Helen OConnell AO

President USANZ Urologist Surgeon Researcher

[Imperial Prostate @IP_London]

Using data from #IP8FLUORESCE and #LaserSAFE, @NikhilMayor presents our development and validation of a deep learning tool for detecting positive margins during RARP using fluorescence confocal microscopy - highly accurate results! #EAU26

[Helen OConnell AO @OconnellProf]

Important place - VSL https://t.co/FBw04d4Xop

[Helen OConnell AO @OconnellProf]

Service for Dr Michael Joseph Love https://t.co/zwurA5DRTs

[USANZ @USANZUrology]

Are you the future of urology? Essay Competition.
Submit on the topic of "Inclusion without Exclusion: Addressing Perceptions of Reverse Discrimination in Surgical Careers" Submissions Close 28 Nov25
An initiative of the USANZ DE&I Committee
Find out more: https://t.co/jMyFpgJhZO

[Imperial Prostate @IP_London]

🚨 NEW paper @EUplatinum 🚨

5-year Outcomes for Men after Negative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) or Negative Biopsy in the #RAPID MRI-directed Prostate Cancer Diagnostic Pathway

Led by @cut_tt_chase @LondonProstate1 @TaimurShah

Read for free! https://t.co/YyvvThEgXj

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[USANZ @USANZUrology]

MEET THE EXPERTS: Introducing Prof Christian Gratzke from Albert-Ludwigs-University, Germany who will present at #USANZ26.
Specialty: Uro-oncology (Prostate cancer) and BPH/LUTS
Read @cgratzke Profile and Research here: https://t.co/qm3RCkYl4y

[ICS @icsoffice]

ICS-EUS 2025, State of the Art Lecture 2 - Join us for a cutting-edge presentation by Dr. Benoît Peyronnet: Robotic Surgery in Pelvic Floor Disorders: The Future Is Now

https://t.co/p4ctmsrImI

#Urology #ICSEUS2025 #RoboticSurgery

[USANZ @USANZUrology]

USANZ & ANZUNS 2026 ASM Melbourne Abstract Submissions Now Open! Don't leave it until the last minute to submit your abstract.
Abstract Submissions will close on Monday 1st September.
Find out more here: https://t.co/eZ1R75MKI3 @ANZUNS_Urology

[Helen OConnell AO @OconnellProf]

Have a wonderful meeting @ANZUP @USANZUrology @damien_bolton

[ANZUP @ANZUPtrials]

📢 The #ANZUP25 ASM begins tomorrow!
We can't wait to welcome you as we Listen, Reflect and Connect together in an environment that promotes collaboration and innovation across the GU cancer space.
See you soon! https://t.co/XSvFqcyo0C

[Helen OConnell AO @OconnellProf]

https://t.co/hliXm0ehJS

[Ashish M. Kamat, MD, MBBS @UroDocAsh]

Our recent publication in @EurUrolOncol demonstrates - for the first time -that an AI-powered histologic biomarker (CHAI) can predict response to intravesical BCG vs. gemcitabine/docetaxel in high-grade NMIBC.
A critical step forward in precision intravesical therapy.
https://t.co/BSILWNNZga
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[Chronic UTI Australia Inc. @ChronicUTIAus]

This will be a good one 👉 July UTI Hour
Paediatric UTIs: Characterising pathogenesis and immune responses

Hosted by Australia's Arthika Manoharan @Arthiii_M with guest speakers Dr John David Spencer @kidneytweets and another Aussie, Dr Aniruddh (Ani) Deshpande.

Friday 11th July 🗓️ mark it on your calendar

[Yüksel Ürün @DrYukselUrun]

Overtreatment in prostate cancer surgery dropped since 2010!
Better diagnostics. Smarter surveillance.
Progress that saves not just lives — but quality of life.
#oncology #Cancer #surgery #active @JAMAOnc @AmerUrological @Uroweb @wandering_gu @OncBrothers @Uromigos @OncoAlert
https://t.co/3tJyYTSZkn

[ICS @icsoffice]

Renew your ICS membership for 2025 now to ensure full and uninterrupted access to your ICS member benefits including all educational content!

For a reminder of the perks of being an ICS member, visit: https://t.co/TWizAyRSmd

#ICSMember #ICSMembership #ICS #JoinICS

[Helen OConnell AO @OconnellProf]

Thank you @damien_bolton @USANZUrology
@AmerUrological / American urology is generous in recognising foreign colleagues but also in sharing vast knowledge via training opportunities #DrEdMcGuire

[Damien Bolton @damien_bolton]

Great to see @OconnellProf being recognised at AUA meeting. So well deserved - congratulations Helen and @USANZUrology !

[Chronic & Recurrent UTI Aus & NZ Support Group @cUTIrUTIAusNZ]

We are very encouraged to see that @USANZUrology are now recognising chronic, embedded urinary tract infections.

https://t.co/UrpWJAhG8Y

[Steffi Yuen @steffiyuen]

📏 measuring #IRP is important.
💡 knowing how to utilize devices is equally important (#IRP_FANS #IRPfURS #pressurewire)
Freshly out! 📝Measuring, monitoring and reporting intrarenal pressure: a practical guide to endourologists from section of #EAUendourology
https://t.co/UCr5ALvFWy
🤓more work has to be done! Let’s go
@DocGauhar @endouro @Uroweb @naeembhojani7 @DrBenChew
@bsc_urology @BSCEMEA_Urology #COMETII #ZSR #iMIMER #YiGaoElephantIII #Tidor

[Kari Tikkinen @KariTikkinen]

@MattBultitude Thanks @MattBultitude for your comments

Prophylaxis likely works also for simple UTI: best guess is about 50% risk reduction (trial underpowered for the outcome)

#APPEALtrial messages
1⃣ 1-dose cipro helps
2⃣ Not all need it
3⃣ Individualize: patient values & risk factors

[Chronic UTI Australia Inc. @ChronicUTIAus]

This UTI research used nanogels combined with a special peptide to push gentamicin inside infected bladder wall cells to clear the infection.

The researchers say nanogel delivers about 36% more antibiotic inside cells compared to standard antibiotic delivery methods. It is also quick releasing and exhibits low toxicity, causing minimal harm to cells.
#chronicUTI #recurrentUTI #urinarytractinfection
https://t.co/K3N1taAtci

[Michael Hofman @DrMHofman]

Twenty cycles (that's right 20) of Lutetium-177 PSMA-617 for metastatic castration-resistant cancer!! Check our case report just published in @JournalofNucMed

https://t.co/SxijIjQfKg

Current randomized controlled data demonstrate the safety and efficacy of 6 cycles of [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 therapy in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. In our first phase 2 trial, 15 of 30 patients received additional cycles; 11 (73%) had a subsequent prostate-specific antigen (PSA) decline of 50% or more. A German multicenter study also supported extended therapy in 111 patients, with a median survival of 31.1 mo from the first administration and no increase in grade 3–4 toxicities.

We describe safety and efficacy in a patient who received 20 cycles of [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA-617, receiving a total administered radioactivity of 129 GBq over 5 y. Initially diagnosed at age 59 with de novo bone-only metastatic prostate cancer and a PSA of 96 ug/L, he underwent intermittent androgen deprivation therapy for 13 y before requiring palliative radiotherapy for painful bone metastases. The following year, he was treated with 6 cycles of docetaxel, followed by 18 mo of enzalutamide.

On progression with a PSA of 195 ug/L and a doubling time of 3.0 mo, the patient received 6 cycles of [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA-617, with a PSA nadir of 3.2 ug/L, as part of the TheraP trial. Paired PSMA PET/CT (SUVmax, 73; SUVmean, 10.7) and 18F-FDG PET/CT (metabolic tumor volume, 14 cm3) at enrollment had favorable characteristics. A second treatment block of 2 cycles of [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 was given 266 d after cycle 6 (14 mo after cycle 1) on a clinical registry, resulting in a PSA decline of more than 90% (nadir, 14.2 ug/L) and a further treatment break of 229 d. The treatment-free interval remained similar between treatment blocks 2 and 3 at 216 d; however, this interval shortened to 75 and 78 d between blocks 4 and 5 and blocks 5 and 6, respectively (see Figure).

After cycle 15, he continued to receive symptomatic benefit, but on-treatment biochemical and imaging progression emerged. The hemoglobin and platelet nadirs were 98 g/L and 115 × 109/L, respectively, occurring after cycle 18. Renal function remained normal, with an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 92 mL/min after cycle 20, compared with 117 mL/min at baseline, and an estimated cumulative kidney dose of 55.5 Gy. This exceeds the 23-Gy maximum tolerated dose defined by external-beam radiotherapy, highlighting the limitation of extrapolating external-beam radiotherapy normal-organ constraints to radiopharmaceutical therapy. Grade 1 xerostomia occurred from cycle 3 and remained mild and transient, usually lasting a few days after many, but not all, cycles.

After cycle 20, he received 2 cycles of cabazitaxel and had a clinical response but subsequently progressed with new brain metastases and physical decline; he died 2 mo later at age 81, 4.9 y after the initiation of [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA-617. In conclusion, in selected patients, [¹⁷⁷Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 appears to have substantial benefits beyond 6 cycles.

@DrKerryJewell @ButeauJames @EdmondMKwan @liz_medhurst @SandhuShahneen @AzadOncology