Faculty Bibliography

PURPOSE: We evaluated a published biopsy directed small renal mass management algorithm using a large cohort of patients who underwent robotic partial nephrectomy for tumors 4 cm or smaller. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A simplified algorithm of biopsy directed small renal mass management previously reported using risk stratified biopsies was applied to 1,175 robotic partial nephrectomy cases from 5 academic centers. A theoretical assumption was made of perfect biopsies that were feasible for all patients and had 100% concordance to final pathology. Pathology risk groups were benign, favorable, unfavorable and intermediate. The algorithm assigned favorable or intermediate tumors smaller than 2 cm to active surveillance and unfavorable or intermediate 2 to 4 cm tumors to treatment. Higher surgical risk patients were defined as ASA(R) 3 or greater and age 70 years or older. RESULTS: Patients were assigned to the pathology risk groups of benign (23%), favorable (13%), intermediate (51%) and unfavorable (12%). Patients were also assigned to the management groups of benign pathology (275, 23%), active surveillance (336, 29%) and treatment (564, 48%). Most of the 611 (52%) patients in the benign or active surveillance groups were low surgical risk and had safe treatment (2.6% high grade complications). A biopsy may not have been feasible or accurate in some tumors that were anterior (378, 32%), hilar (93, 7.9%) or less than 2 cm (379, 32%). Of 129 (11%) high surgical risk patients the biopsy algorithm assigned 70 (54%) to benign or active surveillance groups. CONCLUSIONS: The theoretical application of a biopsy driven, risk stratified small renal mass management algorithm to a large robotic partial nephrectomy database suggests that about half of the patients might have avoided surgery. Despite the obvious limitations of a theoretical assumption of all patients receiving a perfect biopsy, the data support the emerging role of renal mass biopsies to guide management, particularly in high surgical risk patients.

Robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery is increasingly used in urologic oncologic surgery. Robotic nephroureterectomy is still a relatively new technique. As upper tract urothelial carcinoma is a rare disease, intermediate- and long-term outcome data are scarce. However, robotic nephroureterectomy does seem to offer advantages to open and laparoscopic counterparts, with comparable short-term oncologic and functional outcomes. Here the authors review the robotic surgical management of upper tract urothelial carcinoma, with a review of the steps and tips on making this approach more widely adoptable.

Abstract Purpose: To compare the perioperative outcomes of robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) with open partial nephrectomy (OPN) in solitary kidneys. METHODS: Records of 1542 consecutive RAPN performed in five high-volume centers (2007-2013) were reviewed for patients with solitary kidneys. RESULTS were compared with solitary OPN cases performed during the same period. Cases were divided into simple (R.E.N.A.L. nephrometry score 4-8) and complex (R.E.N.A.L. 9-12) groups. Demographics, surgical, pathologic, and follow-up data were compared between OPN and RAPN in each group. RESULTS: 40 RAPN and 85 OPN cases were identified. For both tumor complexity groups, patients in each treatment modality were comparable. There were higher proportions of OPN cases in the complex group (61.2% vs 25%; P=0.001). For both complexity tumor groups, there was no statistical difference between the treatment modalities in overall intraoperative/postoperative complications, transfusion rate, and positive surgical margin (PSM) rates. Patients in the RAPN group had a shorter length of hospital stay. For the entire cohort, there was no difference in estimated glomerular filtration rate preservation beyond 1 month (OPN 80.51%, RAPN 81.29%). Limitations include retrospective, nonrandomized nature of the series and small number of cases in the RAPN groups. CONCLUSIONS: In the solitary kidney, RAPN offers comparable perioperative and short-term functional outcomes for localized tumors with low R.E.N.A.L. score. For more complex tumors, our early experience suggests comparability, but these results were obtained in selected cases and future studies will need to validate these results.

WHAT'S KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT? AND WHAT DOES THE STUDY ADD?: Lymph node dissection and it's extend during robot-assisted radical cystectomy varies based on surgeon related factors. This study reports outcomes of robot-assisted extended lymphadenectomy based on surgeon experience in both academic and private practice settings. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence of, and predictors for, extended lymph node dissection (LND) in patients undergoing robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) for bladder cancer, as extended LND is critical for the treatment of bladder cancer but the role of minimally invasive surgery for extended LND has not been well-defined in a multi-institutional setting. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Used the International Robotic Cystectomy Consortium (IRCC) database. In all, 765 patients who underwent RARC at 17 institutions from 2003 to 2010 were evaluated for receipt of extended LND. Patients were stratified by age, sex, clinical stage, institutional volume, sequential case number, and surgeon volume. Logistic regression analyses were used to correlate variables to the likelihood of undergoing extended LND. RESULTS: In all, 445 (58%) patients underwent extended LND. Among all patients, a median (range) of 18 (0-74) LNs were examined. High-volume institutions (>/=100 cases) had a higher mean LN yield (23 vs 15, P < 0.001). On univariable analysis, surgeon volume, institutional volume, and sequential case number were associated with likelihood of undergoing extended LND. On multivariable analysis, surgeon volume [odds ratio (OR) 3.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.37-5.06, P < 0.001] and institution volume [OR 2.65, 95% CI 1.47-4.78, P = 0.001) were associated with undergoing extended LND. CONCLUSIONS: Robot-assisted LND can achieve similar LN yields to those of open LND after RC. High-volume surgeons are more likely to perform extended LND, reflecting a correlation between their growing experience and increased comfort with advanced vascular dissection.

BACKGROUND: The PCA3 urinary assay has shown promise in predicting the presence of prostate cancer. We evaluated the value of this test in patients undergoing initial and repeat prostate biopsy. METHODS: PCA3 and PSA levels were obtained from 456 men with no known personal history of prostate cancer prior to prostate biopsy. Two hundred eighty-nine men underwent an initial prostate biopsy and 167 underwent a repeat prostate biopsy. PCA3 and PSA levels were compared to the prostate biopsy results. RESULTS: PCA3 score was shown to be independent of prostate volume (P = 0.162) and PSA level (P = 0.959). PCA3 scores were significantly higher in patients with cancer on prostate biopsy compared to patients with negative biopsy results (P < 0.0001). In logistic regression, PCA3 showed a significantly higher AUC than PSA (0.726 vs. 0.512, P = 0.0001). This difference persisted when examining the initial biopsy subgroup, with PCA3 out-performing PSA (AUC 0.772 vs. AUC = 0.552, P < 0.0001), but not in the repeat biopsy subgroup (AUC = 0.605 vs. AUC = 0.500, P = 0.2488). CONCLUSIONS: PCA3 was found to be a better predictor of prostate cancer than PSA in the total population as well as the initial biopsy population, but was not superior to PSA in the repeat biopsy population. Prostate 73: 48-53, 2013. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PURPOSE: Robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) is an alternative approach for treatment of bladder cancer. We provide a critical review of the current status of RARC and pelvic lymph node dissection with a focus on feasibility, safety and oncological efficacy of the procedure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The PubMed literature database was reviewed for RARC series that have been reported in the English language until the present time. Surgical technique, operative parameters, pathologic outcome, complications and quality of life were examined. RESULTS: RARC is progressing steadily. With nearly 500 published cases worldwide, RARC proves to be technically feasible and oncologically effective. It is associated with less blood loss, shorter hospital stay, and improved postoperative quality of life. Intracorporeal urinary diversion is still in the experimental phase, and effort is needed to make it technically easier and widely accepted. CONCLUSIONS: With the worldwide rapid spread of robot-assisted surgeries, RARC is evolving as a reliable minimally invasive alternative to standard open surgery. Awaiting long term oncological results, adequately powered prospective randomized trials comparing open, laparoscopic and robotic approaches are urgently needed.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of second semen analysis (SA) on a treatment decision in infertile men with varicocele and abnormal first SA. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review. SETTING: University hospital. INTERVENTION: None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Standard clinical semen analysis. PATIENT(S): A total of 160 infertile men with varicocele and abnormal first SA were evaluated. Two SA were performed in the same andrology lab 3 to 8 weeks apart. Exclusion criteria were azoospermia, low semen volume, leukocytospermia, febrile illness within 3 months, and habitual heat exposure. RESULT(S): Despite fluctuation in absolute values of sperm concentration, motility, and morphology, the second SA remained abnormal in 111 out of 112 men (99.1%) with abnormal first SA. CONCLUSION(S): Initial abnormal SA is a sufficient indication for varicocele treatment because in most patients the second SA remains abnormal and does not change treatment decision. This approach will expedite treatment of infertile men with varicocele and increase its cost effectiveness.

CD3- CD56(+dim) natural killer (NK) cells, which are cytotoxic against virally infected cells, may be important in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients who are successfully treated with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN)-alpha. We used flow cytometry to enumerate activated (CD69+) and apoptotic (annexin-V+) dim (CD3- CD56(+dim)) and bright (CD3- CD56(+bright)) NK cells obtained from HCV-infected patients before treatment (n=16) and healthy controls (n=15) in the absence and presence of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN)-alpha-2b. A subset of HCV-infected patients, subsequently treated with PEG-IFN-alpha-2b in vivo, was determined to have a sustained virological response (SVR, n=6) or to not respond (NR) to treatment (n=5). In the absence of IFN, activated dim (CD3- CD56(+dim) CD69+) NK cells were significantly decreased (P=0.04) while activated apoptotic dim (CD3- CD56(+dim)CD69+ annexin-V+) NK cells tended to be increased (P=0.07) in SVR patients compared with NR patients. Activated bright (CD3-CD56(+bright)CD69+) and activated apoptotic bright (CD3- CD56(+bright)CD69+ annexin-V+) NK cells were significantly correlated (P=0.02 and P=0.01, respectively) with increasing hepatic inflammation. These findings suggest that in the absence of PEG-IFN, activated dim (CD3- CD56(+dim)CD69+) NK cell turnover may be enhanced in SVR compared with NR patients and that activated bright (CD3- CD56(+bright)CD69+) NK cells may play a role in liver inflammation.