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David Albala

All articles from this author are listed below.

Volume 17, Number 4 Review Articles

Sipuleucel-T for the Treatment of Patients With Metastatic Castrate-resistant Prostate Cancer: Considerations for Clinical Practice

Treatment Update

Dimitrios Telonis David Albala Vladimir Mouraviev Christopher M Pieczonka

Sipuleucel-T treatment is associated with a significant and consistent survival benefit in patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer. Most adverse events are infusion related, manageable, and of short duration. Early screening and diagnosis of metastatic disease is important, as the greatest survival benefit may occur in patients with a lower disease burden. The short duration of sipuleucel-T treatment facilitates the use of subsequent therapies. Sipuleucel-T is now being used in the clinic for patients with a lower disease burden. We present our own experience with the use of sipuleucel-T in the setting of a large urology practice. [Rev Urol. 2015;17(4):203-210 doi: 10.3909/riu0671] © 2016 MedReviews®, LLC

Immunotherapy Metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer Sipuleucel-T Clinical

Volume 18, Number 3 Original Research

Health Economic Impact and Prospective Clinical Utility of Oncotype DX® Genomic Prostate Score

Frank Dubeck Alan W Shindel Marybeth McCall Bela Denes Dylan Stoy Vincy John Ruixiao Lu Michael J Kemeter David Albala Phillip G Febbo

Prostate cancer (CaP) will be diagnosed in approximately 181,000 American men in 2016. Despite the high number of deaths from CaP in the United States, the disease has a protracted natural history and many men diagnosed with CaP will not die of the disease regardless of treatment. Unfortunately, identification of men with truly indolent/nonaggressive CaP is challenging; limitations of conventional diagnostic modalities diminish the ability of physicians to accurately stage every case of CaP based on biopsy results alone. The resulting uncertainty in prognosis may prompt men with low-risk CaP to proceed to morbid and expensive treatments for an unclear survival benefit. Incorporation of the Genomic Prostate Score (GPS) as part of the decision algorithm for patients with National Comprehensive Cancer Network very low-risk and low-risk cancer led to a substantial increase in uptake of active surveillance and substantial cost savings. GPS provides physicians and patients with an additional tool in assessing personalized risk and helps guide individual decision making. [Rev Urol. 2016;18(3):123-132 doi: 10.3909/riu0725] © 2016 MedReviews®, LLC

Prostate cancer Oncotype DX® GPS Genomic testing Health economics Clinical utility

Volume 19, Number 4 Review Articles

A Head-to-Head Comparative Phase II Study of Standard Urine Culture and Sensitivity Versus DNA Next-generation Sequencing Testing for Urinary Tract Infections

Original Research

Mark E Johnson Truls E Bjerklund Johansen Darian Kameh Michael McDonald David Albala Vladimir Mouraviev

Many studies have discussed clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of cystitis and pyelonephritis. Treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs) can be based on empiric antibiotic therapy. For complicated or recurrent UTIs, therapy can be based on laboratory-controlled culture and sensitivity (C&S) reports. The diagnosis of UTI by clinical criteria alone has an error rate of up to 33%. In addition, positive laboratory culture results do not always indicate a diagnosis of UTI. Comparison of urine in a conventional culture model versus DNA next-generation sequencing (NGS) to accurately identify and provide information on resistance factors (mobile genetic elements) is warranted. Our study was a head-to-head comparative phase II study of standard urine C&S versus DNA NGS testing for the diagnosis and treatment efficacy in patients with symptoms of acute cystitis based on short-term outcomes. [Rev Urol. 2017;19(4):213–220 doi: 10.3909/riu0780] © 2018 MedReviews®, LLC

Urinary tract infection Pyelonephritis Cystitis DNA next-generation sequencing