Urologist’s Practice Patterns Including Surgical Treatment in the Management of Premature Ejaculation: A Korean Nationwide Survey

PURPOSE: According to previous studies, the prevalence of premature ejaculation (PE) in Korea ranges from 11.3% to 33%. However, the actual practice patterns in managing patients with PE is not well known. In this study, we have endeavored to determine how contemporary urologists in Korea manage patients with PE. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The e-mailing list was obtained from the Korean Urological Association Registry of Physicians. A specifically designed questionnaire was e-mailed to the 2,421 urologists in Korea from May 2012 to August 2012. RESULTS: UROLOGISTS IN KOREA DIAGNOSED PE USING VARIOUS CRITERIA: the definition of the International Society for Sexual Medicine (63.4%), Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (43.8%), International Statistical Classification of Disease, 10th edition (61.7%), or perceptional self-diagnosis by the patient himself (23.5%). A brief self-administered questionnaire, the Premature Ejaculation Diagnostic Tool, was used by only 42.5% of the urologists. Selective-serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) therapy was the main treatment modality (91.5%) for PE patients. 40.2% of the urologists used phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, 47.6% behavior therapy, and 53.7% local anesthetics. Further, 286 (54.3%) urologists managed PE patients with a surgical modality such as selective dorsal neurotomy (SDN). CONCLUSIONS: A majority of Korean urologists diagnose PE by a multidimensional approach using various diagnostic tools. Most urologists believe that medical treatment with an SSRI is effective in the management of PE. At the same time, surgical treatment such as SDN also investigated as one of major treatment modality despite the lack of scientific evidence.ope

Current Status and Future Perspectives of Immunotherapy for Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma: A Comprehensive Review

Advancements in the understanding of tumor immunology in urothelial carcinoma (UC) have led to U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of five novel anti-programmed cell death protein-1/ligand 1 (PD-1/L1) checkpoint inhibitors. In 2017, the anti-PD-L1 antibody atezolizumab and the anti-PD-1 antibody pembrolizumab gained approval for use in cisplatin-ineligible patients with locally advanced and metastatic UC. These approvals were based on single-arm trials, IMvigor210 (atezolizumab) and KEYNOTE-052 (pembrolizumab). Since then, additional checkpoint inhibitors, including avelumab, durvalumab, and nivolumab, have gained approval. Preliminary results suggest additional benefits with combinations of these agents in both first- and subsequent-line therapies, inferring a paradigm shift in the future treatment approach in advanced UC. Ongoing clinical trials will investigate how to utilize predictive biomarkers for optimal patient selection and to incorporate immunotherapy into earlier lines of multimodal treatment. In this comprehensive review, we summarize the evidence supporting the use of checkpoint inhibitors for patients with UC, and highlight ongoing clinical trials that are investigating novel combinations of immunotherapy in various disease settings.ope

Comparison of Oncologic Outcomes Between Two Alternative Sequences with Abiraterone Acetate and Enzalutamide in Patients with Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Sequential treatment of androgen receptor axis targeted agents (ARAT), abiraterone acetate (ABI) and enzalutamide (ENZA), in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) demonstrated some positive effects, but cross-resistances between ABI and ENZA that reduce activity have been suggested. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to compare oncologic outcomes between the treatment sequences of ABI-ENZA and ENZA-ABI in patients with mCRPC. The primary endpoint was a combined progression-free survival (PFS), and the secondary endpoint was overall survival (OS). A total of five trials on 553 patients were included in this study. Each of the included studies was retrospective. In two studies including both chemo-naïve and post-chemotherapy mCRPC patients, for ABI-ENZA compared with ENZA-ABI, pooled hazard ratios (HRs) for PFS and OS were 0.37 (p < 0.0001; 95% confidence intervals (CIs), 0.23-0.60) and 0.64 (p = 0.10; 95% CIs, 0.37-1.10), respectively. In three studies with chemo-naïve mCRPC patients only, for ABI-ENZA compared with ENZA-ABI, pooled HRs for PFS and OS were 0.57 (p = 0.02; 95% CIs, 0.35-0.92) and 0.86 (p = 0.39; 95% CIs, 0.61-1.21), respectively. The current meta-analysis revealed that ABI-ENZA had a significantly more favorable oncological outcome, but the level of evidence was low. Therefore, large-scale randomized trials may be needed.ope

Androgen-deprivation therapy and the risk of newly developed fractures in patients with prostate cancer: a nationwide cohort study in Korea

We evaluated the risk of osteoporosis and fractures associated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) use and duration in men with prostate cancer. From the nationwide claims database in South Korea, a total of 218,203 men with prostate cancer were identified between 2008 and 2017. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 144,670 patients were included in the analysis. To adjust for comorbidities between cohorts, 1:1 propensity score matching was used. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of events associated with ADT, after controlling for potential confounding factors. In the matched cohort, there were differences in the incidence of newly developed osteoporosis (8.79% in the ADT group vs. 7.08% in the non-ADT group, p < 0.0001) and fractures (8.12% in the ADT group vs. 5.04% in the non-ADT group, p < 0.0001). Age-adjusted Cox regression analysis revealed that the ADT group had a significantly higher risk of osteoporosis (HR, 1.381; 95% CI, 1.305-1.461; p < 0.0001) and fractures (HR, 1.815; 95% CI, 1.703-1.935; p < 0.0001) compared to the non-ADT group. Furthermore, the risk of osteoporosis and fractures increased as the duration of ADT increased. The ADT was associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis and fractures in prostate cancer patients. Clinicians who administer ADT for patients with prostate cancer should always be mindful of the risk of osteoporosis and fracture, avoid unnecessary ADT, and perform regular bone health check-ups.ope

Does an Alternative Sunitinib Dosing Schedule Really Improve Survival Outcomes over a Conventional Dosing Schedule in Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma? An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Treatment-related adverse events (AEs) can obfuscate the maintenance of a conventional schedule of sunitinib in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Accordingly, alternative schedules seeking to improve the safety profile of sunitinib have been tested. Recently, two meta-analyses similarly described improved safety profiles favoring a two weeks on and one week off (2/1) schedule, but with conflicting results for survival outcomes. Therefore, we conducted an updated systematic review and meta-analysis, including all recently published studies and using complementary statistical methods. Endpoints included progression-free survival, overall survival, and AEs of 15 types. Eleven articles were included in this meta-analysis. Using adjusted findings, we noted statistically better results in progression-free survival (hazard ratio, 0.58; 95% confidence interval, 0.39-0.84; p = 0.005), but no difference in overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% confidence interval, 0.42-1.04; p = 0.08). Moreover, the 2/1 schedule was beneficial for reducing the incidence of several AEs. Conclusively, our meta-analysis suggests that the 2/1 schedule holds promise as an alternative means of reducing AEs and maintaining patient quality of life. While the survival outcomes of the 2/1 schedule seem also to be favorable, the level of evidence for this was low, and the interpretation of these findings should warrant caution. Large scale randomized trials are needed to support these results.ope

Functional Outcomes and Quality of Life after Orthotopic Bladder Substitution in Bladder Cancer Patients

Radical cystectomy is the golden standard treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Urinary diversion is the prerequisite procedure after cystectomy and various type of urinary diversion has been introduced. Urinary diversion carries surgical morbidities, postoperative complications in terms of urinary function and sexual function, and issues for quality of life, which are important considerations for selecting urinary diversion. Ileal conduit urinary diversion and orthotopic bladder substitution have been regarded as the representative urinary diversion after radical cystectomy. There have been great efforts to compare the functional outcomes and quality of life between these two types of urinary diversion. Although orthotopic bladder substitution seems to a more natural and desirable urinary diversion, the currently available evidence is insufficient to draw a conclusion that orthotopic bladder is an absolutely superior form of urinary diversion. However, the vast majority of studies demonstrated that orthotopic neobladder urinary diversion shows at least equal or a marginally better quality of life scores compared to ileal conduit diversion. The favorable outcomes of orthotopic neobladder would be more pronounced especially when considering relatively young and healthy patients.ope

Effect of Bladder Neck Preservation on Long-Term Urinary Continence after Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of bladder neck preservation (BNP) on long-term urinary continence after robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP). We systematically searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases to identify studies that assessed the difference in urinary continence and oncologic outcomes between patients who underwent RALP with BNP and those who underwent RALP without BNP. Four trials (1880 cases with BNP, 727 controls without BNP) were considered suitable for meta-analysis. BNP was associated with significantly better urinary continence outcomes at 3-4 months (odds ratio (OR), 2.88; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.52-5.48; p = 0.001), 12 months (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.10-3.74; p = 0.02), and 24 months (OR, 3.23; 95% CI, 1.13-9.20; p = 0.03) after RALP. There was no difference in the rate of overall positive surgical margin (PSM) (OR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.72-1.39; p = 0.99) and that of PSM at the prostate base (OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.21-1.13; p = 0.09) between the two groups. The BNP technique during RALP leads to early return of urinary continence and long-term urinary continence without compromising the oncologic outcomes.ope

Effect of varicocelectomy on male infertility.

Varicocele is the most common cause of male infertility and is generally correctable or at least improvable by various surgical and radiologic techniques. Therefore, it seems simple and reasonable that varicocele should be treated in infertile men with varicocele. However, the role of varicocele repair for the treatment of subfertile men has been questioned during the past decades. Although varicocele repair can induce improvement of semen quality, the obvious benefit of spontaneous pregnancy has not been shown through several meta-analyses. Recently, a well-designed randomized clinical trial was introduced, and, subsequently, a novel meta-analysis was published. The results of these studies advocate that varicocele repair be regarded as a standard treatment modality in infertile men with clinical varicocele and abnormal semen parameters, which is also supported by current clinical guidelines. Microsurgical varicocelectomy has been regarded as the gold standard compared to other surgical techniques and radiological management in terms of the recurrence rate and the pregnancy rate. However, none of the methods has been proven through well-designed clinical trials to be superior to the others in the ability to improve fertility. Accordingly, high-quality data from well-designed studies are needed to resolve unanswered questions and update current knowledge. Upcoming trials should be designed to define the best technique and also to define how to select the best candidates who will benefit from varicocele repair.ope

Impact of Cerebrovascular Disease on Survival Benefits from Local Treatment in Patients with De Novo Metastatic Hormone-Sensitive Prostate Cancer

PURPOSE: Local treatment has become a treatment option for patients with de novo metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC). Subgroup analyses based on a history of cerebrovascular disease (CVD) were performed to evaluate the impact thereof on overall survival (OS) after local treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for 879 patients with de novo mHSPC between August 2003 and November 2016. Patients were stratified according to prior CVD history and the type of initial treatment: androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) alone versus local treatment consisting of radical prostatectomy (RP) or radiation therapy (RT) with ADT, with or without metastasis-directed therapy. The primary outcome was OS assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox-regression models. RESULTS: Of 879 patients, 660 (75.1%) men underwent ADT alone, and 219 (24.9%) men underwent RP or RT with ADT, with or without metastasis-directed therapy. The median follow-up was 38 months. Multivariable analysis showed CVD history to be associated with a higher risk of overall mortality (p=0.001). In the overall cohort and in patients without a history of CVD, patients who underwent local treatment exhibited higher OS than men who received ADT alone (all p<0.001). However, the survival benefit conferred by local treatment was not seen in patients with a history of CVD (p=0.324). OS was comparable between patients who received RP and RT (p=0.521). CONCLUSION: Local treatment with or without metastasis-directed therapy may provide OS advantages for mHSPC patients without a history of CVD. Further prospective studies are needed to address these important concerns.ope

Korean Society for Sexual Medicine and Andrology (KSSMA) Guideline on Erectile Dysfunction

In February 2011, the Korean Society for Sexual Medicine and Andrology (KSSMA) realized the necessity of developing a guideline on erectile dysfunction (ED) appropriate for the local context, and established a committee for the development of a guideline on ED. As many international guidelines based on objective evidence are available, the committee decided to adapt these guidelines for local needs instead of developing a new guideline. Considering the extensive research activities on ED in Korea, data with a high level of evidence among those reported by Korean researchers have been collected and included in the guideline development process. The latest KSSMA guideline on ED has been developed for urologists. The KSSMA hopes that this guideline will help urologists in clinical practice.ope