PURPOSE: On the basis of National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines, clinical stage (CS) II seminoma is treated with radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Primary retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND) demonstrated recent success as first-line therapy for RP-only disease. Our aim was to confirm surgical efficacy and evaluate recurrences after primary RPLND for CS IIA/IIB seminoma to determine if various clinical factors could predict recurrences. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent primary RPLND for seminoma from 2014 to 2021 were identified. All patients had at least 6 months of follow-up. Nineteen patients were part of a clinical trial. Patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy were excluded from Kaplan-Meier recurrence-free survival (RFS) analysis. RESULTS: We identified 67 patients who underwent RPLND for RP-only seminoma. One patient had pN0 disease. Median follow-up time after RPLND was 22.4 months (interquartile range, 12.3-36.1 months) and 11 patients were found to have a recurrence. The 2-year RFS for RPLND-only patients without adjuvant chemotherapy was 80.2%. Patients who developed RP disease for a period > 12 months had the lowest chance of recurrence, with a 2-year RFS of 92.2%. Seven initial CS II patients were on surveillance for 3-12 months before surgery and no patients experienced recurrence. Pathologic nodal stage and high-risk factors such as tumor size > 4 cm or rete testis invasion of the orchiectomy specimen did not affect recurrence. CONCLUSION: CS II seminoma can be treated with surgery to avoid rigors of chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Patients with delayed development of CS II disease (> 12 months) had the best surgical results. Patients may present with borderline CS II disease, and careful surveillance may avoid overtreatment. Further study on patient selection and extent of dissection remains uncertain and warrants further investigation.

Urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract is uncommon and presents unique challenges for diagnosis and management. Nephroureterectomy has been the preferred management option, but it is associated with significant morbidity. Nephron-sparing treatments are a valuable alternative and provide similar efficacy in select cases. A PubMed literature review was performed in English language publications using the following search terms: urothelial carcinoma, upper tract, nephron-sparing, intraluminal and systemic therapy. Contemporary papers published within the last 10 years were primarily included. Where encountered, systematic reviews and meta-analyses were given priority, as were randomized controlled trials for newer treatments. Core guidelines were referenced and citations reviewed for inclusion. A summary of epidemiological data, clinical diagnosis, staging, and treatments focusing on nephron-sparing approaches to upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) are outlined. Nephron-sparing management strategies are viable options to consider in patients with favorable features of UTUC. Adjunctive therapies are being investigated but the data remains mixed. Protocol variability and dosage differences limit statistical interpretation. New mechanisms to improve treatment dwell times in the upper tracts are being designed with promising preliminary results. Studies investigating systemic therapies are ongoing but implications for nephron-sparing management are uncertain. Nephron-sparing management is an acceptable treatment modality best suited for favorable disease. More work is needed to determine if intraluminal and/or systemic therapies can further optimize treatment outcomes beyond resection alone.

Androgen-indifferent prostate cancer (AIPC) is increasingly common and particularly lethal. Data describing these tumors are sparse, and AIPC remains a poorly understood malignancy. Utilizing the Oncology Research Information Exchange Network (ORIEN) database, we enriched for tumors with features of AIPC using previously described characteristics. Our AIPC cohort included three subgroups: aggressive variant prostate cancer (AVPC), neuroendocrine PC (NEPC), and double-negative PC (DNPC). Of 1496 total PC patients available for analysis, we identified 323 (22%) as MCRPC. Of those, 39 (12%) met AIPC criteria (17 AVPC, 13 NEPC, 9 DNPC) and 284 (88%) were non-AIPC. Forty-three percent of AIPC patients had de novo metastatic disease vs. 15% for non-AIPC (p = 0.003). Homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) and tumor mutational burden (TMB) did not differ between cohorts, but microsatellite instability scores (MSI) were significantly higher in AIPC (p = 0.019). Using Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), we found that genes defining response to androgens and genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation were the most downregulated, whereas genes involved in epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and immune signaling were significantly upregulated in AIPC vs. non-AIPC. Our study demonstrates the potential for predefined criteria that aim to enrich for AIPC and suggests opportunities for therapeutic investigation.

Background: Research suggests inconsistent evidence regarding the association between general obesity and prostate cancer among men in the United States. This study aimed to examine whether the association between general obesity and prostate cancer is influenced by abdominal obesity and ethnic groups. Methods: The study utilized data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The analysis was restricted to non-Hispanic men (10,683 White and 6,020 Black). Obesity was defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 and abdominal obesity as waist circumference (WC) ≥ 102 cm. Results: No significant difference was identified in the overall prevalence of prostate cancer between obese and non-obese (2.14% vs 2.25%, P = 0.678). When both obesity measures were combined, the general and abdominal obesity category was associated with a significant increase in the odds of prostate cancer in Black men [odds ratio (OR) = 1.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.09, 2.04)], but not in White men [OR = 1.29, 95% CI (0.91, 1.82)]. In both Black [OR = 2.46, 95% CI (1.48, 4.06)] and White men [OR = 1.60, 95% CI (1.16, 2.21)], abdominal obesity was associated with significant increase in the odds of prostate cancer. Conclusion: The association between general obesity and prevalence of prostate cancer depends on abdominal obesity and ethnic groups. Our study utilized a nationally representative survey and emphasized the potential of combined effect of general and abdominal obesity as a modifiable factor to decrease racial disparity in prostate cancer screening and poor outcomes.

Testicular cancer (TC) is the most common malignancy among young males and is associated with cure rates over 95%. However, the long-term health implications of treatments, such as the risk of osteoporosis, remain inadequately understood. This study aims to explore the incidence of osteoporosis in TC survivors and associated risk factors. This retrospective study utilized data from the Veterans Affairs (VA) national electronic health record system, identifying 1686 TC patients and 7412 matched noncancer controls. The incidence of osteoporosis was determined through diagnosis codes and osteoporosis medication prescriptions. Statistical analyses, including chi-squared tests, t-tests, and Cox proportional hazards models, were employed to evaluate risk factors. TC survivors exhibited a significantly elevated hazard of developing osteoporosis (HR =2.18; 95% CI, 1.52-3.14; P < .001), which persisted after adjusting for covariates (HR = 1.58; 95% CI, 0.99-2.51; P = .013). There was no significant TC treatment-specific effect: neither radiation nor chemotherapy were associated with an increased hazard of osteoporosis in multivariable analysis. TC survivors face a higher hazard of osteoporosis, with age at diagnosis being a significant factor. These findings highlight the need for regular bone health monitoring in TC survivors. Future prospective studies are necessary to validate these results and better understand the mechanisms linking TC, hypogonadism, and osteoporosis risk.