Uro, Volume 5, Issue 4 (December 2025) – 4 articles

Despite substantial progress in the field of bladder cancer management, the disease continues to represent an important health issue characterized by increased recurrence and progression rates. This is largely attributed to cancer stem cells (CSCs), a unique cell subpopulation capable of self-renewal, differentiation and resistance to conventional anti-cancer therapies. At the same time, our understanding of cancer biology has been revolutionized by the identification of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), a heterogeneous group of RNA molecules that do not translate into proteins yet function as pivotal regulators of gene expression. Emerging evidence demonstrates that ncRNAs modulate key hallmarks of CSCs, including self-renewal, epithelial–mesenchymal transition and drug resistance. This review investigates the intricate interplay between ncRNAs and the core signaling pathways that underlie bladder CSC biology. Unravelling the nexus between CSCs and ncRNAs is crucial for developing novel diagnostic biomarkers, better prognostic tools and innovative therapeutic strategies for patients with bladder cancer. Full article

Diurnal enuresis can significantly affect a child’s biopsychosocial well-being; however, there is a lack of diagnostic and management algorithms on the diagnosis. The purpose of this literature review is to dissect the development of the evaluation and management of diurnal enuresis. A total of 44 articles published from January 1900 to December 2024 were chosen through literature searches in PubMed, Science Direct, Embase, and Google scholar. Search terms were “Diurnal Enuresis” or “Daytime Incontinence” as Mesh terms, and subsequent terms included “pediatrics”, “urinary bladder, overactive”, and “therapeutics”. Inclusion criteria included studies involving pediatric study subjects aged 5–18 years old with a specific diagnosis of diurnal enuresis, exclusion criteria were studies before 1900 and involving night-time wetting diagnoses. A consensus among the literature and the American Academy of Family Physicians recommends a stepwise diagnostic evaluation, including history taking followed by a focused physical exam, for diurnal enuresis has proven to be the most effective. Regarding treatment, biofeedback was shown to improve symptoms in 74% of cases in one study by Wiener, while pharmacological treatment via Mirabegron (beta 3 agonist) showed a 70% improvement in one study by Fryer, but older drugs such as oxybutynin (anticholinergics) are still preferred. A multidisciplinary approach with TENS therapy, behavioral modification, biofeedback, and pharmacology can enhance effectiveness, improve reliability, and provide more successful results while minimizing the impact of diurnal enuresis on a child’s well-being. Further research is needed to optimize pharmacologic management strategies and improve adherence to increase the likelihood of reaching treatment goals. Full article

Background/Objectives: The study aimed to find out if the patients without a reTURBT, due to changed protocol in our centre because of the COVID-19 pandemic, had presented higher rates of relapse or progression compared to patients treated by standard reTURBT protocol. Methods: A prospective study was conducted including 43 patients with high-risk T1 non-muscle invasive bladder cancer diagnosed between March 2020 and June 2021. Patients were divided into two groups: those who underwent reTURBT and those who did not, due to limitations during the COVID-19 pandemic. All patients received intravesical BCG induction therapy and were followed for 3 years. The institutional research ethics committee approved the study. Results: A total of 43 patients were included, 17 (39.5%) underwent reTURBT and 26 (60.5%) did not. No significant differences were observed in tumour characteristics between groups. Recurrence occurred in 43.8% of the reTURBT group and 15.4% of the non-reTURBT group. Tumour progression to T2G3 was observed only in the reTURBT group. Survival analysis showed no significant differences in recurrence-free survival between groups (p = 0.299). Conclusions: Omitting reTURBT in carefully selected patients did not result in significantly worse oncological outcomes; however, due to the small sample size, the study is underpowered and these findings should be interpreted with caution. Early BCG administration in the non-reTURBT group may have contributed to favourable recurrence-free survival. However, further prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings and define optimal criteria for safely omitting reTURBT. Full article

Background: Spontaneous regression of testicular cancer with retroperitoneal metastasis is a rare phenomenon and poses challenges in its diagnosis. Methods: A 33-year-old male patient presented with severe lower back pain (10/10) of 4 months’ duration, radiating to the left lower limb, refractory to NSAIDs, and significantly impaired ambulation, accompanied by nausea and vomiting. In addition to difficulty initiating urination and defecation, with weight loss of 30 kg, he was referred to the urology service of our hospital. Results: On physical examination, the left testicle showed signs of varicocele without pain. Therefore, laboratory and imaging studies were requested, highlighting elevated β-hCG (156.4 mIU/mL) and LDH (850 IU/L). Testicular ultrasound confirmed the diagnosis of left varicocele, while computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis with contrast revealed a conglomerated retroperitoneal mass of more than 5 cm, located in the paravertebral, retrocural, paraaortic, and intercavoaortic regions. Based on these findings, primary treatment with left radical orchiectomy was chosen, which showed regression of the seminomatous tumor. Histopathological examination revealed a seminomatous germ cell tumor (pT0, pN3, M0), clinical stage IIC, with a good prognosis. Therefore, chemotherapy was initiated with four cycles of EP (etoposide 170 mg and cisplatin 35 mg). However, despite standard chemotherapy, the disease progressed until the patient died. Conclusions: Cases of testicular tumor with retroperitoneal metastasis are rare and infrequently present with clinical, testicular, and imaging findings. Therefore, histopathology, accompanied by the intentional identification of mutations associated with the TP53 gene when therapeutic failure exists. Full article