San Diego, CA, May 7, 2016 — Not all men with prostate cancer benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy after radical prostatectomy; however, African American men and men with a higher tumor stage may, according to a new U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) study featured at the 111th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA). The research will be highlighted by study authors during a special press conference. Sam S. Chang, MD, MBA, AUA spokesperson, Patricia and Rodes Hart Chair in Urologic Surgery and Professor of Urologic Surgery at Vanderbilt Medical Center will moderate the session at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA on May 7, 2016 at 9:15 a.m. PT. 

This year, approximately 200,000 men will be told they have prostate cancer. In the United States alone, it is the leading cause of cancer in Veterans and the second most common cancer in men, affecting one in seven. Odds increase to one in five if the men are African American and one in three if they have a family history. Each year, more than 130,000 men opt for a radical prostatectomy to treat this disease; however, because 20-30 percent of these men will be found to have locally advanced or high-grade disease, they will be at risk for relapse. As such, researchers from VA centers across the U.S. sought to examine the efficacy of early adjuvant chemotherapy on patients who had a radical prostatectomy, but who based on clinical and pathologic parameters, were high risk for relapse.  

Innovative and Cost-Efficient Technology is Changing How Urologists Care for People Remotely

San Diego, CA, May 6, 2016 – New data highlighting the effectiveness of telemedicine, as well as, innovative screening methods for male infertility using smartphone technology, will be presented during the 111th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA) on Friday, May 6 at 8:30 a.m. The press session will be moderated by Eugene Rhee, MD, MBA, AUA spokesperson and chief of urologic surgery at Kaiser Permanente, San Diego. He is also the recipient of the 2013 AUA Gallagher Health Policy Scholarship.

Telemedicine and the innovative use of technology are considered two of the fastest-growing components within the health care delivery system. Both provide novel and opportune access to hospitals, clinics and health care providers for those who otherwise would have limited to no access.  

Within the urologic community, telemedicine, also referred to as tele-urology, offers several practical uses such as condition diagnosis, general management of care, pre- and postoperative care, second opinions and, possibly, remote surgery. Additionally, for many healthcare organizations that have trouble seeing a high number of patients, tele-urology has the potential to assist in decreasing wait times and increasing quality of care. 

Today’s medicine is also harnessing the power of smartphone and other mobile devices to help better detect conditions, cheaper, better and faster while also accounting for patient comfort and convenience.  

“Ten to fifteen years ago, we never imagined the role technology and mobile devices would have within the urologic community,” said Dr. Rhee. “These platforms are essential to reaching and treating not only today’s patients and with a high quality of care and patient satisfaction, but as well, the next generation of patients and their urologists.”  

Panel discusses emergency department follow-up care, changes in climate and the impact statins have on kidney stones

San Diego, CA, May 6, 2016 — Kidney stones are one of the most common problems of the urinary tract, resulting in more than 300,000 emergency room visits each year. It is estimated that 8.8 percent or roughly one in 11 Americans will have a kidney stone at some point in their life, and that number is expected to increase as a result of climate change, combined with other major risk factors. Three studies highlighting the projected impact of climate, demographics, follow up care and the use of statins on kidney stones will be presented at the 111th Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA) on Friday, May 6 at 11:00 a.m. at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA.

The press session will be moderated by Tim Averch, MD, AUA spokesperson, director of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (UPMC) Kidney Stone Center and UPMC professor of urology.

Study Details

Publication Number: PD47-10

Follow-Up Care After ED Visits for Kidney Stones — A Missed Opportunity: Examining MarketScan’s

Commercial Claims and Encounters Database 2003-2006, researchers from University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI, sought to investigate whether patients followed the recommended follow-up care after being discharged from the emergency department for kidney stones. Researchers identified adults, ages 18 to 64 with an emergency department visit for kidney stones, then determined which patients had follow-up care within 90 days of the emergency visit. Researchers compared the patients with follow-up care to those without follow-up care over a variety of sociodemographic characteristics. The study found a substantial portion of individuals did not seek follow-up care for kidney stones once they were discharged from the emergency room.

Projected Climate Change and Rise in Obesity Levels Expected to Increase Burden of Stone Disease

Panel discusses emergency department follow-up care, changes in climate and the impact statins have on kidney stones

San Diego, CA, May 6, 2016 — Kidney stones are one of the most common problems of the urinary tract, resulting in more than 300,000 emergency room visits each year. It is estimated that 8.8 percent or roughly one in 11 Americans will have a kidney stone at some point in their life, and that number is expected to increase as a result of climate change, combined with other major risk factors. Three studies highlighting the projected impact of climate, demographics, follow up care and the use of statins on kidney stones will be presented at the 111^th Annual Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA) on Friday, May 6 at 11:00 a.m. at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA.

The press session will be moderated by Tim Averch, MD, AUA spokesperson, director of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (UPMC) Kidney Stone Center and UPMC professor of urology.

Study Details