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A randomized controlled trial published in European Urology concludes that combination therapy with tamsulosin and dutasteride is superior to monotherapy with either of these therapies in reducing the risk of clinical progression of benign prostatic hyperplasia. This approach might prove an attractive option for men who have troublesome symptoms and wish to avoid surgery.
Small renal tumors are generally managed by partial nephrectomy; however, positive surgical margins are occasionally found on final pathologic examination. Growing evidence suggests that the presence of positive margins does not adversely affect outcomes; these patients can potentially be managed expectantly with close follow-up without compromising oncological efficacy.
Tumor stage distribution in the population of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) enrolled in first-line clinical trials has changed over time, with a significant shift of patients to more-favorable risk groups. This phenomenon might result in difficulty recruiting for high-risk mRCC clinical trials and possible overestimation of the benefits of new treatment regimens.
Overall kidney cancer incidence shows signs of stabilizing, or even decreasing worldwide, except in the US, where renal cell carcinoma incidence continues to rise. This Review by Chow and colleagues discusses the descriptive incidence and changing prevalence of risk factor patterns of adult kidney carcinoma, both internationally and in the US.
PET–CT allows simultaneous capture and co-registration of functional and anatomical data. Here, Australian-based authors outline the current clinical status of this 'functional imaging' in renal cell carcinoma. New radiotracers and approaches—including radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies and imaging of tumor hypoxia—are touched on, and areas of future research discussed.
In this Review, Bratslavsky and Linehan address the management of the challenging group of patients with bilateral, multifocal, recurrent renal cell carcinoma. They discuss the treatment options and outcomes for these patients, highlight the importance of maximal renal preservation, and outline a management strategy developed from their own experience in treating these patients.
Each of the kidney cancer genes identified so far interact with cell metabolism pathways involved in energy, nutrient, iron or oxygen sensing. Here, Linehan and colleagues argue that targeting the fundamental cell metabolic abnormalities provides a unique opportunity to develop novel forms of therapy for this disease.
Over the past decade, research interest in the functional and regulatory roles of microRNAs, a class of small, non-coding RNAs, has increased dramatically. In this article, the authors provide an overview of the role of microRNAs in urologic tumors, and highlight their potential as diagnostic or prognostic markers of disease and as targets for cancer treatments.
