A case of prostate cancer with disseminated carcinomatosis of bone marrow which responded to Zoledronic acid

A 76-year-old man underwent radical prostatectomy under the diagnosis of stage C prostate cancer (cT3bN0M0, Gleason score 3＋4) in 1999. Endocrine treatment for postoperative biochemical failure started in 2001. He was admitted to our hospital because of general fatigue and multiple bone pain with a prostate specific antigen (PSA) level of 1,141 ng/ml in August 2009. On admission, no metastasis was detected on bone scintigraphy or computed tomography. Bone marrow biopsy was finally performed for the assessment of bone metastasis after PSA further increased to 8,679 ng/ml with the manifestation of severe anemia and thrombocytopenia. The biopsy findings disclosed disseminated carcinomatosis of bone marrow (DCBM). Treatment with Zoledronic acid (ZA) not only mitigated bone pain, but also rapidly improved of PSA and hematological findings. Although the prognosis of a patient with DCBM is generally considered to be very poor, ZA contributed to the improvement for the survival of the patient in the present case.     

A case of prostatic cancer discovered from lung metastatic lesions

We report a case in a 70-year-old patient indicated to have a metastatic lesion from a chest X-ray taken during a medical examination. His blood prostatic specific antigen level was very high at 100 ng/ml (normal, less than 4.0 ng/ml). Palpation of the prostate disclosed enlargement to hen's egg size with an irregular surface and indurations bilaterally. Transrectal sextant needle biopsy of the prostate was performed, revealing moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. Computed tomography (CT) scan and bone scintigraphy showed intrapelvic lymphnode adenopathy and metastasis to the right pubic bone. Under a diagnosis of stage D2 prostate cancer, we initiated endocrine therapy (luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analogue depot every 4 weeks and bicalutamide). Androgen blockage was very effective and after 6 months, the PSA level had decreased markedly to below 0.2 ng/ml. Sixteen months later, pulmonary metastasis completely disappeared. He is currently free from recurrence and progressing well.     

A prostatic duct carcinoma difficult to distinguish from transitional cell carcinoma: a case report

A 77-year-old male with a complaint of dysuria and gross hematuria for 3 months visited our hospital. Abdominal ultrasonography, computed tomographic scan and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a prominent tumor from the bladder neck. Serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) level was high (1,130 ng/ml) suggesting prostate cancer, but transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) was detected by transurethral biopsy. Bone scintigraphy revealed multiple bone metastasis. Since gross hematuria requiring bladder tamponade continued, simple cystoprostatectomy and cutaneous ureterostomy were performed. Pathological findings showed prostatic acinar carcinoma and prostatic duct carcinoma mimicking TCC, and PSA immunohistochemically weak positive. The final diagnosis was prostate cancer consisting of acinar and ductal component. Adjuvant hormonal therapy was performed, but was ineffective. The patient died 2.5 months after operation. We reviewed and discussed 66 cases of prostatic duct carcinoma, including our case, in the Japanese literature.     

Metastases to the penis from carcinoma of the prostate

A 58-year-old man presented with dysuria at the Osaka Medical College Hospital in November 1996. Laboratory examination revealed elevated serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) to > 100 ng/mL. Adenocarcinoma of the prostate with metastasis to the bone was diagnosed after a biopsy of the prostate and bone scintigraphy; hormonal therapy was administered. Although bone metastasis was well controlled and the serum PSA level declined to within normal levels (2.0 ng/mL), several painless nodules were found on the penile glans. Biopsy of the nodules showed that the penile tumor was a metastasis from the prostate cancer. The patient underwent partial penectomy for relief from penile pain. The serum PSA level showed no elevation 3 months after the partial penectomy, suggesting that careful observation of prostate cancer patients is necessary, even when oseous metastasis is well controlled and serum PSA levels are kept within normal ranges by hormonal therapy. The case also indicates that urologists should consider the possibility of metastasis to the penis from prostate cancer.     

血清PSA值和前列腺结节指导前列腺穿刺活检的临床意义

目的 探讨血清ＰＳＡ浓度变化与前列腺癌及其骨转移的相关性。方法 对９３例直肠指诊异常及血清ＰＳＡ〉４ｎｇ／ｍｌ的患者,行直脾性Ｂ超引志下前列腺穿刺活检;用９９ｍＴｃ－ＭＤＰ行全身骨扫描判断有无骨。结果 ９３例中前列腺活检阳性者６０例,其中２６例扫描阳性;随血清ＰＳＡ浓度升高,前列腺阳性活检率及其远处骨转移阳性率升高。 血清ＰＳＡ升高与前列腺癌及其骨转移的发生率呈正相关。     

Prostate cancer diagnosed through the biopsy of the bone metastatic lesion; a case report

An 80-year-old man visited our clinic with the chief complaint of asymptomatic macroscopic hematuria secondary to anticoagulant medicine. Although digital rectal examination was normal, a high serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) level (85.9 ng/ml) led us to perform sextant prostate biopsy, resulting in negative for cancer. Three months later, since the serum PSA increased to 169 ng/ml with high serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 levels. Twelve-core prostate biopsy was performed again, but the result was negative. Pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a metastatic lesion on the right pubic bone, which was biopsied, and turned out to be poorly differentiated prostate cancer in histology. Maximum androgen blockade failed to control PSA. Finally he died of pneumonia 55 days after the bone biopsy. To our knowledge, there were only two case reports diagnosed as prostate cancer by biopsies of the metastatic lesions in Japanese literature, but none in the English literature. These findings suggest that high serum levels of CEA and CA19-9 in patients with prostate cancer are indications of hormone-refractory prostate cancer resulting in poor prognosis.     

Small cell carcinoma of the prostate: a case report

A 76-year-old man had been treated with maximum androgen blockade therapy for a poorly-differentiated prostate adenocarcinoma (T3cN1M0, prostate specific antigen (PSA) 65 ng/ml, Gleason Score 4+5=9) since September 2002. By August 2003, his serum PSA levels were undetectable and the lymph node swelling had vanished. However, in December 2004, his serum PSA levels started rising gradually up to 0.66 ng/ml. Radiation therapy on the prostate was then performed (66 Gy). At that time, no metastasis was detected by computed tomography and bone scintigraphy. In August 2005, multiple bone metastases were detected. Immunohistochemical examination of a biopsy specimen from the bone lesion revealed a small cell carcinoma/neuroendocrine cell carcinoma. He died with undetectable PSA levels (less than 0.008 ng/ml) in December 2005. The autopsy showed multiple organ metastases including bone, liver, lungs and others. The immunohistochemical examination revealed pure small cell carcinoma in all metastatic lesions. A precise histological examination of the lungs using a 1 cm serial section could not reveal any tumors compatible with primary lung cancer. We concluded from the clinical history and autopsy findings that his initial poorly-differentiated adenocarcinoma of the prostate dedifferentiated into a pure small cell carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation.     

A case of osteosarcoma in pelvic bone following radiation therapy for prostate cancer

A case of osteosarcoma in pelvic bone following radiation therapy for prostate cancer is reported. A 74-year-old patient was diagnosed with prostate cancer 10 years ago and started on the endocrine therapy with LH-RH agonist. He had no apparent distant metastasis, and received radiation therapy 8 years ago. He has complained of low back pain since several months ago. A high uptake on bone scintigram and osteolytic and osteoblastic damages on CT were noted in pubic bone and sacrum. The PSA level was less than 0.2 ng/ml. Pathohistological diagnosis by biopsy of the pubic bone was chondroblastic type osteosarcoma, showing an atypical cell proliferation with osteoid. Immunostaining for nonepithelial marker vimentin was positive. He underwent heavy ion radiation therapy for osteosarcoma at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences. Osteosarcoma is one of the rare delayed complications after radiation therapy and requires biopsy for correct diagnosis.     

Prostate cancer with disseminated carcinomatosis of bone marrow initially presenting with disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome: a case report

A 56-year-old man was admitted to our hospital complaining of dyspnea, general fatigue and lumbago. Several examinations revealed severe pancytopenia with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), multiple lymph node metastases, and extremely high serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) level. Hormonal therapy under a diagnosis of advanced prostate cancer was started. Bone marrow biopsy, performed for the assessment of pancytopenia, revealed that there were no hematopoietic cells but only diffuse infiltration of prostate cancer cells. His bone scintigraphy showed a super scan image. Therefore, our diagnosis was prostate cancer with disseminated carcinomatosis of bone marrow. Although the response to hormonal therapy had been initially good, the time to PSA nadir was 9 weeks and he died 34 weeks after the start of the treatment. To our knowledge, 20 cases of prostate cancer with disseminated carcinomatosis of bone marrow have been reported in the Japanese literature including this case and the clinical features are reviewed.     

A case of prostatic carcinoma with osteolytic bone metastases

A 55-year-old man consulted us on December 3, 1986 with the chief complaints of left leg pain, disturbance in gait and dysuria. On digital rectal examination his prostate was found enlarged to a hen's egg size and increased in consistency. He was admitted to the hospital under the suspicion of prostatic cancer on December 8, 1986. Scout kidney-ureter-bladder X-ray revealed extensive osteolytic lesions in the left iliac and pubic bones as well as in the sacrum. Needle biopsy of the prostate demonstrated moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma, leading to a diagnosis of prostatic cancer with osteolytic bone metastases. Bone scintigraphy showed increased radioactivity uptake by the left iliac and pubic bones. Pelvic CT disclosed large tumor masses in the left ilium and sacrum, which on bone biopsy were identified as poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Endocrine therapy with estramustinphosphate and castration was performed along with transurethral resection of prostate. At week 16 after initiating the therapeutic regimen the patient was entirely free from disturbance in gait and the tumor mass of the left iliac bone had disappeared almost completely on the computed tomogram at week 18, although osteolytic lesions still persisted on the x-ray. This case deserves special note because endocrine therapy markedly reduced the size of the bone tumors, in spite of osteolytic bone metastases of prostatic cancer with computed tomographic evidence of large metastatic tumor masses.     

Prostatic cancer with multiple pulmonary metastases treated successfully with hormonal therapy: a case report

A 66-year-old, man was referred to our hospital for further examination of multiple pulmonary nodules on chest X-ray performed on medical examination. He was referred to our clinic because his chief complaint was poor urinary stream. Prostatic cancer was suspected on digital rectal examination and magnetic resonance imaging. Serum prostatic specific antigen (PSA) level was 134.9 ng/ml. Histological examination of transrectal prostatic sextant biopsy revealed well differentiated adenocarcinoma of prostate. Abdominal computed tomography-scan, gastro-intestinal tract examination and bone scintigraphy demonstrated no other primary lesions or distant metastases. Under the diagnosis of prostatic cancer with multiple pulmonary metastasis, we performed total androgen blockade (TAB) consisting of luteinizing hormone releasing hormone agonist and flutamide following dietylstilbestrol (DES) intravenous injection therapy. After three months, pulmonary nodules disappeared on chest X-ray and PSA level decreased to below 0.1 ng/ml. Pulmonary nodules also disappeared on CT-scan after six months after TAB. He is alive and free from the recurrence for 42 months.     

A case report: mucinous carcinoma of prostate

We present a case of mucinous carcinoma of prostate. A 64-year-old man visited our hospital because of high score of prostate specific antigen (PSA). Prostatic biopsies were performed twice, but cancer was not found. Since the PSA value elevated gradually and a hard nodule in the right lobe of prostate became palpable, we repeated the biopsy that revealed cancer. Retropubic radical prostatectomy was performed and pathological examination revealed mucinous carcinoma of prostate. Mucinous carcinoma of prostate is rare, and to our knowledge, only 46 cases have been reported in the Japanese literature.     

Multiple myeloma diagnosed during hormonal therapy for prostate cancer: report of two cases

Case 1: A 73-year-old man presented with a serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) level of 30.2 ng/ml, and was diagnosed with prostate cancer (cT3aN0M1, stageD2), for which hormonal therapy (maximal androgen blockade : MAB) was commenced. Nine months later he developed back pain, and osteolytic bone lesions progressed despite a stable, low PSA level (0.087 ng/ml). He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma on the basis of positive M protein on immunoelectrophoresis. MP combination therapy (melphalan and prednisolone) was commenced, but the patient died of multiple myeloma 33 months later. Case 2: A 70-year-old man was diagnosed with prostate cancer (PSA 19 ng/ml) at another hospital 5 years ago, and underwent hormonal therapy (luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist only). He was referred to our hospital and underwent bicalutamide+MAB combination therapy due to a raised PSA level (58 ng/ml) and multiple bone metastases. His PSA level dropped to around 20 ng/ml, but 2 years later he developed back pain, and bone metastases with osteolytic change were seen in the skull, ribs, and limbs. Needle aspiration biopsy of a fist-sized soft tissue mass in the chest wall showed multiple myeloma. Although chemotherapy with melphalan was commenced, the patient died of multiple myeloma 8 months after its diagnosis. Both these cases exhibited rapidly progressing bone lesions, regardless of an absence of any large fluctuations in serum PSA levels, during hormonal therapy for prostate cancer. Further investigations yielded the diagnosis of multiple myeloma. If progression of bone lesions does not match the status of prostate cancer as surmised from the serum PSA level, we should consider the possibility of multiple myeloma, and biopsy of one of the bone lesions.     

A case of prostatic cancer with a low PSA level accompanied with cystic formation requiring differentiation from adenocarcinoma of the seminal vesicle

A 70-year-old man with the complaint of macrohematuria and hematospermia was admitted to our hospital for further examination of a cystic formation of the right seminal vesicle, 3.6 cm in diameter, detected by magnetic resonance imaging(MRI). Cystoscopy revealed no remarkable change, but urine cytology was class III. The serum concentration of prostate specific antigen (PSA) was within the normal range of 1.83 ng/ml. Transperineal needle biopsy of the prostate and cystic tumor of the seminal vesicle revealed adenocarcinoma of the prostate and seminal vesicle, but immunostaining for PSA was negative, so we diagnosed the case as primary adenocarcinoma of the seminal vesicle. Bloody fluid of the cyst was obtained by transperineal aspiration, but no cancer cells were detected by cytological examination. Total prostatectomy was performed, and pathological findings was infiltration of prostate cancer into the seminal vesicle (pT3b) because immunostaining of the PSA was positive.     

A case of primary transitional cell carcinoma of the prostate

A 77-year-old man was referred to our hospital with a complaint of dysuria and right ischiodynia. He had had a hemi-thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer and right cervical lymphadenectomy three years and one year, respectively, before this visit. Prostate cancer was strongly suspected by transrectal examination with prostate specific antigen (PSA) elevated to 77.8 ng/ml. Pathological diagnosis of prostate biopsy specimen was transitional cell carcinoma with grade 3 malignancy and negative staining for PSA. Endoscopic examination showed a normal appearance of bladder and prostatic urethral epithelium. Urine cytology showed no malignant cells. However, immunostaining for PSA revealed that the cervical lymph node specimen resected before was moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma of prostate. He had multiple metastases to mediastinal and retroperitoneal lymph nodes and right ischium. Endocrine therapy (goserelin acetate depot, bicalutamide) and systemic chemotherapy (methotrexate, epirubicin, cisplatin) were performed combined with irradiation to right ischium metastasis. Two months later, he showed a complete response in PSA and partial response in lymph node metastases, but died of cancer 13 months later.     

Disseminated carcinomatosis of the bone marrow in two patients with prostate cancer

Disseminated carcinomatosis of the bone marrow is caused by metastasis to the bone marrow and can cause disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), leucoerythroblastosis, and microangiopathic hemolytic anemia (MHA). The prognosis of this syndrome is poor. We report herein two rare cases of disseminated carcinomatosis of the bone marrow in association with prostate cancer. Case 1 involved a 61-year-old man admitted to our department with elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels. Prostate biopsy revealed prostate cancer, and imaging studies were performed. Under a diagnosis of prostate cancer (T3N1Mx), the patient was treated using hormonotherapy, but died 2 months after admission due to gastrointestinal bleeding of unknown cause, refractory DIC, and cachexia. Bone marrow biopsy after his death revealed metastasis of the prostate cancer to the bone marrow. Case 2 involved a 68-year-old man admitted to our department with gross hematuria. Cystoscopy revealed non-papillary tumor in the prostatic urethra. Transurethral biopsy was performed and histology identified prostate cancer. Treatment was initiated with hormonotherapy and zoledronate. After 8 months, he complained of general fatigue and blood testing identified anemia and thrombocytopenia. Bone marrow biopsy revealed adenocarcinoma in the bone marrow. Alternative androgen therapy and chemotherapy with docetaxel was started, and the patient recovered from pancytopenia and general fatigue.     

Prostate cancer detection by prostate biopsy among Japanese with prostate-specific antigen below 4.0 ng/ml

The cases of prostate cancer diagnosed at our hospital after the introduction of transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy were analyzed to ascertain the cancer detection rate among individuals with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) below 4.0 ng/ml and to assess the pathological characteristics of the prostatectomy specimens. During the period from January 1997 to December 2003, 1,167 individuals received prostate biopsies at our hospital. Before March 2003, the PSA cut-off level for biopsy was set at 4.0 ng/ml, but a biopsy was sometimes performed if a rectal examination revealed abnormalities or the patient desired a biopsy with a PSA below 4.0 ng/ml. After April 2003, all individuals with a PSA over 3.1 ng/ml were biopsied. The results of the prostate biopsy and the pathology data on radical prostatectomy specimens were compared between individuals with a PSA below 4.0 ng/ml and those with a PSA of 4.1-10 ng/ml. The prostate cancer detection rate among individuals with a PSA between 3.1 and 4.0 ng/ml was 19.4% (12/62) before March 2003 and 15.6% (7/45) after April 2003. The number of cancer-positive core was significantly lower among individuals with a PSA below 4.0 ng/ml. On prostatectomy specimens the percentage of surgical margin positive cases was significantly higher among individuals with a PSA below 4.0ng/ml (17 cases) than those with a PSA of 4.1-10 ng/ml (67 cases), although there was no significant difference between these two groups in terms of the pathological stage and Gleason score. Our results indicate that the prostate cancer detection rate is also high among Japanese men with a PSA below 4.0 ng/ml. The biopsy results and pathological features for prostate cancer with a PSA below 4.0 ng/ml did not differ markedly from prostate cancer with a PSA in the gray zone (4.1-10.0 ng/ml).     

Recrudescence of prostate cancer with low serum level of PSA and high serum level of CEA and CA19-9: a case report

We report a case of primary adenocarcinoma of the prostate producing carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9). A 64-year-old man referred to our hospital with dysbasia. Two years ago, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer at another hospital and received radiotherapy and endocrine therapy. Serum CEA and CA 19-9 levels were increased to 3,990 ng/ml and 11,700 U/ml at the time of our hospitalization. However, his serum PSA level remained low. After hospitalization, the disease rapidly progressed and he died a month later. In the histology of autopsy specimen, the prostate showed no sign of malignancy, but bone showed metastasis of prostate cancer. Immunohistochemical staining for CEA and PSA demonstrated the existence of each protein in bone metastasis.     

Screening for prostate cancer using prostate-specific antigen testing in Japanese men on hemodialysis

Objectives The objectives of this study were to evaluate the usefulness of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening in detecting prostate cancer in Japanese men on hemodialysis, and to analyze features of prostate cancer detected in these patients. Materials and methods This study included 115 male hemodialysis patients aged >55 years who agreed to the measurement of serum PSA value (group A) and 7529 men aged >55 years participating in a PSA mass screening test in Kobe City (group B) between April 2005 and March 2006. Prostate biopsy was recommended in men with serum PSA > 4.0 ng/ml in both groups. Seventy-eight patients with normal renal function aged >55 years diagnosed as having prostate cancer during the same time period as groups A and B were also included as a comparison group (group C). Results There was no significant difference in the distribution of serum PSA values between groups A and B. Prostate biopsy was performed in 8 and 205 men in groups A and B, respectively, and prostate cancer was detected in 5 and 68 in groups A and B, respectively; that is, there was no significant difference in the rate of positive prostate biopsy between these two groups (group A, 62.5%; group B, 33.2%), while the cancer detection rate in group A (4.3%) was significantly greater than that in group B (0.90%). In addition, there was no evident metastasis in five patients on hemodialysis who were diagnosed as having prostate cancer, and their serum PSA, clinical T stage and biopsy Gleason score were similar to those in group C. However, the percent of positive biopsy cores in these five was significantly greater than that in group C. All five were treated by maximal androgen blockade therapy, and all are currently alive without emergence of hormone-refractory diseases. Conclusions These findings indicate that hemodialysis patients may have an increased risk of prostate cancer, and that prostate cancer detected in such patients tends to be relatively advanced. Therefore, it would be recommended for hemodialysis patients to undergo PSA testing to screen for prostate cancer.     

Necessity of repeat biopsies in men for suspected prostate cancer

Background: The indications for repeat prostate needle biopsy in men whose initial biopsy results revealed no evidence of cancer are not defined. Methods: We retrospectively studied 218 consecutive cases of men undergoing prostate biopsies for suspected cancer. Men in whom cancer was found on repeat biopsy were compared with others with regard to age, digital rectal examination, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentration, prostate volume, PSA density, PSA slope and the frequency of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) on initial prostate biopsy. Results: Of the 114 cancers detected, 99 (87%) were diagnosed on initial biopsy and 15 (13%) were diagnosed on repeat biopsy. Mean PSA concentration and mean PSA density were significantly higher in patients with cancer on initial biopsy than on repeat biopsy (P < 0.05), but they were similar among patients with and without cancer on repeat biopsy. The PSA slope showed a more progressive increase in patients with cancer on repeat biopsy than in those patients without cancer at 6 month intervals. Of the 218 patients undergoing prostate biopsy, seven (3.2%) were identified with high grade PIN but without concurrent prostate cancer. Prostate cancers were detected in two of these seven patients (29%) on repeat biopsy. Conclusions: Serum PSA levels and PSA density did not provide useful predictive information about the indications of repeat biopsy. We conclude that men with a more progressive increase in PSA levels at 6 months intervals and high grade PIN on prostate needle biopsy should undergo repeat sampling to exclude missed cancer.