Abstract:The use of biomarkers for prostate cancer (PCa) screening, detection, and prognostication have revolutionized the diagnosis and management of the disease. Current clinical practice has been driven largely by the utilization of prostate-specific antigen (PSA). The lack of specificity of PSA for PCa has led to both unnecessary biopsies and overdiagnosis of indolent cancers. The recent controversial recommendation by the United States Preventive Services Task Force against PCa screening has highlighted the need for novel clinically useful biomarkers. We review the literature on PCa biomarkers in serum, urine, and tissue. While these markers show promise, none seems poised to replace PSA, but rather may augment it. Further validation and consideration of how these novel markers improve clinical outcome is necessary. The discovery of new genetic markers shows promise in stratifying men with aggressive PCa.

BACKGROUND Prostate cancer treatment after failure of primary therapy by either radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy can vary greatly. This study sought to determine trends and predictors of salvage treatment after failure of primary treatment in a community cohort over the past 10 years. METHODS From the community‐based Cancer of the Prostate Strategic Urologic Research Endeavor (CaPSURE) database, 6275 patients were identified who initiated a form of primary treatment for prostate cancer; 839 of these were identified as failing treatment by biochemical recurrence or initiation of secondary treatment between 2000 and 2010. Salvage therapy was categorized as either systemic, local, or none. Patient characteristics were tested for association with salvage therapy using analysis of variance, Pearson chi‐square tests, and multinomial logistic regression analysis. RESULTS Of the 839 patients identified as failing therapy, 390 (47%), 146 (17%), and 303 (36%) received systemic, local, or no salvage therapy, respectively. Type of primary treatment received was associated with type of salvage therapy (P < .01). There has been an increasing trend in the use of local salvage therapy over the past 10 years (P = .04). Primary treatment type and biopsy Gleason score were significantly associated with type of salvage therapy. CONCLUSIONS The use of local salvage therapy has increased over the past decade, whereas the use of systemic salvage therapy has declined. Primary treatment is an important factor in determining which type of salvage therapy a patient will receive. Cancer 2014;120:507–512. © 2013 American Cancer Society.

The surgical management of both early and advanced stage germ cell tumors of the testis remains a complex process of surgical decision making to maximize oncologic control while minimizing morbidity. Over the past 5 decades, the evolution of the surgical template for retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy (RPLND) has resulted in important modifications to achieve these goals. In this review, we will characterize the historical motivating factors that led to the modified template, outline patient and clinical factors in selecting these approaches in both early and advanced stage disease, and briefly discuss future horizons for their implementation.

The purpose of this review is to identify clinical risk factors for prostate cancer and to assess the utility and limitations of our current tools for prostate cancer screening. Prostate-specific antigen is the single most important factor for identifying men at increased risk of prostate cancer but is best assessed in the context of other clinical factors; increasing age, race, and family history are well-established risk factors for the diagnosis of prostate cancer. In addition to clinical risk calculators, novel tools such as multiparametric imaging, serum or urinary biomarkers, and genetic profiling show promise in improving prostate cancer diagnosis and characterization. Optimal use of existing and future tools will help alleviate the problems of overdiagnosis and overtreatment of low-risk prostate cancer without reversing the substantial mortality declines that have been achieved in the screening era.