Systematic review of complications of prostate biopsy

Optimal PSA density threshold for prostate biopsy in benign prostatic obstruction patients with elevated PSA levels but negative MRI findings

PURPOSE

This study was designed to identify a useful clinical parameter or model for prostate biopsy in surgery-indicated benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) patients with elevated PSA levels and negative multiparametric prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) results.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed clinical and pathological data from patients who were diagnosed with BPH and admitted to the inpatient department for surgery between January 2010 and September 2020. Clinical data, including age, prostate specific antigen (PSA) level, F/T PSA ratio, prostate volume, and PSA density (PSAD), were used for comprehensive analysis. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to develop a predictive model. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and decision curve analysis (DCA) were performed to assess the diagnostic value of the predictive model, PSA concentration, F/T PSA ratio and PSAD.

RESULTS

A total of 318 patients were included in the study, 8.2% (26/318) of whom were histologically diagnosed with prostate cancer (PCa). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that PSAD was the only independent predictor of PCa biopsy. ROC curve analysis of PCa detection revealed a larger area under the curve (AUC) for the predictive model (AUC 0.855) and for PSAD (AUC 0.848) than for PSA (AUC 0.722) or the F/T PSA ratio (AUC 0.635). DCA demonstrated that the optimal strategy would be to restrict biopsies to men with a PSAD of 0.30 ng/ml/cm3.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggested that for BPH patients with surgical indications who present with PSA abnormalities and negative imaging findings, the use of a new PSAD threshold of 0.30 ng/ml/cm3 could facilitate convenient and sound biopsy decisions. This approach could reduce the complications and length of hospital stay associated with biopsies and reduce hospital costs.

Evaluation of blood and urine based biomarkers for detection of clinically-significant prostate cancer

BACKGROUND

Recognizing the limitations of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening and the morbidity of prostate biopsies, several blood- and urine-based biomarkers have been proposed for pre-biopsy risk stratification. These assays aim to reduce the frequency of unnecessary biopsies (i.e., negative or Grade Group 1 [GG1]) while maintaining highly sensitive detection of clinically significant cancer (GG ≥ 2) prostate cancer.

METHODS

We reviewed the literature describing the use of currently available blood- and urine-based biomarkers for detection of GG ≥ 2 cancer, including the Prostate Health Index (PHI), 4Kscore, MyProstateScore (MPS), SelectMDx, ExoDx Prostate Intelliscore (EPI), and IsoPSA. To facilitate clinical application, we focused on the use of biomarkers as a post-PSA secondary test prior to biopsy, as proposed in clinical guidelines. Our outcomes included test performance measures-sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value (NPV), and positive predictive value (PPV)-as well as clinical outcomes resulting from biomarker use (i.e., unnecessary biopsies avoided, GG ≥ 2 cancers missed).

RESULTS

Contemporary validation data (2015-2023) reveal that currently available biomarkers provide ~15-50% specificity at a sensitivity of 90-95% for GG ≥ 2 PCa. Clinically, this indicates that secondary use of biomarker testing in men with elevated PSA could allow for avoidance of up to 15-50% of unnecessary prostate biopsies, while preserving detection of 90-95% of GG ≥ 2 cancers that would be detected under the traditional "biopsy all" approach.

CONCLUSIONS

The contemporary literature further supports the proposed role of post-PSA biomarker testing to reduce the use of invasive biopsy while maintaining highly sensitive detection of GG ≥ 2 cancer. Questions remain regarding the optimal application of biomarkers in combination or in sequence with mpMRI.

Combination of intrarectal heated lidocaine gel and periprostatic nerve block for pain control during transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy: A prospective randomized trial

PURPOSE

To investigate the role of combined periprostatic nerve block (PNB) and intrarectal local anesthesia with heated lidocaine gel (ILAHL) in reducing pain during transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsy, compared with PNB alone.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a prospective randomized trial with 140 participants who underwent systematic TRUS-guided, 12-core prostate biopsy from July 2021 to June 2022. These participants were divided into two groups. Before prostate biopsy, group 1 (n=70) received PNB and group 2 (n=70) received PNB combined intrarectal local anesthesia with 20 mL of heated (40℃) 2% lidocaine gel. The primary outcome was pain score on a 0-10 visual analogue scale (VAS) at four time points (VAS A: during local anesthesia procedure, VAS B: during probe insertion, VAS C: during biopsy procedure, VAS D: 30 minutes after biopsy). The secondary outcome included adverse events during and after the procedure.

RESULTS

Mean pain scores were significantly lower in group 2 than in group 1 at VAS A (2.53 vs. 1.60, p=0.001) and VAS B (2.47 vs. 1.49, p<0.001). The mean VAS C pain score in group 2 was significantly less than in group 1 (3.07 vs. 2.20, p=0.001), while there was no significant difference in the mean VAS D pain score between two groups (1.06 vs. 0.89, p=0.318). There were no significant differences in the occurrence of complications in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of PNB and ILAHL provides more effective pain control than PNB alone without increase of complication rates in patients undergoing TRUS-guided prostate biopsy.

Is there a role of PSMA-PET in focal therapy planning and follow-up?

INTRODUCTION

Focal therapy (FT) is a promising alternative to radical treatments for localized Prostate Cancer (PCa) in selected patients. However, it is not yet considered a standard treatment option, and there is currently no consensus on managing patients after FT. In this context, Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen Positron Emission Tomography (PSMA-PET) may support multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) for both pre-operative planning and follow-up. The aim of this systematic review was to provide a comprehensive overview of the current applications of PSMA-PET in the field of FT and to analyze its future perspectives.

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

A literature search was performed using PubMed and Scopus databases, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement recommendations. All studies reporting data on PSMA-PET performed before and/or after FT for PCa were included. A narrative synthesis was employed to summarize the review findings. No quantitative synthesis was performed due to the heterogeneity and limitations of the studies.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

Seven studies (2 case reports, 1 retrospective, and 4 prospective single-center studies) were included in this review. A moderate-severe risk of bias was assessed for the included studies. In the field of FT, PSMA-PET showed promising but yet not validated results with several possible applications: (1) pre-operative planning and staging, aiming to improve patient selection trough the identification of intraprostatic suspected lesions and more accurate local and systemic staging; (2) guidance for biopsy and Region of Interest (ROI) definition; (3) follow-up imaging tool, aiming to decrease the number of unnecessary surveillance biopsies.

CONCLUSIONS

Limited evidence exists regarding the use of PSMA-PET in the field of FT, considering pre-operative setting, treatment guidance and its use as a non-invasive tool to evaluate treatment success or failure and for follow-up. In this scenario, even if the current evidence is still limited and inconclusive, PSMA-PET showed promising results with several possible applications.

Reducing infectious complications and healthcare costs in transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy with single-dose cefmetazole and levofloxacin

INTRODUCTION

Fluoroquinolones (FQ) are currently the first choice as prophylactics for transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUS-PBx). However, infections caused by FQ-resistant or extended-spectrum β-lactamase producing Escherichia coli remain a significant concern. Although cefmetazole (CMZ) is effective against these resistant E. coli strains, there are only a few reports on its use in TRUS-PBx. We investigated the efficacy of antimicrobial prophylaxis (AP) for TRUS-PBx using intravenous CMZ and oral levofloxacin (LVFX).

METHODS

This single-center retrospective observational before-and-after study was conducted between January 2014 and December 2023 at Komaki City Hospital, Japan. The incidence of febrile urinary tract infection (UTI), urosepsis, bacteremia, readmission, abscess, and healthcare-related costs after TRUS-PBx were compared between individuals who received a single dose of intravenous cefazolin (CEZ) and oral LVFX and those who received single doses of intravenous CMZ and oral LVFX. The risk factors for post-TRUS-PBx febrile UTI were analyzed using multivariable logistic analysis.

RESULTS

The incidence of febrile UTI after TRUS-PBx was 0.77% (9/1,168) in the CEZ+LVFX group and 0.20% (2/1,008) in the CMZ+LVFX group. Complications such as urosepsis (5 cases), bacteremia (3 cases), abscess (2 cases), and readmission (3 cases) were observed only in the CEZ+LVFX group. Multivariable analysis indicated that the use of CMZ+LVFX significantly decreased febrile UTI after TRUS-PBx (odds ratio: 0.20, 95% confidence interval: 0.04-0.98, P = 0.047). CMZ+LVFX use reduced healthcare-related costs by JPY 975.5 (USD 6.8) per TRUS-PBx compared to CEZ+LVFX.

CONCLUSIONS

Empirical AP with CMZ+LVFX before TRUS-PBx reduced the incidence of infectious complications and healthcare-related costs.

Prevention of infectious complications after transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy: comparison of povidone-iodine, chlorhexidine, and formalin disinfection

PURPOSE

We aimed to compare the efficacy of three different antiseptic methods to determine the most effective prophylactic approach to prevent infectious complications after transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUS-PB). The methods evaluated were transrectal povidone-iodine injection (TRPI), biopsy needle disinfection with chlorhexidine, and biopsy needle disinfection with formalin.

METHODS

Between January 2018 and January 2023, 904 patients who underwent TRUS-PB were retrospectively analyzed. All patients had prophylactic antibiotic use and negative urine/rectal culture results. Patients were divided into three groups according to the antiseptic protocol: Group 1 (n = 245) received only TRPI injection into the rectum before biopsy, Group 2 (n = 295) received only chlorhexidine needle disinfection before biopsy, and Group 3 (n = 364) received only formalin needle disinfection before biopsy. The biopsy needles used in our clinic are not single-use and are used on other patients after sterilization. The primary endpoint was the incidence of infectious complications within 30 days post-procedure. Continuous variables were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test, while categorical variables were analyzed using the Chi-square test, and post-hoc analysis was applied for pairwise comparisons between groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate factors associated with postoperative infection.

RESULTS

The overall infection rate was 20.4%. Infection rates were 4.5% in the TRPI group, 16.6% in the chlorhexidine group, and 34.1% in the formalin group (p < 0.001). The TRPI group showed significantly lower rates of all infectious complications compared to other groups. Disinfection of biopsy needles with chlorhexidine was found to be significantly more effective in preventing infectious complications compared to disinfection with formalin (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

TRPI injection before TRUS-PB appears to be more effective in preventing post-biopsy infectious complications compared to needle disinfection with chlorhexidine or formalin. This method may be considered as a preferred antiseptic approach for TRUS-PB procedures.

Reprint of: Avoiding "Needless" nephrectomy: What is the role of small renal mass biopsy in 2024?

Current guidelines do not mandate routine preoperative renal mass biopsy (RMB) for small renal masses (SRMs), which results in a considerable rate (18%-26%) of needless nephrectomy/partial nephrectomy for benign renal tumors. In light of this ongoing practice, a narrative review was conducted to examine the role of routine RMB for SRM. First, arguments justifying the current non-biopsy approach to SRM are critically reviewed and contested. Second, as a standalone procedure, RMB is critically assessed; RMB was found to have higher sensitivity, specificity, and an equal or lower complication rate when compared with other commonly preoperatively biopsied solid organ tumors (e.g., breast, prostate, lung, pancreas, thyroid, and liver). Based on the foregoing information, we propose a paradigm shift in SRM management, advocating for an updated policy in which partial nephrectomy or nephrectomy for SRM invariably occurs only after a preoperative biopsy confirms that a SRM is indeed malignant.

The accuracy of fluorine 18-labelled prostate-specific membrane antigen PET/CT and MRI for diagnosis of prostate cancer in PSA grey zone

BACKGROUND

The diagnostic utility of prostate biopsy is limited for prostate cancer (PCa) in the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) grey zone. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic performance of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) and prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PSMA PET/CT) for PSA grey zone PCa and clinically significant PCa (csPCa).

METHODS

A total of 82 patients with PSA levels ranging from 4 to 10 ng/mL who underwent 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT, mpMRI, and prostate biopsy were prospectively enrolled. For 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT and mpMRI in detecting PCa and csPCa, sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) were assessed using biopsy histology as the standard.

RESULTS

18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT demonstrated better diagnostic performance for PCa than mpMRI (AUC 0.81 vs. 0.63, P = 0.02). 11.0% of patients with PI-RADS 3-5 had no PCa on biopsy, of whom 77.8% were correctly differentiated by 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT. Combined 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT + mpMRI improved sensitivity (92.5% vs. 73.6%) and negative predictive value (NPV, 78.9% vs. 53.3%) compared with mpMRI alone.

CONCLUSIONS

18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT outperformed mpMRI for detecting PCa in the grey zone level of PSA. 18F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT in combination with mpMRI has additional improvement in sensitivity and NPV for csPCa detection.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

NCT05958004, 2024-07.

Exploring the role of multimodal [18F]F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT and multiparametric MRI data in predicting ISUP grading of primary prostate cancer

PURPOSE

The study explores the role of multimodal imaging techniques, such as [18F]F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT and multiparametric MRI (mpMRI), in predicting the ISUP (International Society of Urological Pathology) grading of prostate cancer. The goal is to enhance diagnostic accuracy and improve clinical decision-making by integrating these advanced imaging modalities with clinical variables. In particular, the study investigates the application of few-shot learning to address the challenge of limited data in prostate cancer imaging, which is often a common issue in medical research.

METHODS

This study conducted a retrospective analysis of 341 prostate cancer patients enrolled between 2019 and 2023, with data collected from five imaging modalities: [18F]F-PSMA-1007 PET, CT, Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI), T2 Weighted Imaging (T2WI), and Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC). The study compared the performance of five single-modality data sets, PET/CT dual-modality fusion data, mpMRI tri-modality fusion data, and five-modality fusion data within deep learning networks, analyzing how different modalities impact the accuracy of ISUP grading prediction. To address the issue of limited data, a few-shot deep learning network was employed, enabling training and cross-validation with only a small set of labeled samples. Additionally, the results were compared with those from preoperative biopsies and clinical prediction models to further assess the reliability of the experimental findings.

RESULTS

The experimental results demonstrate that the multimodal model (combining [18F]F-PSMA-1007 PET/CT and multiparametric MRI) significantly outperforms other models in predicting ISUP grading of prostate cancer. Meanwhile, both the PET/CT dual-modality and mpMRI tri-modality models outperform the single-modality model, with comparable performance between the two multimodal models. Furthermore, the experimental data confirm that the few-shot learning network introduced in this study provides reliable predictions, even with limited data.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the potential of applying multimodal imaging techniques (such as PET/CT and mpMRI) in predicting ISUP grading of prostate cancer. The findings suggest that this integrated approach can enhance the accuracy of prostate cancer diagnosis and contribute to more personalized treatment planning. Furthermore, incorporating few-shot learning into the model development process allows for more robust predictions despite limited data, making this approach highly valuable in clinical settings with sparse data.

Efficacy of Prostate Biopsies via Transperineal and Transrectal Routes for Significant Prostate Cancer Detection: A Multicenter Paired-Matched Study

Background: A transperineal approach to prostate biopsy is now recommended to reduce the risk of infectious complications associated with the transrectal route. Our aim is to compare the efficacy of transrectal- and transperineal-guided biopsies involving the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of index lesions in detecting significant prostate cancer (sPCas), and to evaluate the role of systematic biopsies. Methods: In a prospective and multicenter trial conducted in an opportunistic early detection program for sPCa in Catalonia (Spain), between 2021 and 2023, 4029 men suspected of having PCa underwent multiparametric MRI followed by guided and systematic biopsies. From this cohort, we retrospectively selected 1376 men with reports of the size and localization of their index lesions. A matched group of 325 pairs of men subjected to transrectal and transperineal biopsy were chosen to account for confounding variables. We compared sPCa detection rates determined via index lesions and systematic biopsies, as well as by lesion localization. Results: Transperineal and transrectal biopsies detected sPCa in 49.5% vs. 40.6% overall (p = 0.027), 44.6% vs. 30.8% from index lesions (p = 0.001), and 24.3% vs. 35.1% from systematic biopsies (p = 0.003). SPCa detection rates were higher in transperineal biopsies across all index lesion localizations, with significant increases in the anterior zone (47.8% vs. 20.8% at the mid-base, p = 0.039, and 52.9% vs. 24.2% at the apex, p = 0.024) and central zone (33.3% vs. 5.9%, p = 0.003). With regards to SPCa detected only in systematic biopsies, 10.5% of cases were detected in transrectal biopsies and 4.9% of cases were detected in transperineal biopsies (p = 0.012). Conclusions: Targeted biopsies conducted via the transperineal route showed higher sPCa detection rates than transrectal biopsies, particularly for anterior and apical lesions, with systematic biopsies showing reduced utility.

Retrospectively Quantified T2 Improves Detection of Clinically Significant Peripheral Zone Prostate Cancer

BACKGROUND

Multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) as a non-invasive imaging tool is important in prostate cancer (PCa) detection and localization. Combined with radiomics analysis, features extracted from mpMRI have been utilized to predict PCa aggressiveness. T2 mapping provides quantitative information in PCa diagnoses but is not routinely available in clinical practice. Previous work from our group developed a deep learning-based method to estimate T2 maps from clinically acquired T1- and T2-weighted images. This study aims to evaluate the added value of the estimated T2 map by combining it with conventional T2-weighted images for detecting clinically significant PCa (csPCa).

METHODS

An amount of 76 peripheral zone prostate lesions, including clinically significant and insignificant cases, were retrospectively analyzed. Radiomic features were extracted from conventional T2-weighted images and deep learning-estimated T2 maps, followed by feature selection and model development using five-fold cross-validation. Logistic regression and Gaussian Process classifiers were employed to develop the prediction models, with performance evaluated by area under the curve (AUC) and accuracy metrics.

RESULTS

The model incorporating features from both T2-weighted images and estimated T2 maps achieved an AUC of 0.803, significantly outperforming the model based solely on T2-weighted image features (AUC of 0.700, p = 0.048).

CONCLUSIONS

Radiomics features extracted from deep learning-estimated T2 maps provide additional quantitative information that improves the prediction of peripheral zone csPCa aggressiveness, potentially enhancing risk stratification in non-invasive PCa diagnostics.

Personalized optimization of systematic prostate biopsy core number based on mpMRI radiomics features: a large-sample retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND

Prostate cancer (PCa) is definitively diagnosed by systematic prostate biopsy (SBx) with 13 cores. This method, however, can increase the risk of urinary retention, infection and bleeding due to the excessive number of biopsy cores.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 622 patients who underwent SBx with prostate multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) from two centers between January 2014 to June 2022. The MRI data were collected to manually segment Regions of Interest (ROI) of the tumor layer by layer. ROI reconstructions were fused to form outline of the volume of interest (VOI), which were exported and applied to subsequent extraction of radiomics features. The t-tests, Mann-Whitney U-tests and chi-squared tests were performed to evaluate the significance of features. The logistic regression was used for calculating the PCa risk score (PCS). The PCS model was trained to optimize the SBx core number, utilizing both mpMRI radiomics and clinical features.

RESULTS

The predicted number of SBx cores was determined by PCS model. Optimal core numbers of SBx for PCS subgroups 1-5 were calculated as 13, 10, 8, 6, and 6, respectively. Accuracies of predicted core numbers were high: 100%, 95.8%, 91.7%, 90.6%, and 92.7% for PCS subgroups 1-5. Optimized SBx reduced core rate by 41.9%. Leakage rates for PCa and clinically significant PCa were 8.2% and 3.4%, respectively. The optimized SBx also demonstrated high accuracy on the validation set.

CONCLUSION

The optimization PCS model described in this study could therefore effectively reduce the number of systematic biopsy cores obtained from patients with high PCS, especially for biopsy cores far away from suspicious lesions. This method can enhance patient experience without reducing tumor detection rate.

Can PSMA PET detect intratumour heterogeneity in histological PSMA expression of primary prostate cancer? Analysis of [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 and [18F]PSMA-1007

PURPOSE

Prostate-specific membrane-antigen positron emission tomography (PSMA PET) is a promising candidate for non-invasive characterization of prostate cancer (PCa). This study evaluated whether PET with tracers [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 or [18F]PSMA-1007 is capable to depict intratumour heterogeneity of histological PSMA expression.

METHODS

Thirty-five patients with biopsy-proven primary PCa without evidence of metastatic disease nor prior interventions were prospectively enrolled. All patients underwent PSMA PET combined with computer tomography (CT) with either [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 (cohort I, 20 patients) or [18F]PSMA-1007 (cohort II, 15 patients) followed by radical prostatectomy. Specimens were scanned by ex-vivo CT and histologically prepared. On digitized whole-mount prostate sections, PCa areas with different morphologies were manually defined and H-Score of immunohistochemical PSMA expression was calculated with assistance by artificial intelligence (AI). PCa areas with similar H-Score were unified in segmentation on ex-vivo CT. After co-registration on PSMA PET-CT, Spearman's coefficients of PSMA expression to mean and maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmean and SUVmax) were calculated. Furthermore, the agreement of the co-registered tumour areas to gross tumour volume (GTV) in PSMA PET was analysed.

RESULTS

Thirty-two patients were included in the final analysis. For histological PCa areas, immunohistochemical PSMA expression correlated significantly to SUVmean and SUVmax (p < 0.001, p = 0.001). An approximate linear correlation between H-Score and SUVmean / SUVmax was found for tumour areas larger than 400 μm² in histology (p < 0.001). Tumour areas with strong PSMA expression showed a significantly larger overlap to GTV in PSMA PET after co-registration than tumour areas with very low PSMA expression (p < 0.01). No significant differences were found between the two tracer cohorts (p = 0.72).

CONCLUSION

PSMA PET with both [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 or [18F]PSMA-1007 is able to detect changes in histological PSMA expression within PCa lesions allowing biologically targeted radiotherapy.

PSMA-Targeted Intracellular Self-Assembled Probe for Enhanced PET Imaging

Positron-emission tomography (PET) offers high sensitivity for cancer diagnosis. However, small-molecule-based probes often exhibit insufficient accumulation in tumor sites, while nanoparticle-based agents typically have limited delivery efficiency. To address this challenge, this study proposes a novel PET imaging probe, 68Ga-CBT-PSMA, designed for prostate cancer. This probe integrates an intracellular self-assembly strategy to enhance PET imaging signals and significantly improve the signal-to-noise ratio. The glutamate-urea-based prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeting motif enables specific recognition of prostate cancer cells and enhances cellular uptake; then the self-assembly process induced by glutathione reduction effectively accumulates the probe within tumor cells, thereby amplifying PET imaging signals. This approach not only enhances signal intensity and resolution but also facilitates precise cancer localization and diagnosis, offering new avenues for advancing cancer diagnostic techniques.

Personalized Dynamic Prediction Model for Biopsy Timing in Patients With Prostate Cancer During Active Surveillance

Importance

Active surveillance (AS) for patients with prostate cancer (PC) often includes fixed repeat prostate biopsies that do not account for the varying risk of reclassification to significant disease. Given the invasive nature and potential complications of biopsies, a personalized approach is needed to balance the burden of biopsies with the risk of missing disease progression.

Objective

To develop and externally validate a dynamic model that predicts an individual's risk of PC reclassification during AS.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This prognostic study developed a dynamic prediction model using data from the Prostate Cancer Research International: Active Surveillance (PRIAS) study, which was initiated in 2006. Follow-up was truncated until April 2023. External validation was conducted using cohorts from the world's largest centralized AS database, the Global Action Plan Prostate Cancer Active Surveillance initiative database. The PRIAS study is a multicenter, prospective, web-based cohort study monitoring patients undergoing AS, involving more than 175 academic, nonacademic, and private centers across 23 countries worldwide. For the development and external validation of the model, all patients diagnosed with Grade Group 1 PC who underwent at least 1 baseline or follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 1 follow-up biopsy were included. Data were analyzed from September 2023 to January 2024.

Exposures

AS, including prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests, MRI, and prostate biopsies according to a fixed follow-up schedule.

Main Outcomes and Measures

A joint model for longitudinal and time-to-event data was used to predict reclassification to Grade Group 2 or greater on repeat biopsy using predefined baseline and repeated clinical characteristics. Performance was assessed using time-dependent area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and negative predictive value.

Results

The development cohort included 2512 patients (median [IQR] age, 65 [59-69] years). Characteristics significantly associated with a higher risk of reclassification were increased age, higher PSA and velocity, lower prostate volume, a suspicious lesion on MRI, and no previous negative biopsy findings. Depending on the threshold and time point used, the model demonstrated a negative predictive value of 86% to 97%. External validation included 3199 patients from 9 other cohorts. The time-dependent area under the curve ranged from 0.81 to 0.84 in the development cohort and 0.52 to 0.90 at external validation.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this prognostic study, the developed dynamic risk model effectively identified patients at low risk of PC reclassification during AS. After prospective validation, this model may support personalized, risk-based AS and reduce the burden of unnecessary biopsies.

MRI-based Radiomics for Predicting Prostate Cancer Grade Groups: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Diagnostic Test Accuracy Studies

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common cancer among men and a leading cause of cancer-related mortalities. Radiomics has shown promising performances in the classification of PCa grade group (GG) in several studies. Here, we aimed to systematically review and meta-analyze the performance of radiomics in predicting GG in PCa.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Adhering to PRISMA-DTA guidelines, we included studies employing magnetic resonance imaging-derived radiomics for predicting GG, with histopathologic evaluations as the reference standard. Databases searched included Web of Sciences, PubMed, Scopus, and Embase. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies 2 (QUADAS-2) and METhodological RadiomICs Score (METRICS) tools were used for quality assessment. Pooled estimates for sensitivity, specificity, likelihood ratios, diagnostic odds ratio, and area under the curve (AUC) were calculated. Cochran's Q and I-squared tests assessed heterogeneity, while meta-regression, subgroup analysis, and sensitivity analysis addressed potential sources. Publication bias was evaluated using Deek's funnel plot, while clinical applicability was assessed with Fagan nomograms and likelihood ratio scattergrams.

RESULTS

Data were extracted from 43 studies involving 9983 patients. Radiomics models demonstrated high accuracy in predicting GG. Patient-based analyses yielded AUCs of 0.93 for GG≥2, 0.91 for GG≥3, and 0.93 for GG≥4. Lesion-based analyses showed AUCs of 0.84 for GG≥2 and 0.89 for GG≥3. Significant heterogeneity was observed, and meta-regression identified sources of heterogeneity. Radiomics model showed moderate power to exclude and confirm the GG.

CONCLUSION

Radiomics appears to be an accurate noninvasive tool for predicting PCa GG. It improves the performance of standard diagnostic methods, enhancing clinical decision-making.

Effectiveness of cognitive fusion transrectal ultrasound prostate biopsy when compared with final prostatectomy histology

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in men. Cognitive fusion transrectal ultrasound prostate biopsy is one of several modalities for diagnosing this disease. However, no existing studies have shown the clear superiority of one image-guided technique over another. This investigation aimed to evaluate the efficacy of targeted biopsy through cognitive guidance, as well as to assess the accuracy of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) in the detection of PCa compared to the specimen obtained by radical prostatectomy (RP).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective observational single-center study approved by the ethical committee, including men with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels between 2-10 mg/ml who underwent RP and cognitive fusion biopsy (CFB) between 2017 January and 2022 January.

RESULTS

A total of 639 patients were analyzed, 83 of whom met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled in this study. The overall rate of PCa detection with CFB was 79.5% (median of specific PCa detection was 100%), and the rate of detecting clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) was 74.7%. In addition, there was 42.2% agreement between the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) score of the CFB and the RP specimen, which increased to 56.6% when the systematic biopsy was added. Regarding the accuracy of mpMRI, several parameters were evaluated with respect to RP sample histology. Of these, tumor location had a total match rate of 39.8% and a partial match rate of 55.4%. Moreover, regarding extraprostatic extension (EPE), the present study found a significant association between the RP specimen and mpMRI (p = 0.002), with an agreement rate of 60% if it was present in the histology and 79.5% if it was not. Additionally, larger prostates and tumors located in the transition zone were significantly associated with a lower CFB accuracy (p = 0.001 and p = 0.030, respectively). After adjusting for all variables evaluated, only prostate volume remains statistically significant (p = 0.029).

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, we conclude that mpMRI is highly accurate, allowing good characterization of suspicious tumors and reasonably guiding cognitive biopsy. However, the use of both targeted biopsy through cognitive guidance and systematic biopsy increases the diagnostic accuracy for PCa. Although there is no recommendation in the current literature for one guiding technique over another, we believe that cognitive-guided biopsy should only be reserved for centers with no access to ultrasound or magnetic resonance fusion software.

Radiomics based Machine Learning Models for Classification of Prostate Cancer Grade Groups from Multi Parametric MRI Images

Purpose

This study aimed to investigate the performance of multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) radiomic feature-based machine learning (ML) models in classifying the Gleason grade group (GG) of prostate cancer.

Methods

In this retrospective study, a total of 203 patients with histopathologically confirmed prostate cancer who underwent mpMRI before prostate biopsy were included. After manual segmentation, radiomic features (RFs) were extracted from T2-weighted, apparent diffusion coefficient, and high b-value diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWMRI). Patients were split into training sets and testing sets according to a ratio of 8:2. A pipeline considering combinations of two feature selection (FS) methods and six ML classifiers was developed and evaluated. The performance of models was assessed using the accuracy, sensitivity, precision, F1-measure, and the area under curve (AUC).

Results

On high b-value DWMRI-derived features, a combination of FS method recursive feature elimination (RFE) and classifier random forest achieved the highest performance for classification of prostate cancer into five GGs, with 97.0% accuracy, 98.0% sensitivity, 98.0% precision, and 97.0% F1-measure. The method also achieved an average AUC for GG of 98%.

Conclusion

Preoperative mpMRI radiomic analysis based on ML, as a noninvasive approach, showed good performance for classification of prostate cancer into five GGs.

Advances in Knowledge

Herein, radiomic models based on preoperative mpMRI and ML were developed to classify prostate cancer into 5 GGs. Our study provides evidence that analysis of quantitative RFs extracted from high b-value DWMRI images based on a combination of FS method RFE and classifier random forest can be applied for multiclass grading of prostate cancer with an accuracy of 97.0%.

Prostate cancer risk assessment and avoidance of prostate biopsies using fully automatic deep learning in prostate MRI: comparison to PI-RADS and integration with clinical data in nomograms

OBJECTIVES

Risk calculators (RCs) improve patient selection for prostate biopsy with clinical/demographic information, recently with prostate MRI using the prostate imaging reporting and data system (PI-RADS). Fully-automated deep learning (DL) analyzes MRI data independently, and has been shown to be on par with clinical radiologists, but has yet to be incorporated into RCs. The goal of this study is to re-assess the diagnostic quality of RCs, the impact of replacing PI-RADS with DL predictions, and potential performance gains by adding DL besides PI-RADS.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

One thousand six hundred twenty-seven consecutive examinations from 2014 to 2021 were included in this retrospective single-center study, including 517 exams withheld for RC testing. Board-certified radiologists assessed PI-RADS during clinical routine, then systematic and MRI/Ultrasound-fusion biopsies provided histopathological ground truth for significant prostate cancer (sPC). nnUNet-based DL ensembles were trained on biparametric MRI predicting the presence of sPC lesions (UNet-probability) and a PI-RADS-analogous five-point scale (UNet-Likert). Previously published RCs were validated as is; with PI-RADS substituted by UNet-Likert (UNet-Likert-substituted RC); and with both UNet-probability and PI-RADS (UNet-probability-extended RC). Together with a newly fitted RC using clinical data, PI-RADS and UNet-probability, existing RCs were compared by receiver-operating characteristics, calibration, and decision-curve analysis.

RESULTS

Diagnostic performance remained stable for UNet-Likert-substituted RCs. DL contained complementary diagnostic information to PI-RADS. The newly-fitted RC spared 49% [252/517] of biopsies while maintaining the negative predictive value (94%), compared to PI-RADS ≥ 4 cut-off which spared 37% [190/517] (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Incorporating DL as an independent diagnostic marker for RCs can improve patient stratification before biopsy, as there is complementary information in DL features and clinical PI-RADS assessment.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT

For patients with positive prostate screening results, a comprehensive diagnostic workup, including prostate MRI, DL analysis, and individual classification using nomograms can identify patients with minimal prostate cancer risk, as they benefit less from the more invasive biopsy procedure.

KEY POINTS

The current MRI-based nomograms result in many negative prostate biopsies. The addition of DL to nomograms with clinical data and PI-RADS improves patient stratification before biopsy. Fully automatic DL can be substituted for PI-RADS without sacrificing the quality of nomogram predictions. Prostate nomograms show cancer detection ability comparable to previous validation studies while being suitable for the addition of DL analysis.

The Added Value of Side-specific Systematic Biopsy in Patients Diagnosed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging-targeted Prostate Biopsy

BACKGROUND

Systematic biopsy (SB) combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-targeted biopsy is still recommended considering the risk of missing clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa).

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the added value in csPCa detection on side-specific SB relative to MRI lesion and to externally validate the Noujeim risk stratification model that predicts the risk of csPCa on distant SB cores relative to the index MRI lesion.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS

Overall, 4841 consecutive patients diagnosed by MRI-targeted biopsy and SB for Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System score ≥3 lesions were identified from a prospectively maintained database between January 2016 and April 2023 at 15 European referral centers. A total of 2387 patients met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis.

OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS

McNemar's test was used to compare the csPCa detection rate between several biopsy strategies including MRI-targeted biopsy, side-specific SB, and a combination of both. Model performance was evaluated in terms of discrimination using area under the receiver operation characteristic curve (AUC), calibration plots, and decision curve analysis. Clinically significant prostate cancer was defined as International Society of Urological Pathology grade group ≥2.

RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS

Overall, the csPCa detection rate was 49%. Considering MRI-targeted biopsy as reference, the added values in terms of csPCa detection were 5.8% (relative increase of 13%), 4.2% (relative increase of 9.8%), and 2.8% (relative increase of 6.1%) for SB, ipsilateral SB, and contralateral SB, respectively. Only 35 patients (1.5%) exclusively had csPCa on contralateral SB (p < 0.001). Considering patients with csPCa on MRI-targeted biopsy and ipsilateral SB, the upgrading rate was 2% (20/961) using contralateral SB (p < 0.001). The Noujeim model exhibited modest performance (AUC of 0.63) when tested using our validation set.

CONCLUSIONS

The added value of contralateral SB was negligible in terms of cancer detection and upgrading rates. The Noujeim model could be included in the decision-making process regarding the appropriate prostate biopsy strategy.

PATIENT SUMMARY

In the present study, we collected a set of patients who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-targeted and systematic biopsies for the detection of prostate cancer. We found that biopsies taken at the opposite side of the MRI suspicious lesion have a negligible impact on cancer detection. We also validate a risk stratification model that predicts the risk of cancer on biopsies beyond 10 mm from the initial lesion, which could be used in daily practice to improve the personalization of the prostate biopsy.

Factors improving the diagnostic performance of targeted biopsies in the diagnosis of significant prostate cancer

INTRODUCTION

MRI-targeted biopsy improves detection of significant prostate cancer (csPCa) and grade prediction. The aim of this study was to identify factors improving the diagnostic performance of targeted biopsies (TB) in detecting csPCa.

METHODS

Retrospective monocenter study of patients who underwent a radical prostatectomy (RP) for prostate cancer (PCa) and diagnosed by transrectal combined biopsies (CB) with elastic MRI/ultrasound fusion. We evaluate the diagnostic performance of standardized (SB), targeted (TB) and CB for csPCa, including sensitivity, specificity, and ROC curve. Univariables and logistic regression analysis were performed to analyze factors improving the diagnostic performance of TB in detecting csPCa on final histopathology.

RESULTS

Two hundred and four men underwent RP after CB with suspicious lesions (PI-RADS≥3) on MRI were included. csPCa was significantly associated with prostate volume, PSA density, a lesion index in the peripheral zone, with a diameter≥7mm. TB were positives for 174 patients (85.3%). Prostate volume, PSA density, radiological coherence, previous biopsies, and a number of biopsies≥3 were significantly associated with a cancer detection. csPCa on TB, a prostate volume<60mL, an index lesion≥7mm and a peripheral zone location were significant predictive factors for diagnostic of csPCa on final histopathology. Area under the ROC curve values, sensitivities and specificities of CB and TB (adjusted model) were 0.78 [0.72-0.84], 77.3 [70.3-83.4], 78.1 [60-90.7], and 0.85 [0.79-0.90], 83.7 [77.3-88.9] and 75 [56.6-88.5] respectively.

CONCLUSION

This study confirms the benefit of CB and suggests that TB for a selected population could be as effective as CB.

Predicting clinically significant prostate cancer in elderly patients: A nomogram approach with shear wave elastography

PURPOSE

This study was to construct a nomogram utilizing shear wave elastography and assess its efficacy in detecting clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa).

METHODS

290 elderly people with suspected PCa who received prostate biopsy and shear wave elastography (SWE) imaging were respectively registered from April 2022 to December 2023. The elderly participants were stratified into two groups: those with csPCa and those without csPCa, which encompassed cases of clinically insignificant prostate cancer (cisPCa) and non-prostate cancer tissue, as determined by pathology findings. The LASSO algorithm, known as the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, was utilized to identify features. Logistic regression analysis was utilized to establish models. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and calibration curves were utilized to evaluate the discriminatory ability of the nomogram. Bootstrap (1000 bootstrap iterations) was employed for internal validation and comparison with two models. A decision curve and a clinical impact curve were employed to assess the clinical usefulness.

RESULTS

Our nomogram, which contained Emean, ΔEmean, prostate volume, prostate-specific antigen density (PSAD), and transrectal ultrasound (TRUS), showed better discrimination (AUC = 0.89; 95% CI: 0.83-0.94), compared to the clinical model without SWE parameters (p = 0.0007). Its accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were 0.83, 0.89 and 0.78, respectively. Based on the analysis of decision curve, the thresholds ranged from 5% to 90%. According to our nomogram, biopsying patients at a 20% probability threshold resulted in a 25% reduction in biopsies without missing any csPCa. The clinical impact curve demonstrated that the nomogram's predicted outcome is closer to the observed outcome when the probability threshold reaches 20% or greater.

CONCLUSION

Our nomogram demonstrates efficacy in identifying elderly individuals with clinically significant prostate cancer, thereby facilitating informed clinical decision-making based on diagnostic outcomes and potential clinical benefits.

PRIMARY scoring in 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT: correlation with prostate cancer risk groups and its potential impact on active surveillance

OBJECTIVE

The PRIMARY scoring system is a scale designed to identify clinically significant intraprostatic malignancies on 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT images. Active surveillance is a management method for patients with low-risk prostate cancer. In this study, we aimed to assess the efficacy of PRIMARY scoring in identifying appropriate candidates for active surveillance based on the distribution within prostate cancer risk groups.

METHODS

The data of 134 patients diagnosed with PCa by biopsy who underwent 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT imaging for post-diagnostic staging purposes were retrospectively analyzed. Age, total PSA, ISUP grade, prostate lesion SUVmax values, PI-RADS scores, and PRIMARY scores were recorded. Patients were classified into low-risk and intermediate/high-risk groups.

RESULTS

In the intermediate/high-risk group, the PRIMARY score was 1-2 in 17.6% and 3-5 in 82.4% of patients. In the low-risk group, the PRIMARY score was 1-2 in 34.7% and 3-5 in 65.3% of patients. None of the patients in the low-risk group had a PRIMARY score of 5. The most frequent PRIMARY score in both groups was 4, and there was a significant difference between the average SUVmax values of the intermediate/high and low-risk groups with a PRIMARY score of 4 (p = 0.018). The sensitivity of PRIMARY scoring in detecting patients in the intermediate/high-risk group was 82.3%, the specificity was 34.6%, and the positive predictive value (PPV) was 68.6%. When a cut-off SUVmax value 5.0 was used for the PRIMARY score of 4, the sensitivity was 67.0%, the specificity was 65.3% and the PPV was 77.0%. In the ROC analysis, the area under the curve was 0.727 for PRIMARY scoring, 0.662 for PI-RADS, and 0.744 for their combined mean.

CONCLUSION

The PRIMARY scoring system can complement PI-RADS scoring in mpMRI for selecting patients suitable for active surveillance. Revising the PRIMARY score 4 with an SUVmax cut-off value may increase the specificity.

Deconvolution of Human Urine across the Transcriptome and Metabolome

BACKGROUND

Early detection of the cell type changes underlying several genitourinary tract diseases largely remains an unmet clinical need, where existing assays, if available, lack the cellular resolution afforded by an invasive biopsy. While messenger RNA in urine could reflect the dynamic signal that facilitates early detection, current measurements primarily detect single genes and thus do not reflect the entire transcriptome and the underlying contributions of cell type-specific RNA.

METHODS

We isolated and sequenced the cell-free RNA (cfRNA) and sediment RNA from human urine samples (n = 6 healthy controls and n = 12 kidney stone patients) and measured the urine metabolome. We analyzed the resulting urine transcriptomes by deconvolving the noninvasively measurable cell type contributions and comparing to plasma cfRNA and the measured urine metabolome.

RESULTS

Urine transcriptome cell type deconvolution primarily yielded relative fractional contributions from genitourinary tract cell types in addition to cell types from high-turnover solid tissues beyond the genitourinary tract. Comparison to plasma cfRNA yielded enrichment of metabolic pathways and a distinct cell type spectrum. Integration of urine transcriptomic and metabolomic measurements yielded enrichment for metabolic pathways involved in amino acid metabolism and overlapped with metabolic subsystems associated with proximal tubule function.

CONCLUSIONS

Noninvasive whole transcriptome measurements of human urine cfRNA and sediment RNA reflects signal from hard-to-biopsy tissues exhibiting low representation in blood plasma cfRNA liquid biopsy at cell type resolution and are enriched in signal from metabolic pathways measurable in the urine metabolome.

Receipt of Prostate-Specific Antigen Test in Medicaid Beneficiaries With and Without HIV in 2001-2015 in 14 States

Studies have reported lower incidence of prostate cancer in men living with HIV compared with men without HIV for reasons that remain unclear. Lower prostate cancer screening in men living with HIV could explain these findings. We describe receipt of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test each calendar year by HIV status in Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled in 14 U.S. states, 2001-2015. A total of 15,299,991 Medicaid beneficiaries aged 18-64 with ≥7 months of continuous enrollment were included in analyses. HIV diagnosis and PSA tests were identified using non-drug claims. Incidence rate ratios comparing receipt of PSA test by HIV status adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, state of residence, calendar year, comorbid conditions, benign prostatic conditions, and receipt of testosterone-replacement therapy were estimated using Poisson regression. Models were also stratified by state, and estimates were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis to account for heterogeneity by state. Models were additionally stratified by age and race/ethnicity. There were 42,503 PSA tests over 314,273 person-years and 1,669,835 PSA tests over 22,023,530 person-years observed in beneficiaries with and without HIV, respectively. The incidence of PSA test was slightly lower in men living with HIV than men without HIV (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.97, 0.99) when adjusting for state. In the pooled estimate, the rate was higher among men living with HIV (IRR = 1.11; 95% CI: 0.97, 1.27). Pooled estimates indicated approximately equal or higher rates of PSA test in men living with HIV compared with men without HIV across models stratified by age and race/ethnicity groups. Findings do not support the hypothesis that differences in prostate cancer screening explain differences in incidence by HIV status.

Minimally invasive biopsy-based diagnostics in support of precision cancer medicine

Precision cancer medicine (PCM) to support the treatment of solid tumors requires minimally invasive diagnostics. Here, we describe the development of fine-needle aspiration biopsy-based (FNA) molecular cytology which will be increasingly important in diagnostics and adaptive treatment. We provide support for FNA-based molecular cytology having a significant potential to replace core needle biopsy (CNB) as a patient-friendly potent technique for tumor sampling for various tumor types. This is not only because CNB is a more traumatic procedure and may be associated with more complications compared to FNA-based sampling, but also due to the recently developed molecular methods used with FNA. Recent studies show that image-guided FNA in combination with ultrasensitive molecular methods also offers opportunities for characterization of the tumor microenvironment which can aid therapeutic decisions. Here we provide arguments for an increased implementation of molecular FNA-based sampling as a patient-friendly diagnostic method, which may, due to its repeatability, facilitate regular sampling that is needed during different treatment lines, to provide tumor information, supporting treatment decisions, shortening lead times in healthcare, and benefit healthcare economics.

Recurrence of mucinous prostate cancer in rectal wall due to needle-track seeding from previous transrectal prostate biopsy

Introduction

Needle-track seeding of prostate cancer into the rectal wall following transrectal prostate biopsy is exceedingly rare. We report a case of mucinous prostate cancer recurrence in the rectal wall due to biopsy needle seeding, discovered after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

Case presentation

A 67-year-old man underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy for mucinous prostate cancer (clinical stage T2cN0M0, Gleason score of 4 + 4, and initial prostate-specific antigen level of 8.8 ng/mL). Five years postoperatively, endoscopy revealed a rectal tumor, which was diagnosed as needle-track seeding from the previous transrectal prostate biopsy. Following resection of this rectal tumor, the patient's prostate-specific antigen level fell to <0.008 ng/mL. No signs of recurrence or metastasis were observed 3 months postoperatively.

Conclusion

While rare, transrectal prostate biopsies can pose a small risk of needle-track seeding into the rectal wall. Endorectal examination should be considered if biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer occurs following radical prostatectomy.

Oncological Outcomes of Partial Gland Ablation Using High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound After Additional Confirmatory Transperineal Mapping Biopsy in Men with Prostate Cancer

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

To evaluate whether additional confirmatory transperineal mapping biopsy (TPMB) in men with localized prostate cancer (PCa) alters the treatment plan and outcome of partial gland ablation (PGA) using high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU).

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed data from 96 patients who underwent PGA using HIFU between January 2020 and June 2022. After multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI), all men underwent transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided, cognitive-targeted biopsy and systematic biopsy. Men eligible for PGA using HIFU first underwent confirmatory TPMB. Any changes in the treatment plan after TPMB were analyzed. Follow-up TRUS-guided biopsy was performed 1 year post-operatively to evaluate oncological outcomes. Clinically significant PCa (csPCa) was defined as Gleason grade (GG) ≥ 2.

RESULTS

Among all subjects, the median age (IQR) was 65.0 (60.0-72.0) years and the prostate-specific antigen level was 5.20 (3.71-7.81) ng/mL. The results of both TRUS-guided biopsy and TPMB led to a change in the treatment plan (from unilateral to bilateral PGA) for 13 (13.5%) patients. The 1-year follow-up TRUS-guided biopsy identified PCa in 13 (13.5%) patients, and csPCa in 7 (7.3%) patients. The infield- and outfield-positive rates were 8.3% (8/96) and 3.1% (3/96), respectively, for any PCa, and 3.1% (3/96) and 2.1% (2/96), respectively, for csPCa.

CONCLUSIONS

Confirmatory TPMB results in better disease identification and localization, thereby affecting the treatment plan and improving oncological outcomes. Therefore, confirmatory TPMB should be considered to establish an appropriate strategy for patients with localized PCa eligible for PGA using HIFU.

Factors influencing urinary retention following freehand transperineal prostate biopsy: Insights from a tertiary care center study

Objectives

In this study, we evaluated the risk factors for urinary retention after freehand transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) guided transperineal prostate biopsy (TPB).

Patients and Methods

Data from 102 cases of freehand TPB at a single institution were retrospectively collected and analyzed. All patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-TRUS cognitive fusion TPB using a transperineal needle guide, with systematic biopsies from 10 prostate sectors and additional MRI-guided targeted biopsies. Exclusions comprised patients with coagulation abnormalities, prior prostate surgeries including biopsy, active urinary tract infection, or a lack of pre-biopsy multiparametric MRI.

Results

14/102 (13.72%) had urinary retention and required urethral catheterization for voiding difficulty or discomfort along with a bladder volume of ≥500 ml. Patients with retention exhibited significantly larger prostate volumes (median 75 cc vs. 40 cc; P < 0.05). Receiver operating curve analysis revealed a prostate volume threshold of 57.5 cc and a core number cutoff of 23 for predicting post-TPB urinary retention, with sensitivities of 78.57% and 85.71%, specificities of 75% and 82.95%, positive predictive values of 33.33% and 44.44%, and negative predictive values of 95.75% and 97.33%, respectively, whereas the number of biopsy cores correlated positively with the development of urinary retention (median 25 vs. 22; P < 0.05). Urinary retention was independent of the patient's age, comorbidities, presenting prostate-specific antigen levels, prebiopsy severity of lower urinary tract symptoms, and use of alpha-blockers.

Conclusion

Patients with larger prostates and higher number of biopsy cores are at a higher risk of postfreehand TPB urinary retention and should receive appropriate counselling. Targeted biopsies alone, rather than a full template, may help mitigate urinary retention in these high-risk groups.

PSA, an outdated biomarker for prostate cancer: In search of a more specific biomarker, citrate takes the spotlight

The prevailing biomarker employed for prostate cancer (PCa) screening and diagnosis is the prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Despite excellent sensitivity, PSA lacks specificity, leading to false positives, unnecessary biopsies and overdiagnosis. Consequently, PSA is increasingly less used by clinicians, thus underscoring the imperative for the identification of new biomarkers. An emerging biomarker in this context is citrate, a molecule secreted by the normal prostate, which has been shown to be inversely correlated with PCa. Here, we discuss about PSA and its usage for PCa diagnosis, its lack of specificity, and the various conditions that can affect its levels. We then provide our vision about what we think would be a valuable addition to our PCa diagnosis toolkit, citrate. We describe the unique citrate metabolic program in the prostate and how this profile is reprogrammed during carcinogenesis. Finally, we summarize the evidence that supports the usage of citrate as a biomarker for PCa diagnosis, as it can be measured in various patient samples and be analyzed by several methods. The unique relationship between citrate and PCa, combined with the stability of citrate levels in other prostate-related conditions and the simplicity of its detection, further accentuates its potential as a biomarker.

Diagnostic utility of prostate health index density prior to MRI-ultrasound fusion targeted biopsy

Aim

Prostate biopsy can be prone to complications and thus should be avoided when unnecessary. Although the combination of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the prostate health index (PHI), and PHI density (PHID) has been shown to improve detection of clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa), there is limited information available assessing its clinical utility. We sought to determine whether using PHID could enhance the detection of PCa on MRI ultrasound fusion-targeted biopsy (MRF-TB) compared to other biomarker cutoffs.

Methods

Between June 2015 and December 2020, 302 men obtained PHI testing before MRF-TB at a single institution. We used descriptive statistics, multivariable logistic regression, and receiver operating characteristic curves to determine the predictive accuracy of PHID and PHI to detect ≥ Gleason grade group (GGG) 2 PCa and identify cutoff values.

Results

Any cancer grade was identified in 75.5% of patients and ≥ GGG2 PCa was identified in 45% of patients. The median PHID was 1.05 [interquartile range (IQR) 0.59-1.64]. A PHID cutoff of 0.91 had a higher discriminatory ability to predict ≥ GGG2 PCa compared to PHI > 27, PHI > 36, and prostate specific-antigen (PSA) density > 0.15 (AUC: 0.707 vs. 0.549 vs. 0.620 vs. 0.601), particularly in men with Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) 1-2 lesions on MRI (AUC: 0.817 vs. 0.563 vs. 0.621 vs. 0.678). At this cutoff, 35.0% of all the original biopsies could be safely avoided (PHID < 0.91 and no ≥ GGG2 PCa) and csPCa would be missed in 9.67% of patients who would have been biopsied. In patients with PI-RADS 1-2 lesions using a PHID cutoff of 0.91, 56.8% of biopsies could be safely avoided while missing 0 csPCa.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that a PHID cutoff of 0.91 improves the selection of patients with elevated prostate-specific antigen who are referred for prostate biopsy, and potentially in patients with PI-RADS 1-2 lesions.

Editorial for Special Topics: Imaging-Based Diagnosis for Prostate Cancer-State of the Art

This Special Topics Issue, "Imaging-based Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer-State of the Art", of Diagnostics compiles 10 select articles [...].

The detection rate for prostate cancer in systematic and targeted prostate biopsy in biopsy-naive patients, according to the localization of the lesion at the mpMRI: A single-center retrospective observational study

OBJECTIVE

Evaluate the detection rates of systematic, targeted and combined cores at biopsy according to tumor positions in biopsy-naïve patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis of a single-center patient cohort (n = 501) that underwent transrectal prostate biopsy between January 2017 and December 2019 was performed. Multi-parametric MRI was executed as a prebiopsy investigation. Biopsy protocol included, for each patient, 12 systematic cores plus 3 to 5 targeted cores per lesion identified at the mpMRI. Pearson and McNemar chi-squared tests were used for statistical analysis to compare tumor location-related detection rates of systematic, targeted and combined (systematic + targeted) cores at biopsy.

RESULTS

Median age of patients was 70 years (IQR 62-72), with a median PSA of 8.5 ng/ml (IQR 5.7-15.6). Positive biopsies were obtained in 67.7% of cases. Overall, targeted cores obtained higher detection rates compared to systematic cores (54.3% vs. 43.1%, p < 0.0001). Differences in detection rates were, however, higher for tumors located at the apex (61.1% vs. 26.3%, p < 0.05) and anteriorly (44.4% vs. 19.3%, p < 0.05). Targeted cores similarly obtained higher detection rates in the posterior zone of the prostate gland for clinically significant prostate cancer. A poor agreement was reported between targeted and systematic cores for the apex and anterior zone of the prostate with, respectively κ = 0.028 and κ = -0.018.

CONCLUSION

A combined approach of targeted and systematic biopsy delivers the highest detection rate in prostate cancer (PCa). The location of the tumor could however greatly influence overall detection rates, indicating the possibility to omit (as for the base or posterior zone of the gland) or add (as for the apex or anterior zone of the gland) further targeted cores.

Exploring Aspirin's Potential in Cancer Prevention: A Comprehensive Review of the Current Evidence

Aspirin, traditionally recognized for its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and antiplatelet effects, has recently attracted attention for its potential role in cancer prevention. Initially studied for cardiovascular disease prevention, emerging evidence suggests that aspirin may reduce the risk of certain cancers, particularly colorectal cancer (CRC). This narrative review integrates findings from early studies, animal models, epidemiological data, and clinical trials to evaluate aspirin's efficacy as a chemopreventive agent. Aspirin's anticancer effects are primarily attributed to its cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme inhibition, which decreases prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels and disrupts cancer-related signaling pathways. While epidemiological studies support an association between aspirin use and reduced cancer incidence and mortality, especially for CRC and potentially for breast (BC) and prostate cancers (PCa), the risk of adverse effects, such as gastrointestinal (GI) and intracranial bleeding, complicates its use and warrants careful consideration. The decision to use aspirin for cancer prevention should be individualized, balancing its therapeutic benefits against potential adverse effects. It also underscores the necessity for further research to refine dosage guidelines, assess long-term impacts, and explore additional biomarkers to guide personalized cancer prevention strategies.

Early economic evaluation of magnetic resonance imaging for prostate cancer detection in primary care

Objectives

To explore the potential impacts of incorporating prebiopsy magnetic resonance imaging into primary care as a triage test within the prostate cancer diagnostic pathway.

Subjects and methods

Decision analytic modelling with decision trees was utilised for this early economic evaluation. A conceptual model was developed reflecting the common primary care routes to diagnosis for prostate cancer: opportunistic, asymptomatic prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening or symptomatic presentation. The use of multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) or biparametric MRI (bpMRI) as a primary care triage test following an elevated PSA result was evaluated. A health system perspective was adopted with a time horizon of 12 months. Health effects were expressed in terms of utilities drawn from the literature. The primary outcome was prostate cancer diagnosis. Evidence used to inform the model was drawn from published primary studies, systematic reviews, and secondary analyses of primary and secondary care datasets.

Results

Base case analysis showed that the PSA pathway was dominated by both mpMRI- and bpMRI-based pathways for patients undergoing opportunistic screening and symptomatic assessment. bpMRI pathways had greater improvement in cost and utility than mpMRI pathways in both clinical scenarios. Significantly more MRI scans would be performed using the modelled approach (66 626 scans vs. 37 456 scans per 100 000 patients per annum), with fewer subsequent urgent suspected cancer referrals for both mpMRI (38% reduction for screening and symptomatic patients) and bpMRI (72% reduction for screening; 71% for symptomatic) pathways, and a small increase in number of missed cancer diagnoses. Deterministic sensitivity analyses, varying each parameter to its upper and lower 95% confidence intervals, showed no significant change in the dominance of the MRI-based prostate cancer diagnostic pathways.

Conclusion

Using prostate MRI as a second-level triage test for suspected prostate cancer in primary care could reduce health service costs without a detrimental effect on patient utility.

Negative magnetic resonance imaging cannot be used to omit an initial prostate biopsy - An ambispective study

Introduction

Up to 40% of patients with suspected prostate cancer (PCa) have a negative prebiopsy magnetic resonance imaging (nMRI), and up to 15% of them may have clinically significant PCa (csPCa). The ability to predict the presence of csPCa despite nMRI may help avoid unnecessary biopsies. We aimed to determine the negative predictive value (NPV) of mpMRI, the influence of MRI reporting patterns in clinical practice, and the factors that might predict csPCa among men with an nMRI.

Methodology

In an IRB-approved, ambispective study, men who underwent prostate biopsy from 2016 to 2023 and had a prebiopsy MRI, were included to determine the presence of csPCa. The reporting patterns of institutional and noninstitutional MRI were evaluated. Age, digital rectal examination (DRE) findings, prostate specific antigen (PSA), PSA density (PSAD), and MRI reports were evaluated for their ability to predict csPCa in men with nMRI.

Results

1660 patients who underwent prostate biopsy were assessed for eligibility, and 685 patients were enrolled in the study. The median age, PSA and PSAD were 60 years, 11.63 ng/ml and 0.23 ng/ml/cm3, respectively. 62 (9%) men had an nMRI, among which csPCa, non-csPCa, and negative biopsy were found in 34%, 5%, and 61% of men, respectively. 61% had an institutional MRI, while 39% had a noninstitutional MRI. The sensitivity and NPV of any MRI for csPCa were 93% and 66%, respectively, which improved to 96% and 81% for institutional MRI. Univariate and multivariate analyses showed abnormal DRE and PSAD ≥0.25 ng/ml/cc as predictive factors for csPCa in men with an nMRI.

Conclusion

34% of men with negative MRIs were found to harbor csPCa on prostate biopsy. The NPV of institutional MRI was higher than for noninstitutional MRI. Men with an abnormal DRE or PSAD ≥0.25 ng/ml/cc had a higher incidence of csPCa despite an nMRI.

Current Perceptions, Practice Patterns, and Barriers to Adoption of Transperineal Prostate Biopsy Under Local Anesthesia

OBJECTIVE

To assess perceptions, practice patterns, and barriers to adoption of transperineal prostate biopsy (TPBx) under local anesthesia.

METHODS

Providers from Michigan urological surgery improvement collaborative (MUSIC) and Pennsylvania urologic regional collaborative (PURC) were administered an online survey to assess beliefs and educational needs regarding TPBx. Providers were divided into those who performed or did not perform TPBx. The MUSIC and PURC registries were queried to assess TPBx utilization. Descriptive analytics and bivariate analysis determined associations between provider/practice demographics and attitudes.

RESULTS

Since 2019, TPBx adoption has increased more than 2-fold to 7.0% and 16% across MUSIC and PURC practices, respectively. Of 350 urologists invited to participate in a survey, a total of 91 complete responses were obtained with 21 respondents (23%) reported performing TPBx. Participants estimated the learning curve was <10 procedure for TPBx performers and non-performers. No significant association was observed between learning curve and provider age/practice setting. The major perceived benefits of TPBx were decreased risk of sepsis, improved cancer detection rate and antibiotic stewardship. The most commonly cited challenges to implementation included access to equipment and patient experience. Urologists performing TPBx reported learning curve as an additional barrier, while those not performing TPBx reported duration of procedure.

CONCLUSION

Access to equipment and patient experience concerns remain substantial barriers to adoption of TPBx. Dissemination of techniques utilizing existing equipment and optimization of local anesthetic protocols for TPBx may help facilitate the continued adoption of TPBx.

Diagnostic Utility of Artificial Intelligence-assisted Transperineal Biopsy Planning in Prostate Cancer Suspected Men: A Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Accurate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reporting is essential for transperineal prostate biopsy (TPB) planning. Although approved computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) tools may assist urologists in this task, evidence of improved clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) detection is lacking. Therefore, we aimed to document the diagnostic utility of using Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) and CAD for biopsy planning compared with PI-RADS alone.

METHODS

A total of 262 consecutive men scheduled for TPB at our referral centre were analysed. Reported PI-RADS lesions and an US Food and Drug Administration-cleared CAD tool were used for TPB planning. PI-RADS and CAD lesions were targeted on TPB, while four (interquartile range: 2-5) systematic biopsies were taken. The outcomes were the (1) proportion of csPCa (grade group ≥2) and (2) number of targeted lesions and false-positive rate. Performance was tested using free-response receiver operating characteristic curves and the exact Fisher-Yates test.

KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS

Overall, csPCa was detected in 56% (146/262) of men, with sensitivity of 92% and 97% (p = 0.007) for PI-RADS- and CAD-directed TPB, respectively. In 4% (10/262), csPCa was detected solely by CAD-directed biopsies; in 8% (22/262), additional csPCa lesions were detected. However, the number of targeted lesions increased by 54% (518 vs 336) and the false-positive rate doubled (0.66 vs 1.39; p = 0.009). Limitations include biopsies only for men at clinical/radiological suspicion and no multidisciplinary review of MRI before biopsy.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

The tested CAD tool for TPB planning improves csPCa detection at the cost of an increased number of lesions sampled and false positives. This may enable more personalised biopsy planning depending on urological and patient preferences.

PATIENT SUMMARY

The computer-aided diagnosis tool tested for transperineal prostate biopsy planning improves the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer at the cost of an increased number of lesions sampled and false positives. This may enable more personalised biopsy planning depending on urological and patient preferences.

Comparison of systematic and combined biopsy for the detection of prostate cancer

ABSTRACT

Systematic prostate biopsy has limitations, such as overdiagnosis of clinically insignificant prostate cancer and underdiagnosis of clinically significant prostate cancer. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided biopsy, a promising alternative, might improve diagnostic accuracy. To compare the cancer detection rates of systematic biopsy and combined biopsy (systematic biopsy plus MRI-targeted biopsy) in Asian men, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of men who underwent either systematic biopsy or combined biopsy at two medical centers (Queen Mary Hospital and Tung Wah Hospital, Hong Kong, China) from July 2015 to December 2022. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. The primary and secondary outcomes were prostate cancer and clinically significant prostate cancer. A total of 1391 participants were enrolled. The overall prostate cancer detection rates did not significantly differ between the two groups (36.3% vs 36.6%, odds ratio [OR] = 1.01, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.81-1.26, P = 0.92). However, combined biopsy showed a significant advantage in detecting clinically significant prostate cancer (Gleason score ≥ 3+4) in patients with a total serum prostate-specific antigen (tPSA) concentration of 2-10 ng ml -1 (systematic vs combined: 11.9% vs 17.5%, OR = 1.58, 95% CI: 1.08-2.31, P = 0.02). Specifically, in the transperineal biopsy subgroup, combined biopsy significantly outperformed systematic biopsy in the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer (systematic vs combined: 12.6% vs 24.0%, OR = 2.19, 95% CI: 1.21-3.97, P = 0.01). These findings suggest that in patients with a tPSA concentration of 2-10 ng ml -1 , MRI-targeted biopsy may be of greater predictive value than systematic biopsy in the detection of clinically significant prostate cancer.

Preliminary clinical practice of radical prostatectomy without preoperative biopsy

BACKGROUND

At present, biopsy is essential for the diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa) before radical prostatectomy (RP). However, with the development of prostate-specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PSMA PET/CT) and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI), it might be feasible to avoid biopsy before RP. Herein, we aimed to explore the feasibility of avoiding biopsy before RP in patients highly suspected of having PCa after assessment of PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI.

METHODS

Between December 2017 and April 2022, 56 patients with maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of ≥4 and Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS) ≥4 lesions who received RP without preoperative biopsy were enrolled from two tertiary hospitals. The consistency between clinical and pathological diagnoses was evaluated. Preoperative characteristics were compared among patients with different pathological types, T stages, International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grades, and European Association of Urology (EAU) risk groups.

RESULTS

Fifty-five (98%) patients were confirmed with PCa by pathology, including 49 (89%) with clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa, defined as ISUP grade ≥2 malignancy). One patient was diagnosed with high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN). CsPCa patients, compared with clinically insignificant prostate cancer (cisPCa) and HGPIN patients, were associated with a higher level of prostate-specific antigen (22.9 ng/mL vs. 10.0 ng/mL, P = 0.032), a lower median prostate volume (32.2 mL vs. 65.0 mL, P = 0.001), and a higher median SUVmax (13.3 vs. 5.6, P <0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

It might be feasible to avoid biopsy before RP for patients with a high probability of PCa based on PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI. However, the diagnostic efficacy of csPCa with PI-RADS ≥4 and SUVmax of ≥4 is inadequate for performing a procedure such as RP. Further prospective multicenter studies with larger sample sizes are necessary to confirm our perspectives and establish predictive models with PSMA PET/CT and mpMRI.

Non-infectious adverse events of transperineal prostate biopsies performed under local anaesthesia

OBJECTIVE

To report non-infectious adverse events associated with transperineal prostate biopsy (TPBx) performed under local anaesthesia (LA) in an outpatient setting.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This study reports secondary outcomes from the Norwegian arm of the prospective NORAPP study (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04146142) and included all patients referred for prostate biopsy from November 2019 to February 2021. Transperineal magnetic resonance imaging-transrectal ultrasonography fusion TPBx were taken using 40 mL 1% lidocaine with 4 mL of 8.4% sodium bicarbonate placed in the perineal skin, under the prostatic apex, in the m. levator ani bilaterally, and along the path of the needle. Follow-up using patient-reported questionnaires was done immediately after TPBx, and after 2 weeks and 2 months. Pain was reported using a visual analogue scale (VAS) during placement of the LA, and during and after TPBx. Haematuria and acute urinary retention (AUR) rates were recorded.

RESULTS

We included 402 patients, and the response rate was 99.8% (401/402). The median (interquartile range [IQR]) age was 69 (63-74) years, the prostate volume was 40 (27-58) mL, the prostate-specific antigen level was 7.0 (4.5-11) ng/mL, and the number of biopsy cores taken was 8 (6-10). The median (IQR) VAS pain score was 1 (1-2) during placement of LA, 1 (0-2) during TPBx, and 0 (0-0) after TPBx. Haematuria and AUR rates were 64% (95% confidence interval [CI] 60-69%) and 0.5% (95% CI 0.1-1.8%), respectively. No patients were hospitalised or required after the TPBx surgical intervention.

CONCLUSION

Transperineal prostate biopsies can be performed under LA with limited discomfort to the patient and few post-TPBx adverse events.

Avoiding "Needless" nephrectomy: What is the role of small renal mass biopsy in 2024?

Current guidelines do not mandate routine preoperative renal mass biopsy (RMB) for small renal masses (SRMs), which results in a considerable rate (18%-26%) of needless nephrectomy/partial nephrectomy for benign renal tumors. In light of this ongoing practice, a narrative review was conducted to examine the role of routine RMB for SRM. First, arguments justifying the current non-biopsy approach to SRM are critically reviewed and contested. Second, as a standalone procedure, RMB is critically assessed; RMB was found to have higher sensitivity, specificity, and an equal or lower complication rate when compared with other commonly preoperatively biopsied solid organ tumors (e.g., breast, prostate, lung, pancreas, thyroid, and liver). Based on the foregoing information, we propose a paradigm shift in SRM management, advocating for an updated policy in which partial nephrectomy or nephrectomy for SRM invariably occurs only after a preoperative biopsy confirms that a SRM is indeed malignant.

Acceptability of magnetic resonance imaging for prostate cancer diagnosis with patients and GPs: a qualitative interview study

BACKGROUND

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the prostate is a new, more accurate, non-invasive test for prostate cancer diagnosis.

AIM

To understand the acceptability of MRI for patients and GPs for prostate cancer diagnosis.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Qualitative study of men who had undergone a prostate MRI for possible prostate cancer, and GPs who had referred at least one man for possible prostate cancer in the previous 12 months in West London and Devon.

METHOD

Semi-structured interviews, conducted in person or via telephone, were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Deductive thematic analysis was undertaken using Sekhon's Theoretical Framework of Acceptability, retrospectively for patients and prospectively for GPs.

RESULTS

Twenty-two men (12 from Devon, age range 47-80 years), two patients' partners, and 10 GPs (6 female, age range 36-55 years) were interviewed. Prostate MRI was broadly acceptable for most patient participants, and they reported that it was not a significant undertaking to complete the scan. GPs were more varied in their views on prostate MRI, with a broad spectrum of knowledge and understanding of prostate MRI. Some GPs expressed concerns about additional clinical responsibility and local availability of MRI if direct access to prostate MRI in primary care were to be introduced.

CONCLUSION

Prostate MRI appears to be acceptable to patients. Some differences were found between patients in London and Devon, mainly around burden of testing and opportunity costs. Further exploration of GPs' knowledge and understanding of prostate MRI could inform future initiatives to widen access to diagnostic testing in primary care.

Perspectives on technology - prostate cancer: is local anaesthetic transperineal prostate biopsy really better than transrectal biopsy?

For many years, transrectal ultrasound-guided (TRUS) prostate biopsies have been performed to establish a histological diagnosis of prostate cancer. This has been the recommended standard of care procedure, but has always carried risks, in particular the risk of post-procedural sepsis, and the associated antibiotic burden and risk of development of antibiotic resistance. Transperineal (TP) prostate biopsies performed under local anaesthetic (LA) have been proposed as a possible solution to these issues, with potentially lower infectious complications, and avoidance of need for antibiotic prophylaxis. The European Association of Urology produced guidance in 2023 with 'weak' recommendations in favour of LATP biopsy as a new standard of care, citing its safety profile. Both the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in the UK, and the American Urological Association in the United States, have concluded for now that the body of evidence is inadequate and not offered a similar recommendation. We discuss the available evidence, pros and cons of each technique, and the status of current trials in the field. We believe that clinical equipoise remains necessary, given the disparity in national and international guidelines highlighting the need for large randomised controlled trials to answer the question: is LATP biopsy really better than TRUS biopsy?

Perioperative alpha blockers in voiding dysfunction secondary to prostate biopsy: A meta-analysis

Introduction and Objectives

Voiding dysfunction remains a common side effect postprostate biopsy leading to significant morbidity. Alpha blockers have emerged as a potential therapeutic option to mitigate this risk, with various centres already incorporating its use in practice. Despite this, the literature regarding its efficacy remains inconclusive. Hence, a systematic review was performed to quantify the effect of perioperative alpha blockers on prostate biopsy-related voiding function.

Methods

A systematic search in MEDLINE, Embase and PubMed between January 1989 and July 2023 was performed to identify relevant articles. Two independent reviewers independently screened abstracts, full texts and performed data extraction. Data including International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS), voiding flow rates (Qmax), postvoid residuals (PVR), rates of acute urinary retention (AUR) and quality of life (QoL) scores were extracted. Results were combined in an inverse variance random effects meta-analysis.

Results

A total 808 patients from six randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing alpha blockers to controls were included. All articles excluded patients with pre-existing voiding dysfunction. Pooled outcomes demonstrated statistically significant differences favouring alpha blocker usage in all objective and subjective measures including IPSS (mean difference 4.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.58-5.84, p < 0.00001), PVR (mean difference 20.41 mL, 95% CI 3.44-37.39, p = 0.02), Qmax (mean difference 3.07 mL/s, 95% CI 2.55-3.59, p < 0.00001), QoL (weighted-mean difference 0.82, CI 0.17-1.48, p = 0.01) as well as overall risk of AUR (odds ratio 0.22, CI 0.09-0.55, p = 0.001). There was variable heterogeneity (I 2 = 0-86%) between outcomes.

Conclusions

This review highlights the potential role of alpha blockers in improving urinary function and reducing adverse voiding outcomes postprostate biopsy. The standard practice of incorporating the usage of perioperative alpha blockers may be considered to reduce the morbidity of voiding complications secondary to prostate biopsy.

Clinical value of ultrasound-guided full-needle path anesthesia in transperineal prostate biopsy: An observational study

BACKGROUND

The pain sensation in a transperineal prostate biopsy was obvious. This study explored the clinical value of ultrasound-guided full-needle path anesthesia in transperineal prostate biopsy.

METHODS

Two hundred patients who underwent ultrasound-guided transperineal prostate biopsy at our department were randomly divided into 2 groups. The control group received routine local infiltration anesthesia, and the experimental group received ultrasound-guided full-needle path anesthesia. Immediately after biopsy, visual analog scoring was used to evaluate pain during the biopsy process. Seven days postbiopsy, telephone follow-up revealed symptoms, such as hematuria and discomfort during urination. The measured data were expressed as x ± s. The 2 groups were compared using the t test, and the differences were statistically significant (P < .05).

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in age, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level, or prostate volume between the 2 groups, and all patients underwent prostate biopsy. The pain score of visual analog score was (2.55 ± 0.88), urination discomfort was (1.86 ± 0.67) days and hematuria time was (2.87 ± 0.91) days in the experimental group after biopsy. In the control group, the pain score of visual analog scale was (4.32 ± 0.94), the urination discomfort was (2.3 ± 0.77) days, and the hematuria time was (2.85 ± 0.83) days. Pain scores and urination discomfort were compared between the 2 groups (P < .01). Pain and urination discomfort associated with prostate biopsy in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group.

CONCLUSION

Ultrasound-guided full needle path anesthesia can alleviate pain sensation in patients undergoing transperineal prostate biopsy and has high clinical value.

Non-invasively identifying candidates of active surveillance for prostate cancer using magnetic resonance imaging radiomics

Active surveillance (AS) is the primary strategy for managing patients with low or favorable-intermediate risk prostate cancer (PCa). Identifying patients who may benefit from AS relies on unpleasant prostate biopsies, which entail the risk of bleeding and infection. In the current study, we aimed to develop a radiomics model based on prostate magnetic resonance images to identify AS candidates non-invasively. A total of 956 PCa patients with complete biopsy reports from six hospitals were included in the current multicenter retrospective study. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines were used as reference standards to determine the AS candidacy. To discriminate between AS and non-AS candidates, five radiomics models (i.e., eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) AS classifier (XGB-AS), logistic regression (LR) AS classifier, random forest (RF) AS classifier, adaptive boosting (AdaBoost) AS classifier, and decision tree (DT) AS classifier) were developed and externally validated using a three-fold cross-center validation based on five classifiers: XGBoost, LR, RF, AdaBoost, and DT. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), accuracy (ACC), sensitivity (SEN), and specificity (SPE) were calculated to evaluate the performance of these models. XGB-AS exhibited an average of AUC of 0.803, ACC of 0.693, SEN of 0.668, and SPE of 0.841, showing a better comprehensive performance than those of the other included radiomic models. Additionally, the XGB-AS model also presented a promising performance for identifying AS candidates from the intermediate-risk cases and the ambiguous cases with diagnostic discordance between the NCCN guidelines and the Prostate Imaging-Reporting and Data System assessment. These results suggest that the XGB-AS model has the potential to help identify patients who are suitable for AS and allow non-invasive monitoring of patients on AS, thereby reducing the number of annual biopsies and the associated risks of bleeding and infection.

Perioperative Outcomes and Complication Rates in Holmium Laser Enucleation of the Prostate Patients After Prior Prostate Biopsy-Does It Really Make a Difference? A Propensity Score Matched Analysis

Introduction: Before holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP), many patients have undergone short-term prostate biopsy (PB) to rule out the presence of prostate cancer. The aim of this study is to determine whether a short-term PB before HoLEP has an impact on the perioperative outcomes or complications of HoLEP. Methods: In total, 734 consecutive patients treated with HoLEP at a tertiary care university hospital between January 2021 and July 2023 were retrospectively enrolled. Patients who had PB within 6 months before HoLEP were matched to patients who underwent PB more than 6 months or had no PB before HoLEP using propensity score matching (PSM) based on age, prostate volume (PV), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), preoperative urinary tract infection (UTI), and surgeon. Perioperative parameters, such as operation time (OT), enucleation efficiency (EF), as well as complications according to the Satava classification, the Clavien-Dindo classification (CDC), and the Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI) were evaluated. Results: In total, 206 patients were matched. Age, PV, PSA, as well as the presence of a preoperative UTI and surgeons did not differ significantly between both groups after PSM. There were no significant differences in mean OT (75 vs. 81 minutes, p = 0.28) and EF (2.13 vs. 2.13 g/min, p = 0.99). No differences were noted regarding intraoperative (16 vs. 25, p = 0.16) or postoperative complications graded by CDC (p = 0.53) and CCI (p = 0.92). Conclusion: PB within 6 months preoperatively before HoLEP showed no effect on perioperative outcomes or intra- and postoperative complications.

Transperineal Versus Transrectal Magnetic Resonance Imaging-targeted and Systematic Prostate Biopsy to Prevent Infectious Complications: The PREVENT Randomized Trial

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The transrectal biopsy approach is traditionally used to detect prostate cancer. An alternative transperineal approach is historically performed under general anesthesia, but recent advances enable transperineal biopsy to be performed under local anesthesia. We sought to compare infectious complications of transperineal biopsy without antibiotic prophylaxis versus transrectal biopsy with targeted prophylaxis.

METHODS

We assigned biopsy-naïve participants to undergo transperineal biopsy without antibiotic prophylaxis versus transrectal biopsy with targeted prophylaxis (rectal culture screening for fluoroquinolone-resistant bacteria and antibiotic targeting to culture and sensitivity results) through a multicenter, randomized trial. The primary outcome was post-biopsy infection captured by a prospective medical review and patient report on a 7-d survey. The secondary outcomes included cancer detection, noninfectious complications, and a numerical rating scale (0-10) for biopsy-related pain and discomfort during and 7-d after biopsy.

KEY FINDINGS AND LIMITATIONS

A total of 658 participants were randomized, with zero transperineal versus four (1.4%) transrectal biopsy infections (difference -1.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI] -3.2%, 0.3%; p = 0.059). The rates of other complications were very low and similar. Importantly, detection of clinically significant cancer was similar (53% transperineal vs 50% transrectal, adjusted difference 2.0%; 95% CI -6.0, 10). Participants in the transperineal arm experienced worse periprocedural pain (0.6 adjusted difference [0-10 scale], 95% CI 0.2, 0.9), but the effect was small and resolved by 7-d.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Office-based transperineal biopsy is tolerable, does not compromise cancer detection, and did not result in infectious complications. Transrectal biopsy with targeted prophylaxis achieved similar infection rates, but requires rectal cultures and careful attention to antibiotic selection and administration. Consideration of these factors and antibiotic stewardship should guide clinical decision-making.

PATIENT SUMMARY

In this multicenter randomized trial, we compare prostate biopsy infectious complications for the transperineal versus transrectal approach. The absence of infectious complications with transperineal biopsy without the use of preventative antibiotics is noteworthy, but not significantly different from transrectal biopsy with targeted antibiotic prophylaxis.