Richard R. Kerr

Two recently published Mayo Clinic studies provide genetic clues to clear cell renal cell carcinoma that may have important therapeutic implications, researchers say.

The recently concluded AUA annual meeting in Orlando may not go down as one of the most memorable annual meetings in recent years. Nevertheless, it was noteworthy for some interesting news and lively debate on hot-button topics: the safety of certain urologic products, namely, testosterone and transvaginal mesh; new tests for prostate cancer; infection prevention and treatment; and use of an advanced prostate cancer agent in the pre-chemotherapy setting.

Lumenis Ltd. has announced the U.S. launch of the Lumenis Pulse 120H Holmium laser platform for a range of urologic applications.

When it comes to counseling patients on kidney stone prevention, less may be more, suggests a study presented at the National Kidney Foundation's spring clinical meetings in Las Vegas.

Sling surgery, robotic approaches to sacrocolpopexy and pelvic organ prolapse, and mesh are among the key studies in the area of female urology to watch for at the 2014 AUA annual meeting.

Is inflammation a potential target for the treatment of BPH? New research being presented at the 2014 AUA annual meeting may help answer this question.

Research in stone disease and minimally invasive surgery will also make its mark at the Society for Pediatric Urology annual meeting, which runs concurrently with the first 3 days of the AUA meeting.

In discussing research at the 2014 AUA annual meeting, Anthony J. Schaeffer, MD, called attention to an important paper concerning urinary tract infection in children, as well as another study showing that antimicrobial prophylaxis after surgery is subject to considerable variation.

At the 2012 AUA annual meeting, researchers reported that ureteroscopy had overtaken extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) as the treatment of choice for kidney stones. Look for research at the 2014 meeting showing that trend is ongoing.

Urologists continue to push the limits of minimally invasive surgery, and key papers presented at the AUA meeting will explore the functional and cancer control outcomes associated with minimally invasive and robotic procedures in prostate cancer and renal cell carcinoma. When to use such approaches remains a source of controversy.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued two new codes that describe the UroLift implant procedure for the treatment of enlarged prostate in the April 2014 Update of the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS).

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health have identified new potential therapeutic targets for muscle-invasive bladder cancer, including important genes and pathways that are disrupted in the disease.

Mayo Clinic researchers have found amplification of HER2, a known driver of some breast cancers, in micropapillary urothelial carcinoma and have shown that the presence of HER2 amplification is associated with particularly aggressive tumors.

Both the death rate and incidence rate for prostate cancer continues to decline, according to the latest round of statistics from leading U.S. cancer groups.

Insurance coverage has expanded for an epigenetic test for prostate cancer and percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) for the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB).

Contrary to popular belief and scientific predictions, a man’s patency after vasectomy reversal is possible almost 40 years after the original vasectomy, according to a study of more than 1,200 reversals that the authors say is the largest such study ever published.

Data are lacking to recommend for or against the use of vitamins, minerals, and multivitamin supplements for the prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease, according to a new U.S. Preventive Services Task Force draft recommendation statement.

An investigational minimally invasive device was found safe and effective in limiting rapid pressure changes within the bladder to reduce symptoms of stress urinary incontinence, the authors of a recently published trial reported.

Renacidin Irrigation (Citric Acid, Glucono delta-Lactone, and Magnesium Carbonate) is once again available after a series of manufacturing issues resulted in the product being unavailable for over a year, according to United-Guardian, Inc., the product’s marketer.

The American College of Surgeons, in collaboration with the AUA and 14 other specialty surgical organizations, has jointly published and released the seventh edition of a report that provides guidance on how often an operation might require the use of a physician as an assistant.

Women with common forms of urinary incontinence have various bacteria in their bladder, according to a recent study, and some of these bacteria may differ based on their incontinence type.

While women are far more likely to suffer from urinary tract infections, men are more likely to be hospitalized for treatment, according to a study by urologists from Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

In an attempt to clarify what it calls conflicting guideline statements on prostate cancer screening from various organizations, the Large Urology Group Practice Association has issued its own position on the use of the PSA test as a screening tool.

The FDA has authorized the marketing of the UroLift system, the first permanent implant to relieve low or blocked urine flow in men aged 50 years and older with BPH.

Total annual costs for major health care-associated infections (HAIs) were estimated at $9.8 billion in a recent study, with catheter-associated urinary tract infections representing

For men aged 50–69 years, PSA testing reduces prostate cancer-specific mortality and the incidence of metastatic disease, according to a new multinational consensus statement on early detection of prostate cancer, which also calls for prostate cancer diagnosis to be unlinked from treatment for the disease.