Journal Reviews
The importance of assessing frailty in patients prior to radical prostatectomy
This large-scale retrospective study evaluated the short-term postoperative outcomes in patients with localised prostate cancer treated with radical prostatectomy (RP). Both body mass index (BMI) and Charlson comorbidity Index (CCI) are well established indicators of adverse outcomes post major surgery,...
Testicular masses – can the testis be spared?
The standard practice for testicular masses confirmed on ultrasound has been to offer an inguinal orchidectomy, on the presumption that the mass represents testicular cancer. The growing use of scrotal ultrasound for various indications has led to an increase in...
Call for standardised reporting of adverse events
This article will be of immense benefit to all of us involved in mortality and morbidity meetings and Clinical Governance, especially registrars and junior members of the team. The authors present data from the UK, USA and Europe. In prostate...
Testosterone supplementation after prostatectomy – journey from bad to good
The role of androgens in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer is quite complex and is not entirely clear yet. Despite several reports suggesting testosterone use is safe in patients diagnosed with prostate cancer, many clinicians are still reluctant to use...
Trade-offs between risks and benefits of localised prostate cancer treatments – the COMPARE study
We know little about the trade-offs men make when considering the oncological and functional outcomes of individual treatment options for localised prostate cancer, and decisions are often influenced by physician opinion. The likely compromised functional results are viewed as a...
COVID-19: cancer and corticosteroids
Under the prevailing COVID-19 crisis, this article is well worth reading. The current World Health Organization (WHO) guidance is not to start steroids in cancer cases, but there is no clear evidence of risks with steroids in cancer patients having...
Ulcerative colitis has a positive association with prostate cancer risk
This large-scale meta-analysis, incorporating studies from several population-based studies, evaluated the association between inflammatory bowel disease (IBC) and prostate cancer (Pca). Emerging evidence has suggested that IBD is a risk factor for extra-intestinal malignancies which may be due to an...
One cycle of adjuvant chemotherapy in tumours of the testis
Following a radical orchiectomy, current UK practice for newly diagnosed, high-risk, stage 1 nonseminomatous or combined germ cell tumours of the testis (NSCGCTT) is either two cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy with bleomycin, etoposide, cisplatin (BE360Px2) or surveillance with BE500Px3 on...
Advanced prostate cancer and chemotherapy
The treatment pathway for advanced prostate cancer is both puzzling and complex and varies from centre to centre in the UK. The National Prostate Cancer Audit Report 2019 for England and Wales shows that only a quarter of men with...
Non-urothelial tumours of bladder – impact on oncological outcomes
Non-urothelial bladder tumours are not very common and they are generally considered to be high risk tumours when compared to standard urothelial tumours. In this study the researchers analysed the oncological outcomes of patients with such histology in comparison to...
Prostate cancer and an electronic nose
So far the transrectal ultrasound guided (TRUS) biopsy has been the ‘gold standard’ for diagnosing prostate cancer. However, it is invasive and can lead to complications, so there is a need for new non-invasive diagnostic tools to avoid unnecessary biopsy...
Evidence-based treatment of MCDK: a systematic review
The authors of this systematic review have not only aimed to establish the incidence of hypertension associated with a multicystic dysplastic kidney (MCDK) but have also tried to determine the malignancy risk associated with an MCDK and assess the rate...
