Acidic urine as a prognostic factor after intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin induction therapy for nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of acidic urine (pH ≤ 5.5) on disease recurrence or progression in patients with nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) undergoing transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) followed by intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) induction therapy.

Methods: A total of 578 patients with intermediate- and high-risk NMIBC who underwent intravesical BCG induction after initial TURBT between May 2003 and April 2021 were included.

Oncological outcomes after radical prostatectomy of localized prostate cancer: stratified by magnetic resonance imaging and risk classification.

Background: We investigated whether combining T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and clinical risk categories improves upon established prognostic indicators of oncological outcomes in prostate cancer.

Methods: Patients who underwent radical prostatectomy, but not preoperative hormone therapy, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy, for localized prostate cancer at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital from October 2007 to April 2016 were included. MRIs were classified according to the Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS).

Whole gland versus partial gland ablation in patients with localized prostate cancer treated by high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation.

Background: Focal therapy is considered one of the treatment options for localized prostate cancer (PCa), particularly for low or very-low-risk patients. In this study, we compared the mid-term oncological outcomes in localized PCa patients treated with high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 237 patients who underwent HIFU for localized PCa.

Biomimetics through bioconjugation of 16-methylheptadecanoic acid to damaged hair for hair barrier recovery.

The primary component of the lipid barrier on human hair, which is essential for defense against aging and environmental stresses, is 18-methyleicosanoic acid (18-MEA), which provides hydrophobic properties and protective benefits. Since 18-MEA cannot be regenerated once damaged, developing technology that can permanently bind alternative materials to hair is critical. Once 18-MEA was removed from hair via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), pentaerythritol tetraisoosterate (PTIS) was hydrolyzed and observed via gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to confirm that it mimicked 18-MEA, and 16-methylheptadecanoic acid (16-MHA) was obtained at pH 4 or lower.

Association between Pentosan Polysulfate and Subsequent Maculopathy: Insights from a Nationwide Population-Based Study in Korea.

Purpose: To determine the association between pentosan polysulfate (PPS) use and the subsequent development of maculopathy in an Asian population.

Design: A nationwide, population-based retrospective cohort study using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service database.

Participants: A total of 103 553 individuals in the PPS user group and 205 792 individuals in the PPS nonuser group, all newly diagnosed with cystitis between 2009 and 2020.

Comparison of the wound healing and complications of zipper type closure adhesive tape and stapler for surgical wound suture: A randomized control, single-centre, open-label trial.

Xkin closure is a newly developed medical suture device for lacerations and surgical wounds that can reduce scarring, pain and the risk of infection compared with conventional sutures or staplers. A randomized controlled study was performed to compare the wound healing effects and complications of Xkin closure with stapler closure. Fifty patients who underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer were randomly assigned.

Association between preradiation therapy prostate-specific antigen levels and radiation therapy failure after prostatectomy: a propensity score matched analysis.

Purpose: We sought to determine the association between the pre-radiation therapy prostate-specific antigen (pre-RT PSA) 0.5 and RT failure in post-radical prostatectomy (post-RP) patients. Our study also investigated the prognostic factors for the failure of RT given concurrently with hormone therapy (HT) after RP.

Propensity score matched analysis of functional outcome in five thousand cases of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy versus high-intensity focused ultrasound.

Background: To evaluate functional outcome after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) and high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation for prostate cancer.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 4,983 RARP and 230 HIFU procedures performed at a single tertiary center. A 1:4 ratio propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to achieve baseline equivalence in age, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, clinical stage, prostate specific antigen (PSA), prostate volume, biopsy grade, and number of positive cores.

Evaluation of the efficiency of transurethral enucleation with bipolar energy according to prostate volume for patients with benign prostate hyperplasia.

Background: This study evaluated the efficiency and safety of transurethral enucleation with bipolar energy (TUEB) using a spatula loop according to prostate volume.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 398 patients who underwent TUEB for benign prostatic hyperplasia at a single tertiary hospital between August 2018 and December 2022. The patients were divided into three groups according to estimated prostate volume (ePV): ≤40 mL (n = 67), 40-80 mL (n = 200), and ≥80 mL (n = 131).

The learning curve for transurethral enucleation with bipolar energy for benign prostate hyperplasia: a single-surgeon experience of 494 patients.

This study was performed to investigate the learning curve of transurethral enucleation with bipolar energy (TUEB) for benign prostatic hyperplasia. The study involved 494 consecutive patients who underwent TUEB for benign prostatic hyperplasia from August 2018 to March 2022 by one surgeon (SJJ, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Korea). The patients were followed up at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively.

Clinical value of prostate health index as an indicator for recommending magnetic resonance imaging in patients with gray-zone prostate-specific antigen level.

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of prostate health index (PHI) as an indicator for recommending magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) gray zone level < 10 ng/mL.

Methods: 443 patients who underwent prostate biopsy (PB) after serum PHI test and MRI between April 2019 and December 2022 were enrolled. For patients with visible lesion on MRI with Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System Score (PI-RADS) ≥ 3, MRI-targeted PB was performed in addition to systematic 12-core PB.

Cytoreductive nephrectomy in the age of immunotherapy-based combination treatment.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) displays a wide spectrum of oncological prognosis and clinical behavior, and is noted for its generally poor outcome in metastatic settings. However, the introduction of immunotherapy after the cytokine era has changed the landscape of treatment for metastatic RCC, outperforming previous targeted therapy and providing new hope for patients with advanced disease. Cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) has been the center of controversy, with questionable survival benefit when compared to systemic therapy.

Germline DNA-Repair Genes and HOXB13 Mutations in Korean Men with Metastatic Prostate Cancer: Data from a Large Korean Cohort.

Purpose: Germline mutations in DNA damage repair (DDR) genes such as have been associated with prostate cancer (PC) risk but has not been thoroughly evaluated for metastatic prostate cancer (mPC) in Asian men. This study attempts to evaluate frequency of DDR mutations in the largest cohort of Koreans.

Materials And Methods: We recruited 340 patients with mPC unselected for family history of cancer and compared to 495 controls.

TNM-Based Head-to-Head Comparison of Urachal Carcinoma and Urothelial Bladder Cancer: Stage-Matched Analysis of a Large Multicenter National Cohort.

Purpose: Outcome analysis of urachal cancer (UraC) is limited due to the scarcity of cases and different staging methods compared to urothelial bladder cancer (UroBC). We attempted to assess survival outcomes of UraC and compare to UroBC after stage-matched analyses.

Materials And Methods: Total 203 UraC patients from a multicenter database and 373 UroBC patients in single institution from 2000 to 2018 were enrolled (median follow-up, 32 months).

Polygenic risk score for tumor aggressiveness and early-onset prostate cancer in Asians.

We attempted to assess the performance of an ethnic-specific polygenic risk score (PRS) designed from a Korean population to predict aggressive prostate cancer (PCa) and early-onset (age < 60). A PRS score comprised of 22 SNPs was computed in 3695 patients gathered from one of 4 tertiary centers in Korea. Males with biopsy or radical prostatectomy-proven PCa were included for analysis, collecting additional clinical parameters such as age, BMI, PSA, Gleason Group (GG), and staging.

Total Intracorporeal Versus Open Bladder Cuffing in Robotic Radical Nephroureterectomy for Upper Tract Urothelial Carcinoma.

Objective: To evaluate a single institution experience of total intracorporeal bladder cuffing and distal ureterectomy (DUBC) in robotic radical nephrouretectomy (RNU) for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC).

Materials And Methods: One hundred sixty-eight patients treated for UTUC with robotic RNU at our institution from May 2009 to October 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Ninety-two patients underwent total intracorporeal DUBC after robotic dock repositioning, whereas 76 patients underwent open methods via Gibson incision.

Possibilities and limitations of using low biomass samples for urologic disease and microbiome research.

With the dogma of sterile urine no longer held as truth, numerous studies have implicated distinct changes in microbial diversity and composition to diseased subgroups in both benign and malignant urological diseases, ranging from overactive bladder to bladder and prostate cancer. Further facilitated by novel and effective techniques of urine culture and sequencing, analysis of the genitourinary microbiome holds high potential to identify biomarkers for disease and prognosis. However, the low biomass of samples included in microbiome studies of the urinary tract challenge researchers to draw definitive conclusions, confounded by technical and procedural considerations that must be addressed.

Temporal changes of PIRADS scoring by radiologists and correlation to radical prostatectomy pathological outcomes.

Purpose: To assess temporal improvement of prostate image reporting and data system (PIRADS) 3-5 lesion correlation to histopathologic findings from radical prostatectomy (RP) in prostate cancer (PCa).

Materials And Methods: A total of 1481 patients who underwent RP for biopsy-proven PCa between 2015 and 2019 were divided into 14 groups of 100 sequential readings for the evaluation of histopathological correlation with PIRADS readings. Temporal trends of PIRADS distribution and predictive performance for RP pathology were evaluated to assess underlying changes in prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) interpretation by radiologists.

Clinical benefits of retrograde bladder filling method prior to catheter removal after TURP for BPH: A prospective randomized trial.

Purpose: To evaluate possible benefits and clinical feasibility of retrograde bladder filling method prior to intra-vesical catheter removal after transurethral prostatectomy (TURP) for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Materials And Methods: Male patients undergoing TURP for BPH from January 2019 to October 2019 were randomized in a 1:1 ratio into either retrograde filling (RF) or spontaneous voiding (SV) methods at a single institution to determine safety and efficacy of RF (NCT04309032), with surgeons blinded to allocation. Perioperative outcomes including postoperative complications were compared between two groups.

The Prostate Health Index and multi-parametric MRI improve diagnostic accuracy of detecting prostate cancer in Asian populations.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Prostate Health Index (PHI) and prostate multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) in predicting prostate cancer (PCa) and clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) during initial prostate biopsy.

Materials And Methods: In total, 343 patients underwent initial prostate biopsy and were screened by use of PHI and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels between April 2019 and July 2021. A subgroup of 232 patients also underwent prostate mpMRI.

A smart, practical, deep learning-based clinical decision support tool for patients in the prostate-specific antigen gray zone: model development and validation.

Objective: Despite efforts to improve screening and early detection of prostate cancer (PC), no available biomarker has shown acceptable performance in patients with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) gray zones. We aimed to develop a deep learning-based prediction model with minimized parameters and missing value handling algorithms for PC and clinically significant PC (CSPC).

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from 18 824 prostate biopsies collected between March 2003 and December 2020 from 2 databases, resulting in 12 739 cases in the PSA gray zone of 2.

Prediction of clinically significant prostate cancer using polygenic risk models in Asians.

Purpose: To develop and evaluate the performance of a polygenic risk score (PRS) constructed in a Korean male population to predict clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa).

Materials And Methods: Total 2,702 PCa samples and 7,485 controls were used to discover csPCa susceptible single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Males with biopsy-proven or post-radical prostatectomy Gleason score 7 or higher were included for analysis.