Renal cell carcinoma represents 3 % of all cancers. Around 4–10 % of cases present with inferior vena cava involvement, generally with tumor thrombus. Clinical and preoperative stage will be classified depending of the thrombus extension. A high quality preoperative workup is essential to properly plan surgical approach. Complete surgical resection of the tumor is potentially the only curative treatment, although it supposes a real challenge due to operative difficulty, potential for massive bleeding or tumor pulmonary thromboembolism. Surgery includes techniques derived from transplantation surgery and, in some cases, cardiovascular intervention with cardiopulmonary bypass. Long-term oncological outcomes after complete removal of the entire tumor burden are acceptable. In this report we describe step-by-step surgical maneuvers depending on the thrombus lever, and focusing in complete abdominal approach for the complete excision of the tumor. Moreover, a recent literature review about oncological results is reported.

Purpose.Published data about cryotherapy for prostate cancer (PC) treatment are based on case series with a lack of clinical trials and the inexistence of a validated definition of biochemical failure. A prospective study with standardized followup protocol was conducted in our institution.Material and Methods.Prospective study of a series of cases including 108 patients diagnosed with localized PC at clinical stage T1c-T2c treated by primary cryoablation and median followup of 61 months. Criteria of biochemical recurrence were unified according to the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO). End points were biochemical progression-free survival (BPFS), cancer-specific survival, and overall survival. Rate of complications was reported.Results.The BPFS for low-, medium-, and high-risk patients was 96.4%, 91.2%, and 62.2%, respectively. Cancer-specific survival was 98.1%. Overall survival reached 94.4%. Complications included incontinence in 5.6%, urinary tract obstruction in 1.9%, urethral sloughing in 5.6%, haematuria in 1.9%, perineal pain in 11.1%, and prostatorectal fistula in 0.9%. Erectile disfunction was found in 98.1%.Conclusions.Cryotherapy is an effective and minimally invasive treatment for primary PC in well-selected cases, with low surgical risk and good results in terms of BPFS, cancer-specific survival, and overall survival.

Objectives: The routine diagnostic method for assessment of renal graft dysfunction is Doppler ultrasound. However, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) may provide more information about parenchymal flow and vascular status of kidney allografts. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of CEUS in the immediate post-transplant period, focusing on acute vascular complications. A brief review of available literature and a report of our initial experience is made. Material and methods: 15 kidney transplant (KT) cases with clinical suspicion of acute surgical complication were assessed with CEUS and conventional Doppler ultrasound (US). In addition, bibliographic review was conducted through PubMed, Embase, and ClinicalKey databases. Results: 10% of KT underwent CEUS, useful for detecting vascular complication or cortical necrosis in 4 (26%) and exclude them in 74%. Grafts with acute vascular complications have a delayed contrast-enhancement with peak intensity lower than normal kidneys. Perfusion defects can be clearly observed and the imaging of cortical necrosis is pathognomonic. Conclusions: CEUS is a useful tool in the characterization of renal graft dysfunction with special interest on acute vascular complications after renal transplant. It is a feasible technique for quantitative analysis of kidney perfusion, which provides information on renal tissue microcirculation and regional parenchymal flow. Exploration could be done by a urologist at the patient’s bedside while avoiding iodinated contrast.

The androgen signaling pathway is the cornerstone in the treatment of high risk or advanced prostate cancer patients. However, in recent years, different mechanisms of resistance have been defined in this field, limiting the efficacy of the currently approved antiandrogen drugs. Different therapeutic approaches are under research to assess the role of combination therapies against escape signaling pathways or the development of novel antiandrogen drugs to try to solve the primary or acquired resistance against androgen dependent or independent pathways. The present review aims to summarize the current state of androgen inhibition in the therapeutic algorithm of patients with advanced prostate cancer and the mechanisms of resistance to those available drugs. In addition, this review conducted a comprehensive overview of the main present and future research approaches in the field of androgen receptor inhibition to overcome these resistances and the potential new drugs under research coming into this setting.

Background: Malignant ureteral obstruction (MUO) is a common condition that complicates the course of advanced malignancies. The aims of this study are to analyze the causes, management, and survival of patients with obstructive nephropathy due to malignant ureteric obstruction and to determine prognostic factors. Furthermore, we studied the complications and outcomes in patients who underwent urinary diversion. Materials and methods: A retrospective study was conducted on patients with computed tomography–confirmed MUO between January 2016 and November 2020. Demographic, clinical, radiological, laboratory, and management data were collected. Survival curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were used to test the association between parameters and survival. Results: A total of 188 patients were included. The mean age was 69.01 years (SD, 14.95 years), and the majority (54.8%) were male. The most common mechanism leading to MUO was compression by a pelvic mass (36.9%), and the 3 most frequent tumors causing MUO were prostate (17.6%), bladder (16.5%), and rectal cancer (11.7%). Forty-seven patients (25%) underwent urinary diversion: 23 (48.9%) underwent double-J stenting and 21 (44.7%) underwent percutaneous nephrostomy. The most common reason for urinary diversion was acute kidney injury (53.3%). Recovery of renal function was observed in 55.8% of the patients after urinary diversion. The most frequently identified complications after urinary diversion were urinary tract infection (24.4%), hematuria (17.0%), and urinary sepsis (14.9%). The median survival after hydronephrosis diagnosis was 6.43 months (interquartile range, 1.91–14.81 months). In patients who underwent urinary decompression, the median survival after urinary diversion was 8.67 months (interquartile range, 2.99–17.28 months). In the multivariate analysis, a lower grade of hydronephrosis and cancer cachexia negatively impacted survival. Conclusions: Cancer patients with MUO have a poor prognosis; therefore, the risk-benefit ratio of urinary diversion should be carefully considered. Cachexia and hydronephrosis grade can be useful in selecting suitable candidates for urinary diversion.