Suzanne B. Stewart

Comparison of partial nephrectomy and percutaneous ablation for cT1 renal masses.

BACKGROUND Partial nephrectomy (PN) is a preferred treatment for cT1 renal masses, whereas thermal ablation represents an alternative nephron-sparing option, albeit with higher reported rates of recurrence. OBJECTIVE To review our experience with PN, percutaneous radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and percutaneous cryoablation for cT1 renal masses. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A total of 1803 patients with primary cT1N0M0 renal masses treated between 2000 and 2011 were identified from the prospectively maintained Mayo Clinic Renal Tumor Registry. INTERVENTION PN compared with percutaneous ablation. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Local recurrence-free, metastases-free, and overall survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with log-rank tests. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS Of the 1424 cT1a patients, 1057 underwent PN, 180 underwent RFA, and 187 underwent cryoablation. In this cohort, local recurrence-free survival was similar among the three treatments (p=0.49), whereas metastases-free survival was significantly better after PN (p=0.005) and cryoablation (p=0.021) when compared with RFA. Of the 379 cT1b patients, 326 patients underwent PN, and 53 patients were managed with cryoablation (8 RFA patients were excluded). In this cohort, local recurrence-free survival (p=0.81) and metastases-free survival (p=0.45) were similar between PN and cryoablation. In both the cT1a and cT1b groups, PN patients were significantly younger, with lower Charlson scores and had superior overall survival (p<0.001 for all). Limitations include retrospective review and selection bias. CONCLUSIONS In a large cohort of sporadic cT1 renal masses, we observed that recurrence-free survival was similar for PN and percutaneous ablation patients. Metastases-free survival was superior for PN and cryoablation patients when compared with RFA for cT1a patients. Overall survival was superior after PN, likely because of selection bias. If these results were validated, an update to clinical guidelines would be warranted. PATIENT SUMMARY Partial nephrectomy and percutaneous ablation for small (<7-cm) and localized renal masses are associated with similar rates of local recurrence.

Sarcopenia in patients with bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy: Impact on cancer‐specific and all‐cause mortality

The authors evaluated sarcopenia as a predictor of cancer‐specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) among patients with urothelial cancer of the bladder undergoing radical cystectomy (RC).

Evaluation of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and American Urological Association Renal Cell Carcinoma Surveillance Guidelines

PURPOSE The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) and American Urological Association (AUA) provide guidelines for surveillance after surgery for renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Herein, we assess the ability of the guidelines to capture RCC recurrences and determine the duration of surveillance required to capture 90%, 95%, and 100% of recurrences. PATIENTS AND METHODS We evaluated 3,651 patients who underwent surgery for M0 RCC between 1970 and 2008. Patients were stratified as AUA low risk (pT1Nx-0) after partial (LR-partial) or radical nephrectomy (LR-radical) or as moderate/high risk (M/HR; pT2-4Nx-0/pTanyN1). Guidelines were assessed by calculating the percentage of recurrences detected when following the 2013 and 2014 NCCN and AUA recommendations, and associated Medicare costs were compared. RESULTS At a median follow-up of 9.0 years (interquartile range, 5.7 to 14.4 years), a total of 1,088 patients (29.8%) experienced a recurrence. Of these, 390 recurrences (35.9%) were detected using 2013 NCCN recommendations, 742 recurrences (68.2%) were detected using 2014 NCCN recommendations, and 728 recurrences (66.9%) were detected using AUA recommendations. All protocols missed the greatest amount of recurrences in the abdomen and among pT1Nx-0 patients. To capture 95% of recurrences, surveillance was required for 15 years for LR-partial, 21 years for LR-radical, and 14 years for M/HR patients. Medicare surveillance costs for one LR-partial patient were

Radical prostatectomy in high-risk and locally advanced prostate cancer: Mayo Clinic perspective

1,228.79 using 2013 NCCN,

Mortality after Radical Cystectomy: Impact of Obesity Versus Adiposity after Adjusting for Skeletal Muscle Wasting

2,131.52 using 2014 NCCN, and

The association between metformin use and oncologic outcomes among surgically treated diabetic patients with localized renal cell carcinoma

1,738.31 using AUA guidelines. However, if 95% of LR-partial recurrences were captured, costs would total

Clinical and radiographic predictors of the need for inferior vena cava resection during nephrectomy for patients with renal cell carcinoma and caval tumour thrombus

9,856.82. CONCLUSION If strictly followed, the 2014 NCCN and AUA guidelines will miss approximately one third of RCC recurrences. Improved surveillance algorithms, which balance patient benefits and health care costs, are needed.

Gleason grading after neoadjuvant hormonal therapy retains prognostic value for systemic progression following radical prostatectomy

PURPOSE Men diagnosed with high-risk prostate cancer represent the cohort of prostate cancer patients at greatest risk for subsequent disease-specific mortality. Unfortunately, however, the classification of high-risk tumors remains imprecise and heterogeneous. There has been a historical reluctance to offer such patients aggressive local treatment, and considerable debate exists regarding the optimal management in this setting. METHODS We present here our institutional experience, as well as data from several other centers, with radical prostatectomy for high-risk tumors. RESULTS We discuss that surgery affords accurate pathological staging, thereby improving the identification of patients for secondary therapies. Moreover, prostatectomy not only provides durable local disease control but in addition numerous contemporary surgical series in high-risk patients have shown radical prostatectomy to be associated with excellent long-term cancer-specific survival. Further, although studies comparing surgical and radiotherapy modalities in high-risk prostate patients have been wrought with methodological challenges, consistently these observational studies have found equivalent to improved oncologic outcomes when surgery is utilized as the primary treatment. CONCLUSIONS Herein, we review the advantages, long-term outcomes, and technique of surgery for high-risk prostate cancer.

Reply to Pascal Mouracade's Letter to the Editor re: R. Houston Thompson, Tom Atwell, Grant Schmit, et al. Comparison of Partial Nephrectomy and Percutaneous Ablation for cT1 Renal Masses. Eur Urol 2015;67:252–9

PURPOSE We assess the impact of obesity, as measured conventionally by body mass index vs excess adiposity as measured by fat mass index, on mortality after radical cystectomy for bladder cancer, adjusting for the presence of skeletal muscle wasting. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective cohort study included 262 patients treated with radical cystectomy for bladder cancer between 2000 and 2008 at the Mayo Clinic. Lumbar skeletal muscle and adipose compartment areas were measured on preoperative imaging. Overall survival was compared according to gender specific consensus fat mass index and skeletal muscle index thresholds as well as conventional body mass index based criteria. Predictors of all cause mortality were assessed by multivariable modeling. RESULTS Increasing body mass index correlated with improved overall survival (p=0.03) while fat mass index based obesity did not (p=0.08). After stratification by sarcopenia, no obesity related 5-year overall survival benefit was observed (68% vs 51.4%, p=0.2 obese vs normal and 40% vs 37.4%, p=0.7 sarcopenia vs sarcopenic/obese). On multivariable analysis class I obesity according to body mass index (HR 0.79, p=0.33) or fat mass index criteria (HR 0.85, p=0.45) was not independently associated with all cause mortality after adjusting for sarcopenia (HR 1.7, p=0.01) as well as age, performance status, pTN stage and smoking status. However, in patients with normal lean muscle mass each 1 kg/m(2) increase in weight or adipose mass was associated with a 7% to 14% decrease in all cause mortality. CONCLUSIONS After adjusting for lean muscle wasting, neither measurements of obesity nor adiposity were significantly associated with all cause mortality in patients treated with radical cystectomy, although subanalyses suggest a potential benefit among those with normal lean muscle mass.

Reply to Homayoun Zargar, Rafael F. Coelho and Jihad H. Kaouk's letter to the editor re: R. Houston Thompson, Tom Atwell, Grant Schmit, et al. Comparison of partial nephrectomy and percutaneous ablation for cT1 renal masses. Eur Urol 2015;67:252-9

INTRODUCTION Metformin inhibits renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo; however, clinical data regarding the effect of metformin in patients with RCC are lacking. We evaluated the association of metformin use with outcomes among patients with surgically treated localized RCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS We identified 283 consecutive diabetic patients treated surgically for localized RCC between January 1, 1994 and December 31, 2008. Clinicopathologic features were compared between patients exposed to metformin (n = 83, 29%) and those who were not (n = 200, 71%). Progression-free, cancer-specific, and overall survival rates were estimated with the Kaplan-Meier analysis, and Cox models were used to evaluate the association of metformin use with outcomes. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Patients receiving metformin had a better renal function (median estimated glomerular filtration rate = 65 vs. 55 ml/min/1.73 m(2), P<0.001), performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group<1: 89% vs. 71%, P = 0.001), and lower Charlson comorbidity index (median = 2 vs. 3, P = 0.02) compared with those who did not, but were otherwise similar across other clinicopathologic features (P>0.05 for all). At a median postoperative follow-up of 8.1 years, patients exposed to metformin had similar 5-year progression-free (80% vs. 75%, P = 0.6) and cancer-specific survival rates (91% vs. 81%, P = 0.16), but significantly improved overall survival rate (79% vs. 62%, P = 0.01). However, metformin was not independently associated with the risks of progression, RCC-specific mortality, or all-cause mortality on multivariable analyses. In this surgical cohort of diabetic patients with M0 RCC, preoperative metformin exposure was associated with improved overall survival on unadjusted analysis. Although metformin was not independently associated with oncologic or survival outcomes, future studies appear warranted.