Laura Crocitto

Perioperative Complications of Laparoscopic and Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy

PURPOSE While it remains controversial whether LRP or da Vinci RAP offers any advantages over radical retropubic prostatectomy, LRP and RAP are being used more frequently. We reviewed our experience with these minimally invasive techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS We reviewed intraoperative and early postoperative complications of 358 LRPs performed from October 2000 to January 2003 with those of 322 RAPs performed from June 2003 to June 2004. The transperitoneal approach with bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection was performed using each technique. Data acquisition was done independently of the 3 surgeons. RESULTS The LRP and RAP groups had similar clinical characteristics in terms of patient race, body mass index, prostate specific antigen, risk group, and pathological tumor grade and stage. Median operative time and estimated blood loss for LRP and RAP were 4.1 and 3.1 hours, and 200 and 250 ml, respectively. No blood transfusions were given intraoperatively, although 8 patients with LRP (2.2%) and 5 with RAP (1.6%) were transfused postoperatively. Of the LRP and RAP patients 21 (5.9%) and 3 (0.3%), respectively, experienced intraoperative complications. Postoperatively 48 patients with LRP (13.4%) and 24 with RAP (6.8%) experienced urine leakage, while 19 with LRP (5.3%) and 9 with RAP (2.8%) had ileus. There were no deaths, myocardial infarctions, pulmonary emboli or cerebrovascular accidents. CONCLUSIONS In our series surgeon experience derived from LRP may contribute to the lower complication rate and operative time of RAP. Dissemination of surgical technique and management of complications may lead to improved perioperative LRP and RAP morbidity. However, the morbidity of these 2 approaches compares favorably with that of radical retropubic prostatectomy.

Performance of a Single Assay for Both Type III and Type VI TMPRSS2:ERG Fusions in Noninvasive Prediction of Prostate Biopsy Outcome

BACKGROUND TMPRSS2:ERG fusions are promising prostate cancer biomarkers. Because they can occur in multiple forms in a single cancer specimen, we developed a quantitative PCR test that detects both type III and type VI TMPRSS2:ERG fusions. The assay is quantified from a standard curve determined with a plasmid-cloned type III TMPRSS2:ERG fusion target. METHODS We collected expressed prostatic secretion (EPS) under an institutional review board-approved, blinded, prospective study from 74 patients undergoing transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy for prostate cancer. We compared the characteristic performance of the test for type III and type VI TMPRSS2:ERG fusions in predicting biopsy outcome and distinguishing between high and low Gleason scores with similar tests for the expression of PCA3 and DNA methylation levels of the APC, RARB, RASSF1, and GSTP1 genes. We used logistic regression to analyze the effects of multiple biomarkers in linear combinations. RESULTS Each test provided a significant improvement in characteristic performance over baseline digital rectal examination (DRE) plus serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA); however, the test for type III and type VI TMPRSS2:ERG fusions yielded the best performance in predicting biopsy outcome [area under the curve (AUC) 0.823, 95% CI 0.728-0.919, P < 0.001] and Gleason grade >7 (AUC 0.844, 95% CI 0.740-0.948, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Although each test appears to have diagnostic value, PSA plus DRE plus type III and type VI TMPRSS2:ERG provided the best diagnostic performance in EPS specimens.

Biomarker identification with ligand-targeted nucleoprotein assemblies.

AIMS Since many biomarkers of both the tumor and its microenvironment are expected to involve differential expression of divalent proteins capable of protein or peptide ligand interaction, we are developing multivalent nanodevices for the identification of biomarkers in prostate cancer. PATIENTS & METHODS We compared a multivalent thioredoxin-targeted nanodevice with monovalent thioredoxin in binding to human prostate cell line(s) and freshly frozen tissue specimens obtained after resection from patients with biopsy-proven prostate cancer. CONCLUSION The nanodevice binds specifically with enhanced avidity to tumor microenvironment-associated stromal cells in prostate cancer tissue specimens. Cells that bind the nanodevice also reacted with antibodies to dimeric thioredoxin reductases 1 and 2, suggesting the utility of the nanodevice as a potentially specific and functional marker of tumor stromal cells.

A Prospective Report of Changes in Prostate Cancer Related Quality of Life After Robotic Prostatectomy

In this prospective, longitudinal study the authors examined changes in cognitive, emotional, and interpersonal components of prostate cancer-related quality of life in 71 men who underwent robotic-assisted prostatectomy for prostate cancer. They identified significant changes across several quality-of-life domains from presurgery to 3-months and 1-year postsurgery. Although some components of quality of life returned to baseline by one year postsurgery, decrements in sexual intimacy, sexual confidence, and masculine self-esteem were enduring. These data can be used to guide patients in their expectations for quality of life following robotic prostatectomy and highlight the need for multidisciplinary approaches aimed at improving mens sexual adjustment after this procedure.

Critical Analysis of Hospital Readmission and Cost Burden After Robot-Assisted Radical Cystectomy

OBJECTIVE To examine the occurrence and cost burden of hospital readmission within 90 days of robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC). Subjects/Patients (or Materials) and Methods: From 2003 to 2012, 247 patients underwent RARC with extracorporeal urinary reconstruction at a single categorical cancer hospital. Continent diversions were performed in 67% of patients. All readmissions within 90 days were included. Readmissions were defined as early (<30 days) and late (31-90 days) with multiple readmissions captured as separate events. Cost analysis was performed using average direct hospital cost. The Fisher exact test was used to determine differences in proportion of readmissions between patient groups, while logistic regression was used to identify predictors for readmission. RESULTS Ninety-eight (40%) patients were readmitted to the hospital at least once within 90 days after RARC, of which 77% occurred within 30 days. Twenty-seven (11%) required two or more readmissions. Readmissions took place at a median of 13 days after initial discharge. The most common reasons for initial readmission were infections (41%) and dehydration (19%). Stratified by urinary reconstruction type, ileal conduit (dehydration), Indiana pouch (urinary-tract infection without sepsis), and Studer neobladder (sepsis and pelvic abscess) differed by readmission reason. In a multivariable analysis, estimated blood loss was a predictor for readmission (p = 0.05). Patients readmitted to the hospital had direct costs that were 1.42× those who did not require readmission. Readmissions for ileus contributed to the highest cost of readmission, although ureteral stricture, pelvic abscess, and sepsis were the most costly per day of hospitalization. Limitations include retrospective analysis as well as variable thresholds for readmission and costs. CONCLUSIONS Hospital readmission rates after RARC are high and costs of readmission are significant. Most patients are readmitted within 30 days and infection and dehydration are common causes. Clinicians should be aware of diversion-specific readmission causes.

Construction of ordered protein arrays.

Artificially ordered protein arrays provide a facile approach to a variety of problems in biology and nanoscience. Current demonstration systems use either nucleic acid tethers or methyltransferase fusions in order to target proteins or peptides of interest to nucleic acid scaffolds. These demonstrations point to the large number of useful devices and assemblies that can be envisioned using this approach, including smart biological probes and drug delivery systems. In principle, these systems are now capable of imitating the earliest forms of prebiotic organisms and can be expected to reach the complexity of a small virus in the near future. Third-generation methyltransferase inhibitors provide an example of a smart chemotherapeutics that can be constructed with this approach. We describe the use of mechanistic enzymology, computer-aided design, and microfluidic chip-based capillary electrophoresis in assessing the final assembly and testing of designs of this type.