Key clinical point: Candida albicans showed the strongest exoenzyme activity compared to non-albicans isolates in oral cavity samples from adults with diabetes.

Major finding:  Candida albicans isolates showed 97.3%, 100%, and 77.3% exoenzyme activity for phospholipase, hemolysin, and esterase, respectively. Differences in activity between albicans and non-albicans isolates were significant for phospholipase and hemolysin, but did not reach significance for esterase.

Study details: The data come from 108 Candida species including 75 Candida albicans and 33 non-albicans taken from diabetes patients’ oral cavity samples.

Disclosures: The study was supported by the Deputy of Research and Technology of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. The study was part of the MD thesis of coauthor Mehdi Ghaderian Jahromi. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Nouraei H et al. Biomed Res Int. 2021 May 26. doi: 10.1155/2021/9982744.

Key clinical point: Candida albicans showed the strongest exoenzyme activity compared to non-albicans isolates in oral cavity samples from adults with diabetes.

Major finding:  Candida albicans isolates showed 97.3%, 100%, and 77.3% exoenzyme activity for phospholipase, hemolysin, and esterase, respectively. Differences in activity between albicans and non-albicans isolates were significant for phospholipase and hemolysin, but did not reach significance for esterase.

Study details: The data come from 108 Candida species including 75 Candida albicans and 33 non-albicans taken from diabetes patients’ oral cavity samples.

Disclosures: The study was supported by the Deputy of Research and Technology of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. The study was part of the MD thesis of coauthor Mehdi Ghaderian Jahromi. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Nouraei H et al. Biomed Res Int. 2021 May 26. doi: 10.1155/2021/9982744.

Key clinical point: Candida albicans showed the strongest exoenzyme activity compared to non-albicans isolates in oral cavity samples from adults with diabetes.

Major finding:  Candida albicans isolates showed 97.3%, 100%, and 77.3% exoenzyme activity for phospholipase, hemolysin, and esterase, respectively. Differences in activity between albicans and non-albicans isolates were significant for phospholipase and hemolysin, but did not reach significance for esterase.

Study details: The data come from 108 Candida species including 75 Candida albicans and 33 non-albicans taken from diabetes patients’ oral cavity samples.

Disclosures: The study was supported by the Deputy of Research and Technology of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. The study was part of the MD thesis of coauthor Mehdi Ghaderian Jahromi. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Nouraei H et al. Biomed Res Int. 2021 May 26. doi: 10.1155/2021/9982744.

Key clinical point: Fungal or bacterial bloodstream infections were common in children within 5 years of liver or kidney transplants; the overall incidence in the first year post-transplant was 1.91 per 100 recipients per month.

Major finding:  A total of 29 of 85 children who underwent liver or kidney transplants developed bacterial or fungal bloodstream infections within 5 years of their transplants with 16 different pathogens; the most common were Enterococcus faecium, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Study details: The data come from a prospective study of 85 pediatric patients who underwent liver and kidney transplants between 2010 and 2017; the total follow-up was 390 person-years.

Disclosures: The study was supported by the Novo Nordic Foundation, the Independent Research Fund (FSS), the Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF), and the Research Foundation of Rigshospitalet; several coauthors also disclosed support from these organizations, as well as from Gilead and Merck.

Source: Møller DL et al. BMC Infect Dis. 2021 Jun 8. doi: 10.1186/s12879-021-06224-2.

Key clinical point: Fungal or bacterial bloodstream infections were common in children within 5 years of liver or kidney transplants; the overall incidence in the first year post-transplant was 1.91 per 100 recipients per month.

Major finding:  A total of 29 of 85 children who underwent liver or kidney transplants developed bacterial or fungal bloodstream infections within 5 years of their transplants with 16 different pathogens; the most common were Enterococcus faecium, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Study details: The data come from a prospective study of 85 pediatric patients who underwent liver and kidney transplants between 2010 and 2017; the total follow-up was 390 person-years.

Disclosures: The study was supported by the Novo Nordic Foundation, the Independent Research Fund (FSS), the Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF), and the Research Foundation of Rigshospitalet; several coauthors also disclosed support from these organizations, as well as from Gilead and Merck.

Source: Møller DL et al. BMC Infect Dis. 2021 Jun 8. doi: 10.1186/s12879-021-06224-2.

Key clinical point: Fungal or bacterial bloodstream infections were common in children within 5 years of liver or kidney transplants; the overall incidence in the first year post-transplant was 1.91 per 100 recipients per month.

Major finding:  A total of 29 of 85 children who underwent liver or kidney transplants developed bacterial or fungal bloodstream infections within 5 years of their transplants with 16 different pathogens; the most common were Enterococcus faecium, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Study details: The data come from a prospective study of 85 pediatric patients who underwent liver and kidney transplants between 2010 and 2017; the total follow-up was 390 person-years.

Disclosures: The study was supported by the Novo Nordic Foundation, the Independent Research Fund (FSS), the Danish National Research Foundation (DNRF), and the Research Foundation of Rigshospitalet; several coauthors also disclosed support from these organizations, as well as from Gilead and Merck.

Source: Møller DL et al. BMC Infect Dis. 2021 Jun 8. doi: 10.1186/s12879-021-06224-2.

Key clinical point: Mucormycosis cases surged after the appearance of COVID-19, but adjunct surgery in COVID-19 patients with mucormycosis improved clinical outcomes.

Major finding:  The mortality rate among 99 COVID-19 patients with mucormycosis was 34%. However, 81% of the patients underwent adjunct surgery, which significantly improved outcomes (P < 0.001).

Study details: The data come from 30 case series and case reports totaling 99 patients with COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM). Glucocorticoids, a known risk factor for CAM, were used in 85% of the patients, and the average time from COVID-19 diagnosis to CAM diagnosis was 15 days.

Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Pal R et al. Mycoses. 2021 Jun 16. doi: 10.1111/myc.13338.

Key clinical point: Mucormycosis cases surged after the appearance of COVID-19, but adjunct surgery in COVID-19 patients with mucormycosis improved clinical outcomes.

Major finding:  The mortality rate among 99 COVID-19 patients with mucormycosis was 34%. However, 81% of the patients underwent adjunct surgery, which significantly improved outcomes (P < 0.001).

Study details: The data come from 30 case series and case reports totaling 99 patients with COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM). Glucocorticoids, a known risk factor for CAM, were used in 85% of the patients, and the average time from COVID-19 diagnosis to CAM diagnosis was 15 days.

Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Pal R et al. Mycoses. 2021 Jun 16. doi: 10.1111/myc.13338.

Key clinical point: Mucormycosis cases surged after the appearance of COVID-19, but adjunct surgery in COVID-19 patients with mucormycosis improved clinical outcomes.

Major finding:  The mortality rate among 99 COVID-19 patients with mucormycosis was 34%. However, 81% of the patients underwent adjunct surgery, which significantly improved outcomes (P < 0.001).

Study details: The data come from 30 case series and case reports totaling 99 patients with COVID-19-associated mucormycosis (CAM). Glucocorticoids, a known risk factor for CAM, were used in 85% of the patients, and the average time from COVID-19 diagnosis to CAM diagnosis was 15 days.

Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Pal R et al. Mycoses. 2021 Jun 16. doi: 10.1111/myc.13338.

Using high-intensity focused electromagnetic (HIFEM) technology to strengthen pelvic floor muscles for the improvement of urinary incontinence (UI) and female sexual function was safe and effective at 9 months follow-up, results from a multicenter study showed.

“The pelvic floor consists of three pairs of muscles: the pubococcygeus, the iliococcygeus, and the puborectalis,” lead study author Joseph Berenholz, MD, and a diplomate of the American Board of Obstetics & Gynecology, said during the annual conference of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. “They control continence through support of pelvic organs. The urethra, the vagina, and the rectum pass through that diaphragm. It also contributes to sexual sensation and arousal. A deconditioning of the pelvic floor is usually the result of child-bearing years or aging, which usually results in urinary incontinence and impairment of sexual function. The noninvasive strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles helps to regain muscle tone and strength.”

In a prospective, open-label, single-arm study conducted at four sites, Dr. Berenholz, medical director of the Michigan Center for Women’s Health in Farmington Hills, and colleagues investigated the long-term effectiveness of HIFEM-induced pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strengthening for improvement of UI and sexual function. HIFEM selectively targets neuromuscular tissue and induces supramaximal PFM contractions that cannot be achieved voluntarily, he said, causing muscle strengthening due to muscle fiber hypertrophy, which helps patients to better isolate and command their muscles.

The study population consisted of 33 females with a mean age of 49 years who had UI and UI-related problems in sexual life. They received six 28-minute HIFEM treatments of the pelvic floor with the BTL Emsella, which is FDA cleared for both stress and urge incontinence. The frequency of visits was two treatments per week and the intensity of HIFEM was adjusted between 0% and 100% based on the patient’s tolerance threshold. Evaluations were conducted at baseline, after the last treatment, at 1, 3, 6, and 9 months. The primary outcomes were change in urine leakage based on the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire–Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF) and change in sexual function based on the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ-12). Secondary endpoints were adverse events and the comfort of therapy based on a 7-point Likert scale.

Dr. Berenholz reported that from baseline the severity of UI based on the ICIQ-SF significantly decreased 60% by a mean of 8.1 points between baseline and 9 months (P < .001). At 1 month, the FSFI score improved 32% by a mean of 7.1 points (P < .001) and was sustained throughout the study. The most prominent changes were seen in the subdomains of desire, arousal, lubrication, and orgasm response.

The PISQ-12 score incrementally increased 25% to a mean improvement of 8.2 points at 9 months (P < .001). Subjects improved most in the emotive subdomain, reporting more frequent orgasms, increased desire, and sexual excitement. The minimal important difference was 6 points.

“This is a true paradigm shift in the treatment of incontinence and sexual dysfunction,” Dr. Berenholz said. “The therapy was safe, comfortable, no adverse events emerged, and 31 subjects (94%) described the therapy as comfortable. Interim data suggest that treatment effect was maintained for 9 months, and there were no significant declines in scores in the long term. The upcoming 12-month follow-up data will let us know if more maintenance therapy is needed.”

During a question-and-answer session, one of the abstract section chairs, Albert Wolkerstorfer, MD, PhD, wondered about the potential for combination treatments in this patient population. “I can imagine that something that is working on the muscle tone has a totally different mechanism than something that is working on the mucosa and the underlying tissue without really affecting the muscle,” said Dr. Wolkerstorfer, a dermatologist at the Netherlands Institute for Pigment Disorders, department of dermatology, University of Amsterdam. “Would a combination be the way to go?”

Dr. Berenholz said that he sometimes combines HIFEM with the ULTRA Femme 360, a radiofrequency thermal energy device. “We thought this addresses two issues,” he said. “One is fascial muscle, which is the underlying structural issue for incontinence. The other is thermal energy to aid in incontinence prevention by inducing production of elastin and collagen in the midurethra, but also to promote lubrication and heightened sensitivity in the patient who’s either menopausal or has undergone chemotherapy for breast cancer.”

Dr. Berenholz reported having no financial disclosures. Dr. Wolkerstorfer disclosed that he has received consulting fees from Lumenis and InCyte and equipment from Humeca and PerfAction Technologies. He has also received grant funding from Novartis and InCyte and he is a member of InCyte’s advisory board.

[email protected]

Using high-intensity focused electromagnetic (HIFEM) technology to strengthen pelvic floor muscles for the improvement of urinary incontinence (UI) and female sexual function was safe and effective at 9 months follow-up, results from a multicenter study showed.

“The pelvic floor consists of three pairs of muscles: the pubococcygeus, the iliococcygeus, and the puborectalis,” lead study author Joseph Berenholz, MD, and a diplomate of the American Board of Obstetics & Gynecology, said during the annual conference of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. “They control continence through support of pelvic organs. The urethra, the vagina, and the rectum pass through that diaphragm. It also contributes to sexual sensation and arousal. A deconditioning of the pelvic floor is usually the result of child-bearing years or aging, which usually results in urinary incontinence and impairment of sexual function. The noninvasive strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles helps to regain muscle tone and strength.”

In a prospective, open-label, single-arm study conducted at four sites, Dr. Berenholz, medical director of the Michigan Center for Women’s Health in Farmington Hills, and colleagues investigated the long-term effectiveness of HIFEM-induced pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strengthening for improvement of UI and sexual function. HIFEM selectively targets neuromuscular tissue and induces supramaximal PFM contractions that cannot be achieved voluntarily, he said, causing muscle strengthening due to muscle fiber hypertrophy, which helps patients to better isolate and command their muscles.

The study population consisted of 33 females with a mean age of 49 years who had UI and UI-related problems in sexual life. They received six 28-minute HIFEM treatments of the pelvic floor with the BTL Emsella, which is FDA cleared for both stress and urge incontinence. The frequency of visits was two treatments per week and the intensity of HIFEM was adjusted between 0% and 100% based on the patient’s tolerance threshold. Evaluations were conducted at baseline, after the last treatment, at 1, 3, 6, and 9 months. The primary outcomes were change in urine leakage based on the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire–Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF) and change in sexual function based on the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ-12). Secondary endpoints were adverse events and the comfort of therapy based on a 7-point Likert scale.

Dr. Berenholz reported that from baseline the severity of UI based on the ICIQ-SF significantly decreased 60% by a mean of 8.1 points between baseline and 9 months (P < .001). At 1 month, the FSFI score improved 32% by a mean of 7.1 points (P < .001) and was sustained throughout the study. The most prominent changes were seen in the subdomains of desire, arousal, lubrication, and orgasm response.

The PISQ-12 score incrementally increased 25% to a mean improvement of 8.2 points at 9 months (P < .001). Subjects improved most in the emotive subdomain, reporting more frequent orgasms, increased desire, and sexual excitement. The minimal important difference was 6 points.

“This is a true paradigm shift in the treatment of incontinence and sexual dysfunction,” Dr. Berenholz said. “The therapy was safe, comfortable, no adverse events emerged, and 31 subjects (94%) described the therapy as comfortable. Interim data suggest that treatment effect was maintained for 9 months, and there were no significant declines in scores in the long term. The upcoming 12-month follow-up data will let us know if more maintenance therapy is needed.”

During a question-and-answer session, one of the abstract section chairs, Albert Wolkerstorfer, MD, PhD, wondered about the potential for combination treatments in this patient population. “I can imagine that something that is working on the muscle tone has a totally different mechanism than something that is working on the mucosa and the underlying tissue without really affecting the muscle,” said Dr. Wolkerstorfer, a dermatologist at the Netherlands Institute for Pigment Disorders, department of dermatology, University of Amsterdam. “Would a combination be the way to go?”

Dr. Berenholz said that he sometimes combines HIFEM with the ULTRA Femme 360, a radiofrequency thermal energy device. “We thought this addresses two issues,” he said. “One is fascial muscle, which is the underlying structural issue for incontinence. The other is thermal energy to aid in incontinence prevention by inducing production of elastin and collagen in the midurethra, but also to promote lubrication and heightened sensitivity in the patient who’s either menopausal or has undergone chemotherapy for breast cancer.”

Dr. Berenholz reported having no financial disclosures. Dr. Wolkerstorfer disclosed that he has received consulting fees from Lumenis and InCyte and equipment from Humeca and PerfAction Technologies. He has also received grant funding from Novartis and InCyte and he is a member of InCyte’s advisory board.

[email protected]

Using high-intensity focused electromagnetic (HIFEM) technology to strengthen pelvic floor muscles for the improvement of urinary incontinence (UI) and female sexual function was safe and effective at 9 months follow-up, results from a multicenter study showed.

“The pelvic floor consists of three pairs of muscles: the pubococcygeus, the iliococcygeus, and the puborectalis,” lead study author Joseph Berenholz, MD, and a diplomate of the American Board of Obstetics & Gynecology, said during the annual conference of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. “They control continence through support of pelvic organs. The urethra, the vagina, and the rectum pass through that diaphragm. It also contributes to sexual sensation and arousal. A deconditioning of the pelvic floor is usually the result of child-bearing years or aging, which usually results in urinary incontinence and impairment of sexual function. The noninvasive strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles helps to regain muscle tone and strength.”

In a prospective, open-label, single-arm study conducted at four sites, Dr. Berenholz, medical director of the Michigan Center for Women’s Health in Farmington Hills, and colleagues investigated the long-term effectiveness of HIFEM-induced pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strengthening for improvement of UI and sexual function. HIFEM selectively targets neuromuscular tissue and induces supramaximal PFM contractions that cannot be achieved voluntarily, he said, causing muscle strengthening due to muscle fiber hypertrophy, which helps patients to better isolate and command their muscles.

The study population consisted of 33 females with a mean age of 49 years who had UI and UI-related problems in sexual life. They received six 28-minute HIFEM treatments of the pelvic floor with the BTL Emsella, which is FDA cleared for both stress and urge incontinence. The frequency of visits was two treatments per week and the intensity of HIFEM was adjusted between 0% and 100% based on the patient’s tolerance threshold. Evaluations were conducted at baseline, after the last treatment, at 1, 3, 6, and 9 months. The primary outcomes were change in urine leakage based on the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire–Short Form (ICIQ-UI-SF) and change in sexual function based on the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Urinary Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire (PISQ-12). Secondary endpoints were adverse events and the comfort of therapy based on a 7-point Likert scale.

Dr. Berenholz reported that from baseline the severity of UI based on the ICIQ-SF significantly decreased 60% by a mean of 8.1 points between baseline and 9 months (P < .001). At 1 month, the FSFI score improved 32% by a mean of 7.1 points (P < .001) and was sustained throughout the study. The most prominent changes were seen in the subdomains of desire, arousal, lubrication, and orgasm response.

The PISQ-12 score incrementally increased 25% to a mean improvement of 8.2 points at 9 months (P < .001). Subjects improved most in the emotive subdomain, reporting more frequent orgasms, increased desire, and sexual excitement. The minimal important difference was 6 points.

“This is a true paradigm shift in the treatment of incontinence and sexual dysfunction,” Dr. Berenholz said. “The therapy was safe, comfortable, no adverse events emerged, and 31 subjects (94%) described the therapy as comfortable. Interim data suggest that treatment effect was maintained for 9 months, and there were no significant declines in scores in the long term. The upcoming 12-month follow-up data will let us know if more maintenance therapy is needed.”

During a question-and-answer session, one of the abstract section chairs, Albert Wolkerstorfer, MD, PhD, wondered about the potential for combination treatments in this patient population. “I can imagine that something that is working on the muscle tone has a totally different mechanism than something that is working on the mucosa and the underlying tissue without really affecting the muscle,” said Dr. Wolkerstorfer, a dermatologist at the Netherlands Institute for Pigment Disorders, department of dermatology, University of Amsterdam. “Would a combination be the way to go?”

Dr. Berenholz said that he sometimes combines HIFEM with the ULTRA Femme 360, a radiofrequency thermal energy device. “We thought this addresses two issues,” he said. “One is fascial muscle, which is the underlying structural issue for incontinence. The other is thermal energy to aid in incontinence prevention by inducing production of elastin and collagen in the midurethra, but also to promote lubrication and heightened sensitivity in the patient who’s either menopausal or has undergone chemotherapy for breast cancer.”

Dr. Berenholz reported having no financial disclosures. Dr. Wolkerstorfer disclosed that he has received consulting fees from Lumenis and InCyte and equipment from Humeca and PerfAction Technologies. He has also received grant funding from Novartis and InCyte and he is a member of InCyte’s advisory board.

[email protected]

Key clinical point: Insertion of a hydrogel spacer significantly reduced rectal doses in prostate cancer patients undergoing stereotactic body radiotherapy, and no severe adverse events related to the spacer procedure were observed.

Major finding: Rectal doses after spacer insertion were significantly lower than before spacer insertion. The primary endpoint of grade 2 acute gastrointestinal toxicity within 3 months occurred in 7 patients (18%), and a secondary endpoint of grade 2 acute genitourinary toxicity occurred in 17 patients. (44%).

Study details: The data come from a prospective, single-center, phase II safety and efficacy study including 40 men aged 20-80 years with prostate cancer. Patients received a hydrogel spacer inserted into the perirectal space between the prostate and rectum before undergoing stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT).

Disclosures: The study was funded by MEXT KAKENHI. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Ogita M et al. Radiat Oncol. 2021 Jun 12. doi: 10.1186/s13014-021-01834-1.

Key clinical point: Insertion of a hydrogel spacer significantly reduced rectal doses in prostate cancer patients undergoing stereotactic body radiotherapy, and no severe adverse events related to the spacer procedure were observed.

Major finding: Rectal doses after spacer insertion were significantly lower than before spacer insertion. The primary endpoint of grade 2 acute gastrointestinal toxicity within 3 months occurred in 7 patients (18%), and a secondary endpoint of grade 2 acute genitourinary toxicity occurred in 17 patients. (44%).

Study details: The data come from a prospective, single-center, phase II safety and efficacy study including 40 men aged 20-80 years with prostate cancer. Patients received a hydrogel spacer inserted into the perirectal space between the prostate and rectum before undergoing stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT).

Disclosures: The study was funded by MEXT KAKENHI. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Ogita M et al. Radiat Oncol. 2021 Jun 12. doi: 10.1186/s13014-021-01834-1.

Key clinical point: Insertion of a hydrogel spacer significantly reduced rectal doses in prostate cancer patients undergoing stereotactic body radiotherapy, and no severe adverse events related to the spacer procedure were observed.

Major finding: Rectal doses after spacer insertion were significantly lower than before spacer insertion. The primary endpoint of grade 2 acute gastrointestinal toxicity within 3 months occurred in 7 patients (18%), and a secondary endpoint of grade 2 acute genitourinary toxicity occurred in 17 patients. (44%).

Study details: The data come from a prospective, single-center, phase II safety and efficacy study including 40 men aged 20-80 years with prostate cancer. Patients received a hydrogel spacer inserted into the perirectal space between the prostate and rectum before undergoing stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT).

Disclosures: The study was funded by MEXT KAKENHI. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Ogita M et al. Radiat Oncol. 2021 Jun 12. doi: 10.1186/s13014-021-01834-1.

Key clinical point: Median lobe hyperplasia did not interfere with low-dose-rate brachytherapy, but seed migration and degree of cold spots was higher in patients with severe MLH.

Major finding: Migration of iodine-125 seeds occurred in 10 (31.5%) of 32 prostate cancer patients with MLH and 61 (31.6%) of 193 prostate cancer patients without MLH.

Study details: The data come from an analysis of 32 prostate cancer patients with median lobe hyperplasia (MLH) and 193 without MLH; all patients were treated with loose iodine-125 seeds. MLH patients were classified as mild (< 10 mm) or severe (≥ 10 mm) based on the distance between the posterior transitional zone and the prostatic tissue protruding into the bladder.

Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Muraki K et al. J Contemp Brachytherapy. 2021 Jun 13. doi: 10.5114/jcb.2021.105944.

Key clinical point: Median lobe hyperplasia did not interfere with low-dose-rate brachytherapy, but seed migration and degree of cold spots was higher in patients with severe MLH.

Major finding: Migration of iodine-125 seeds occurred in 10 (31.5%) of 32 prostate cancer patients with MLH and 61 (31.6%) of 193 prostate cancer patients without MLH.

Study details: The data come from an analysis of 32 prostate cancer patients with median lobe hyperplasia (MLH) and 193 without MLH; all patients were treated with loose iodine-125 seeds. MLH patients were classified as mild (< 10 mm) or severe (≥ 10 mm) based on the distance between the posterior transitional zone and the prostatic tissue protruding into the bladder.

Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Muraki K et al. J Contemp Brachytherapy. 2021 Jun 13. doi: 10.5114/jcb.2021.105944.

Key clinical point: Median lobe hyperplasia did not interfere with low-dose-rate brachytherapy, but seed migration and degree of cold spots was higher in patients with severe MLH.

Major finding: Migration of iodine-125 seeds occurred in 10 (31.5%) of 32 prostate cancer patients with MLH and 61 (31.6%) of 193 prostate cancer patients without MLH.

Study details: The data come from an analysis of 32 prostate cancer patients with median lobe hyperplasia (MLH) and 193 without MLH; all patients were treated with loose iodine-125 seeds. MLH patients were classified as mild (< 10 mm) or severe (≥ 10 mm) based on the distance between the posterior transitional zone and the prostatic tissue protruding into the bladder.

Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Muraki K et al. J Contemp Brachytherapy. 2021 Jun 13. doi: 10.5114/jcb.2021.105944.

Key clinical point: Approximately half of the studies (16) in a systematic review showed no association between androgen deprivation therapy and reduced cognitive function in prostate cancer patients; however, 11 of the 31 studies showed a negative effect on cognitive functioning.

Major finding: A total of 18 studies used a prospective design to assess the impact of androgen deprivation therapy on cognitive function, totaling 968 individuals. Of these, 9 studies showed no significant effect of ADT on cognitive function.

Study details: The data come from a systematic review of 31 studies published up to February 2020.

Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Andela CD et al. Int J Urol. 2021 Jun 14.  doi: 10.1111/iju.14596. 

Key clinical point: Approximately half of the studies (16) in a systematic review showed no association between androgen deprivation therapy and reduced cognitive function in prostate cancer patients; however, 11 of the 31 studies showed a negative effect on cognitive functioning.

Major finding: A total of 18 studies used a prospective design to assess the impact of androgen deprivation therapy on cognitive function, totaling 968 individuals. Of these, 9 studies showed no significant effect of ADT on cognitive function.

Study details: The data come from a systematic review of 31 studies published up to February 2020.

Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Andela CD et al. Int J Urol. 2021 Jun 14.  doi: 10.1111/iju.14596. 

Key clinical point: Approximately half of the studies (16) in a systematic review showed no association between androgen deprivation therapy and reduced cognitive function in prostate cancer patients; however, 11 of the 31 studies showed a negative effect on cognitive functioning.

Major finding: A total of 18 studies used a prospective design to assess the impact of androgen deprivation therapy on cognitive function, totaling 968 individuals. Of these, 9 studies showed no significant effect of ADT on cognitive function.

Study details: The data come from a systematic review of 31 studies published up to February 2020.

Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Andela CD et al. Int J Urol. 2021 Jun 14.  doi: 10.1111/iju.14596. 

Key clinical point: Transgluteal CT-guided biopsy identified prostate cancer lesions in men without rectal access with no major complications reported.

Major finding: A total of 4 lesions were targeted using anatomic landmarks and 5 were targeted using contrast enhancement. All biopsies using transgluteal CT were technically successful and identified as prostate cancer. A total of 3 biopsies showed Gleason 6 cancer, and 6 biopsies showed clinically significant prostate cancers with Gleason 7 or above; a total of 7 patients underwent definitive treatment with surgery or radiation.

Study details: The data come from a retrospective study of 9 prostate cancer patients without rectal access who underwent transgluteal CT-guided biopsy between May 2016 and February 2021. The two targeting techniques were localizing with anatomic landmarks or localizing with contrast enhancement.

Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Patel N et al. Clin Imaging. 2021 Jun 9. doi: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2021.06.004.

Key clinical point: Transgluteal CT-guided biopsy identified prostate cancer lesions in men without rectal access with no major complications reported.

Major finding: A total of 4 lesions were targeted using anatomic landmarks and 5 were targeted using contrast enhancement. All biopsies using transgluteal CT were technically successful and identified as prostate cancer. A total of 3 biopsies showed Gleason 6 cancer, and 6 biopsies showed clinically significant prostate cancers with Gleason 7 or above; a total of 7 patients underwent definitive treatment with surgery or radiation.

Study details: The data come from a retrospective study of 9 prostate cancer patients without rectal access who underwent transgluteal CT-guided biopsy between May 2016 and February 2021. The two targeting techniques were localizing with anatomic landmarks or localizing with contrast enhancement.

Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Patel N et al. Clin Imaging. 2021 Jun 9. doi: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2021.06.004.

Key clinical point: Transgluteal CT-guided biopsy identified prostate cancer lesions in men without rectal access with no major complications reported.

Major finding: A total of 4 lesions were targeted using anatomic landmarks and 5 were targeted using contrast enhancement. All biopsies using transgluteal CT were technically successful and identified as prostate cancer. A total of 3 biopsies showed Gleason 6 cancer, and 6 biopsies showed clinically significant prostate cancers with Gleason 7 or above; a total of 7 patients underwent definitive treatment with surgery or radiation.

Study details: The data come from a retrospective study of 9 prostate cancer patients without rectal access who underwent transgluteal CT-guided biopsy between May 2016 and February 2021. The two targeting techniques were localizing with anatomic landmarks or localizing with contrast enhancement.

Disclosures: The study received no outside funding. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Patel N et al. Clin Imaging. 2021 Jun 9. doi: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2021.06.004.

Key clinical point: No significant differences in prostate specific antigen PSA regression, PSA failure rate, and toxicity were noted between the different fraction schedules for patients treated with high-dose-rate mono-brachytherapy.

Major finding: Overall, the biochemical failure rate was 9.6%; biochemical failure rates for the 4F, 3F, and 2F groups 10.5%, 4.7%, and 14.6%, respectively, and 3.5% of patients demonstrated several grade 3-4 toxicity.

Study details: The data come from a retrospective study of 229 adults with prostate cancer treated consecutively at a single center between 2004 and 2012. Patients were treated with high-dose-rate mono-brachytherapy alone, using three different fractionation schedules of 92-95 Gy.

Group 4F had a single implant of 9.5 Gy in four fractions over 2 days. Group 3F had three separate implants of 11 Gy over 4 weeks. Group had two implants of 14 Gy over 2 weeks.

Disclosures: The study was funded by the Örebro County Council. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Johansson B et al. J Contemp Brachytherapy. 2021 May 5. doi: 10.5114/jcb.2021.105846. 

Key clinical point: No significant differences in prostate specific antigen PSA regression, PSA failure rate, and toxicity were noted between the different fraction schedules for patients treated with high-dose-rate mono-brachytherapy.

Major finding: Overall, the biochemical failure rate was 9.6%; biochemical failure rates for the 4F, 3F, and 2F groups 10.5%, 4.7%, and 14.6%, respectively, and 3.5% of patients demonstrated several grade 3-4 toxicity.

Study details: The data come from a retrospective study of 229 adults with prostate cancer treated consecutively at a single center between 2004 and 2012. Patients were treated with high-dose-rate mono-brachytherapy alone, using three different fractionation schedules of 92-95 Gy.

Group 4F had a single implant of 9.5 Gy in four fractions over 2 days. Group 3F had three separate implants of 11 Gy over 4 weeks. Group had two implants of 14 Gy over 2 weeks.

Disclosures: The study was funded by the Örebro County Council. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Johansson B et al. J Contemp Brachytherapy. 2021 May 5. doi: 10.5114/jcb.2021.105846. 

Key clinical point: No significant differences in prostate specific antigen PSA regression, PSA failure rate, and toxicity were noted between the different fraction schedules for patients treated with high-dose-rate mono-brachytherapy.

Major finding: Overall, the biochemical failure rate was 9.6%; biochemical failure rates for the 4F, 3F, and 2F groups 10.5%, 4.7%, and 14.6%, respectively, and 3.5% of patients demonstrated several grade 3-4 toxicity.

Study details: The data come from a retrospective study of 229 adults with prostate cancer treated consecutively at a single center between 2004 and 2012. Patients were treated with high-dose-rate mono-brachytherapy alone, using three different fractionation schedules of 92-95 Gy.

Group 4F had a single implant of 9.5 Gy in four fractions over 2 days. Group 3F had three separate implants of 11 Gy over 4 weeks. Group had two implants of 14 Gy over 2 weeks.

Disclosures: The study was funded by the Örebro County Council. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Johansson B et al. J Contemp Brachytherapy. 2021 May 5. doi: 10.5114/jcb.2021.105846. 

Key clinical point: The immune checkpoint protein B7-H3 expression correlated positively with androgen receptor expression and was associated with biochemical and clinical recurrence in prostate cancer.

Major finding: Researchers identified B7-H3 positivity in 15% of prostate cancer patients in a Spanish cohort and 38% of patients in a Norwegian cohort. B7-H3 expression was significantly associated with biochemical recurrence in the Spanish cohort (P = .003) and with clinical recurrence in the Norwegian cohort (P = .005).

Study details: The data come from an immunohistochemistry analysis of tissue samples from a total of 327 prostate adenocarcinoma patients who underwent radical prostatectomy; 120 from Spain and 206 from Norway.

Disclosures: The study was funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, the Research Council of Norway, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Radiumhospitalets legater, Norway, and UNIFOR-FRIMED legater, Norway. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Nunes-Xavier CE et al. Prostate. 2021 Jun 14. doi: 10.1002/pros.24180.

Key clinical point: The immune checkpoint protein B7-H3 expression correlated positively with androgen receptor expression and was associated with biochemical and clinical recurrence in prostate cancer.

Major finding: Researchers identified B7-H3 positivity in 15% of prostate cancer patients in a Spanish cohort and 38% of patients in a Norwegian cohort. B7-H3 expression was significantly associated with biochemical recurrence in the Spanish cohort (P = .003) and with clinical recurrence in the Norwegian cohort (P = .005).

Study details: The data come from an immunohistochemistry analysis of tissue samples from a total of 327 prostate adenocarcinoma patients who underwent radical prostatectomy; 120 from Spain and 206 from Norway.

Disclosures: The study was funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, the Research Council of Norway, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Radiumhospitalets legater, Norway, and UNIFOR-FRIMED legater, Norway. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Nunes-Xavier CE et al. Prostate. 2021 Jun 14. doi: 10.1002/pros.24180.

Key clinical point: The immune checkpoint protein B7-H3 expression correlated positively with androgen receptor expression and was associated with biochemical and clinical recurrence in prostate cancer.

Major finding: Researchers identified B7-H3 positivity in 15% of prostate cancer patients in a Spanish cohort and 38% of patients in a Norwegian cohort. B7-H3 expression was significantly associated with biochemical recurrence in the Spanish cohort (P = .003) and with clinical recurrence in the Norwegian cohort (P = .005).

Study details: The data come from an immunohistochemistry analysis of tissue samples from a total of 327 prostate adenocarcinoma patients who underwent radical prostatectomy; 120 from Spain and 206 from Norway.

Disclosures: The study was funded by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, the Research Council of Norway, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Radiumhospitalets legater, Norway, and UNIFOR-FRIMED legater, Norway. The researchers had no financial conflicts to disclose.

Source: Nunes-Xavier CE et al. Prostate. 2021 Jun 14. doi: 10.1002/pros.24180.