Journal Reviews
Comparing intravesical chemohyperthermia with Mitomycin C versus BCG in treating bladder cancer
In the advent of the recent Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) crisis, the importance of alternative adjuvant treatments for intermediate- and high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) has been highlighted. Chemohyperthermia (CHT) has emerged as an option, however there remains a lack of...
NICE - what we need to know?
The National institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) reached 17 years old in April 2016. As clinicians, we are reading and discussing NICE guidelines on a daily basis in multidisciplinary team meetings. NICE is always in the news, whether...
ASAP: is a repeat biopsy necessary?
This study examined the validity of current US and European guidelines on the management of patients diagnosed with atypical small acinar proliferation (ASAP). Current guidance states that these patients should undergo repeat biopsy within three to six months due to...
Active surveillance for renal neoplasms
Renal oncocytomas are the second most common benign renal tumours and they originate from the collecting tubules. They appear genotypically very similar to chromophobe renal cell carcinomas (chRCC), which also contain eosinophilic cells. Oncocytomas are often found incidentally on routine...
Predicting bone scan positivity in non-metastatic CRPC
There is evidence that suggests that early treatment with chemotherapy, immunotherapy or hormone therapy leads to a better response in patients with asymptomatic metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). This study aimed to predict bone scan positivity in patients with...
Rectal swab testing before prostate biopsy
This study explored the real terms value of rectal swab testing and targeted antibiotic prophylaxis in patients undergoing transrectal ultrasound prostate biopsy in view of increasing bacterial resistance to fluoroquinolones (17.6% in North America, 40% in Hong Kong). The authors...
The potential of statin use in castrate resistant prostate cancer treatment
One of the mechanisms by which prostate cancer achieves castrate resistance is through de novo intratumoral production of androgens. Reactivation of androgen receptors results in promotion of cell survival and proliferation pathways despite castrate serum testosterone levels. As androgen synthesis...
Smoking and urological health
European Urology Focus is a new sister journal to European Urology. It is peer-reviewed and will be published six times per year in electronic format. The first issue deals with smoking and urological diseases. It makes for very interesting reading...
The importance of second-look transurethral resection for superficial bladder cancer
This was a prospective study of 100 consecutive patients with a newly diagnosed superficial bladder tumour who underwent a second look transurethral resection of bladder tumour (TURBT) two to six weeks post initial resection. This essentially included pTa multiple and...
RN or PN for small RCCs – the debate continues
This is a retrospective study to evaluate kidney function and overall survival (OS) in patients who underwent partial nephrectomy (PN) and radical nephrectomy (RN) for RCCs <4cm. They looked at 2110 patients who underwent RN/PN for T1a renal cell carcinomas...
Outcomes of renal cancer surgery on renal function and mortality on those with and without CKD
In urology we are encountering an ageing and more comorbid population, including a group of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). In this retrospective study, a group from the Cleveland Clinic present the extended follow-up of patients with and without...
Risk factors for CKD following treatment for RCC
This paper concerns the prevention of chronic kidney disease (CKD) following treatment for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Over the last 10 years, partial nephrectomy has played an increasing role in the management of RCC, especially T1a disease. It has been...
