Project description:Erectile dysfunction (ED) impacts the wellness and quality of life of millions of Canadians. An evaluation focused on the identification of reversible and irreversible underlying factors is recommended for patients presenting with ED. Through a shared decision-making model framework, the goal of ED treatment is to improve functional outcomes and enhance sexual satisfaction while minimizing adverse effects associated with treatment. Given that ED is assessed and treated by multiple different types of health practitioners, the purpose of this guideline is to provide the best available evidence to facilitate care delivery through a Canadian lens. After a narrative review of ED assessment and treatment for general readership, five key clinical questions relating to priority areas of ED are assessed using the GRADE and evidence-to-decision-making frameworks.
Project description:Urethral stricture is fundamentally a fibrosis of the urethral epithelial and associated corpus spongiosum, which in turn, causes obstruction of the urethral lumen. Patients with urethral stricture most commonly present with lower urinary tract symptoms, urinary retention or urinary tract infection but may also experience a broad spectrum of other signs and symptoms, including genitourinary pain, hematuria, abscess, ejaculatory dysfunction, or renal failure. When urethral stricture is initially suspected based on clinical assessment, cystoscopy is suggested as the modality that most accurately establishes the diagnosis. This recommendation is based on several factors, including the accuracy of cystoscopy, as well as its wide availability, lesser overall cost, and comfort of urologists with this technique. When recurrent urethral stricture is suspected, we suggest performing retrograde urethrography to further stage the length and location of the stricture or referring the patient to a physician with expertise in reconstructive urology. Ultimately, the treatment decision depends on several factors, including the type and acuity of patient symptoms, the presence of complications, prior interventions, and the overall impact of the urethral stricture on the patient's quality of life. Endoscopic treatment, either as dilation or internal urethrotomy, is suggested rather than urethroplasty for the initial treatment of urethral stricture. This recommendation applies to men with undifferentiated urethral stricture and does not apply to trauma-related urethral injuries, penile urethral strictures (hypospadias, lichen sclerosus), or suspected urethral malignancy. In the setting of recurrent urethral stricture, urethroplasty is suggested rather than repeat endoscopic management but this may vary depending on patient preference and impact of the symptoms on the patient.The purpose of this guideline is to provide a practical summary outlining the diagnosis and treatment of urethral stricture in the Canadian setting.
Project description:Germ-cell testicular cancer (GCTC) is a malignant neoplasm derived from the primordial germ cell. Although it accounts for approximately 1% of all malignancies in men, it is the most common cancer of younger male population, with the highest incidence between ages 15 and 35. Testicular cancer incidence rate has risen globally over the past several decades, with the average increase in the incidence of testicular cancer in Croatia of 7% per annum from the year 1983 to 2007. Two main groups are seminomas and non-seminomas, each accounting for 50% of cases, and they differ in treatment modalities and response to therapy. Despite increase in the incidence rate, a promising circumstance is that GCTC has become a model of curable cancer. Because of advances in diagnostic procedures, sophisticated radiation techniques and especially the introduction of cisplatin based chemotherapy protocols together with advanced postchemotherapy surgical techniques, curability is expected in about 95% of all patients diagnosed with testicular cancer and over 70% of patients with advanced disease. In this review, we will focus on treatment strategies of primary GCTC.
Project description:The systemic therapy management of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) has evolved from primarily cytotoxic chemotherapies to now include targeted agents given alone or in combination with chemotherapy, and immune checkpoint inhibitors. A better understanding of the pathogenesis and molecular drivers of colorectal cancer not only aided the development of novel targeted therapies but led to the discovery of tumor mutations which act as predictive biomarkers for therapeutic response. Mutational status of the KRAS gene became the first genomic biomarker to be established as part of standard of care molecular testing, where KRAS mutations within exons 2, 3, and 4 predict a lack of response to anti- epidermal growth factor receptor therapies. Since then, several other biomarkers have become relevant to inform mCRC treatment; however, there are no published Canadian guidelines which reflect the current standards for biomarker testing. This guideline was developed by a pan-Canadian advisory group to provide contemporary, evidence-based recommendations on the minimum acceptable standards for biomarker testing in mCRC, and to describe additional biomarkers for consideration.