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Volume 18, Number 3Case Review

A Case of Pelvic Organ Prolapse in the Setting of Cirrhotic Ascites

Nima M ShahNatasha GinzburgKristene Whitmore

Ascites is commonly found in patients with liver cirrhosis. Although conservative therapy is often the ideal choice of care with these patients who also have symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse, this may fail and surgical methods may be needed. Literature is limited regarding surgical repair of prolapse in the setting of ascites. The authors present the surgical evaluation and management of a 63-year-old woman with recurrent ascites from liver cirrhosis who failed conservative therapy. With adequate multidisciplinary care and medical optimization, this patient underwent surgical therapy with resolution of her symptomatic prolapse and improved quality of life. [Rev Urol. 2016;18(3):178-180 doi: 10.3909/riu0702] © 2016 MedReviews®, LLC

AscitesCirrhosisProlapseColpocleisis

ProlarisView Articles

Volume 17, Number 3Meeting Reviews

Highlights From the 2015 American Urological Association Annual Meeting, May 15-19, 2015, New Orleans, LA

Best of the 2015 AUA Annual Meeting

Dean G AssimosEllen ShapiroAlan W PartinMichael B ChancellorStacy LoebJ Curtis NickelMichael A GorinMichael K BrawerHeinz NicolaiÁine Goggins

[Rev Urol. 2015;17(3):179-189 doi:10.3909/riu0681] © 2015 MedReviews®, LLC

Active surveillanceHypospadias4KscoreProlarisStress urinary incontinencePatient phenotypingChronic pelvic pain syndromeEXO106 testMRI/US fusion biopsyOxalobacter formigenesUreteroscopic stone removalDecipher assayRadiation cystitisOccult tethered cord syndromeMRI-guided biopsy

ProMarkView Articles

Volume 19, Number 4Review Articles

The Use of Biomarkers in Prostate Cancer Screening and Treatment

Treatment Update

Joseph Renzulli IIAshley V AlfordJoseph M Brito IIIKamlesh K YadavShalini S YadavAshutosh K Tewari

Prostate cancer screening and diagnosis has been guided by prostate-specific antigen levels for the past 25 years, but with the most recent US Preventive Services Task Force screening recommendations, as well as concerns regarding overdiagnosis and overtreatment, a new wave of prostate cancer biomarkers has recently emerged. These assays allow the testing of urine, serum, or prostate tissue for molecular signs of prostate cancer, and provide information regarding both diagnosis and prognosis. In this review, we discuss 12 commercially available biomarker assays approved for the diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer. The results of clinical validation studies and clinical decision-making studies are presented. This information is designed to assist urologists in making clinical decisions with respect to ordering and interpreting these tests for different patients. There are numerous fluid and biopsy-based genomic tests available for prostate cancer patients that provide the physician and patient with different information about risk of future disease and treatment outcomes. It is important that providers be able to recommend the appropriate test for each individual patient; this decision is based on tissue availability and prognostic information desired. Future studies will continue to emphasize the important role of genomic biomarkers in making individualized treatment decisions for prostate cancer patients. [Rev Urol. 2017;19(4):221–234 doi: 10.3909/riu0772] © 2018 MedReviews®, LLC

Prostate cancerBiomarkers4KscoreProlarisPCA3Prostate Health IndexApifinyMichigan Prostate ScoreSelectMDxConfirmMDxProMarkPTEN/TMPRSS2:ERGDecipher

Propensity scoreView Articles

Volume 20, Number 2Original Research

Balancing Confounding and Generalizability Using Observational, Real-world Data: 17-gene Genomic Prostate Score Assay Effect on Active Surveillance

Michael J KemeterPhillip G FebboSteven CanfieldJohn Hornberger

Randomized, controlled trials can provide high-quality, unbiased evidence for therapeutic interventions but are not always a practical or viable study design for certain healthcare decisions, such as those involving prognostic or predictive testing. Studies using large, real-world databases may be more appropriate and more generalizable to the intended target population of physicians and patients to answer these questions but carry potential for hidden bias. We illustrate several emerging methods of analyzing observational studies using propensity score matching (PSM) and coarsened exact matching (CEM). These advanced statistical methods are intended to reveal a “hidden experiment” within an observational database, and so refute or confirm a potential causal effect of assignment to an intervention and study outcome. We applied these methods to the Optum™ Research Database (ORD; Eden Prairie, MN) of electronic health records and administrative claims data to assess the effect of the 17-gene Genomic Prostate Score® (GPS™; Genomic Health, Redwood City, CA) assay on use of active surveillance (AS). In a traditional multivariable logistic regression, the GPS assay increased the use of AS by 29% (95% CI, 24%-33%). Upon applying the matching methods, the effect of the GPS assay on AS use varied between 27% and 80% and the matched data were significant among all algorithms. All matching algorithms performed well in identifying matched data that improved the imbalance in baseline covariates. By using different matching methods to assess causal inference in an observational database, we provide further confidence that the effect of the GPS assay on AS use is statistically significant and unlikely to be a result of confounding due to differences in baseline characteristics of the patients or the settings in which they were seen. [Rev Urol. 2018;20(2):69–76 doi: 10.3909/riu0799] © 2018 MedReviews, LLC®

Prostate cancerActive surveillanceEvidence-based practiceComparative effectiveness researchGenomic biomarkerPropensity scoreMatching

ProphylaxisView Articles

Volume 15, Number 2Review Articles

Management of Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections in Healthy Adult Women

Management Update

Victor W NittiDuane R Hickling

Recurrence after urinary tract infection (rUTI) is common in adult women. The majority of recurrences are believed to be reinfection from extraurinary sources such as the rectum or vagina. However, uropathogenic Escherichia coli are now known to invade urothelial cells and form quiescent intracellular bacterial reservoirs. Management of women with frequent symptomatic rUTI can be particularly vexing for both patients and their treating physicians. This review addresses available and promising management strategies for rUTI in healthy adult women. [Rev Urol. 2013;15(2):41-48 doi: 10.3909/riu0566] © 2013 MedReviews®, LLC

Recurrent urinary tract infectionUropathogenic Escherichia coliProphylaxis

proprietaryView Articles

Volume 23, Number 1Business of Urology

Physician-Owned Hospitals: A Look at the Numbers

Robert A. DowlingMara Holton

Physician-owned hospitals are sometimes characterized as examples of inappropriate self-referral. This perception contributes to legislation and regulation that constrain physician ownership. The true scope of physician ownership and its impact are incompletely understood. This study aimed to better define the current landscape of physician ownership in US hospitals to inform policy making in this area.

Ownershipfinancial managementproprietaryhospitals

Prostaglandin EView Articles

Volume 17, Number 2Review Articles

Penile Rehabilitation Strategies Among Prostate Cancer Survivors

Treatment Update

Fouad AounAlexandre PeltierRoland van Velthoven

Despite advances in technical and surgical approaches, erectile dysfunction (ED) remains the most common complication among prostate cancer survivors, adversely impacting quality of life. This article analyzes the concept and rationale of ED rehabilitation programs in prostate cancer patients. Emphasis is placed on the pathophysiology of ED after diagnosis and treatment of prostate cancer to understand the efficacy of rehabilitation programs in clinical practice. Available evidence shows that ED is a transient complication following prostate biopsy and cancer diagnosis, with no evidence to support rehabilitation programs in these patients. A small increase in ED and in the use of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors was reported in patients under active surveillance. Patients should be advised that active surveillance is unlikely to severely affect erectile function, but clinically significant changes in sexual function are possible. Focal therapy could be an intermediate option for patients demanding treatment/refusing active surveillance and invested in maintaining sexual activity. Unlike radical prostatectomy, there is no support for PDE5 inhibitor use to prevent ED after highly conformal external radiotherapy or low-dose rate brachytherapy. Despite progress in the understanding of the pathophysiologic mechanisms responsible for ED in prostate cancer patients, the success rates of rehabilitation programs remain low in clinical practice. Alternative strategies to prevent ED appear warranted, with attention toward neuromodulation, nerve grafting, nerve preservation, stem cell therapy, investigation of neuroprotective interventions, and further refinements of radiotherapy dosing and delivery methods. [Rev Urol. 2015;17(2):58-68 doi: 10.3909/riu0652] © 2015 MedReviews®, LLC

Prostate cancerErectile dysfunctionPenile rehabilitationPhosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitorProstaglandin E

ProstaScintView Articles
ProstateView Articles
Prostate adenocarcinomaView Articles

Volume 13, Number 1Case Review

Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Prostate

Case Review

Samir S TanejaRena D MalikGeorge DakwarMatthew E HardeeNicholas SanfilippoAndrew B Rosenkrantz

"Squamous cell carcinoma of the prostate is a rare tumor, making up 0.5% to 1% of all prostate carcinomas. It is typically described as an aggressive cancer, with a median postdiagnosis survival of 14 months. Presented here is a case of primary squamous cell carcinoma of the prostate, with a complicated presentation of metastatic disease. Due to the extent of the patientís disease, he was treated with palliative radiation therapy using a four-field technique (AP/PA and left and right lateral fields) with 18 mV photons prescribed to the 100% isodose line. The prescription dose was 4000 cGy in 16 fractions of 250 cGy per fraction. No definitive treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the prostate exists but varying approaches including surgical intervention, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy have been implemented without durable response. However, multimodal treatments appear to be the most promising with longer durations of survival. [Rev Urol. 2011;13(1):56-60 doi: 10.3909/riu0494]"

Squamous cell carcinomaProstate adenocarcinomaLower urinary tractsymptomsMultimodal treatments

Prostate biopsiesView Articles

Volume 17, Number 3Review Articles

Impact of the US Preventive Services Task Force Grade D Recommendation: Assessment of Evaluations for Elevated Prostate-specific Antigen and Prostate Biopsies in a Large Urology Group Practice Followi

Treatment Impact Assessment

Gregory C McMahonGordon A BrownKathleen F McGinley

On October 7, 2011, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) released their evidence statement and grade D recommendation against prostate-specific antigen (PSA)–based prostate cancer screening. Using a time series design, we assessed the effect of this recommendation upon evaluations for elevated PSA levels and prostate biopsies in our large urology group practice. We found that, despite a 24.1% increase in total visits, the 32 urologists in our practice completed 16.4% fewer evaluations for elevated PSA levels (317 fewer evaluations per month; P = .017) and 21.4% fewer prostate biopsies (42 fewer biopsies per month; P = .001) in the 2 years following the USPSTF grade D recommendation. [Rev Urol. 2015;17(3):171-177 doi: 10.3909/riu0696] © 2015 MedReviews®, LLC

Prostate cancer screeningProstate-specific antigenProstate biopsiesUnited States

Prostate biopsyView Articles
Prostate brachytherapyView Articles
Prostate cancerView Articles

Volume 23, Number 1Literature Reviews

Methods for Prostate Cancer Risk Stratification: Serum-Based and Urine-Based Biomarkers for Biopsy Consideration

Alex S. BartRyan D. T. Badre-HumeMeghan E. RobertsGriffen KempskieAlyssa N. Giannasca

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most commonly occurring cancers in men globally. In 2024, it is estimated that there will be 99 010 PCa diagnoses and 35 250 PCa-related deaths in American patients. Given the high incidence and virulence of the disease, proper screening methods are crucial to reduce overdiagnosis and overtreatment of PCa. Using biomarkers with high tumor sensitivity and specificity is therefore crucial to effectively distinguish PCa from benign tissue.

Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer antigen 3View Articles

Volume 10, Number 1Review Articles

Clinical Utility of Prostate Carcinoma Molecular Diagnostic Tests

Diagnostic Update

Scott B Shappell

Instead of relying on serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) to identify patients for prostate biopsy, new laboratory tests are needed that have improved specificity for prostate carcinoma (CaP), allow accurate classification of clinically insignificant CaPs, allow for detection of clinically significant CaP in patients without elevated serum PSA, and allow for identification of aggressive forms of CaP, which may warrant adjunctive or even molecularly targeted therapy in the future. Over the last several years, highthroughput gene expression profiling and proteinomics have led to the identification of genes and proteins that are specifically overexpressed in CaP. Molecular diagnostic techniques readily translated to the clinical laboratory have been incorporated into the development of new tests based on these novel molecular alterations in CaP. Some of these tests already have well-documented clinical utility, such as in facilitating prostate biopsy decisions, and are routinely available. The current review focuses on the biological, clinical, and laboratory aspects of the most promising of these current and nearfuture molecular CaP tests. [Rev Urol. 2008;10(1):44-69]

Molecular diagnosticsProstate carcinomaProstate cancer antigen 3Alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemaseEarly prostate cancer antigenTransmembrane protease,serine 2ERGDNARNA

Prostate cancer antigen 3 geneView Articles

Volume 10, Number 3Review Articles

Prostate Cancer Specificity of PCA3 Gene Testing: Examples from Clinical Practice

Diagnostic Update

David G BostwickLeonard S Marks

A specific marker for early prostate cancer would fill an important void. In initial evaluations of the prostate cancer antigen 3 (PCA3) gene vis-à-vis serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, the gene offers great promise. At the cellular level, PCA3 specificity for cancer is nearly perfect because of the gross overexpression of the gene by cancer cells. As a clinical test for early prostate cancer, heightened specificity is also seen in urine containing prostate cells from men with the disease. PCA3 gene testing holds valuable potential in PSA quandary situations: (1) men with elevated PSA levels but no cancer on initial biopsy; (2) men found to have cancer despite normal levels of PSA; (3) men with PSA elevations associated with varying degrees of prostatitis; and (4) men undergoing active surveillance for presumed microfocal disease. [Rev Urol. 2008;10(3):175-181]

Prostate cancerBenign prostatic hyperplasiaProstate-specific antigenProstatitisWatchful waitingProstate cancer antigen 3 geneMicrofocal disease

Prostate cancer markersView Articles
Prostate Cancer Prevention TrialView Articles
Prostate cancer prognosisView Articles

Volume 17, Number 4Original Research

The 4Kscore® Test Reduces Prostate Biopsy Rates in Community and Academic Urology Practices

Jason HafronStephen M ZappalaDipen J ParekhDanielle OsterhoutJeffrey SchockRandy M ChudlerGregory M OldfordKenneth M KernenBadrinath R Konety

There is significant concern regarding prostate cancer screening because of the potential for overdiagnosis and overtreatment of men who are discovered to have abnormal prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels and/or digital rectal examination (DRE) results. The 4Kscore® Test (OPKO Diagnostics, LLC) is a blood test that utilizes four kallikrein levels plus clinical information in an algorithm to calculate an individual’s percentage risk (< 1% to > 95%) for aggressive prostate cancer (Gleason score ≥ 7) on prostate biopsy. The 4Kscore Test, as a follow-up test after abnormal PSA and/or DRE test results, has been shown to improve the specificity for predicting the risk of aggressive prostate cancer and reduce unnecessary prostate biopsies. A clinical utility study was conducted to assess the influence of the 4Kscore Test on the decision to perform prostate biopsies in men referred to urologists for abnormal PSA and/or DRE results. The study population included 611 patients seen by 35 academic and community urologists in the United States. Urologists ordered the 4Kscore Test as part of their assessment of men referred for abnormal PSA and/or DRE test results. Results for the patients were stratified into low risk (< 7.5%), intermediate risk (7.5%-19.9%), and high risk (≥ 20%) for aggressive prostate cancer. The 4Kscore Test results influenced biopsy decisions in 88.7% of the men. Performing the 4Kscore Test resulted in a 64.6% reduction in prostate biopsies in patients; the actual percentage of cases not proceeding to biopsy were 94.0%, 52.9%, and 19.0% for men who had low-, intermediate-, and high-risk 4Kscore Test results, respectively. A higher 4Kscore Test was associated with greater likelihood of having a prostate biopsy (P < 0.001). Among the 171 patients who had a biopsy, the 4Kscore risk category is strongly associated with biopsy pathology. The 4Kscore Test, as a follow-up test for an abnormal PSA and/or DRE results, significantly influenced the physician and patient shared decision in clinical practice, which led to a reduction in prostate biopsies while increasing the probability of detecting aggressive cancer. [Rev Urol. 2015;17(4):231-240 doi: 10.3909/riu0699] © 2016 MedReviews®, LLC

Prostate cancerProstate-specific antigen4KscoreGleason scoreDigital rectal examinationBiopsy rateProstate cancer prognosis

Prostate cancer recurrenceView Articles

Volume 9, Number 2Review Articles

The Impact of Definitions of Failure on the Interpretation of Biochemical Recurrence Following Treatment of Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer

Diagnostic Update

Alan W PartinMatthew E Nielsen

Widespread early detection with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) has radically transformed the clinical management of prostate cancer. PSA has become valuable in the monitoring and risk stratification of recurrent disease following local therapy. In many ways, biochemical recurrence–free survival, or PSA outcome, has become a surrogate measure of treatment efficacy following primary local therapy. Given the inherent differences in PSA kinetics following these treatment approaches, the definition of biochemical success or failure is not uniform among therapies. An appreciation of the inherent strengths, limitations, and biases of the standard definitions of failure can provide a more meaningful context within which to interpret the reported outcomes of different treatment modalities. [Rev Urol. 2007;9(2):57-62]

Prostate-specific antigenRadiotherapyHormonal therapyProstate cancer recurrenceBiochemical failureBrachytherapy

Prostate cancer screeningView Articles

Volume 11, Number 2Meeting Reviews

Best of the 2009 AUA Annual Meeting

Highlights From the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association, April 25-30, 2009, Chicago, IL

Dean G AssimosEllen ShapiroAlan W PartinMichael B ChancellorStacy LoebJ Curtis NickelClaus G RoehrbornMichael K BrawerNaoki YoshimuraArie S BelldegrunB ShuchF Pouliot

Prostate cancer screeningObesityBenign prostatic hyperplasiaLower urinary tract symptomsVesicoureteral refluxNephrolithiasisStress urinary incontinenceInflammationSilodosinHormonal therapyTumor markersTMPRSS2ERG4-Kallikrein panelBotulinum toxin type AMale voiding dysfunctionBenign prostatic specific antigenRoux-en-Y gastric bypass surgeryGenitourinary pain indexUPOINT clinical phenotype systemNephron-sparing surgeryWatchful waitingLaparoscopy for adrenal cortical carcinomaPartial adrenalectomyUrethral traumaPediatric urethral strictureEnteric urologic surgery

Prostate cancer treatmentView Articles
Prostate cancer, castration-resistantView Articles
Prostate cancer, cT3View Articles
Prostate cancer, high riskView Articles
Prostate cancer, localizedView Articles

Volume 10, Number 4Review Articles

Vascular Targeted Photodynamic Therapy for Localized Prostate Cancer

Treatment Update

Herbert Lepor

Survival for men diagnosed with prostate cancer directly depends on the stage and grade of the disease at diagnosis. Prostate cancer screening has greatly increased the ability to diagnose small and low-grade cancers that are amenable to cure. However, widespread prostate-specific antigen screening exposes many men with low-risk cancers to unnecessary complications associated with treatment for localized disease without any survival advantage. One challenge for urological surgeons is to develop effective treatment options for low-risk disease that are associated with fewer complications. Minimally invasive ablative treatments for localized prostate cancer are under development and may represent a preferred option for men with low-risk disease who want to balance the risks and benefits of treatment. Vascular targeted photodynamic therapy (VTP) is a novel technique that is being developed for treating prostate cancer. Recent advances in photodynamic therapy have led to the development of photosynthesizers that are retained by the vascular system, which provides the opportunity to selectively ablate the prostate with minimal collateral damage to other structures. The rapid clearance of these new agents negates the need to avoid exposure to sunlight for long periods. Presented herein are the rationale and preliminary data for VTP for localized prostate cancer. [Rev Urol. 2008;10(4):254-261]

Vascular targeted photodynamic therapyPhotodynamic therapyProstate cancer, localizedMinimally invasive ablative treatment for prostate cancerWST-09WST-11PadoporfinPalladium bacteriopheophorbide

Prostate carcinomaView Articles

Volume 10, Number 1Review Articles

Clinical Utility of Prostate Carcinoma Molecular Diagnostic Tests

Diagnostic Update

Scott B Shappell

Instead of relying on serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) to identify patients for prostate biopsy, new laboratory tests are needed that have improved specificity for prostate carcinoma (CaP), allow accurate classification of clinically insignificant CaPs, allow for detection of clinically significant CaP in patients without elevated serum PSA, and allow for identification of aggressive forms of CaP, which may warrant adjunctive or even molecularly targeted therapy in the future. Over the last several years, highthroughput gene expression profiling and proteinomics have led to the identification of genes and proteins that are specifically overexpressed in CaP. Molecular diagnostic techniques readily translated to the clinical laboratory have been incorporated into the development of new tests based on these novel molecular alterations in CaP. Some of these tests already have well-documented clinical utility, such as in facilitating prostate biopsy decisions, and are routinely available. The current review focuses on the biological, clinical, and laboratory aspects of the most promising of these current and nearfuture molecular CaP tests. [Rev Urol. 2008;10(1):44-69]

Molecular diagnosticsProstate carcinomaProstate cancer antigen 3Alpha-methylacyl-CoA racemaseEarly prostate cancer antigenTransmembrane protease,serine 2ERGDNARNA