Association between patient-surgeon gender concordance and mortality after surgery in the United States: retrospective observational study.

Objective: To determine whether patient-surgeon gender concordance is associated with mortality of patients after surgery in the United States.

Design: Retrospective observational study.

Setting: Acute care hospitals in the US.

A phase II clinical trial of neoadjuvant sasanlimab and stereotactic body radiation therapy as an vaccine for cisplatin-ineligible MIBC: the RAD VACCINE MIBC trial.

The utilization of neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, specifically anti-PD-1/L1 agents, prior to radical cystectomy is an emerging paradigm in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). vaccination represents a strategy to manipulate the tumor in order to augment the immune response toward improved local and distant cancer control. The authors describe the study rationale, design and objectives for RAD VACCINE MIBC, a single-arm, single-institution, phase II trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of combination neoadjuvant sasanlimab (humanized IgG monoclonal antibody that targets PD-1) with stereotactic body radiotherapy as an vaccine in cisplatin-ineligible patients with MIBC.

Association between prior nephrectomy and efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma - A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Immune checkpoint-inhibitor (ICI)-based therapy is the standard of care for first-line treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). It is unclear whether prior removal of the primary tumor influences the efficacy of these treatments. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies of first-line ICI in mRCC to determine whether the efficacy of ICI-therapy, compared to sunitinib, is altered based on receipt of prior nephrectomy.

Women as Authors of Randomized Controlled Trials of Minimally Invasive Surgery: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 3 Decades of Trials.

Background: Female authorship opportunities have lagged behind those of their male counterparts, with gender disparities most prominent in surgical specialties. Our objective was to determine trends of female first, last, and first or last authorships across time and surgical specialties and whether female first or last authorship was associated with journal impact factor.

Study Design: A systematic review of EMBASE (OvidSP), MEDLINE (OvidSP), and Cochrane (Wiley) databases from inception to December 22, 2017 was performed to identify all randomized controlled trials evaluating minimally invasive surgery vs classical surgical techniques.

Correlation of a Temperate UV-Weathering Cycle to Outdoor Exposure for the Determination of the Environmental Instability of Polyethylene Films Using HT-GPC Analysis.

Accelerated UV-weathering cycles are predominately used for evaluating the durability of plastic materials, particularly polyethylene (PE) films. The point of failure for this testing is usually the loss of a physical property, such as the loss of tensile strength over time. For plastics designed to be instable under environmental conditions, the accelerated weathering cycles are yet to be defined and their correlation to outdoor exposure has yet to be made.

Sequential administration of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and Electromotive Drug Administration (EMDA) of mitomycin C (MMC) for the treatment of high-grade nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer after BCG failure.

Background: There is a need for effective nonsurgical treatment options in patients with nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) in whom Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy has failed.

Objective: We aimed to determine the efficacy of Electromotive Drug Administration (EMDA) of mitomycin C (MMC) with NMIBC after BCG failure.

Design, Setting, And Participants: A retrospective review of 26 NMIBC patients in whom BCG therapy failed who received BCG/EMDA-MMC between 2013 and 2017 was performed.

Predictors of prostate-specific antigen testing in men aged ≥55 years: A cross-sectional study based on patient-reported outcomes.

Objectives: To examine the predictors of prostate-specific antigen discussion with a physician and prostate-specific antigen testing in men aged ≥55 years.

Methods: Utilizing the USA Health Information National Trends Survey, 4th Ed., a cross-sectional study from 2011 to 2014 was carried out to analyze the factors predicting prostate-specific antigen testing and discussion in men ≥55 years.

Outcomes of Non-curative Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer: An Analysis of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP).

Background: The surgical care of patients with metastatic gastric cancer (GC) remains debated. Despite level 1 evidence showing lack of survival benefit, surgery may be used for symptoms prevention or palliation. This study examined short-term postoperative outcomes of non-curative gastrectomy performed for metastatic GC.

Comparison of postoperative outcomes among patients treated by male and female surgeons: a population based matched cohort study.

 To examine the effect of surgeon sex on postoperative outcomes of patients undergoing common surgical procedures. Population based, retrospective, matched cohort study from 2007 to 2015. Population based cohort of all patients treated in Ontario, Canada.

Robotic Partial Nephrectomy: Expanding Utilization, Advancing Innovation.

Robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN) is gaining increasing prominence for nephron-sparing surgery in the treatment of patients with localized kidney tumors. RPN offers the benefits of minimally invasive surgery with a shorter learning curve compared with its laparoscopic counterpart. While long-term data are awaited, RPN does provide short-term oncologic and functional outcomes comparable to open and laparoscopic partial nephrectomy.

Perioperative outcomes following radical prostatectomy for patients with disseminated cancer: An analysis of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database.

Introduction: We sought to determine whether patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) in the context of disseminated cancer have higher 30-day complications.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. Men undergoing RP (from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2014) for prostate cancer were identified and stratified by presence (n=97) or absence (n=27 868) of disseminated cancer.

Anticholinergics for overactive bladder: Temporal trends in prescription and treatment persistence.

Introduction: We sought to understand the contemporary pharmacologic management of overactive bladder (OAB) in a single-payer system. We examined temporal trends in the use of anticholinergic medications and assessed whether the likelihood of patients changing their anticholinergic therapy was predicted by their current therapy.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective, population-based analysis of prescription records from the PharmaNet database in BC, Canada.

Isolated brain metastasis from a small renal mass.

The identification of small renal masses is increasing. Active surveillance is a guideline-approved management strategy for select patients with small renal masses. Metastases during the observation of small renal masses are uncommon, and no cases of brain metastasis have been reported.

Contemporary evidence for robot-assisted radical cystectomy for treating bladder cancer.

Robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) is an evolving technique for the treatment of muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC); however, its effectiveness compared with open radical cystectomy (ORC) - the established modality - is debated. Six specific areas of evidence are critically important for supporting the continuing use of RARC for MIBC, including technical aspects of surgery, perioperative outcomes, complications, oncological outcomes, functional outcomes, and financial costs. Considerable progress has been made regarding these aspects and data show that RARC replicates the technical benchmarks of ORC in terms of success of cystectomy, lymph node dissection, and urinary diversion, and could offer advantages over the more-established technique.

Cardiovascular and Skeletal-related Events Following Localized Prostate Cancer Treatment: Role of Surgery, Radiotherapy, and Androgen Deprivation.

Objective: To examine the impact of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and primary treatment modality on cardiovascular and skeletal-related events and to investigate potential effect modification in a contemporary cohort of patients treated for clinically localized prostate cancer.

Subjects And Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linked databases for men aged 65-79 years who underwent radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy for cT1 or cT2 prostate cancer from 2000 to 2008. We categorized treatment according to primary therapy and receipt of ADT.

Occurrence of and Risk Factors for Urological Intervention During Benign Hysterectomy: Analysis of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database.

Objective: To determine the occurrence of lower genitourinary tract (LGUT) injury during hysterectomy for benign disease and identify risk factors for LGUT injury, with a specific focus on the effect of hysterectomy modality.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing hysterectomy for benign disease from 2010 t o 2014 using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, a multi-institutional prospective registry that captures perioperative surgical outcomes. We identified the occurrence of concomitant cystoscopy and therapeutic urologic interventions including endoscopic ureteric stenting, ureteric repair, bladder repair, cystectomy, and urinary diversion as a proxy for LGUT injuries.

Morbidity and Mortality of Radical Nephrectomy for Patients With Disseminated Cancer: An Analysis of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database.

Objective: To determine the effect of disseminated cancer on perioperative outcomes following radical nephrectomy.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing radical nephrectomy for kidney cancer from 2005 to 2014 using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program, a multi-institutional prospective registry that captures perioperative surgical complications. Patients were stratified according to the presence (n = 657) or absence (n = 7143) of disseminated cancer at the time of surgery.

Survival and cardiovascular events in men treated with testosterone replacement therapy: an intention-to-treat observational cohort study.

Background: Conflicting evidence exists for the association between testosterone replacement therapy and mortality and cardiovascular events. The US Food and Drug Administration recently cautioned that testosterone replacement therapy might increase risk of heart attack and stroke, based on evidence from studies with short treatment duration and follow-up. No previous study has assessed the effect of duration of testosterone treatment on these outcomes.

MiR-301a regulates E-cadherin expression and is predictive of prostate cancer recurrence.

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally. Dysregulation of miRNA has been implicated in the development and progression of prostate cancer. Through next generation miRNA sequencing, we recently identified a panel of five miRNAs associated with prostate cancer recurrence and metastasis.

Effect of radical prostatectomy surgeon volume on complication rates from a large population-based cohort.

Introduction: Surgical volume can affect several outcomes following radical prostatectomy (RP). We examined if surgical volume was associated with novel categories of treatment-related complications following RP.

Methods: We examined a population-based cohort of men treated with RP in Ontario, Canada between 2002 and 2009.

Second malignancies after radiotherapy for prostate cancer: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To determine the association between exposure to radiotherapy for the treatment of prostate cancer and subsequent second malignancies (second primary cancers).

Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

Data Sources: Medline and Embase up to 6 April 2015 with no restrictions on year or language.

A Pilot Study to Evaluate the Role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Prostate Cancer Screening in the General Population.

Purpose: To our knowledge the role of magnetic resonance imaging as a first line screening test for prostate cancer is unknown. We performed a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of prostate magnetic resonance imaging as the primary screening test for prostate cancer.

Materials And Methods: We recruited unselected men from the general population.