Bladder cancer (BC), the most frequent malignancy of the urinary system, is ranked the sixth most prevalent cancer worldwide. Of all newly diagnosed patients with BC, 70-75% will present disease confined to the mucosa or submucosa, the non-muscle-invasive BC (NMIBC) subtype. Of those, approximately 70% will recur after transurethral resection (TUR). Due to high rate of recurrence, patients are submitted to an intensive follow-up program maintained throughout many years, or even throughout life, resulting in an expensive follow-up, with cystoscopy being the most cost-effective procedure for NMIBC screening. Currently, the gold standard procedure for detection and follow-up of NMIBC is based on the association of cystoscopy and urine cytology. As cystoscopy is a very invasive approach, over the years, many different noninvasive assays (both based in serum and urine samples) have been developed in order to search genetic and protein alterations related to the development, progression, and recurrence of BC. TERT promoter mutations and FGFR3

Introduction The general worldwide increase in metabolic syndrome (MS) among most populations may result in more individuals with sexual dysfunction. Aim To provide an update on clinical and experimental evidence regarding sexual dysfunction in patients with MS from both sexes and treatment modalities. Methods A comprehensive literature review was performed using MEDLINE with the MeSH terms and keywords for “metabolic syndrome,”“obesity,”“female sexual dysfunction,”“erectile dysfunction,”“androgen deficiency,”“weight loss,” and “bariatric surgery.” Main Outcome Measures To examine the data relating to sexual function in both men and women with MS, its relationship and the impact of treatment. Results The MS is strongly correlated with erectile dysfunction, hypogonadism (predictors of future development of MS), and female sexual dysfunction. Few studies have been addressed in the treatment of these dysfunctions in the special setting of MS, other than the observational effects on sexual function of individual risk factors correction. This can be a result of their understudied etiopathogeny. Nonsurgical weight loss has been shown to improve sexual function (with the mainstay on sedentarism prevention), whereas the efficacy of bariatric surgery in this respect, which has been suggested by some preliminary evidence, needs to be further confirmed by adequate clinical trials. Conclusion As the global incidence of MS increases, more individuals may experience sexual dysfunction and a systematic evaluation should be emphasized in this patient population, in order to identify those who are in need of intervention.

Bladder cancer is the most frequent malignancy of the urinary system and is ranked the seventh most diagnosed cancer in men worldwide. About 70-75% of all newly diagnosed patients with bladder cancer will present disease confined to the mucosa or submucosa, the non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) subtype. Of those, approximately 70% will recur after transurethral resection (TUR). Due to this high rate of recurrence, patients are submitted to an intensive follow-up program that should be maintained throughout many years, or even throughout life, resulting in an expensive follow-up, with cystoscopy being the most cost-effective procedure for NMIBC screening. Currently, the gold standard procedure for detection and follow-up of NMIBC is based on the association of cystoscopy and urine cytology. As cystoscopy is a very invasive approach, over the years, many different non-invasive (both in serum and urine samples) assays have been developed in order to search genetic and protein alterations related to the development, progression and recurrence of bladder cancer. TERT promoter mutations and FGFR3 hotspot mutations are the most frequent somatic alterations in bladder cancer and constitute the most reliable biomarkers for bladder cancer. Based on these findings, an ultra-sensitive assay called Uromonitor ® was developed that corresponds to a urinebased assay capable of detecting trace amounts of the two most common alterations in NMIBC, TERT promoter and FGFR3 mutation, in urine samples. The Uromonitor ® test was performed in a cohort of 72 patients, firstly diagnosed with bladder cancer and under surveillance for NMIBC, to access its sensitivity and specificity in the detection of NMIBC recurrence. Uromonitor ® was shown to be highly sensitive and specific in detecting recurrence of bladder cancer in patients under surveillance of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Introduction: Penile cancer is rare, accounting for less than 1% of all male cancers in industrialized countries. It is most common in areas of high prevalence of HPV, being a third of cases attributed to the carcinogenic effect of HPV. Tumour cells infected with HPV overexpress p16INK4a, as such p16INK4a has been used as a surrogate of HPV infections. Objective: To evaluate the prognostic factor of p16INK4a overexpression in penile cancer. Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with penile cancer, submitted to surgery in a Portuguese Oncological Institution in the last 20 years (n = 35). Histological review of surgical pieces and immunohistochemical identification of p16INK4a. Relation between p16INK4a and the following factors were studied: age, histological subtype, tumour dimensions, grade, TNM stage, perineural invasion, perivascular invasion, disease free survival (DFS) and cancer specific survival (CSS). Results: p16INK4a was positive in 8 patients (22.9%). Identification of p16INK4a did not correlate with none of the histopathological factors. In this work we identified a better DFS and CSS in patients positive for p16INK4a (DFS at 36 months was 100.0% vs. 66.7%; CSS at 36 months was 100.0% vs. 70.4%), although without statistical significance (p > 0.05). In multivariate analysis of histopathological factors studied, only N staging correlated with DFS and CSS (p = 0.017 and p = 0.014, respectively). Discussion: the percentage of cases positive for p16INK4a is smaller than the one found in literature, which can suggest a less relevant part of HPV infection in the oncogenesis of penile cancer in the studied population. Identification of p16INK4a did not relate with other clinicopathological factors. Tendency for a more favourable prognosis in patients with p16INK4a agrees with results found in literature. The most relevant factor for prognosis is nodal staging. Conclusions: penile cancer positive for p16INK4a shows a trend for better survival, although the most relevant factor is nodal staging.

Chronic kidney disease and sexual dysfunction are common entities in clinical practice in haemodialysis (HD) units. This article is a review of some articles that focus on sexual dysfunction in patients undergoing HD and its possible relationship in multiple ways.

No abstract

Introduction: Patients with localized prostate cancer (PCa) are active participants in the choice of treatment. Objectives: To access the effects of social and demographic factors in the choice of treatment in cases of localized PCa, in a Portuguese population. Methods: Identification of all patients with the diagnosis of localized PCa in the last four years in an oncological centre. Evaluation of the effects of sociodemographic factors (age, profession, literacy, marital status, district and number of inhabitants of the place of residence) in the choice of treatment. Results: 300 patients with localized PCa were evaluated: 17.3% (n = 52) opted for radical prostatectomy (RP); 39,3% had (n = 118) external radiotherapy; brachytherapy in 29.3% (n = 88) and other options (active surveillance, cryotherapy and hormonal therapy) in 14.1% (n = 42). In relation to surgical treatment (RP) the following results were obtained: a) > 70 years: 3.9% (n = 5); ≤ 70 years: 27.5% (n = 47), p < 0.001; b) primary sector: 10.3% (n = 3); secondary sector: 16.2% (n = 27); tertiary sector: 24.1% (n = 21); quaternary sector: 8.3% (n = 1), p = 0.296; c) marital status married: 17.9% (n = 47); single: 0% (n = 0); divorced: 25.0% (n = 5); widow: 0% (n = 0), p = 0.734; d) residency in a city: 14.1% (n = 13); city > 4000 habitants: 22.7% (n = 15); city ≤ 4000 habitants: 16.9% (n = 24), p = 0.701. Using multinomial regression with age (p = 0.001), district (p = 0.035), marital status (p = 0.027) and profession (0.179), this model explained 17.2%-28.4% of therapeutic choices (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The main socioeconomical factor that influence treatment choice was age. Unmarried patients over 70 years choose less radical prostatectomy. Other sociodemographic factors have minor influence in the choice of the treatment.

No abstract