Central pathology review and its prognostic value in upper tract urothelial carcinoma patients: a nationwide multi-institutional study.

The prognostic value of central pathology review in upper urinary tract cancer (UTUC) remains inadequately addressed in existing literature. In this study, we conducted an extensive central pathology review and presented its influence on multi-center UTUC studies. We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent radical nephroureterectomy or segmental resection for UTUC to determine eligibility for central pathology review.

Endoscopic management of upper tract urothelial cancer in a highly endemic area: A Taiwan nationwide collaborative study.

Background: Endoscopic management of upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC) is an important treatment option for low risk UTUC. Although Taiwan is an endemic area for UTUC, endoscopic treatment outcomes in Taiwan are frequently under- reported.

Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed the treatment outcomes of endoscopic management for clinically localized UTUC.

Impact of pathological response on oncological outcomes in patients with upper tract urothelial cancer receiving neo-adjuvant chemotherapy.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the rates of pathological complete response (ypT0N0/X) and pathological response (ypT1N0/X or less) in patients with upper tract urothelial cancer who were treated with neo-adjuvant chemotherapy and to examine their impact on oncological outcomes.

Methods: This study is a multi-institutional retrospective analysis of patients with high-risk upper tract urothelial cancer who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radical nephroureterectomy between 2002 and 2021. Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate all clinical parameters for response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Effectiveness of Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections as Prophylaxis for Recurrent Urinary Tract Infection in Women.

Purpose: To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of intravesical platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections as prophylaxis for adult women with recurrent urinary tract infection (rUTI).

Methods: This proof-of-concept study enrolled 63 women with rUTI in PRP treatment and control groups after achieving control of the most recent urinary tract infection (UTI) episode. The treatment group included 34 women who received 4 monthly intravesical PRP injections.

Preoperative hydronephrosis is an independent protective factor of renal function decline after nephroureterectomy for upper tract urothelial carcinoma.

Objectives: To evaluate the predictive role of pre-nephroureterectomy (NU) hydronephrosis on post-NU renal function (RF) change and preserved eligibility rate for adjuvant therapy in patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC).

Patients And Methods: This retrospective study collected data of 1018 patients from the Taiwan UTUC Collaboration Group registry of 26 institutions. The patients were divided into two groups based on the absence or presence of pre-NU hydronephrosis.

Oncological and functional outcomes of high-risk and very high-risk prostate cancer patients after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

Purpose: This study investigated the oncological and functional outcomes of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RaRP) in high-risk and very high-risk prostate cancer patients.

Materials And Methods: One hundred localized prostate cancer patients receiving RaRP from August 2015 to December 2020 were retrospectively enrolled. According to NCCN risk classification, patients were classified into two groups, below high-risk group, and high-risk/very high-risk group, to analyze continence outcome within postoperative year one and biochemical recurrence-free survival.

Oncologic impact of delay between diagnosis and radical nephroureterectomy.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the oncological outcome of delayed surgical wait time from the diagnosis of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) to radical nephroureterectomy (RNU).

Methods: In this multicenter retrospective study, medical records were collected between 1988 and 2021 from 18 participating Taiwanese hospitals under the Taiwan UTUC Collaboration Group. Patients were dichotomized into the early (≤90 days) and late (>90 days) surgical wait-time groups.

Satisfaction with Urinary Incontinence Treatments in Patients with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury.

Purpose: To investigate the long-term satisfaction and complications in chronic spinal cord injury (SCI) patients after various bladder management strategies and surgical procedures for the treatment of urinary incontinence. Methods: Patients at a single institution with chronic SCI who received bladder management treatment or surgical procedure to improve urinary continence were retrospectively assessed. Thorough urological examinations and videourodynamic studies were performed.

Changes in the Ultrastructure of the Bladder Urothelium in Patients with Interstitial Cystitis after Intravesical Injections of Platelet-Rich Plasma.

Urothelial dysfunction is considered a key pathological mechanism of interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS). Intravesical platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections might be effective for treating IC/BPS. This prospective study investigated the changes in electron microscopic findings among IC/BPS patients after intravesical PRP injections.

Is Lymph Node Dissection Necessary During Radical Nephroureterectomy for Clinically Node-Negative Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma? A Multi-Institutional Study.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the oncological outcomes of patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) without clinical lymph node metastasis (cN0) undergoing lymph node dissection (LND) during radical nephroureterectomy (NU).

Methods: From the updated data of the Taiwan UTUC Collaboration Group, a total of 2726 UTUC patients were identified. We only include patients with ≥ pT2 stage and enrolled 658 patients.

Impact of Adjuvant Chemotherapy on Variant Histology of Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma: A Propensity Score-Matched Cohort Analysis.

Background: The advantage of adjuvant chemotherapy for upper urinary tract urothelial cancer (UTUC) has been reported, whereas its impact on upper tract cancer with variant histology remains unclear. We aimed to answer the abovementioned question with our real-world data.

Design Setting And Participants: Patients who underwent radical nephroureterectomy (RNU) and were confirmed to have variant UTUC were retrospectively evaluated for eligibility of analysis.

Clinical Efficacy of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Advanced Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma (pT3-T4): Real-World Data from the Taiwan Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma Collaboration Group.

The clinical efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) is unclear. We aimed to assess the therapeutic outcomes of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with advanced UTUC (pT3-T4) after radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). We retrospectively reviewed the data of 2108 patients from the Taiwan UTUC Collaboration Group between 1988 and 2018.

Low-Energy Shock Wave Plus Intravesical Instillation of Botulinum Toxin A for Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome: Pathophysiology and Preliminary Result of a Novel Minimally Invasive Treatment.

Low-energy shock wave (LESW) therapy is known to facilitate tissue regeneration with analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. LESW treatment has been demonstrated to be effective in treating chronic prostatitis and pelvic pain syndrome as well as overactive bladder, and it has a potential effect on interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) in humans. LESW reduces pain behavior, downregulates nerve growth factor expression, and suppresses bladder overactivity by decreasing the expression of inflammatory proteins.

Factors Predicting Oncological Outcomes of Radical Nephroureterectomy for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma in Taiwan.

Background: Taiwan is one of the endemic regions where upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) accounts for approximately a third of all urothelial tumors. Owing to its high prevalence, extensive experience has been accumulated in minimally invasive radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). Although a variety of predictive factors have been explored in numerous studies, most of them were on a single-center or limited institutional basis and data from a domestic cohort are lacking.

Impact of Pathology Review in Adverse Histological Characteristics and pT Stages of Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer in a Multicenter Study.

Purpose: Pathology reviews for upper urinary tract cancer (UTUC) remained scarce in the literature. Here, we reported the interobserver variation among the review and local pathologies of featured histologic characteristics for UTUC.

Methods: Patients who underwent definitive surgical treatments for UTUC were retrospectively reviewed for eligibility of pathology review.

Endoscopic management versus radical nephroureterectomy for localized upper tract urothelial carcinoma in a high endemic region.

Our aim was to analyze the clinical and survival differences among patients who underwent the two main treatment modalities, endoscopic ablation and radical nephroureterectomy. This study examined all patients who had undergone endoscopic management and RNU between Jul. 1988 and Mar.

Prognostic Significance of Primary Tumor Location in Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma Treated with Nephroureterectomy: A Retrospective, Multi-Center Cohort Study in Taiwan.

We sought to examine the effect of tumor location on the prognosis of patients with upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) treated with radical nephroureterectomy (RNU). This retrospective study came from the Taiwan UTUC Collaboration Group, which consisted of 2658 patients at 15 institutions in Taiwan from 1988 to 2019. Patients with kidney-sparing management, both renal pelvic and ureteral tumors, as well as patients lacking complete data were excluded; the remaining 1436 patients were divided into two groups: renal pelvic tumor (RPT) and ureteral tumor (UT), with 842 and 594 patients, respectively.

Therapeutic Effects of Botulinum Toxin A, via Urethral Sphincter Injection on Voiding Dysfunction Due to Different Bladder and Urethral Sphincter Dysfunctions.

Botulinum toxin A (BoNT-A) urethral sphincter injections have been applied in treating voiding dysfunction but the treatment outcome is not consistent. This study analyzed treatment outcomes between patients with different bladder and urethral sphincter dysfunctions. Patients with refractory voiding dysfunction due to neurogenic or non-neurogenic etiology were treated with urethral sphincter 100 U BoNT-A injections.

Safety and therapeutic efficacy of mirabegron 25 mg in older patients with overactive bladder and multiple comorbidities.

Aim: The present study assessed the therapeutic efficacy and safety of mirabegron 25 mg in older patients aged ≥80 years with overactive bladder and multiple comorbidities.

Methods: Patients with overactive bladder were prospectively treated with 25 mg of mirabegron once daily. The patients were divided into a younger group (aged 40-60 years) and an older group (aged ≥80 years), and their underlying comorbidities were recorded.

Clinical Outcome of Augmentation Enterocystoplasty for Patients with Ketamine-induced Cystitis.

Background: Ketamine abuse has become a global phenomenon in recent years. Ketamine-induced cystitis (KC) is a new clinical syndrome which can result in severely inflamed bladder and intractable bladder pain. Currently there is no guideline for managing patients with KC.