Objective: This review aimed to summarize the role of the Hippo signaling pathway in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), a urologic malignancy with subtle initial symptoms and high mortality rates due to metastatic RCC. The Hippo signaling pathway, which regulates tissue and organ sizes, plays a crucial role in RCC progression and metastasis. Understanding the involvement of the Hippo signaling pathway in RCC provides valuable insights for the development of targeted therapies and improved patient outcomes.

Methods: In this review, we explored the impact of the Hippo signaling pathway on RCC. Through an analysis of existing literature, we examined its role in RCC progression and metastasis. Additionally, we discussed potential therapeutic strategies targeting the Hippo pathway for inhibiting RCC cell growth and invasion. We also highlighted the importance of investigating interactions between the Hippo pathway and other signaling pathways such as Wnt, transforming growth factor-beta, and PI3K/AKT, which may uncover additional therapeutic targets.

Results: The Hippo signaling pathway has shown promise as a target for inhibiting RCC cell growth and invasion. Studies have demonstrated its dysregulation in RCC, with altered expression of key components such as yes-associated protein/transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (YAP/TAZ). Targeting the Hippo pathway has been associated with suppressed tumor growth and metastasis in preclinical models of RCC. Furthermore, investigating crosstalk between the Hippo pathway and other signaling pathways has revealed potential synergistic effects that could be exploited for therapeutic interventions.

Conclusion: Understanding the role of the Hippo signaling pathway in RCC is of paramount importance. Elucidating its functions and molecular interactions contributes to RCC diagnosis, treatment, and the discovery of novel mechanisms. This knowledge informs the development of innovative therapeutic strategies and opens new avenues for research in RCC. Further investigations are warranted to fully comprehend the complex interplay between the Hippo pathway and other signaling pathways, ultimately leading to improved outcomes for RCC patients.

Objective: This study aimed to figure out whether the combination of the prostate health index (PHI) and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-PET/MR could improve the diagnostic accuracy for prostate cancer (PCa) than that of each individual method used alone.

Methods: In this prospective, observational study, 41 patients who underwent the systematic prostate biopsy between June 2019 and September 2022 were enrolled. Both the PHI test and ¹⁸F-PSMA-1007-PET/MR were performed prior to biopsies. The diagnostic accuracy of different models was compared by logistic regression, areas under the curve (AUCs) of the receiver operating characteristic, and net reclassification index (NRI).

Results: Among the 41 patients, 14 (34.1%) were pathologically diagnosed with PCa. The PHI in the PCa group was significantly higher than that in the benign group (44.4 vs. 35.0, p=0.048). Similarly, all the patients in the PCa group received positive results of ¹⁸F-PSMA-1007-PET/MR, of which the positive rate was significantly higher than that in benign group (100% vs. 62.96%, p=0.025). The ¹⁸F-PSMA-1007-PET/MR provided additional diagnostic values to the PHI (AUC: 0.802 vs. 0.692, p=0.025). However, there was no significant difference between the combination model and the ¹⁸F-PSMA-1007-PET/MR alone (AUC 0.802 vs. 0.685, p=0.071). The optimal PHI cutoff of the combination model is 32, with which the model could significantly reduce unnecessary biopsies (NRI: 22.22%, 95% confidence interval: 6.54%-37.90%, p=0.005). However, among patients with the PHI of ≥43.5, there was no significant difference between the combination model and the PHI alone (NRI:11.11%, 95% confidence interval: -0.74%-22.97%, p=0.066).

Conclusion: The combination of the PHI and ¹⁸F-PSMA-1007-PET/MR outperforms the PHI alone for predicting PCa, especially in avoiding unnecessary biopsies. However, for patients with the PHI of ≥43.5, the addition of ¹⁸F-PSMA-1007-PET/MR to the PHI does not yield additional benefits.

Objective: This systematic review aimed to analyze animal and human trial data to better understand the efficacy of stem cell therapy (SCT) for erectile dysfunction (ED) and the obstacles that may hinder its application in this field.

Methods: We searched electronic databases, including PubMed and Scopus, for published studies with the Medical Subject Heading terms of “erectile dysfunction” (AND) “stem cell therapy” (OR) “erectile dysfunction” (AND) “clinical trial of stem cell therapy” (OR) “stem cell therapy” (AND) “sexual dysfunction”. The search was limited to English-language journals and full papers only. The initial search resulted in 450 articles, of which 90 relevant to our aims were included in the analysis.

Results: ED is a multifactorial disease. Current treatment options rely on pharmacotherapy as well as surgical options. Patients may have side effects or unsatisfactory results following the use of these treatment options. SCT may restore pathophysiological changes leading to ED rather than treating the symptoms. It has been evaluated in animal models and shown promising results in humans. Results confirm that SCT does improve erectile function in animals with different types of SC use. In humans, evidence showed promising results, but the trials were heterogeneous and limited mainly by a lack of randomization and the small sample size. Many challenges could limit future research in this field, including ethical dilemmas, regulation, patient recruitment, the cost of therapy, and the lack of a standardized SCT regimen. Repairing and possibly replacing diseased cells, tissue, or organs and eventually retrieving normal function should always be the goals of any therapy, and this can only be guaranteed by SCT.

Conclusion: SCT is a potential and successful treatment for ED, particularly in patients who are resistant to the classic therapy. SCT may promote nerve regeneration and vascular cell regeneration, not only symptomatic treatment.

Objective: Female urethral stricture (FUS) accounts for about 4%-13% of cases of female bladder outlet obstruction. FUS was and is still managed by repeated dilatations and/or direct visual internal urethrotomy. There are many alternative options for reconstruction like buccal or vaginal mucosal graft urethroplasty. Our aim was to describe the technique of dorsal onlay buccal mucosal graft (BMG) urethroplasty for FUS and present the outcomes.

Methods: Between January 2014 and December 2021, 37 patients who underwent dorsal onlay BMG urethroplasty were included in the study. Their pre-operative diagnosis was confirmed with uroflowmetry, micturating cystourethrogram, urethral calibration, and on table cystoscopy. Bladder catheter was removed after 2 weeks. Patients were followed up at 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and then annually with urine analysis, uroflowmetry, and post-void residual assessment. We defined success as a maximum flow rate (Q_max) above 15 mL/s without the need for an additional instrumentation.

Results: The mean age of patients was 47.8 (standard deviation [SD] 11.3) years. Twenty patients had previously undergone urethral dilatations. The mean pre-operative Q_max was 7.79 (SD 3.73) mL/s. However, the mean Q_max improved to 23.20 (SD 8.25) mL/s after surgery. The mean post-void residual urine after surgery was 30.50 (SD 10.70) mL. This reduced from a mean value of 139.00 (SD 147.24) mL before surgery. The mean follow-up was 30.2 (SD 18.3, range 18-44) months. There was no post-operative incontinence. There were Clavien-Dindo Grade 1 complications in 6 out of 37 (16.2 %) patients during hospital stay. The only long-term complication was recurrence of stricture in 4 (10.8%) patients.

Conclusion: Dorsal onlay BMG urethroplasty in females is a safe, effective technique which can avoid repeated painful dilatations and multiple urethrotomies. One should always consider reconstruction in FUS without any fear of incontinence.

Objective: To prospectively follow up a cohort of anterior urethral stricture disease patients managed with balloon dilation (BD) for 3 years to evaluate the long-term outcomes and to study factors that contribute to recurrence.

Methods: This study included men who had urethral BD for significant anterior urethral stricture disease between January 2017 and March 2019. Data about the patient age, stricture characteristics, and recurrence date were recorded, along with information on postoperative indwelling catheter use and operative complications. Furthermore, information about the self-calibration procedure was collected and where available, free flow (FF) measurements during the follow-up period were recorded and analyzed. Success was defined as a lack of symptoms and acceptable FF rates (maximum flow rate>12 mL/s).

Results: The final analysis was conducted on 187 patients. The mean follow-up period was 37 months. The long-term overall success rate at the end of our study was 66.8%. Our recurrence rate was 7.4% at 12 months, 24.7% at 24 months, and reached 33.2% at the end of our study. The time to recurrence ranged from 91 days to 1635 days, with a mean of 670 days. The stricture-free survival was significantly shorter with lengthy peno-bulbar (p=0.031) and multiple strictures (p=0.015), and in the group of patients who were not committed to self-calibration protocol (p<0.011). However, post-procedural self-calibration was the most important factor that may have decreased the incidence of recurrence (odds ratio=5.85). Adjuvant self-calibration after BD not only reduced the recurrence rate from 85.4% in the non-self-calibration group to 15.1% in the self-calibration one (p<0.001), but also improved the overall stricture-free survival and FF parameters.

Conclusion: Urethral BD has a high recurrence rate in the long-term, especially with long and multiple strictures. Adjuvant self-calibration has proven to reduce the recurrence risk and the need for re-intervention.

Objective: This study aimed to demonstrate a new surgical shear with an integrated energy system (Harmonic ACE^®+7) value by determining its effectiveness and economic outcomes compared with conventional ultrasonic shears (CUSs) in a real-world setting.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of adults with prostate cancer undergoing laparoscopic radical prostatectomy with the ACE^®+7 shear or CUSs between August 2019 and April 2021 at Shanghai Ruijin Hospital (the headquarters and Luwan Center in China). Demographic and diagnosis information, intraoperative and postoperative clinical outcomes, and total and categorical costs were collected. Propensity score matching was performed to form the study population for each clinical group. Data were compared between the two groups using t-test and Chi-squared test.

Results: The ACE^®+7 was associated with a lower mean number of hemostatic clips used per surgery compared with CUSs (12.8 vs. 19.8, p<0.001), a moderate but not significant difference in mean postoperative drainage duration (6.6 [standard deviation, SD 2.2] days vs. 7.9 [SD 4.1] days, p=0.082), a reduction on mean total drainage volume (275.5 [SD 374.3 mL vs. 492.9 [SD 1495.0] mL, p=0.321), and a lower mean rate of postoperative hemostatic drug usage (16.0% vs. 52.0%, p<0.001). There was no significant difference in total costs between the ACE^®+7 and CUS groups.

Conclusion: This study provides real-world data demonstrating that the ACE^®+7 shear with an integrated energy system improves clinical outcomes compared with CUSs and can offer cost savings for hospitals and health systems. Using the ACE^®+7 during laparoscopic radical prostatectomy allows physicians to help their patients achieve better outcomes and not spend additional money.

Objective: Urinary incontinence (UI) is a prevalent condition with a negative impact on women's quality of life. Data about UI among Jordanian women are lacking; therefore, we aimed to investigate the prevalence, types, and associated factors.

Methods: A cross sectional nationwide survey was conducted between 1 March 2020 and 15 April 2020. Women were included if they were 18 years of age or more and had access to the internet. Data collected included women's characteristics, UI types, and associated factors. UI was inventoried by asking women if they have UI (yes/no), and the Arabic language validated International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Urinary Incontinence-Short Form was used. Age-group specific prevalence rates of UI were estimated, and associated factors were studied using logistic regression analyses.

Results: Data from 2118 women were analysed. The median age was 40 (range 18-85) years; 58.3% gave birth three or more times; and 64.1% consistently reported having UI. Limited mobility and being multiparous increased the likelihood of reporting UI. Compared to women with normal body mass index, overweight and obese women were 1.9 times and 4.4 times more likely to report UI, respectively.

Conclusion: The prevalence of UI among Jordanian women is 64.1%, with mixed UI and stress UI being the more prevalent types in women younger than 60 years old. Age, parity body mass index, and limited mobility are all associated factors with UI. The results of this study provide healthcare policy makers with the necessary information to increase awareness and knowledge regarding UI.

Objective: Minimally invasive treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) have seen an increase in usage in recent years. We aimed to determine what types of events may influence patient search habits related to surgical BPH treatments.

Methods: Google Trends was used to determine the frequency of searches for different minimally invasive and prostatic ablative treatments for BPH in the United States. The procedures including transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), Aquablation therapy (Aquablation), Greenlight laser therapy (Greenlight), transurethral needle ablation, transurethral microwave thermotherapy, Urolift (prostatic urethral lift [PUL]), Rezum, iTind, holmium laser enucleation of the prostate, simple prostatectomy, and prostatic artery embolization were compared.

Results: From January 1, 2004 to February 28, 2023, the number of internet search queries have increased for TURP, PUL, Rezum, prostatic artery embolization, and holmium laser enucleation of the prostate. There has been a slight decrease in searches for Greenlight, transurethral needle ablation, transurethral microwave thermotherapy, iTind, simple prostatectomy, and Aquablation.

Conclusion: Despite increased searches of alternatives, TURP remains the most searched BPH procedure. Additionally, search habits may be influenced by several factors including government approval, corporate acquisition, and marketing campaigns. It is important for physicians to understand the types of events that may cause patients to inquire about certain treatments for better quality health information and clinical visits.