Background Patients with bladder cancer are apt to develop multiple recurrences that require intervention. We examined the recurrence, progression and bladder cancer-related mortality rates in a cohort of individuals with high-grade non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Methods Using linked SEER-Medicare data, we identified subjects with a diagnosis of high-grade, non-muscle-invasive disease in 1992–2002 and were followed until 2007. We then used multivariate competing-risks regression analyses to examine recurrence, progression, and bladder cancer-related mortality rates. Results Of 7,410 subjects, 2,897 (39.1%) experienced a recurrence without progression, 2,449 (33.0%) experienced disease progression, of whom 981 succumbed to bladder cancer. Using competing-risks regression analysis, we found the 10-year recurrence, progression, and bladder cancer-related mortality rates to be 74.3%, 33.3%, and 12.3%, respectively. Stage T1 was the only variable associated with a higher rate of recurrence. Women, black race, undifferentiated grade, stage Tis and T1 were associated with a higher risk of progression and mortality. Advanced age (≥70) was associated with a higher risk of bladder cancer-related mortality. Conclusions Nearly three-fourths of patients diagnosed with high-risk bladder cancer will recur, progress, or die within ten years of their diagnosis. Even though most patients do not die of bladder cancer, the vast majority endures the morbidity of recurrence and progression of their cancer. Increasing efforts should be made to offer patients intravesical therapy with the goal of minimizing the incidence of recurrences. Furthermore, the high recurrence rate seen during the first two years of diagnosis warrants an intense surveillance schedule.

This cohort study among patients undergoing major surgery defines the distribution of digitally measured daily step counts after major inpatient surgical procedures, assesses the accuracy of physician assessment and ordering of ambulation, and quantifies the association of digitally measured step count with postoperative length of stay in the hospital.

Background Accurate estimation of life expectancy is essential to offering appropriate care to men with early-stage prostate cancer, but mortality risks associated with comorbidity are poorly defined. Objective To determine the effect of age, comorbidity, and tumor risk on other-cause and prostate cancer–specific mortality in men with early-stage disease. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting A nationally representative, population-based cohort. Patients 3183 men with nonmetastatic prostate cancer at diagnosis. Measurements Baseline self-reported comorbidity (scored as a count of 12 major comorbid conditions), tumor characteristics, initial treatment, and overall and disease-specific mortality through 14 years of follow-up. Survival analyses that accounted for competing risks were performed. Results Fourteen-year cumulative other-cause mortality rates were 24%, 33%, 46%, and 57% for men with 0, 1, 2, and 3 or more comorbid conditions, respectively. For men diagnosed at age 65 years, subhazard ratios for other-cause mortality among those with 1, 2, or 3 or more comorbid conditions (vs. none) were 1.2 (95% CI, 1.0 to 1.4), 1.7 (CI, 1.4 to 2.0), and 2.4 (CI, 2.0 to 2.8), respectively. Among men with 3 or more comorbid conditions, 10-year other-cause mortality rates were 26%, 40%, and 71% for those aged 60 years or younger, 61 to 74 years, and 75 years or older at diagnosis, respectively. Prostate cancer–specific mortality was minimal in patients with low-risk (3%) and intermediate-risk (7%) disease but appreciable in those with high-risk disease (18%) and did not vary by number of comorbid conditions (10% to 11% in all groups). Limitation Comorbid conditions were self-reported. Conclusion Older men with multiple major comorbid conditions are at high risk for other-cause mortality within 10 years of diagnosis and should consider this information when deciding between conservative management and aggressive treatment for low- or intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Primary Funding Source National Cancer Institute.

BACKGROUND: Men with low-risk prostate cancer and significant comorbidity are susceptible to overtreatment. The authors sought to compare the impact of comorbidity and age on treatment choice in men with low-risk disease. METHODS: The authors sampled 509 men with low-risk prostate cancer diagnosed at the Greater Los Angeles and Long Beach Veterans Affairs Medical Centers between 1997 and 2004. Rates of aggressive treatment (radical prostatectomy, radiation therapy, brachytherapy) were determined among men of different ages and with different Charlson comorbidity scores. Multivariate modeling was used to determine the influence of both variables in predicting nonaggressive treatment, and Cox proportional hazards analysis was used to compare the risk of other-cause mortality among groups according to Charlson score and age. RESULTS: Men with Charlson scores !3 were treated aggressively in 54% of cases (30 of 56 men), while men aged >75 years at diagnosis were treated aggressively in 16% of cases (7 of 44 men). In multivariate analysis, age >75 years was a much stronger predictor of nonaggressive treatment (relative risk, 12.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.4-28.3) than a Charlson score !3 (relative risk, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.3-2.9). In survival analysis, men with Charlson scores !3 had an 8-fold increased risk (hazard ratio, 8.4; 95% CI, 4.2-16.6) and 70% probability of other-cause mortality at 10 years, whereas age >75 years was associated with a 5-fold increased risk (hazard ratio, 4.9; 95%CI, 1.7-13.8) and a 24% probability of other-cause mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Men with significant comorbidity often were overtreated for low-risk prostate cancer. Like advanced age, significant comorbidity should be a strong relative contraindication to aggressive treatment in men with low-risk disease. Cancer 2011;117:2058-66.

Background Physicians in training are at high risk for depression, and physicians in practice have a substantially elevated risk of suicide compared to the general population. The graduate medical education community is currently mobilizing efforts to improve resident wellness. Objective We sought to provide a trainee perspective on current resources to support resident wellness and resources that need to be developed to ensure an optimal learning environment. Methods The ACGME Council of Review Committee Residents, a 29-member multispecialty group of residents and fellows, conducted an appreciative inquiry exercise to (1) identify existing resources to address resident wellness; (2) envision the ideal learning environment to promote wellness; and (3) determine how the existing infrastructure could be modified to approach the ideal. The information was aggregated to identify consensus themes from group discussion. Results National policy on resident wellness should (1) increase awareness of the stress of residency and destigmatize depression in trainees; (2) develop systems to identify and treat depression in trainees in a confidential way to reduce barriers to accessing help; (3) enhance mentoring by senior peers and faculty; (4) promote a supportive culture; and (5) encourage additional study of the problem to deepen our understanding of the issue. Conclusions A multispecialty, national panel of trainees identified actionable goals to broaden efforts in programs and sponsoring institutions to promote resident wellness and mental health awareness. Engagement of all stakeholders within the graduate medical education community will be critical to developing a comprehensive solution to this important issue.

BACKGROUND: Accurate estimation of life expectancy is essential for men deciding between aggressive and conservative treatment of prostate cancer. The authors sought to assess the competing risks of nonprostate cancer and prostate cancer mortality among men with differing Charlson comorbidity index scores and tumor risks. METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective study of 1482 men with nonmetastatic prostate cancer diagnosed from 1997 to 2004 at the Greater Los Angeles and Long Beach Veterans Affairs Medical Centers. They performed Kaplan‐Meier and competing risks regression analyses to assess survival outcomes. RESULTS: After a mean follow‐up of 6.0 years, 370 (25%) men died from other causes, whereas 44 (3%) died of prostate cancer. At 10 years after diagnosis, men with Charlson scores 0, 1, 2, and 3+ had nonprostate cancer mortality rates of 17%, 34%, 52%, and 74%, respectively. In competing risks regression analysis, each point increase in Charlson score was associated with a 2‐fold increase in hazard of nonprostate mortality. Men with Charlson 3+ had 8.5× the hazard of death from other causes, compared with men with the lowest scores (subhazard ratio, 8.5; 95% confidence interval, 6.2‐11.7). After stratification by tumor risk, nonprostate mortality rates remained markedly elevated among men with higher Charlson scores, whereas prostate cancer mortality was rare, especially among low‐risk and intermediate‐risk groups (0.4%, 3%, and 8% for low, intermediate, and high risk, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Men with the highest Charlson scores should consider conservative management of low‐risk and intermediate‐risk tumors, given their exceedingly high risk of death from other causes and low risk of prostate cancer mortality. Cancer 2011;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.

Online consumer ratings should not be used in isolation to select physicians, given their poor association with clinical performance.

MRI is used to image prostate cancer and target tumors for biopsy or therapeutic ablation. The objective was to understand the biology of tumors not visible on MRI that may go undiagnosed and untreated.Methods: Prostate cancers visible or invisible on multiparametric MRI were macrodissected and examined by RNAseq. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) based on MRI visibility status were cross-referenced with publicly available gene expression databases to identify genes associated with disease progression. Genes with potential roles in determining MRI visibility and disease progression were knocked down in murine prostate cancer xenografts, and imaged by MRI.Results: RNAseq identified 1,654 DEGs based on MRI visibility status. Comparison of DEGs based on MRI visibility and tumor characteristics revealed that Gleason score (dissimilarity test, p<0.0001) and tumor size (dissimilarity test, p<0.039) did not completely determine MRI visibility. Genes in previously reported prognostic signatures significantly correlated with MRI visibility suggesting that MRI visibility was prognostic. Cross-referencing DEGs with external datasets identified four genes (PHYHD1, CENPF, ALDH2, GDF15) that predict MRI visibility, progression free survival and metastatic deposits. Genetic modification of a human prostate cancer cell line to induce miR-101 and suppress CENPF decreased cell migration and invasion. As prostate cancer xenografts in mice, these cells had decreased visibility on diffusion weighted MRI and decreased perfusion, which correlated with immunostaining showing decreased cell density and proliferation.Conclusions: Genes involved in prostate cancer prognosis and metastasis determine MRI visibility, indicating that MRI visibility has prognostic significance. MRI visibility was associated with genetic features linked to poor prognosis.