Jonathan Huang

Elevated preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio may be associated with decreased overall survival in patients with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma undergoing cytoreductive nephrectomy

Objective Inflammatory serum markers have proven to be a powerful predictive tool of patient prognosis in cancer treatment for a wide variety of solid organ malignancies, predominantly in the context of localized disease. In this study we evaluated the preoperative neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as a predictive tool in patients with metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Methods Sixty-four patients with metastatic clear cell RCC undergoing nephrectomy were selected. Only patients with preoperative NLR were included for survival analysis. Patients were categorized into high and low NLR score determined by plotting the NLR ROC curve. Multivariable analysis was performed. Results Median age was 60.8 years (38.2–81.2). Median follow-up time was 8.1 months (0.1–106.3). Fuhrman grade distribution was: 2 (3.1%) grade 1, 6 (9.4%) grade 2, 24 (37.5%) grade 3 and 32 (50.0%) grade 4. Median NLR score was 3.5 (1.4–31.0). NLR ≥ 4 was associated with decreased overall survival compared to NLR < 4 (p = 0.017). Multivariable survival analysis showed NLR ≥ 4 as an independent predictor of survival (Hazard ratio (HR) 2.41, 95%CI 1.05–5.50, p = 0.03). Conclusion Elevated preoperative NLR is associated with poor prognosis in patients with metastatic kidney cancer. Preoperative NLR is a useful tool, which can predict prognosis, stratify patients for postoperative surveillance, and help guide decisions for therapy.

C-reactive protein in urologic cancers

C-reactive protein is an acute-phase reactant that is elevated in the setting of systemic infections, trauma, and malignancies. Urologic cancers have been shown to promote changes in c-reactive protein levels. Pre-treatment serum levels can predict disease characteristics, extent of disease, and prognosticate survival after intervention in renal cell carcinoma, prostate cancer, bladder cancer, upper tract urothelial carcinoma, and penile cancer. Changes in post-treatment serum levels have also shown promise in determining survival. As a result, c-reactive protein has been incorporated into various survival nomograms to improve predictive accuracy. While the association between c-reactive protein and survival in testicular cancer has not been studied, elevated serum levels may correlate with treatment side effects, such as cardiovascular disease and chronic cancer-related fatigue. Understanding the relationship between c-reactive protein and urologic cancers can help physicians determine the appropriate course of treatment and improve patient care.

Prospective multicenter study on robot-assisted laparoscopic extravesical ureteral reimplantation (RALUR-EV): Outcomes and complications

BACKGROUND Robot-assisted laparoscopic extravesical ureteral reimplantation (RALUR-EV) is a minimally invasive alternative to open surgery. We have previously reported retrospective outcomes from our study group, and herein provide an updated prospective analysis with a focus on success rate, surgical technique, and complications among surgeons who have overcome the initial learning curve. OBJECTIVE To assess the safety and efficacy of RALUR-EV in children, among experienced surgeons. DESIGN AND METHODS We reviewed our prospective database of children undergoing RALUR-EV by pediatric urologists at eight academic centers from 2015 to 2017. Radiographic success was defined as absence of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) on postoperative voiding cystourethrogram. Complications were graded using the Clavien scale. Univariate regression analysis was performed to assess for association among various patient and technical factors and radiographic failure. RESULTS In total, 143 patients were treated with RALUR-EV for primary VUR (87 unilateral, 56 bilateral; 199 ureters). The majority of ureters (73.4%) had grade III or higher VUR preoperatively. Radiographic resolution was present in 93.8% of ureters, as shown in the summary table. Ureteral complications occurred in five ureters (2.5%) with mean follow-up of 7.4 months (SD 4.0). Transient urinary retention occurred in four patients following bilateral procedure (7.1%) and in no patients after unilateral. On univariate analysis, there were no patient or technical factors associated with increased odds of radiographic failure. DISCUSSION We report a radiographic success rate of 93.8% overall, and 94.1% among children with grades III-V VUR. In contemporary series, alternate management options such as endoscopic injection and open UR have reported radiographic success rates of 90% and 93.5% respectively. We were unable to identify specific patient or technical factors that influenced outcomes, although immeasurable factors such as tissue handling and intraoperative decision-making could not be assessed. Ureteral complications requiring operative intervention were rare and occurred with the same incidence reported in a large open series. Limitations include lack of long-term follow-up and absence of radiographic follow-up on a subset of patients. CONCLUSIONS Radiographic resolution of VUR following RALUR is on par with contemporary open series, and the incidence of ureteral complications is low. RALUR should be considered as one of several viable options for management of VUR in children.

Surgical Management of Primary Scrotal Cancer

Primary scrotal cancer is a rare urologic malignancy with various histologic subtypes. Management and outcomes are not designed optimally. Surgical excision is the recommended treatment for localized scrotal cancer, with assessment of the margins for disease. Closure of the defect can be performed with primary closure, skin grafts, flaps, or by secondary intention. Analysis of outcomes suggests that high-risk scrotal cancer may have a worse prognosis compared with penile cancer, and low-risk scrotal cancer may have a comparable prognosis. Understanding techniques for management and survival outcomes can help the urologist determine the appropriate course of treatment and improve patient care.

Major histocompatibility complex I upregulation in clear cell renal cell carcinoma is associated with increased survival

Objective To examine the prognostic value of tumor major histocompatibility complex I (MHCI) expression on survival and recurrence in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Methods Fifty-three patients that underwent nephrectomy at our institution for clear cell RCC (T1–T3) with ≥4 years of follow-up were queried from our nephrectomy database. Immunohistochemical staining for MHCI was performed on tumor specimens and MHCI expression was quantified with an automated image analysis technique. Patients were divided into high and low MHCI expression groups in order to study the relationship between MHCI expression and prognosis using the Kaplan–Meier method and log-rank test. Results Overall survival and recurrence free survival were increased in the high MHCI expression group compared to the low MHCI expression group (log-rank, p = 0.036 and p = 0.028, respectively). Patients alive at the end of the study had higher MHCI expression (mean positivity score 0.82) than those that died of disease (mean positivity score 0.76, t test, p = 0.030). Patients that did not develop recurrence during the study period had higher MHCI expression (mean positivity score 0.83) than those that did develop recurrence (mean positivity score 0.78), but this difference was not significant (t test, p = 0.079). Conclusion Our data demonstrate that high MHCI expression confers improved overall and recurrence free survival in patients with clear cell RCC and could serve as an important prognostic tool in identifying high-risk patients.

Management Implications Associated with Unusual Morphologic Entities of the Prostate

Although the vast majority of malignant neoplasms of the prostate clinicians manage are conventional acinar prostatic adenocarcinomas, this chapter will focus exclusively on the management implications associated with unusual morphologic entities involving the prostate gland. This chapter will discuss the management of unusual primary and secondary epithelial tumors of the prostate such as: primary urothelial carcinoma of the prostate, mucin-producing urothelial-type adenocarcinoma (prostatic urethral adenocarcinoma), mucinous adenocarcinoma of the prostate, prostatic ductal adenocarcinoma, intraductal carcinoma of prostate, squamous cell carcinoma, sarcomatoid carcinoma, prostatic carcinoid, small cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, urothelial carcinoma with secondary prostate involvement, and colorectal adenocarcinoma involving the prostate. The management of unusual primary and secondary mesenchymal tumors of the prostate that will be discussed in this chapter include: management of prostatic stromal tumor of uncertain malignant potential, management of gastrointestinal stromal tumor, and management of prostatic stromal sarcoma.

A new inflammatory-based marker prognostic score in a large cohort of patients with localized clear cell renal cell carcinoma

INTRODUCTION: Inflammatory-based Markers Prognosis Score (IMPS) uses erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and Albumin to predict prognosis in patients with localized clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Multiple studies, mostly from outside the USA, have shown that inflammatory markers can predict overall survival (OS) and recurrence in many types of cancers. In this study we evaluate the new preoperative IMPS as a predictive tool in patients with localized ccRCC .

Evaluation of major histocompatibility complex class I expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma as a prognostic tool.

469 Background: After nephrectomy for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) approximately one-third of patients develop metastases. Yet, with currently used prognostic tools such as the TNM staging and the Fuhrman nuclear grade (FNG) system, it is difficult to accurately assess prognosis for each patient. Here, we evaluated Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I (MHCI) expression as a potential prognostic immune marker in ccRCC. Methods: Fifty-five post-nephrectomy patients that presented with localized ccRCC were included. All patients had four or more years of follow up. MHCI was stained in the tumor sections via immunohistochemistry. Then, via an automated image analysis algorithm MHCI expression was quantitated with the Positivity score, the ratio of positively stained pixels over the total number of pixels. Results: Mean MHCI positivity score of the cohort was 0.75 (SE= ±0.20). At the end of the follow-up period, the patients who were alive had higher MHCI expression (0.80 positivity score; SE ±0...