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Two novel, investigational forms of immunotherapy showed positive outcomes in separate studies reported at the recent Genitourinary Cancers Symposium in San Francisco.

Inderbir Gill, MD, has been appointed chairman of the department of urology at the Cleveland Clinic. The department of urology is one of three departments within the new Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, along with the department of regional urology and the department of nephrology and hypertension.

Two newer drugs used for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma may be associated with an elevated risk of hypertension and other cardiovascular side effects, according to results of two separate studies.

Researchers at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, have developed a prostate cancer vaccine that prevented the development of cancer in 90% of young mice genetically predestined to develop the disease, and suggest the same strategy might work for men with rising levels of PSA (Cancer Res 2008; 68:861-9).

Men with prostate cancer who undergo prostatectomy cite sexual dysfunction as the most common side effect after surgery, but urinary dysfunction troubles these patients most, a study from the University of Florida College of Nursing, Gainesville, has found. What’s more, many are not emotionally prepared to face these complications, according to the study, reported in Urologic Nursing (2007; 27:527-33).

Hormonal components in over-the-counter dietary supplements may promote the progression of prostate cancer and decrease the effectiveness of anti-cancer drugs, report researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas. The findings, which appear in Clinical Cancer Research (2008; 14:607-11), reaffirm that patients should inform their doctors about any herbal or hormonal dietary supplements they are taking or are considering taking.

Assessing the comparative effectiveness and harms of various treatments for localized prostate cancer treatments is difficult because of limitations in evidence, according to a study to be published in the March 18, 2008, edition of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Researchers analyzing prostate tumors have identified differences in gene expression between African-American and Caucasian men that show the existence of distinct tumor microenvironments in these two patient groups. The study, conducted by investigators at the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, appears in Cancer Research (2008; 68:927-36).

Urologists and other physicians who treat Medicare patients have been given a short reprieve from the across-the-board 10.1% reimbursement cut that was scheduled for Jan. 1, and have even received a little bit of a raise.

Cherry Hill, NJ-Vision USA's sport bifocal safety glasses have soft rubber nose and ear pads and vents between lenses and frame for enhanced comfort.

In late December, Congress changed the rules, albeit slightly. These changes, among others in 2008, warrant urologists' attention.

Patients undergoing surgical treatment for stress incontinence with concomitant surgical repair, including anterior or posterior/apical repair and other non-prolapse procedures, appear to be at higher risk for wound-related or genitourinary complications.

A study supported the argument that the perineal approach and employment of the gracilis muscle should be the preferred approach for recto-urethral fistula repair.

Concern in the orthopedic community notwithstanding, placement of a suprapubic catheter does not appear to increase the risk of infection in patients with pelvic fracture urethral distraction defect.

Urethroplasty using a tissue-engineered urethral acellular matrix graft is a promising option for reconstruction of severe urethral stenosis.

Urethroplasty using a tissue-engineered urethral acellular matrix graft is a promising option for reconstruction of severe urethral stenosis.

A dorsal onlay, split-thickness extragenital skin graft appears to be a viable alternative for the treatment of long recurring anterior urethral strictures.

Buccal mucosa grafts and penile skin flaps have proven over the last 2 decades to be reliable tissue transfer techniques for reconstruction of intermediate and long urethral strictures.

Offering a concomitant Burch colposuspension to stress-continent women undergoing sacrocolpopexy not only appears to protect patients from later stress urinary incontinence, but it also may improve symptoms of urge incontinence above and beyond the effects of the prolapse repair alone.

Among the many recommendations within the new AUA guideline for the management of nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer, arguably one of the most important is the idea of repeating resection for patients with high-grade Ta or T1 disease within a few weeks of the initial resection before making a treatment recommendation.

Among the many recommendations within the new AUA guideline for the management of nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer, arguably one of the most important is the idea of repeating resection for patients with high-grade Ta or T1 disease within a few weeks of the initial resection before making a treatment recommendation.

Women with greater baseline urge incontinence symptoms, those with more advanced pelvic organ prolapse, and postmenopausal women not on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are all at greater risk for treatment failure when undergoing Burch and sling procedures for stress urinary incontinence.

Cherry Hill, NJ-Vision USA's sport bifocal safety glasses have soft rubber nose and ear pads and vents between lenses and frame for enhanced comfort.

Use of hemostatic hydrodissection and bipolar vessel coagulation appears to be a viable method for avoiding vascular clamping and subsequent renal ischemia while performing laparoscopic or robotic partial nephrectomy.

Men undergoing laparoscopic nephrectomy should be warned that they might develop testicular pain postoperatively.

Botulinum toxin A (Botox) is highly effective as a treatment for refractory urge incontinence symptoms in women with urodynamic evidence of detrusor overactivity incontinence, but patients require assessment for transient urinary retention.