Volume 16 Issue 1, January 2019

The extent of pelvic lymph node dissection at the time of radical cystectomy is debated as it might affect oncological outcomes in patients with bladder cancer. Gschwend et al. now demonstrate that the survival benefit is small and that the study might need to be repeated with a larger cohort.

Preliminary results from TRITON2 demonstrate efficacy of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor rucaparib in ~50% of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and inactivation of BRCA1/BRCA2. However, those with ATM and CDK12 mutations do not seem to benefit. An improved homologous recombination deficiency test must be developed and alternative treatments defined for these subsets of patients.

This Review discusses the challenges in accurately identifying rare prostate circulating tumour cells or bone marrow-derived disseminated tumour cells and the resulting need for prostate-specific, sensitive biomarkers for the detection of these cells in liquid biopsy samples.

Patients with stage T1 bladder cancer require meticulous management owing to their high-risk of recurrence, progression and death. Here, Jordan and Meeks describe the natural history, diagnosis, and treatment of T1 bladder cancer, highlighting key challenges and areas of future investigation.

In this Review, the authors describe the current mechanistic understanding of infection stone formation and growth, including the influence of the organic matrix, microorganisms, and biofilms, highlighting the medical implications of these insights and the importance of multidisciplinary management approaches.

Urinary extravasation occurs in ~30% of patients with high-grade renal trauma, but the lack of evidence-based guidelines complicates its clinical management. Here, the authors discuss the diagnosis and management of urinary extravasation, highlighting important knowledge gaps and future research directions.