Initial motility and vitality predict the semen quality after long-term cryostorage, even in patients with restricted ejaculate parameters.

Background: Cryopreservation of human semen is the cornerstone for preserving male fertility before gonadotoxic therapy or in cases of high variability in semen parameters. This is particular crucial in cases of severe oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT), where diminished sperm counts may compromise planned intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedures. Previous investigations in donor programs have shown long-term storage effects, such as decreased motility in cryopreserved semen samples.

[Cryopreservation of human spermatozoa or testicular tissue for fertility preservation].

Loss of reproductive capacity due to treatments for malignant or non-malignant diseases or even as a result of diseases themselves significantly impacts patients' quality of life. Cryopreservation of sperm from ejaculate is a well-established procedure for preserving the fertility of these patients and thus improving their quality of life in the long term. If cryopreservation of sperm from ejaculate is not possible, either because ejaculation cannot occur or no sperm can be found in the ejaculate, the preferred treatment option is (microsurgical) testicular sperm extraction (mTESE).

Value of computed tomography texture analysis for prediction of perioperative complications during laparoscopic partial nephrectomy in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Purpose: Tumorous texture is a marker for tumor tissue inhomogeneity. Based on this assumption, this study aims to evaluate the value of computed tomography texture analysis for imaging-based prediction of perioperative complications during laparoscopic partial tumor nephrectomy.

Methods: A total of 106 patients with histologically confirmed renal cell carcinoma and pre-operative CT were included and volumetric texture analysis of the tumors was performed by two readers.

Performance of Urinary Markers for Detection of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: Is Upper Tract Urine More Accurate than Urine from the Bladder?

Objectives: To assess the performance of urine markers determined in urine samples from the bladder compared to samples collected from the upper urinary tract (UUT) for diagnosis of UUT urothelial carcinoma (UC).

Patients And Methods: The study comprised 758 urine samples either collected from the bladder ( = 373) or UUT ( = 385). All patients underwent urethrocystoscopy and UUT imaging or ureterorenoscopy.

Expression of tumour progression-associated genes in circulating tumour cells of patients at different stages of prostate cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the presence of circulating tumour cells (CTCs) at different stages of prostate cancer using the AdnaTest ProstateCancerDetect kit (Qiagen). Moreover, we aimed to assess the expression of transcripts that are specific for cancer stem cells (AdnaTest StemCell) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in CTCs (AdnaTest EMT), as well as additional genes that are known to promote prostate cancer progression.

Patients And Methods: In this prospective study, we included 81 patients who underwent treatment for prostate cancer between 07/2014 and 02/2015, including: Group A, 18 patients (22.

The thermoexpandable nitinol stent: a long-term alternative in patients without nephropathy or malignancy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term outcome of a thermoexpandable nickel-titanium nitinol ureteral stent (Memokath 051™) and to identify individual risk factors for failure.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective single-centre study included 125 patients who underwent implantation of the self-expandable Memokath 051 stent. Complications, indwelling time and reason for explantation were recorded.

Prediction of Postoperative Risks in Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy Using RENAL, Mayo Adhesive Probability and Renal Pelvic Score.

Aim: To evaluate the Mayo Adhesive Probability (MAP) score, renal pelvis score, and RENAL nephrometry score for the prediction of surgical outcome in patients with renal masses undergoing laparoscopic partial nephrectomy at a single center.

Patients And Methods: A total of 280 patients who underwent laparoscopic partial nephrectomy were identified retrospectively. Thirty-eight patients were excluded because of a lack of preoperative imaging.

Oncologic Impact of Renal Tissue Adjacent to Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Aim: The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical impact of the surgical margin width after nephron-sparing surgery (NSS) on the oncological course of renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Patients And Methods: The study comprised of 126 RCC patients with NSS between 2002 and 2009. Inclusion criteria were negative resection margins and a tumor diameter of ≤100 mm with the possibility of a complete circumferential histopathological reevaluation.

Transcripts of circulating tumor cells detected by a breast cancer-specific platform correlate with clinical stage in bladder cancer patients.

Purpose: There is increasing interest in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) as a biomarker in bladder cancer (BC). In the present pilot study, we used a platform originally developed for detection of breast cancer CTCs to assess breast cancer-associated transcripts in CTCs of patients with different stages of BC. Moreover, transcripts specific for cancer stem cells and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) were assessed.

Return to Work and Normal Daily Life Activity after Open and Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy--A Single Surgeon Analysis.

Purpose: To evaluate differences in health related quality of life and time to return to normal activities between patients treated with open radical prostatectomy (ORP) and robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP).

Patients And Methods: Three hundred and two patients treated with RARP or ORP were prospectively enrolled. One year after surgery, patients received a questionnaire to evaluate social life, duration of being limited in daily and sexual life as well as satisfaction with the treatment.

Prostate tumor overexpressed 1 expression in invasive urothelial carcinoma.

Purpose: To determine the expression patterns of the proliferation marker prostate tumor overexpressed 1 (PTOV1) in invasive urothelial cancer (UC).

Methods: Corresponding UC and benign samples from paraffin-embedded tissue of 102 patients treated with cystectomy for invasive UC were immunohistochemically (IHC) assessed for PTOV1. Expression was evaluated gradually separated for cytoplasmic and nuclear staining.

Muscle-invasive bladder cancer is characterized by overexpression of thymidine kinase 1.

Objective: Thymidine kinases have an important role in the synthesis of DNA and exhibit high activity in rapidly proliferating cells. Thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) activity has been shown to be increased in various cancer types and proposed as a prognostic parameter. Aim of the present study was to investigate TK1 in muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma (UC).

Robot-assisted radical cystectomy and intracorporeal urinary diversion - safe and reproducible?

Introduction: Robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) plus intracorporeal urinary diversion is feasible. Few centers worldwide demonstrated comparable functional and oncologic outcomes. We reported a large series of RARC and intracorporeal diversion to assess its feasibility and reproducibility.

Prognostic relevance of positive urine markers in patients with negative cystoscopy during surveillance of bladder cancer.

Background: The role of urine markers in the surveillance of patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is discussed extensively. In case of negative cystoscopy the additional prognostic value of these markers has not been clearly defined yet. The present study is the first systematic approach to directly compare the ability of a urine marker panel to predict the risk of recurrence and progression in bladder cancer (BC) patients with no evidence of relapse during surveillance for NMIBC.

Intracorporeal ileal ureter replacement using laparoscopy and robotics.

Introduction: Ileal ureter is a suitable treatment option for patients with long ureteric strictures. Minimally invasive techniques have been shown to be as safe as open techniques but superior in terms of post-operative recovery. We report our experience using minimally invasive techniques for total intracorporeal ureteral replacement.

Stepwise application of urine markers to detect tumor recurrence in patients undergoing surveillance for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Background: The optimal use of urine markers in the surveillance of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) remains unclear. Aim of the present study was to investigate the combined and stepwise use of the four most broadly available urine markers to detect tumor recurrence in patients undergoing surveillance of NMIBC.

Patients And Methods: 483 patients with history of NMIBC were included.

Significance of apoptotic and non-apoptotic disseminated tumor cells in the bone marrow of patients with clinically localized prostate cancer.

Background: Disseminated tumor cells (DTC) can be detected in a high proportion of patients with localized solid malignancies. In prostate cancer (PC), determination of DTCs is critically discussed as there are conflicting results on their prognostic value. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the presence and prognostic role of DTCs in PC patients with a high risk of disease recurrence.

Robot-assisted radical cystectomy and intracorporeal neobladder formation: on the way to a standardized procedure.

Background: Robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) with intracorporeal diversion has been shown to be feasible in a few centers of excellence worldwide, with promising functional and oncologic outcomes. However, it remains unknown whether the complexity of the procedure allows its duplication in other non-pioneer centers. We attempt to address this issue by presenting our cumulative experience with RARC and intracorporeal neobladder formation.

Y pouch neobladder-a simplified method of intracorporeal neobladder after robotic cystectomy.

In recent years, robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) has shown similar oncologic outcomes compared with the gold standard open radical cystectomy with the added benefit of less blood loss and shorter hospital stay. Robot-assisted cystectomy with intracorporeal ileal neobladder is a complex surgical procedure and is usually performed in centers with experienced surgeons. We propose robot-assisted cystectomy with intracorporeal neobladder using the Y pouch previously described in open radical cystectomy.