Background: After more than 20 years since laparoscopy was proposed as a solution for one of the most common surgical pathologies, inguinal hernia, the choice of an intra- or extraperitoneal approach has remained a highly debated topic. Purpose and objectives: This study aimed at analyzing the feasibility of the extraperitoneal approach, by routine for this team/ and answering the question of whether this type of approach can be considered a safe one. Although indications for an intra- or extraperitoneal approach largely overlap, it may also be a matter of surgeon preference in choosing one technique. Methods: The study was retrospective, conducted on a group of 493 patients operated on for inguinal hernia in the clinic, by a single operating team, between January 2012 and March 2022. Results: It was proven that out of the 493 surgeries for inguinal hernia, 95.1% (n = 469) were operated upon by laparoscopic TEP (total extra peritoneal patch plasty approach); 1.62% (n = 8) by laparoscopic TAPP (transabdominal intraperitoneal); and 3.24% (n = 16) by the open, anterior approach (Lichtenstein). There were no intraoperative complications recorded in any of the procedures, while postoperative complications were found in 10.23% of cases (n = 48) in the extraperitoneal approach, and recurrences after the TEP approach were recorded in 0.40% of cases (n = 2). Conclusions: For correctly selected cases, TEP hernia surgery can be considered a safe and reliable approach.

Background: Bladder cancer (urothelial cancer of the bladder) is the most common malignancy affecting the urinary system with an increasing incidence and mortality. Mouse models of bladder cancer should possess a high value of reproducibility, predictability, and translatability to allow mechanistic, chemo-preventive, and therapeutic studies that can be furthered into human clinical trials. Objectives: To provide an overview and resources on the origin, molecular and pathological characteristics of commonly used animal models in bladder cancer. Methods: A PubMed and Web of Science search was performed for relevant articles published between 1980 and 2021 using words such as: “bladder” and/or “urothelial carcinoma” and animal models. Animal models of bladder cancer can be categorized as autochthonous (spontaneous) and non-autochthonous (transplantable). The first are either chemically induced models or genetically engineered models. The transplantable models can be further subclassified as syngeneic (murine bladder cancer cells implanted into immunocompetent or transgenic mice) and xenografts (human bladder cancer cells implanted into immune-deficient mice). These models can be further divided—based on the site of the tumor—as orthotopic (tumor growth occurs within the bladder) and heterotopic (tumor growth occurs outside of the bladder).

Bladder cancer (BC) is the most frequent cancer of the urinary system and one of the most common malignancies in the world. In the last decade, many studies have been conducted to better understand the pathophysiological mechanisms of BC to find innovative markers for disease monitoring and treatment. In this study, we aim to identify miRNAs whose expression is associated with specific tumoral characteristics and risks of disease progression. Forty-one BC patients were enrolled in this study. The expression of 84 miRNAs was evaluated by qRT-PCR analysis on tumoral and peritumoral tissues. The results highlighted the association of the miRNA-17-92 cluster with BC, with miR-17-5p, miR-18a-5p, miR-19a-3p, and miR-20a-5p (members of this cluster) being upregulated in the tumoral tissue and correlated with muscle invasion and tumor grading. Taken together, our study identified a panel of 26 dysregulated miRNAs in BC, some of which may be associated with aggressiveness and the risk of progression of this malignancy.

The journal retracts the article, “Animal Models in Bladder Cancer. Biomedicines 2021, 9, 1762”

We present the case of a 71-year-old female patient who was admitted to our clinic for the presence of erythematous-petechial and vesiculo-bullou | POSTER

Background: Bladder cancer remains a heterogeneous disease, and genetic factors are increasingly recognized as potential contributors to its pathogenesis. CD36, a multifunctional scavenger receptor implicated in lipid metabolism and tumor progression, has not been previously investigated in relation to bladder cancer-associated polymorphisms. Objectives: This study examined the relationship between the rs1761667 variant and CD36 mRNA expression. Methods: Our study included 30 patients with bladder cancer and 19 controls. PCR–RFLP genotyping for rs1761667 and RT–qPCR quantification of CD36 mRNA expression, with GAPDH as the reference gene, were performed. Expression levels were analyzed using the 2^−ΔΔCt method, and statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05. Results: In patients, CD36 expression varied significantly across rs1761667 genotypes with reduced expression in AA carriers compared with GG carriers (post hoc, p = 0.009, with a Holm-adjusted p = 0.03). No significant genotype-related differences were observed among controls. Genotype distributions did not differ significantly between cases and controls (χ², p = 0.053). Conclusions: These results indicate that rs1761667 may modulate CD36 transcription in a genotype-dependent manner, particularly in the disease context. Overall, our findings point to a potential biological connection between inherited CD36 variation and bladder cancer-related pathways, underscoring the need for further validation in tumor tissues