growing incidence and account for about a million annual deaths worldwide. Treatments, including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, hormone therapy, and immunotherapy are the main therapeutic options in urologic cancers. Immunotherapy is now a clinical reality with marked success in solid tumors. Immunological checkpoint blockade, non-specific activation of the immune system, adoptive cell therapy, and tumor vaccine are the main modalities of immunotherapy. Immunotherapy has long been used to treat urologic cancers; however, dose-limiting toxicities and low response rates remain major challenges in the clinic. Herein, nanomaterial-based platforms are utilized as the "savior". The combination of nanotechnology with immunotherapy can achieve precision medicine, enhance efficacy, and reduce toxicities. In this review, we highlight the principles of cancer immunotherapy in urology. Meanwhile, we summarize the nano-immune technology and platforms currently used for urologic cancer treatment. The ultimate goal is to help in the rational design of strategies for nanomedicine-based immunotherapy in urologic cancer.

The prognostic value and immunological role of SULF2 in adrenocortical carcinoma

BackgroundAdrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) represents the rare urological epithelial cancer of urinary tract, which has a large mass and is usually diagnosed at the advanced stage, thus inducing the poor prognosis. As a result, early detection and diagnosis are more important for the prognosis rather than the treatment of ACC. There is evidence supporting the association of Sulfatase2 (SULF2) with bladder cancer. However, the relationships of SULF2 with the clinical features and immune infiltration of ACC remain unclear. MethodsThis work comprehensively investigated the different expression levels of SULF2 within ACC and its prognostic significance through various databases including Gene Expression Profiling Interaction Analysis (GEPIA), Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER), The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), Kaplan–Meier (KM) plotter and UALCAN. Besides, SULF2 levels within different tumor and paraneoplastic tissues were examined based on Human Protein Atlas (HPA) and TIMER. Afterwards, this study identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in high-compared with low-SULF2-expression groups. To predict the possible interaction between SULF2 and its targets, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed based on relevant data collected in STRING database. Besides, the SULF2 functional annotation was carried out, including Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and GSEA. In addition, gene mutation analysis was also performed based on the cBioPortal database. The relation of SULF2 with immune infiltration was analyzed from various aspects by using the resources of various databases including TIMER, TISIDB, and GEPIA, which was first reported in this work. Finally, R package was utilized to plot the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves of diagnosis, time-dependent survival, and the association of SULF2 with cancer stage and the nomogram model. Finally, CellMiner dataset was adopted for SULF2 correlation as well as drug sensitivity analysis. ResultsRelative to healthy people, SULF2 level markedly elevated within ACC tissues. Besides, SULF2 up-regulation significantly predicted the dismal prognostic outcome, which may be an important prognostic factor. Afterwards, the PPI network was constructed, and the possible link of SULF2 with the corresponding targets was predicted. Besides, up-regulated SULF2 expression was tightly related to immune regulation and tumor-infiltration immune cell (TIICs), including CD8+, CD4+ and mast cells. Finally, SULF2 expression was speculated to help determine the sensitivity of certain drugs. ConclusionsSULF2 may offer a new therapeutic target for ACC patients and become an important potential prognostic biomarker.

Impact of gender on the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors for urological cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Impact of gender on the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors for urological cancers: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The Roles of Ferroptosis-related Long Non-coding RNAs in Urologic Cancers

Ferroptosis is a type of programmed cell death that has been recent topic of interest in cancer therapy. Growing evidence indicates that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in ferroptosis and associated with the incidence and progression of cancer. However, the relationship between lncRNA and ferroptosis in urologic cancers has not been fully elucidated. In this review, we summarize ferroptosis-related lncRNAs (frlncRNAs) in urologic cancers. Studies indicate that frlncRNAs are associated with cancer metabolism, tumor microenvironment, and immune cell infiltration. In addition, frlncRNAs could regulate ferroptosis related genes both at the mRNA and protein level. Therefore, a deep understanding of the roles of frlncRNAs in urologic cancers occurrence and progression will provide novel information for the development of anticancer therapies.