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he coverage, and subsequent payment, for your PSA test is determined by the contractual agreement with your insurance company. Some insurance companies pay and others do not for procedures and other services with different diagnoses.

E&M documentation has been a major problem for many of us since the beginning of the documentation guidelines in 1995.

An international study analyzing data from almost 30,000 men treated with radical prostatectomy as monotherapy for high-risk prostate cancer provides some evidence that short- to medium-term oncologic outcomes are better for men who undergo robot-assisted laparoscopic RP (RALP) compared with open RP (ORP) and laparoscopic RP (LRP).

A reweighed Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) based on prostate cancer-specific data and long-term follow-up predicts long-term, other-cause mortality in prostate cancer patients better than the original CCI.

Targeted antimicrobial prophylaxis based on microbiologic findings from rectal swab cultures significantly reduces the incidence of post-transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUSP) infectious complications and has the potential to decrease the overall cost of care.

Analyses of oncologic outcomes from men enrolled in a large, prospective, multicenter database support consideration of radical prostatectomy in the management of locally advanced prostate cancer.

Results of a retrospective study documenting a significant risk of fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli infections after transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUSP) prompted a change in the antibiotic prophylaxis protocol for men undergoing this diagnostic procedure at one large institution.

Axitinib, an investigational selective inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptors 1, 2, and 3, significantly extended progression-free survival (PFS) compared with sorafenib (Nexavar) in patients with previously treated metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC).

Surgical treatment for small renal masses may be cautiously delayed in select patients with significant competing risks for mortality.

In a busy urology practice, there are numerous bottlenecks that threaten the ability to effectively manage the day.

Use of the investigational tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) cabozantinib led to complete or partial resolution of radionuclide tracer uptake by bone scan in three-fourths of men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) with bone metastasis in an international phase II randomized discontinuation trial.

Newly elected AUA President Sushil S. Lacy, MD, discusses the challenges and opportunities facing urologists.

The recurrence rate following thermal ablation of renal cortical tumors is 6%. About half of recurrences can be managed successfully with salvage ablative procedures, but 20% require extirpative surgery.

Urology drugs and devices that are in the pipeline from Amgen, VIVUS, Pfizer, Palatin Technologies, Inc., and IsoRay Inc.

Decontamination of the rectum with povidone-iodine prior to transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsy does not yet appear to be efficacious in reducing infection rates.

Health literacy is the ability of a patient to read, understand, and use health care information to make decisions and follow instructions for treatment. Many physicians overestimate these abilities in their patients, which can lead to poor communication, poor outcomes, and even allegations of malpractice.

The attack on Medicare payments for advanced imaging services is intensifying in Washington as both lawmakers on Capitol Hill and regulators at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services target them for cuts.

Most of the urologists interviewed for this article say post-biopsy infection is something they are watching and that they are considering changes to their regimens to counter the problems that have been reported.

Caution needs to be exercised when investing in bonds, as many investors are under the misunderstanding that bonds cannot lose principal value.

Urologists say obese patients often have physical limits when it comes to surgery.

The media seems to be more interested in highlighting the cost of new prostate cancer medications than the important progress made in treating the second leading cause of cancer death in men.

Murali Ankem, MD, has been named chair of urology at the University of Louisville in Louisville, KY, effective Oct. 1.

The American Society for Radiation Oncology has developed a white paper on the safe use of integrating intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) into the radiation oncology clinic.

Uroplasty, Inc. (Minneapolis) has announced that two additional private insurance payers will cover posterior tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) using its Urgent PC Neuromodulation System for the treatment of overactive bladder and associated symptoms.

Short-term androgen deprivation therapy given in combination with radiation therapy to men with early-stage prostate cancer increased their chances of living longer compared with treatment with radiation therapy alone, according to a recent multicenter study.

The FDA has issued an updated safety communication warning health care providers and patients that transvaginal placement of mesh to repair pelvic organ prolapse may expose patients to greater risk than other surgical options.

The House of Representatives has approved an amendment offered by Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) to increase funding for prostate cancer research by $16 million.