Towards a Personalized Approach to BPH/LUTS: Connecting Molecular Pathology to Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

May 2022 Council

Lead Division/Office

KUH

Point(s) of Contact

Ziya Kirkali, M.D.

Executive Summary

This initiative is to support an initial workshop to engage stakeholders from across the spectrum of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) research and its connection to Male Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS). Importantly, patient perspectives will be included to focus the research agenda on outcomes central to BPH/LUTS patients and their partners. Ultimately, the workshop will inform the establishment of a multi-site cooperative agreement to recruit a selected cohort of men with BPH/Bladder Outlet Obstruction (BOO) associated LUTS. Molecular interrogation of biopsy tissue will be coupled with deep clinical phenotyping to permit the identification of subtypes of men with BPH/LUTS to develop personalized approaches for management. Although there have been important advances in the management of BPH patients in the last two decades, we still do not know which patient characteristics will lead to a successful outcome after an intervention, and who will not benefit or meet their symptom resolution expectations with obstruction relief. The workshop and follow-up Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) will foster research efforts combining epidemiology and integrated biological assessments to identify clinically relevant BPH patient subgroups. A precision approach to identification of subgroups based on symptoms and pathophysiological features will allow for improved, patient-centric, clinical outcomes and targeted intervention in trial designs and ultimately in clinical practice.