High carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels indicate poor prognosis in patients with bladder cancer following radical cystectomy.

Introduction: Our team previously reported that elevated carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 levels are associated with a worse prognosis in upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). Several studies have reported a correlation between high tumor burden and elevated CA19-9 levels in urothelial carcinomas. However, no studies have specifically examined the association between CA19-9 levels and outcomes of patients with bladder cancer who underwent radical cystectomy.

Robot-Assisted Open Radical Prostatectomy in the Treatment of Localized Prostate Cancer: 3-Year Results from a Prospective Cohort Study.

Purpose: Radical prostatectomy remains the primary treatment for localized prostate cancer (PCa). Despite its use for over two decades, the benefits of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) remain unclear. We evaluated the surgical, functional, and oncological outcomes between RARP and open radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP).

Real-world Efficacy of Intravesical Gemcitabine for BCG-Unresponsive Non-Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer.

Purpose: This study aimed to report the real-world outcomes of intravesical gemcitabine for bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) -unresponsive, high-risk, non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (HR-NMIBC) in Korean patients who were unable or unwilling to undergo radical cystectomy (RC).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study included 131 patients (median age: 69 years; 89% men) treated with intravesical gemcitabine for BCG-unresponsive HR-NMIBC at nine centers between May 2019 and April 2022. The primary endpoint was 1-year recurrence-free survival (RFS).

Quality of life, socioeconomic impact, and medical consideration of living kidney donors: a comprehensive survey in Korea.

Background: South Korea stands out as a prominent nation relying heavily on living-donor transplants, with a high incidence of living-donor kidney transplants. This study aimed to obtain objective data on the psychological, social, and mental health status of living kidney donors in South Korea.

Methods: A questionnaire was administered to living kidney donors at two tertiary hospitals between June 2020 and November 2020.

Beta-human chorionic gonadotropin, carbohydrate antigen 19-9, cancer antigen 125, and carcinoembryonic antigen as prognostic and predictive biological markers in bladder cancer.

Introduction: We evaluated the prognostic potential of the Beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG), Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 (CA19-9), Cancer Antigen 125 (CA125), and Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) tumor markers for bladder cancer.

Methods: We analyzed the records of 369 patients who underwent radical cystectomy for urothelial cancer (UC) between October 2012 until December 2019. Levels of CA19-9, CA125, CEA, and β-hCG before radical cystectomy were measured in all patient samples, and serum biomarker cutoff values were used as normal and elevated values.

Anesthetic approaches and 2-year recurrence rates in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: a randomized clinical trial.

Background: The effect of anesthesia methods on non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) recurrence post-resection remains uncertain. We aimed to compare the oncological outcomes of spinal anesthesia (SA) and general anesthesia (GA) in patients with NMIBC.

Methods: This prospective randomized controlled trial recruited 287 patients with clinical NMIBC at Seoul National University Hospital from 2018 to 2020.

Weekly versus 2-weekly versus 3-weekly docetaxel to treat metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Background: To compare the efficacy and toxicity of docetaxel treatment regimens in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 162 patients diagnosed with mCRPC who underwent docetaxel chemotherapy between 2009 and 2020. The patients were divided into three groups according to the dosage and interval of docetaxel (DCT) chemotherapy regimen: 30 mL/m weekly, 50 mL/m biweekly (every 2 weeks), and 75 mL/m triweekly (every 3 weeks).

Survival pattern of metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients according to WHO/ISUP grade: a long-term multi-institutional study.

The World Health Organization/International Society of Urological Pathology (WHO/ISUP) grading of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is classified from grade 1-4, regardless of subtype. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines (2022) state that if there is an adverse pathological feature, such as grade 3 or higher RCC in stage 1 patients, more rigorous follow-up imaging is recommended. However, the RCC guidelines do not provide specific treatment or follow-up policies by tumor grade.

Tubular damage marker as a predictive factor for pathologically upstaged renal cell carcinoma.

Purpose: To investigate if increased tubular damage biomarker can predict pathologically upstaged renal cell carcinoma (RCC), which may possess sub-radiologic invasive behavior, leading to surrounding tubular damage.

Materials And Methods: We examined 1563 patients with surgically resected RCC between March 2016 and June 2021 from the prospective database SUPER-RCC-Nx. Exclusion criteria were cancer not originating from the kidneys, benign renal tumor, and end-stage renal disease.

Practical Utility of Liquid Biopsies for Evaluating Genomic Alterations in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

Traditional tissue-based assessments of genomic alterations in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) can be challenging. To evaluate the real-world clinical utility of liquid biopsies for the evaluation of genomic alterations in CRPC, we preemptively collected available plasma samples and archival tissue samples from patients that were being treated for clinically confirmed CRPC. The cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and tumor tissue DNA were analyzed using the AlphaLiquid100-HRR panel.

Clinical features and Surgical Outcome of Clear Cell Papillary Renal Cell Tumor: result from a prospective cohort.

Background: Clear cell papillary renal cell tumor (CCPRCT) was first reported in 2006 a patient with end stage renal disease. After that it was discovered in the kidney without end stage renal disease in the 2010s and started to be mentioned in pathology and urology. The incidence of CCPRCT is low and most of it is discovered incidentally, so there is a lack of reports on clinical characteristics and surgical outcome.

Accuracy of actual stage prediction using Vesical Imaging Reporting and Data System (VI-RADS) before radical cystectomy for urothelial carcinoma in SUPER-UC-Cx.

Background: Previous studies using the Vesical Imaging Reporting and Data System (VI-RADS) to predict muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) had some limitations. Most studies were performed with transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TUR-BT) specimens with few samples. This study was conducted to address these shortcomings and confirm the accuracy of VI-RADS for bladder cancer.

Comparison of functional and oncological outcomes between uterus-sparing radical cystectomy and standard radical cystectomy in females: A retrospective study.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the functional and oncological outcomes of females who underwent uterus-sparing radical cystectomy (USRC) and standard radical cystectomy (SRC).

Materials And Methods: Between February 2009 and December 2020, 90 female patients who underwent radical cystectomy with urinary diversion were included in this study, comprising the USRC and SRC groups. Functional outcomes were assessed in 63 patients who only underwent radical cystectomy with neobladder formation.

Increased urinary B2-microglobulin is associated with poor prognosis of upper tract urothelial carcinoma.

Background: Kidney tubular damage markers are biomarkers of acute or chronic kidney injury. Hypothetically, upper tract urothelial cancer (UTUC), which induces obstructive uropathy or direct invasion of the renal parenchyma, may also induce increased excretion of urinary tubular damage proteins. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the use of tubular damage biomarker as prognostic markers for UTUC.

Acidic urine is associated with poor prognosis in patients with bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy.

Purpose: To assess the prognostic value of acidic urine (low urine pH) in patients with bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy.

Materials And Methods: We reviewed patients enrolled in the Seoul National University Prospectively Enrolled Registry for Urothelial Cancer-Cystectomy (SUPER-UC-Cx) who underwent radical cystectomy for bladder cancer between March 2016 and December 2020 at the Seoul National University Hospital. During this period, 368 patients were registered in our database.

Clinical determinants of recurrence in pTa bladder cancer following transurethral resection of bladder tumor.

Background: Non-muscle invasive bladder cancer can be controlled by transurethral resection of bladder (TURB), but suffers from frequent recurrences in 60-70% of cases. Although, recurrence interval after TURB influences treatment course and prognosis, its implication and risk factors have not been fully elucidated. We evaluated the risk factors of early (within 1 yr) and late (after 1 yr) recurrence of pTa bladder cancer and clinical significance of recurrence interval on disease progression and overall survival.