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A genomic test capable of predicting the probability of developing metastatic prostate cancer outperformed existing clinical risk factors for predicting biochemical failure and distant metastasis following radiation therapy, researchers reported at the Genitourinary Cancers Symposium in San Francisco.

Separate studies at the Genitourinary Cancers Symposium highlighted the utility of prostate cancer tests Prolaris and ConfirmMDx for Prostate Cancer for treatment planning and identifying aggressive disease, respectively.

The androgen-receptor blocker enzalutamide (XTANDI) increases survival by 29% in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and delays progression of the disease by 81%, according to new phase III study results in men who had not previously received chemotherapy.

When we close the exam room door and sit down to speak with a patient, we are entering into a special covenant protected by law and at the backbone of building patient-provider rapport.

Hector H. Henry, II, MD, MPH, of Concord, NC, who practiced adult and pediatric urology for over 40 years, has died. He was 75.

Drugs and devices in the pipeline from Medivation, Astellas Pharma, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Boston Scientific, Northwest Biotherapeutics, and Generex Biotechnology.

He’s a urologist, but Daniel Shames, MD, has actually had three careers: practicing urologist, FDA official, and pharmaceutical industry consultant.

New products and services from UroGPO, Caldera Medical, Auxilium Pharmaceuticals, VIVUS, and Jeffrey Albaugh, PhD, APRN.

Urologists who are health policy experts say these are 10 things practicing urologists should know.

The AUA announced the 2014 Urology Residency Match results last week, reporting that of medical students who submitted preference lists, 64% matched.

Erectile dysfunction has been added the U.S. Surgeon General’s list of diseases caused by smoking.

There is no evidence that vasectomy leads to significant health problems, making it unlikely that the Urology Nevada patient who took the life of one urologist and injured another was suffering from the effects of “botched” surgery, say two urologists who are experts in vasectomy.

Higher levels of melatonin, a hormone involved in the sleep-wake cycle, may suggest decreased risk for developing advanced prostate cancer, according to a recent study.

Preoperative hypoalbuminemia is a risk factor for complications following radical cystectomy, say researchers from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

In men with nonobstructive azoospermia, frozen and fresh testicular sperm offer similar fertilization and pregnancy rates, according to the authors of a meta-analysis who say it is the first such study to specifically address the fresh-versus-frozen debate in this population.

A battle is brewing in California between trial lawyers and physicians, one that could be a harbinger of things to come nationally.

Urologists across the country offer their opinions on high-intensity focused ultrasound.

Thoughtful policies-with the input of physicians and physician specialty expertise-should be enacted to successfully address inappropriate utilization and ensure more efficient pathways.

Men who walked at a fast pace prior to prostate cancer diagnosis had more regularly shaped blood vessels in their prostate tumors compared with men who walked slowly, providing a potential explanation for why exercise is linked to improved outcomes for men with prostate cancer.

Patients with chronic kidney disease who undergo robot-assisted partial nephrectomy for kidney cancer have minimal loss of renal function-a smaller amount even than patients with normal kidney function, according to researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, who say their study is the largest of its kind.

Type of surgical approach-open or robot assisted-appears to have no effect on specific clinical outcomes in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy for high-risk prostate cancer, nor does the procedure influence the pathway subsequent therapy might follow, according to a recent study.

Results from a survey of members of the Society of University Urologists (SUU) highlight the current work force shortage in academic urology and provide information that is instructive for both academicians and urologists-in-training who are planning their career, said Joshua Langston, MD, at the 2013 American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress in Washington.

More than 85% of patients undergoing robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy may not require opioid analgesia either immediately post-op, in hospital, or upon release, according to a recent study.

A recently published study found that a small percentage of men who seek infertility treatment are potentially hurting their ability to have children by taking testosterone supplements.

Urologist Daniel Shames, MD, has had a unique and varied career, with stops in clinical practice, the FDA, and his current role as a consultant to the pharmaceutical industry. Dr. Shames’ wide-ranging experience brings an insightful perspective on the topics he discusses in this interview: what goes into FDA drug approvals, quality of life endpoints, and the Sunshine Act.

This question points out the importance of understanding each description as you select the appropriate code for services provided.

As all too often is the case, the feds can’t just stop with implementing the law in a common sense way; they seem to take it to an extreme.

I certainly applaud the authors’ efforts and feel that such standardized algorithms can be very beneficial for practicing urologists. However, their study lacks an objective measure of pain (such as a Likert pain score) or explanation of why many of the patients did require narcotics.