Urinary DNA as a Tool for Germline and Somatic Mutation Detection in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Patients.

(1) Background: DNA damage response (DDR) pathway gene mutations are detectable in a significant number of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The study aimed at identification of germline and/or somatic DDR mutations in blood and urine samples from patients with mCRPC for correlation with responses to entire sequence of systemic treatment and survival outcomes. (2) Methods: DDR gene mutations were assessed prospectively in DNA samples from leukocytes and urine sediments from 149 mCRPC patients using five-gene panel targeted sequencing.

Urinary microRNAs can predict response to abiraterone acetate in castration resistant prostate cancer: A pilot study.

Background: Despite novel agents have been introduced to treat castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) during the last decade, up to one-third of CRPC patients face primary resistance to new generation compounds. Therefore, sensitive molecular tools are urgently needed for reliable treatment selection and response prediction. This study aimed to evaluate urinary miRNAs and blood circulating androgen receptor (AR) transcript level as a tool for noninvasive outcome prediction for CRPC patients undergoing abiraterone acetate (AA) therapy.

Clinical significance of novel DNA methylation biomarkers for renal clear cell carcinoma.

Objective: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common type of kidney tumor characterized by the highest mortality rate of the genitourinary cancers, and, therefore, new diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarkers are urgently needed.

Methods: Based on genome-wide DNA methylation profiling in 11 pairs of ccRCC and non-cancerous renal tissues (NRT), the methylation at regulatory regions of ZNF677, FBN2, PCDH8, TFAP2B, TAC1, and FLRT2 was analyzed in 168 renal tissues and 307 urine samples using qualitative and quantitative methylation-specific PCR (MSP).

Results: Significantly higher methylation frequencies for all genes were found in ccRCC tissues compared to NRT (33-60% vs.

Clinical Significance of , and Promoter Methylation in Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma.

Background: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common subtype of kidney tumors, accounting for the majority of deaths from genitourinary cancers. The currently used nomograms for predicting patient outcomes are based on clinical-pathological characteristics only; however, a significant number of ccRCC survivors with similar radiological and histological features still demonstrate a different clinical course of the disease. This study aimed at the identification of novel DNA methylation biomarkers for the monitoring of patients with ccRCC.

Promoter Methylation of , , and Is Specific to Prostate Cancer and Predicts Biochemical Disease Recurrence.

The molecular diversity of prostate cancer (PCa) has been demonstrated by recent genome-wide studies, proposing a significant number of different molecular markers. However, only a few of them have been transferred into clinical practice so far. The present study aimed to identify and validate novel DNA methylation biomarkers for PCa diagnosis and prognosis.

Factors influencing extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy efficiency for optimal patient selection.

Introduction: Current literature suggests various predictors related to the stone and patient, which could influence stone fragmentation and clearance rates.

Aim: To establish clinical characteristics of stone disease for patients undergoing extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) which may predict the success of the procedure.

Material And Methods: One hundred and nine patients with renal stone disease diagnosed by non-contrast computed tomography (NCCT) who underwent ESWL between January 2015 and December 2019 were included in the study.

Available evidence on HIFU for focal treatment of prostate cancer: a systematic review.

Purpose: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common oncologic disease among men. Radical treatment with curative intent provides good oncological results for PCa survivors, although definitive therapy is associated with significant number of serious side-effects. In modern-era of medicine tissue-sparing techniques, such as focal HIFU, have been proposed for PCa patients in order to provide cancer control equivalent to the standard-of-care procedures while reducing morbidities and complications.

Complications after male adjustable suburethral sling implantation.

Introduction: Argus suburethral sling implantation is a minimally invasive operation with the possibility to adjust the tension of the sling at any time after the procedure, which provides good treatment results for male stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

Aim: To determine the predictive factors, the incidence, severity and timing of the onset of complications after Argus sling implantation for males with post-operative SUI.

Material And Methods: A total of 41 patients who underwent Argus sling implantation due to post-operative SUI were included.

Prostate Health Index and Prostate Health Index Density as Diagnostic Tools for Improved Prostate Cancer Detection.

Background: To evaluate the diagnostic potential of [-2] proPSA (p2PSA), %p2PSA, Prostate Health Index (phi), and phi density (PHID) as independent biomarkers and in composition of multivariable models in predicting high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) and overall and clinically significant prostate cancer (PCa).

Methods: 210 males scheduled for prostate biopsy with total PSA (tPSA) range 2-10 ng/mL and normal digital rectal examination were enrolled in the prospective study. Blood samples to measure tPSA, free PSA (fPSA), and p2PSA were collected immediately before 12-core prostate biopsy.

Analysis of AR-FL and AR-V1 in Whole Blood of Patients with Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer as a Tool for Predicting Response to Abiraterone Acetate.

Purpose: Reliable molecular diagnostic tools are still unavailable for making informed treatment decisions and monitoring the response in patients with castration resistant prostate cancer. We evaluated the significance of whole blood circulating androgen receptor transcripts of full length (AR-FL) and splice variants (AR-V1, AR-V3 and AR-V7) as biomarkers of abiraterone acetate treatment resistance in patients with castration resistant prostate cancer.

Materials And Methods: After retrospective analysis in 112 prostate specimens AR-FL, AR-V1, AR-V3 and AR-V7 were evaluated in 185 serial blood samples, prospectively collected from 102 patients with castration resistant prostate cancer before and during abiraterone acetate therapy via reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction.

The Impact of Prostate Cancer Upgrading and Upstaging on Biochemical Recurrence and Cancer-Specific Survival.

Significant numbers of prostate cancer (PCa) patients experience tumour upgrading and upstaging between prostate biopsy and radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens. The aim of our study was to investigate the role of grade and stage increase on surgical and oncological outcomes. Upgrading and upstaging rates were analysed in 676 treatment-naïve PCa patients who underwent RP with subsequent follow-up.

Focal Therapy for Localized Prostate Cancer with Either High Intensity Focused Ultrasound or Cryoablation: A Single Institution Experience.

Purpose: We report oncologic outcomes in patients treated with focal therapy for prostate cancer.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a single institution cohort of men with localized prostate cancer who received focal therapy using high intensity focused ultrasound or cryotherapy from 2009 to 2018. Focal therapy was offered for low or intermediate risk disease (prostate specific antigen less than 20 ng/ml, Gleason score 7 or less and clinical stage T2b or less).

Urinary DNA methylation biomarkers for prediction of prostate cancer upgrading and upstaging.

Background: Significant numbers of prostate cancer (PCa) patients experience tumour upstaging and upgrading in surgical specimens that cause serious problems in timely and proper selection of the treatment strategy. This study was aimed at the evaluation of a set of established epigenetic biomarkers as a noninvasive tool for more accurate PCa categorization before radical prostatectomy (RP).

Methods: Quantitative methylation-specific PCR was applied for the methylation analysis of RARB, RASSF1, and GSTP1 in 514 preoperatively collected voided or catheterized urine samples from the single-centre cohort of 1056 treatment-naïve PCa patients who underwent RP.

DNA methylation of metallothionein genes is associated with the clinical features of renal cell carcinoma.

Metallothioneins are low‑weight cysteine‑rich proteins responsible for metal ion homeostasis in a cell and, thus, capable of regulating cell proliferation and differentiation. Deregulation of metallothionein genes has been reported in various human tumors. However, their role in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been poorly investigated.

Malignant mixed epithelial and stromal tumour of the kidney: a case report and a literature review.

Introduction: Mixed epithelial and stromal tumour of the kidney (MEST) is a rare and distinctive neoplasm accounting for 0.2% of all renal cancers. Most of these tumours behave in a benign fashion but 13 cases with malignant transformation have already been reported.

Decreased expression of is a potential biomarker of prostate cancer progression.

Differentiation of indolent and aggressive prostate carcinoma (PCa) at the time of diagnosis is currently one of the major challenges. This study aimed at identification of prognostic biomarkers to aid in predicting biochemical recurrence (BCR) of the disease. Microarray-based gene expression profiling in tissues of 8 BCR and 8 No-BCR cases revealed expression differences of 455 genes, most of which were down-regulated in BCR cases.

Clinical significance of miRNA host gene promoter methylation in prostate cancer.

Only a part of prostate cancer (PCa) patients has aggressive malignancy requiring adjuvant treatment after radical prostatectomy (RP). Biomarkers capable to predict biochemical PCa recurrence (BCR) after RP would significantly improve preoperative risk stratification and treatment decisions. MicroRNA (miRNA) deregulation has recently emerged as an important phenomenon in tumor development and progression, however, the mechanisms remain largely unstudied.

The utility of urine-circulating miRNAs for detection of prostate cancer.

Background: In this paper, the utility of urine-circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) as the potential biomarker of prostate cancer (PCa), the second most prevalent male cancer worldwide, was evaluated.

Methods: Cancerous (N=56) and non-cancerous (N=16) prostate tissues were analysed on TaqMan Low Density Array, with the initial screening of 754 miRNAs in a subset of the samples. The abundance of selected miRNAs was analysed in urine specimens from two independent cohorts of patients with PCa (N=215 overall), benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH; N=23), and asymptomatic controls (ASC; N=62) by means of quantitative reverse transcription PCR.