Early detection and management of prostate cancer has evolved over the past decade, with a focus now on harm minimisation and reducing overdiagnosis and overtreatment, given the proven improvements in survival from randomised controlled trials.
Background: There are few studies examining retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) for testicular cancer in Australia. This study examines the perioperative outcomes, complications and survival rates following RPLND, by a high volume, single surgeon. Methods: A retrospective, case series of a single surgeon, multi-centre study included all patients who underwent RPLND following testicular cancer at Westmead Public Hospital, Westmead Private Hospital, and Macquarie University Hospital 2005-2020. One hundred one patients identified, with 94 having sufficient available data. Results: At time of operation, median age was 29.5 years. 84.2% had T1 or T2 primary tumours at diagnosis. Most common RPLND indication was residual mass postchemotherapy (92.6%), with bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin (BEP)x3 and BEPx4 most common chemotherapy regimens (50% and 35% respectively). Post-chemotherapy, largest residual mass ranged from 0.9 to 20 cm (median 3.32 cm). Post-chemotherapy, 95.7% masses were found in retroperitoneum (64.4% para-aortic region). 93.6% had open approach. 42.5% had bilateral nerve sparing. Majority (97.1%) did not require blood transfusion. No complications reported in 52.1% of patients. No deaths recorded within 90 days of surgery. At time of analysis, 91.5% had recurrence free survival, and 92.6% overall survival, at a median follow-up since surgery of 47.5 months (range 11 to 200 months). Conclusions: This retrospective study, addressing peri-operative surgical outcomes for RPLND surgery in Australia, is comparable to high-volume international urological centre studies, and shows that centralisation of post-chemotherapy RPLND to an experienced surgeon, results in low perioperative morbidity and mortality.
Purpose of reviewNeuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) is a rare histologic subtype of prostate cancer with extremely aggressive clinical behaviour and very limited data regarding treatment options. This review is intended to relay new research advances in the understanding of the genetic and epigenetic aberrations underlying NEPC development and to review new targeted therapeutic options developed based on NEPC genetics.Recent findingsMultiple genomic alterations and epigenetic regulators have been identified in NEPC development. Among these are amplifications of oncogenic transcriptional factors, changes in expression of cell surface markers and epigenetic alterations. This in turn has facilitated a number of new targeted therapies for NEPC that act via different mechanisms including catalytic inhibitors, immune-modulators and epigenetic modifiers. These targeted therapies are now being studied in different phases of clinical trials with some preliminary results showing efficacy.SummaryNEPC is a highly aggressive malignancy with currently lack of effective treatments. Considerable challenges still remains to improve clinical outcomes in NEPC; however, ongoing trials exploiting novel genetic and epigenetic alterations hold promise for patients suffering from this aggressive disease.
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