Germline and somatic DNA repair gene alterations in prostate cancer.

Background: Emerging evidence has suggested that DNA repair gene alterations may be important in prostate cancer pathogenesis. In the current study, the authors sought to characterize alterations in DNA repair pathway genes in both primary and metastatic prostate tumors with attention to tissue distribution as well as specific genomic alterations.

Methods: The authors studied the distribution and type of alterations in 24 genes that are considered important for DNA repair in 944 prostate cancers harvested from localized and metastatic tumors.

Immediate intravesical chemotherapy for low-grade bladder tumors in California: An underutilized practice and its impact on recurrence.

Objectives: To demonstrate patterns of uptake and impact on recurrence of intravesical chemotherapy (IC) immediately following transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) for low-grade non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) at a population level.

Methods: Incident cases of low-grade (LG) Ta or T1 NMIBC from 2005 to 2012 were identified from the California Cancer Registry. We determined rates of IC utilization following TURBT.

The Promise and Disappointment of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Transurethral Resection for Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer: Updated Results and Long-Term Followup.

Introduction: Radical cystectomy with neoadjuvant chemotherapy is the standard of care for patients with localized muscle invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder. One of the strongest predictors of survival in these patients is pathological response to initial treatment. Our objective was to determine whether we could stratify the need for radical cystectomy based on pathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Changing Incidence of Metastatic Prostate Cancer by Race and Age, 1988-2015.

Background: Screening for prostate cancer (PCa) has dramatically declined in the United States (US) since the United States Preventive Services Task Force recommended against routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based PCa screening in all men in 2012. This led to dramatic reductions in the diagnosis of localized disease across all clinical risk groups.

Objective: In light of decreased PSA screening for men in the US, we sought to study trends in newly diagnosed metastatic PCa incidence and how this may vary by race and age.

Bioengineered Noncoding RNAs Selectively Change Cellular miRNome Profiles for Cancer Therapy.

Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) produced in live cells may better reflect intracellular ncRNAs for research and therapy. Attempts were made to produce biologic ncRNAs, but at low yield or success rate. Here we first report a new ncRNA bioengineering technology using more stable ncRNA carrier (nCAR) containing a pre-miR-34a derivative identified by rational design and experimental validation.