PWD and PCP are employees of Cynvenio Biosystems Inc. FB is employed by Menarini Silicon Biosystems. SK, MT, PDC, MWM, and SG are employees of ResearchDx. JU and KD are employees of Liquid Genomics. SR is an employee of NantHealth. PD is affiliated with Liquid Genomics. These companies all developed platforms used in this work.
Though a generally safe procedure, efficacy of TURBT in terms of complete tumor excision, appropriate pathologic diagnosis, and absence of complications can vary significantly with direct impact on patient outcomes. Application of new techniques including bipolar electrocautery and photodynamic enhancement continues to shape endoscopic management of bladder cancer and improve safety, tumor excision rates, and downstream outcomes. High-quality bladder tumor resection is essential for effective bladder cancer management. Technologies such as bipolar electrocautery and photodynamic visualization improve safety and tumor eradication. Improved education and surgical technique will further standardize high-level outcomes for patients undergoing TURBT.
Prostate cancer is a common malignancy impacting countless men without curative options in the advanced state. Numerous therapies have been introduced in recent years improving survival and symptom control, yet optimal methods for predicting or monitoring response have not been developed. In the era of precision medicine, characterization of individual cancers is necessary to inform treatment decisions. Liquid biopsies, through evaluation of various blood-based analytes, provide a method of patient evaluation with potential applications in virtually all disease states. In this review, we will describe current approaches with a particular focus on demonstrated clinical utility in the evaluation and management of prostate cancer.
Precision medicine with molecularly directed therapeutics is rapidly expanding in all subspecialties of oncology. Molecular analysis and treatment monitoring require tumor tissue, but resections or biopsies are not always feasible due to tumor location, patient safety, and cost. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) offer a safe, low-cost, and repeatable tissue source as an alternative to invasive biopsies. “Liquid biopsies” can be collected from a peripheral blood draw and analyzed to isolate, enumerate, and molecularly characterize CTCs. While there is deserved excitement surrounding new CTC technologies, studies are ongoing to determine whether these cells can provide reliable and accurate information about molecular drivers of cancer progression and inform treatment decisions. This review focuses on the current status of CTCs in genitourinary (GU) cancer. We will review currently used methodologies to isolate and detect CTCs, their use as predictive biomarkers, and highlight emerging research and applications of CTC analysis in GU malignancies.
Coordinated multidisciplinary perioperative care through enhanced recovery protocols has improved outcomes within urologic surgery. Continued development and refinement of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways will further augment the care of patients undergoing all urologic procedures. Among the challenges, moving forward is identification of barriers to ERAS adoption by providers, maximizing adherence among patients, standardization of ERAS pathways through establishment of evidence-based principles, and application in additional complex urologic procedures beyond radical cystectomy.
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