Healthy debates
AUA2023 education included several debates where experts offered an exchange of ideas to elevate patient outcomes.
Many urological treatment approaches are not always unanimously accepted among urologists. These sessions at AUA2023 demonstrated why best practices and patient protocols are often debatable.
Should doctors be charging significant fees for investigational or experimental approaches? That was the question posed at Sunday’s Crossfire: Controversies in Urology Debate, “Is it Ethical to Charge for Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injections, Shockwave and Stem Cell Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction?” Four debaters presented the pros and cons, including the role of regulatory approval and robust scientific evidence.
Experts also debated the best uses of prostate-specific membrane antigen–positron emission tomography (PSMA-PET) in prostate cancer treatment decisions during another Crossfire debate, “Impact of PSMA-PET on Treatment Decision-Making,” at the Plenary session on Friday. Opinions on how best to apply this highly specific molecular imaging technique remain divided.
“Can Vasectomies Be Considered Temporary Contraception?” was another Crossfire debate during Monday’s Plenary. Standards of care consider vasectomy as permanent contraception, but vasectomy reversal has a high percentage of success. How to frame vasectomy is a dilemma for many urologists.
The annual Bladder Cancer Forum also had its share of debates. Topics addressed included: What is the optimal treatment strategy for patients with nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancer at intermediate risk? When is active surveillance appropriate? What type of cystoscopy is necessary to adequately diagnose bladder cancer?