Review Articles in 2018

This Review describes the key insights into urologic chronic pelvic pain syndrome (UCPPS) from the first phase of Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Chronic Pelvic Pain (MAPP) Research Network studies and highlights their implications for understanding the pathophysiological basis and clinical management of UCPPS.

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.

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.

Nonoperative management is the only treatment option for Peyronie’s disease in the acute phase of the disease, when surgery is contraindicated. In this Review, Tsambarlis and Levine discuss the oral and topical therapies that have been shown to be efficacious and provide recommendations for their use.

The penis is a diverse and rapidly evolving structure, much more complex than its fundamental function — sperm transfer — would seem to require. In this Review, experts in the field discuss the drivers of penis evolution, and consider how the penis might be an ideal characteristic on which to focus in studies to link phenotype with genotype.

Transgender persons can be affected by sexual dysfunctions before, during, after, because of, and despite therapy. In this Review, experts in the field discuss trans sexuality across the gender dysphoric spectrum, and suggest ways in which trans persons can be supported in their sexuality and sexual function.

In this Review, the authors describe the current preclinical research into stem cell therapy for the treatment and prevention of penile fibrotic disorders, including Peyronie’s disease, urethral stricture and corpora cavernosa fibrosis, and highlight their specific mechanisms of antifibrotic activity.

In this Review, the authors describe the pathogenesis of uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs). They discuss the need for nonantibiotic treatments and explore the nonantibiotic management options for the prevention and management of recurrent UTI.

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.

The low biomass of the urinary microbiota presents methodological challenges for studying their role in urological diseases. Here, the authors describe methods for urinary microbiota profiling, and discuss important technical considerations for sampling, DNA sequencing, data processing and downstream analysis.

Intravesical device-assisted therapies, such as radiofrequency-induced thermochemotherapeutic effect, conductive hyperthermic chemotherapy, and electromotive drug administration, have shown promising efficacy for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Here, Tan and Kelly describe the evidence for these technologies and summarize efficacy, safety, and tolerability outcomes.

Radical cystectomy plus concurrent pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) provides oncological benefit and useful prognostic information. However, a lack of consensus exists regarding the optimal PLND template. Here, the authors describe and discuss the use of different PLND templates.

Renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) harbour mutations in genes encoding chromatin modifiers, which have integral roles in genome maintenance and epigenetic regulation. Here, the authors review the mutational landscape and roles of chromatin modifiers as co-drivers in RCC, highlighting therapeutic opportunities.

BCG immunotherapy is the gold-standard treatment for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer at high risk of recurrence or progression, but many questions remain unanswered regarding its mechanism of action. The authors describe current knowledge of these mechanisms and discuss ways of augmenting BCG immunotherapy.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is the most widely used method of fertilization in assisted reproductive technology. Here, the authors provide a historical overview of ICSI development, discuss indications for ICSI in both male factor and non-male factor infertility conditions, and describe potential consequences of ICSI for the health of resulting offspring.

The holmium:yttrium–aluminium–garnet (YAG) laser has been a standard of care for treating renal stones for the past 20 years. However, it is not without its limitations. In this Review, Fried and Irby discuss new laser technologies that offer an alternative to the holmium:YAG laser and consider fibre-optic approaches for delivery of the laser energy inside the urinary tract.

Joosten et al. review the main epigenetic alterations involved in renal carcinogenesis and their effects on key signalling pathways. The authors also discuss the utility of epigenetic aberrations as renal cancer biomarkers and their potential as treatment targets.

In this Review, Berish and colleagues outline the development of currently used models of prostate cancer bone metastasis and discuss mechanistic and therapeutic advances made using these models. The authors also suggest future directions to improve the applicability of these models to the metastatic cascade and human disease.

Patients with high-risk localized prostate cancer have a poor prognosis, and appropriate treatments are therefore imperative. Herein, the authors present the current clinical evidence of the benefit of neoadjuvant and adjuvant systemic therapies for the treatment of these patients.