Factors Influencing Men's Choice of and Adherence to Active Surveillance for Low-risk Prostate Cancer:A Mixed-method Systematic Review

Context: Despite support for active surveillance (AS) as a first treatment choice for men with low-risk prostate cancer (PC), this strategy is largely underutilised. Objective: To systematically review barriers and facilitators to selecting and adhering to AS for low-risk PC. Evidence acquisition: We searched PsychINFO, PubMed, Medline 2000-now, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane Central databases between 2002 and 2017 using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement. The Purpose, Respondents, Explanation, Findings and Significance (PREFS) and Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) quality criteria were applied. Forty-seven studies were identified. Evidence synthesis: Key themes emerged as factors influencing both choice and adherence to AS: (1) patient and tumour factors (age, comorbidities, knowledge, education, socioeconomic status, family history, grade, tumour volume, and fear of progression/side effects); (2) family and social support; (3) provider (speciality, communication, and attitudes); (4) healthcare organisation (geography and type of practice); and (5) health policy (guidelines, year, and awareness). Conclusions: Many factors influence men's choice and adherence to AS on multiple levels. It is important to learn from the experience of other chronic health conditions as well as from institutions/countries that are making significant headway in appropriately recruiting men to AS protocols, through standardised patient information, clinician education, and nationally agreed guidelines, to ultimately decrease heterogeneity in AS practice. Patient summary: We reviewed the scientific literature for factors affecting men's choice and adherence to active surveillance (AS) for low-risk prostate cancer. Our findings suggest that the use of AS could be increased by addressing a variety of factors such as information, psychosocial support, clinician education, and standardised guidelines. (C) 2018 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Cold saline irrigation of the renal pelvis during Radiofrequency Ablation of a central renal neoplasm: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Thermal destruction mediated by radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is gaining attention as an alternative treatment for patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC), particularly in those who are not candidates for open surgery. Treatment of central tumours is occasionally associated with complications such as ureteric stricture, injury to the psoas muscle, haematuria and vascular laceration.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We have used infusion of cold saline during RFA, through a retrograde ureteric catheter with its tip in the renal pelvis, in a patient with a central renal tumour.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We believe this process to have successfully avoided the risk of thermal injury.</p

PCASTt/SPCG-17-a randomised trial of active surveillance in prostate cancer : rationale and design

Introduction Overtreatment of localised prostate cancer is substantial despite increased use of active surveillance. No randomised trials help define how to monitor patients or when to initiate treatment with curative intent. Methods and analysis A randomised, multicentre, intervention trial designed to evaluate the safety of an MRI-based active surveillance protocol, with standardised triggers for repeated biopsies and radical treatment. The aim is to reduce overtreatment of prostate cancer. 2000 men will be randomly allocated to either surveillance according to current practice or to standardised triggers at centres in Sweden, Norway, Finland and the UK. Men diagnosed in the past 12 months with prostate cancer, 0.2ng/mL/cc, any International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade 1 are eligible. Men with ISUP grade 2 in Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was obtained in each participating country. Results for the primary and secondary outcome measures will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals. Trial registration number NCT02914873.Peer reviewe

Sequencing of prostate cancers identifies new cancer genes, routes of progression and drug targets

Prostate cancer represents a substantial clinical challenge because it is difficult to predict outcome and advanced disease is often fatal. We sequenced the whole genomes of 112 primary and metastatic prostate cancer samples. From joint analysis of these cancers with those from previous studies (930 cancers in total), we found evidence for 22 previously unidentified putative driver genes harboring coding mutations, as well as evidence for NEAT1 and FOXA1 acting as drivers through noncoding mutations. Through the temporal dissection of aberrations, we identified driver mutations specifically associated with steps in the progression of prostate cancer, establishing, for example, loss of CHD1 and BRCA2 as early events in cancer development of ETS fusion-negative cancers. Computational chemogenomic (canSAR) analysis of prostate cancer mutations identified 11 targets of approved drugs, 7 targets of investigational drugs, and 62 targets of compounds that may be active and should be considered candidates for future clinical trials

Retrospective evaluation of whole exome and genome mutation calls in 746 cancer samples

Funder: NCI U24CA211006Abstract: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) curated consensus somatic mutation calls using whole exome sequencing (WES) and whole genome sequencing (WGS), respectively. Here, as part of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium, which aggregated whole genome sequencing data from 2,658 cancers across 38 tumour types, we compare WES and WGS side-by-side from 746 TCGA samples, finding that ~80% of mutations overlap in covered exonic regions. We estimate that low variant allele fraction (VAF < 15%) and clonal heterogeneity contribute up to 68% of private WGS mutations and 71% of private WES mutations. We observe that ~30% of private WGS mutations trace to mutations identified by a single variant caller in WES consensus efforts. WGS captures both ~50% more variation in exonic regions and un-observed mutations in loci with variable GC-content. Together, our analysis highlights technological divergences between two reproducible somatic variant detection efforts

Serial Transperineal Sector Prostate Biopsies: Impact On Long-Term Erectile Dysfunction

We wanted to determine whether serial transperineal sector prostate biopsies have a long-term effect on erectile dysfunction (ED). A total of 64 men with prostate cancer entered our active surveillance (AS) programme after a transrectal prostate biopsy as well as a confirmatory initial transperineal sector prostate biopsy (TPSBx). A repeat TPSBx was performed 24 months later as part of our active surveillance protocol. The International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5) questionnaire assessed ED at baseline prior to each TPSBx, and at one, three, and six months after first and second TPSBx. There was a significant short-term deterioration in erectile function on mean IIEF-5 score between baseline (19.5), when compared to one month (10.5) (P <0.001) and three months (18.7) (P = 0.001) following first TPSBx. This resolved at six month follow-up (19.6) (P = 0.681). Following second TPSBx, there was a deterioration in erectile function between baseline (16.6), compared to one month (7.3), three months (13.8), and six months (15.9) (P <0.05) following second TPSBx. Initial TPSBx caused significant short-term ED, which resolved by six months. Serial TPSBx appears to have an adverse impact on erectile function in men monitored on AS, increasing the risk of long-term ED. This risk should be highlighted and discussed during the consent process

Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy outcome data: how should surgeon’s performance be reported? A retrospective learning curve analysis of two surgeons

OBJECTIVE: To document the learning curve for the laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) procedure and discuss the optimal usage of prospectively documented outcome data for reporting a surgeon’s performance. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using prospectively collected data from the first series of patients to undergo LRP by two surgeons in the same institution, linear and logistic regression multivariate analyses per 25 patients were carried out to graphically represent the surgical learning curve for operative time, blood loss, complications, length of stay (LOS), and positive margins. Surgeon A carried out 275 operations between 2003–2009; Surgeon B carried out 225 between 2008–2012. RESULTS: Learning curves showing continuous improvement of each of the above outcomes were demonstrated for both cohorts. For surgeon A, a plateau was observed for LOS and T2 positive margins after 100 and 150 surgeries respectively. No such plateau was observed for surgeon B. CONCLUSION: On documenting these learning curves and discussion of the reporting methods used, we concluded that the most informative outcome measure, with the least potential observer bias was T2 positive margins. Whether as a single measure or in combination with others, this has potential for use as an objective outcome representative of improvement in a surgeon’s skill over time