The Impact of Palliative Transurethral Resection of the Prostate on the Prognosis of Patients With Bladder Outlet Obstruction and Metastatic Prostate Cancer: A Population-Matched Study

Simultaneous thulium laser resection of the prostate and transperineal prostate biopsy in clinically diagnosed metastatic prostate cancer with bladder outlet obstruction

Metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) patients complicated with bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) are often referred to a urologist. Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) combined with indwelling catheter usually be the initial management. To retrospectively analysis the safety and efficacy of simultaneous thulium laser resection of the prostate (TmLRP) and transperineal prostate biopsy in metastatic prostate cancer with bladder outlet obstruction. From January 2016 to December 2021, 67 clinically diagnosed mPCa with BOO patients were included in this study. All patients were preoperatively assessed with international prostate symptom score (IPSS), QoL, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), prostate volume evaluation by transrectal ultrasound, postvoid residual urine volume (PVR), and maximum flow rate (Qmax). Preoperative and perioperative parameters at 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-up were also evaluated. All complications were recorded. Simultaneous TmLRP and transperineal prostate biopsy had obvious advantages for clinically diagnosed mPCa patients with BOO, including short overall operation time (52 ± 23.3 min), little hemoglobin decrease (0.6 ± 0.7 g/l), and short hospital stay (average 3.8 days). In addition, simultaneous TmLRP and transperineal prostate biopsy also brought them significant improvement on IPSS, QoL score, Qmax, and PVR volume (P < 0.001) at 1-, 3-, and 6-month follow-up after operation compared to preoperative parameters. Complications were in a low incidence. Simultaneous TmLRP and transperineal prostate biopsy is a bloodless operation with immediate effect and little perioperative complication. Importantly, it is a promising technology in the diagnosis and treatment of clinically diagnosed mPCa patients with BOO.

Relationships between holmium laser enucleation of the prostate and prostate cancer

Holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) is a size-independent surgical option for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) with excellent, durable functional outcomes. The prevalence of LUTS secondary to BPH and prostate cancer both increase with age, although the two diseases develop independently. Urologists often face a diagnostic dilemma, as men with LUTS secondary to BPH might also present with an elevated PSA and, therefore, need a diagnostic work-up to exclude prostate cancer. Nevertheless, ~15% of men with a negative elevated PSA work-up will undergo HoLEP and will be diagnosed with incidental prostate cancer at the time of HoLEP. Indeed, prostate cancer is often found in men undergoing HoLEP, and this situation can be challenging to manage. Variables associated with the detection of incidental prostate cancer, strategies to reduce incidental prostate cancer, as well as the natural history and management of this condition have been extensively studied, but further work in this area is still needed.

Cytoreductive radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy for metastases prostate cancer: Evidence from meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Cytoreductive radical prostatectomy (RP), transurethral resection of the prostate, and radiation therapy were the main local treatments for oligometastatic prostate cancer (PCa). An optimal local treatment for metastases PCa was not consensus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect on these local treatments for patients with metastases PCa.

METHODS

All relevant studies were systematically searched through PubMed, Web of Science through November 1, 2021. Studies were screened by inclusion and exclusion criteria. Progression-free survival (PFS), cancer-specific survival (CSS), and overall survival (OS) were evaluated by this meta-analysis.

RESULTS

Eleven studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria. 644 patients received cytoreductive surgery, 8556 patients received no surgery or radiation therapy (RT), and 461 patients received RP + androgen deprivation therapy compared with 746 patients who received RT. Pooled data indicated that cytoreductive surgery significantly prolonged the PFS (OR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.53-0.80, P < .0001), CSS and OS (OR = 0.49, 95% CI 0.43-0.56, P < .00001; and OR = 0.80, 95% CI 0.72-0.88, P < .00001; respectively). Comparing cytoreductive surgery with RT, CSS, and OS were similar (OR = 0.82, 95% CI 0.67-1.01, P = .06; and OR = 0.93, 95% CI 0.79-1.09, P = .39; respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

Cytoreductive radical prostatectomy significantly prolonged the PFS for metastatic PCa. Although OS was considered a-not-so significant difference between cytoreductive surgery and non-local therapy, non-local treatment was not recommended.

The role of surgery for loco-regional and advanced urological cancers

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

There is a general misconception that surgery is the antithesis of palliation. However, symptom mitigation, the basic tenet of palliative interventions, can be achieved by invasive procedures. Surgical care, thus, plays an important role in palliative oncology, alongside radiation and systemic therapy. There is global movement to improve palliation in oncology, and thus it is timely to evaluate the role of surgical interventions can play in this setting.

RECENT FINDINGS

Many of the surgical interventions done with palliative intent were first established as curative options. Most studies looked at interventions for local control of primary tumour including extirpative surgeries, while some studies studied pain relief for bone metastases. Results show that patients have an acceptable survival outcome and complication rate comparable to those done in the curative setting. However, not all studies report functional outcomes and symptom-relief consistently, highlighting an unmet need.

SUMMARY

More studies are needed to further define the role of surgery in palliative care. Randomized controlled trials studying surgical intervention in the palliative setting will be challenging because of lack of equipoise, inherent bias in patient and disease characteristics in those who undergo surgery. Nonetheless, studies should endeavour to study symptom-free survival and PROMs as meaningful endpoints of interventions performed in a palliative setting rather than solely focus on hard oncological endpoints of survival.