Slovak and Czech studies top best abstract presentations at 12th CEM

A molecular study on prostate cancer risk by Slovak researchers and another clinical research done by a Czech group on a novel neurostimulation technique for patients with continence problems collected the first prizes in the 12th Central European Meeting held in Dresden, Germany. Dr. Jana Jurecekova and colleagues of the Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Dept. of Medical, Biochemistry in Slovakia won the Karl Storz First Prize for Best Abstract Presentation for her study titled “Polymorphisms of estrogen receptor alpha and beta genes and prostate cancer risk in Slovak population.”

The equivalent first prize for the Richard Wolf Best Abstract was granted to Dr. Marek Schmidt and colleagues of the Charles University 2nd Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Motol in Prague, Czech Republic. Their study “Percutaneous afferent neurostimulation of nervus ischiadicus branches with neuroresonance frequency- Pilot project” impressed the two-tiered selection and judging process.

“Our aim was to develop new techniques of percutaneous neurostimulation in patients with detrusor hyperactivity,” the researchers said, adding that the pilot project tested in 17 patients requires further evaluation in a larger patient group.

Second prize winner for Richard Wolf was collected by Dr Alexandra Gulácsi and Ass. Prof. Zsolt Kopa of Semmelweis University’s Dept. of Urology, Budapest, Hungary for their study “Detection of Intratubular Germ Cell Neoplasia (ITGCN) in severe male infertility patients.”

A Romanian group led by Dr. Marian Jecu and Dr. Bogdan Geavlete of Saint John Clinical Emergency Hospital Dept. of Urology in Bucharest received the Richard Wolf third prize for their work on “NBI cystoscopy in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer- A prospective comparison to the standard approach.”

Karl Storz’s second and third prizes for best abstract were granted to German and Polish groups, respectively.

Dr. Doreen Kunze and colleagues of the Universitätsklinikum Carl Gustav Carus an der Technischen Universität’s Dept. of Urology in Dresden collected the second prize for their study titled “SiRNA-mediated knockdown of antiapoptotic Bcl-xL abd surviving sensitizes human bladder cancer cells to chemotherapy.” Dr. Tomasz Drewniak and colleagues of Krakow’s Rydygier Memorial Hospital, Dept. of Urology, won the third prize for their research titled “The modeling of renal artery pathways.”

“We are impressed with the quality of not only the winners’ work but also the submissions in general. There are many other worthy winners, but we have the selection process,” said Regional Office chairman Prof. Bob Djavan.

Germany hosted the CEM for the first time with Prof. Manfred Wirth as meeting chairman. More than 200 participants attended the meeting which attracted nearly 200 abstracts from 23 countries. The 13th CEM in 2013 will be held in Prague, the second time the Czech capital will be hosting the annual event.