Development and Multicenter Case-Control Validation of Urinary Comprehensive Genomic Profiling for Urothelial Carcinoma Diagnosis, Surveillance, and Risk-Prediction.

Purpose: Urinary comprehensive genomic profiling (uCGP) uses next-generation sequencing to identify mutations associated with urothelial carcinoma and has the potential to improve patient outcomes by noninvasively diagnosing disease, predicting grade and stage, and estimating recurrence risk.

Experimental Design: This is a multicenter case-control study using banked urine specimens collected from patients undergoing initial diagnosis/hematuria workup or urothelial carcinoma surveillance. A total of 581 samples were analyzed by uCGP: 333 for disease classification and grading algorithm development, and 248 for blinded validation.

Cross-linked hyaluronan gel improves the quality of life of prostate cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy.

Purpose: To test the hypothesis that cross-linked hyaluronan gel (Hylaform) does not affect the quality of life (QOL) of prostate cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy.

Methods And Materials: Thirty-five patients with early stage prostate cancer underwent high-dose-rate brachytherapy to 2200 cGy and intensity modulated radiation therapy to 5040 cGy on a prospective study. Thirty patients received a single transperineal injection of 9-mL Hylaform between the prostate and rectum under transrectal ultrasound guidance immediately before the start of radiotherapy.

Cross-linked hyaluronan gel reduces the acute rectal toxicity of radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

Purpose: To prospectively analyze whether cross-linked hyaluronan gel reduces the mean rectal dose and acute rectal toxicity of radiotherapy for prostate cancer.

Methods And Materials: Between September 2008 and March 2009, we transperitoneally injected 9 mL of cross-linked hyaluronan gel (Hylaform; Genzyme Corporation, Cambridge, MA) into the anterior perirectal fat of 10 early-stage prostate cancer patients to increase the separation between the prostate and rectum by 8 to 18 mm at the start of radiotherapy. Patients then underwent high-dose rate brachytherapy to 2,200 cGy followed by intensity-modulated radiation therapy to 5,040 cGy.

Preliminary results in prostate cancer patients treated with high-dose-rate brachytherapy and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) vs. IMRT alone.

Purpose: To analyze results with high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) vs. IMRT alone for prostate cancer.

Methods And Materials: Between October 2003 and August 2008, 284 patients with early stage prostate cancer underwent HDR brachytherapy to 2200cGy and IMRT to 5040cGy (n=240) or IMRT alone to 7920-8100cGy (n=44).

Herniorrhaphy with polypropylene mesh causing inguinal vasal obstruction: a preventable cause of obstructive azoospermia.

Objective: To report a multiinstitutional experience of men presenting with infertility secondary to inguinal hernia repair using polypropylene mesh.

Summary Background Data: An estimated 80% of inguinal hernia operations involve placement of a knitted polypropylene mesh to form a "tension-free" herniorrhaphy. The prosthetic mesh induces a chronic foreign-body fibroblastic response creating scar tissue that imparts strength to the floor and leads to fewer recurrences.

The role of urinary potassium in the pathogenesis and diagnosis of interstitial cystitis.

Purpose: We determined whether intravesical potassium absorption in normal bladders correlates with increased sensory urgency, and corroborated the hypothesis that mucus is important in the regulation of epithelial permeability. We compared sensory nerve provocative ability of sodium versus potassium, and determined whether intravesical potassium sensitivity discriminates patients with interstitial cystitis from normal subjects and those with other sensory disorders of the bladder.

Materials And Methods: A total of 231 patients with interstitial cystitis and 41 normal subjects underwent intravesical challenge with 40 ml.