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Listen to the Urology Times Radio podcast from Day Two of the 2007 AUA Annual Meeting in Anaheim, California. This podcast includes interviews with highly regarded experts in urological medicine including: Anthony D'Amico, MD, discusses ADT and the associated risk of cardiac mortality Brent Yanke, MD, talks about endoscopic treatment of low-grade TCCJ. Stuart Wolf, MD, discusses the expansion and contraction of U.S. urologic practice

Researchers at the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, Germany, are exploring the potential of oncofetal fibronectin (fFN) as a potential new marker for bladder cancer. If successful, the test would be a simple urine dipstick test involving a monitor that measures the concentration of the protein in a sample. It would produce results in about 20 minutes.

Initiating androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in men with prostate cancer significantly increases the risk of incident diabetes, and that effect occurs within a relatively short time frame, according to research presented here yesterday.

When performed by the hands of experienced prostate cancer surgeons at a center of excellence, laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) and open retropubic radical prostatectomy (RRP) are associated with comparable outcomes in the treatment of clinically localized prostate cancer, according to findings reported by urologists from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York.

Patients with a relatively small volume of low-grade, upper-tract transitional cell carcinoma can be managed by purely endoscopic means over a long period of time, surgeons from Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, reported here.

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) delivered in conjunction with surgery, radiation therapy, or cryotherapy for localized prostate cancer appears to significantly increase the risk of fatal cardiovascular (CVD) events among men 65 years and older. The increased risk is maintained after adjusting for most known coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factors and increases with increasing duration of therapy, but is present in men receiving as little as 3 months of ADT, according to the findings of a retrospective study reported yesterday at the AUA annual meeting.

AUA Podcast: Day 1

Listen to the Urology Times Radio podcast from Day One of the 2007 AUA Annual Meeting in Anaheim, California. This podcast includes interviews with highly regarded experts in urological medicine including: J. Quentin Clemens, MD, discusses primary care practice patterns of chronic prostatitis Neal Shore, MD, reports on research comparing two devices for treating BPHDean Tripp, PhD, and J. Curtis Nickel, MD, discuss a biopsychosocial model for quality of life in CP/CPPS

AUA paid tribute to outstanding health journalism by presenting the first Excellence in Urology Health Reporting Awards at a press reception yesterday. Eric T. Rosenthal received the Trade Press award for his Oncology Times article, "Prostate Cancer: Pros and Cons of the Integration of Urology and IMRT Services in the Community Practice." MSNBC reporter Michael Stuckey took the Consumer Broadcast award for his series, "Low Blow: One Man's Battle with Prostate Cancer."

The oncoFISH Bladder robotic digital microscopy system from Ikonisys (New Haven, CT) identifies and measures aneuploidy on chromosomes 3, 7, 9, and 17 in urine sediment specimens for diagnosis of initial and recurrent bladder cancer. Up to 170 prepared slides can be loaded, scanned, and the images captured in this walkaway system, which generates a gallery of images for review and interpretation. Select slide images and the analytical report can be transmitted to the urologist within 24 hours for diagnosis.

Americans spend almost $11 billion annually in medical care related to urologic diseases, and Medicare's share of the bill was $5.4 billion, according to a 5-year project issued by the National Institutes of Health that is now available in print and on CD.

Preliminary results from the REDUCE (REduction by DUtasteride of prostate Cancer Events) trial suggest a relationship between the degree of chronic inflammation and LUTS, but not clinical prostatitis-like symptoms in the REDUCE population. Also, men with more severe LUTS are more likely to experience pelvic pain as part of their symptom complex, according to the study findings presented here yesterday.

It appears that ureteroscopy and other minimally invasive techniques, such as laser lithotripsy, are safe and effective in managing pediatric nephrolithiasis, including ureteric calculi, renal pelvic stones, and lower-pole stones.

The use of cryoablation, rather than radiofrequency (RF) ablation for the treatment of small renal masses may be controversial for some urologists, but recent data support the superiority of cryoablation.

The concept of physicians demanding and getting stipends for being on call at hospital emergency rooms is becoming a well-established trend that many feel will eventually reach into all hospitals. Urologists are no exception.

The mainstay of treatment for men with metastatic prostate cancer, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists are also the subject of recent studies showing that they raise the risk of such adverse effects as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.