Early combined hormonal and chemotherapy for metastatic prostatic carcinoma

Twenty-four patients with confirmed Stage D carcinoma of the prostate were treated with a combination of bilateral orchiectomy, estrogens (diethylstilbestrol) and chemotherapy (5-fluorouracil), and cyclophosphamide soon after diagnosis was established. Patients were followed up between forty-two to seventy-two months. Seventy-five per cent of patients reported relief of bone pain after initiation of therapy, and 83.3 per cent reported relief of their urinary symptoms. The primary tumor shrank in all patients, and initial stabilization or partial disappearance of osteoblastic lesions on bone scans was noted in 79.1 per cent of patients. The cumulative survival rates at five and six years were 63.48 and 50.78 per cent, respectively. The combined therapy was well tolerated by the patients, and complications were not severe and of a transient nature.     

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.     

Bilateral breast metastases from prostatic carcinoma: a case report]

We report a case of bilateral breast metastases from prostatic carcinoma. A 49-year-old man with stage D2 prostate cancer, who had been treated by chemoendocrine therapy and radiotherapy for 2 years, complained of bilateral enlarged breasts. Oral administration of diethylstilbestrol diphosphate was started 2 months before the onset of this symptom. A firm mass that was not tender was palpable beneath the skin without fixation on each side. A needle biopsy of the masses showed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma with positive immunohistopathological staining for prostate-specific antigen. The masses were diagnosed as metastatic adenocarcinoma of prostate gland origin. The patient died 3 months after the diagnosis of breast metastases. Autopsy revealed diffuse lymphogenous metastatic disease. Metastatic prostatic carcinoma to the breast is uncommon. Breast metastases in this patient might be associated with diffuse lymphogenous metastases as well as increased local blood and lymphatic supply caused by extrinsic estrogens.     

Lung metastases from follicular thyroid cancer: a report of a clinical case and a review of the literature

The authors report a case of follicular thyroid cancer in "hot nodule" with micronodular synchronous lung metastases. The treatment consisted in TT associated with radioiodine therapy at the dose of 170 mCi with remission of cancer after six months of follow-up. Follicular variant is a prognostic unfavorable factor such as synchronous or metachronous pulmonary metastases. In those patients prognostic unfavorable variants are also age over 40 years, a poor radiofixation capacity, and a lesion of diameter up 1 cm. A strictly instrumental follow-up is mandatory to obtain diagnosis in a subclinical stage. In such cases the radiometabolic therapy agree to a remission of cancer with high survival after many years. TT yet represents a "minimal" surgical treatment for an accurate radioisotopic diagnosis.     

乳腺癌化疗诱发糖尿病1例

患者女,59岁.因"发现左乳无痛性肿物半年"于2001年9月3日入院.经充分术前准备后行左乳癌改良根治手术,术后病理示"浸润性导管癌",以CAF(环磷酰胺、阿酶素、5-Fu)方案化疗. 术后3个月(12月5日)拟接受第4次化疗而入院时发现体重较前明显减轻约5kg,且伴多饮多尿,查血糖22.5mmol/L,连续2次复查均为22mmol/L左右.患者否认既往糖尿病史,且前3次入院所查血糖均正常.故考虑此次为化疗诱发糖尿病,给予糖尿病饮食及口服优降糖、二甲双胍治疗,将空腹血糖控制于7mmol/L左右,并完成第4次化疗.此后,逐渐减药,至术后4个月止停用降糖药仅予饮食控制,空腹及餐后血糖均正常,复查监测至今血糖正常无波动.     

Gastro-pleuro-pericardial fistula following combined radiation and chemotherapy for lung metastases from renal cell carcinoma: report of a case

Gastropleural and gastropericardial fistulas are abnormal communications between the stomach and the pleural cavity or pericardium. They are rare and life-threatening complications, which require prompt surgical intervention. We report the case of a gastro-pleuro-pericardial fistula that developed in a patient treated with radiotherapy and then Sunitinib (Sutent^®), a novel tyrosine-kinase inhibitor, for lung metastases from renal cell carcinoma. To our knowledge, this is the first case of a gastro-pleuro-pericardial fistula developing as a consequence of combined radiation and chemotherapy.     

Hyperparathyroidism in metastases of prostatic carcinoma: a biochemical, hormonal and histomorphometric study

Secondary hyperparathyroidism can develop as a result of bone metastases from prostatic cancer, but this has not been studied from the multiple aspects of biochemistry, hormonal status and histomorphometry. In 20 patients with stage-D prostatic cancer, a transiliac bone biopsy was performed for histomorphometric study. In all of them, molecular parathormone (PTH-M) and osteocalcin were determined by radioimmunoassay together with other parameters considered to be biological markers of bone remodelling. Of these 20 patients, only 2 (10%) had elevated PTH-M (240 +/- 20.6 pmol/l), differing significantly from the other 18 (58.6 +/- 11.7 pmol/l) and from controls (60.4 +/- 7.2 pmol/l). In the high PTH-M patients, corrected calcium was low (7.8 +/- 0.4 mg/dl) as compared to normal PTH-M patients (9.2 +/- 0.5 mg/dl, p less than 0.001), and this was also the case for serum phosphorus (2.2 +/- 0.6 vs. 3.2 +/- 0.3 and 3.4 +/- 0.4 mg/dl, respectively p less than 0.001). Alkaline phosphatase was raised in the patient groups as compared to controls (p less than 0.001) and was higher in the high PTH-M group (362 +/- 58 vs. 224 +/- 62 U/l, p less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Rectal metastasis of prostatic cancer causing annular stricture: a case report

A 61-year-old man diagnosed with poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the prostate (T4 NxM0, stage C) underwent endocrine therapy. The reduction of the tumor was recognized but soon annular rectal stricture appeared. In spite of the subsequent chemotherapy, symptoms aggravated. Then total pelvic exenteration and colostomy were performed. Prostate was easily separated from the rectal wall and the tumor continuity was not proved. Immunohistochemical inspection indicated that the origin of the tumor cells of the rectum was the prostate. Histopathological examination of the rectum using the step section method showed no trace of cancer invasion but many cancer cells in the intramural lymphatic duct. We concluded that adenocarcinoma of the prostate metastasized to the rectum by way of lymphatic flow and caused the annular stricture of the rectum.     

Successful complete androgen blockade (CAB) therapy for prostatic cancer detected from multiple lung metastases: a case report

Prostatic cancer is rarely diagnosed by detection of lung metastases. We report a case of prostatic cancer in a 73-year-old man detected by abnormalities in chest X-ray and serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) level. He was initially admitted to our hospital due to elevation of PSA level. On the first transperineal prostatic needle biopsy, prostatic cancer was not detected and he was followed. Seven months after the first biopsy, chest X-ray revealed multiple abnormal nodules in the lung fields bilaterally and PSA level was again elevated. A second prostatic biopsy and whole-body examination were performed, and he was diagnosed with moderately differentiated prostatic adenocarcinoma with multiple lung metastases. Complete androgen blockade therapy was performed immediately. Two months after the beginning of treatment, PSA level was normalized and the multiple lung metastases had completely disappeared. There has been no evidence of recurrence or PSA relapse 24 months after detection of the prostatic cancer. This is the 26th case of prostatic cancer diagnosed in Japan following detection of multiple lung metastases.     

Brain metastasis of ovarian cancer treated by chemotherapy including cis-platin: a case report

A 57-year-old woman was admitted to our department with headache and dizziness. About 8 months ago, she suffered from ovarian cancer disseminated in pleura and peritoneum, and was treated successfully with CAP therapy only (Cis-platin, Adriamycin and Cyclophosphamide). Intracerebellar metastasis of ovarian cancer was suspected on CT scan, and CAP therapy was employed again. She was relieved from all symptoms a week after starting the therapy. Follow up CT scan showed complete remission of the lesion. She was well for about 3 months, but was admitted again because of consciousness disturbance and headache with multiple brain metastasis. PVB therapy (Cis-platin, Vinblastine and Pepleomycin) was employed this time, and complete remission was seen again. But regrowth of intraabdominal mass lesion appeared, and she died from multiple organ failure 5 months after PVB therapy. Autopsy was not permitted, but CT scan 3 days before death revealed no intracranial lesion. Distant metastasis of ovarian cancer may become more prevalent with the development of combination chemotherapy, but no case of brain metastasis has been reported to have been treated with chemotherapy only. The authors suggest the possibility of successful treatment of such a lesion with chemotherapy including Cis-platin.     

Late metastases of prostatic adenocarcinoma to urinary bladder after radical prostatectomy: a case report]

We report a case of metastasis of prostatic cancer to urinary bladder. A 67-year-old man was admitted with a complaint of macroscopic hematuria, who had undergone radical prostatectomy and surgical castration for prostatic cancer (pT3N0M0) 53 months before. Computed tomographic (CT) scan revealed an invasive tumor on the right wall of the urinary bladder and swelling of paraaortic and pelvic lymph node metastases. These lesions were diagnosed as bladder tumor with lymph node metastases, and then transurethral biopsy of bladder tumor was performed. Because macroscopic hematuria could not be controlled and severe progressive anemia was found after the biopsy, simple cystectomy and bilateral cutaneoureterostomy were performed on the next day. Histopathological analysis showed that the tumor was adenocarcinoma, which was thought to be a metastatic tumor from the prostatic cancer.     

Radiation-induced prostatic sarcoma: a case report

A 64-year-old man had a prostatic sarcoma 8 years after transurethral prostatectomy and radical bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection with insertion of 125iodine implants for stage B1N carcinoma of the prostate. Therapy for the sarcoma consisted of isolated pelvic perfusion and then pelvic exenteration with creation of an ileal conduit and colostomy. The pathology report showed well encapsulated grade 2 spindle cell sarcoma of the prostate. Multiple small metallic particles were embedded in the tumor specimen.     

Aortic valve replacement in the presence of sternal metastases from prostatic carcinoma: a case report

A 65-year-old man was admitted with New York Heart Association Class IV heart failure, refractory to maximal medical therapy. High-grade aortic insufficiency and severe left ventricular dysfunction were demonstrated by cardiac catheterization. The patient had known prostatic carcinoma with extensive metastatic involvement of the sternum. Aortic valve replacement was performed successfully through a median sternotomy incision and the patient returned to full activities.     

Experimental treatment of prostatic cancer by intermittent hormonal therapy

In order to determine if intermittent hormonal therapy might prove to be beneficial in the treatment of prostatic cancer, animals bearing the Dunning R3327H prostatic adenocarcinoma were castrated and intermittently subjected to hormonal stimulation by means of indwelling silastic testosterone-filled implants. The growth of these tumors, as measured by increases in volume, was compared to that of a castrate control group, a chronic implant group and an intact control group. By the end of an initial 49 day experimental period there was no significant growth reduction with the intermittent stimulation group as compared to the implanted control or intact groups. The castrate group had a significant lower rate of growth than any other group. The incidence of massive tumor growth or tumor necrosis was significantly lower in the castrate group than the other groups by the end of the 16 week experimental period. Intermittent hormonal therapy is clearly inferior to early castration in preventing tumor growth; furthermore it does not appear to offer any growth-retarding advantages when compared to delayed hormone therapy. The most effective growth-retarding technique for the Dunning R3327H hormone dependent prostatic adenocarcinoma is early castration.     

Reactivation of prostatic cancer and chemotherapy in reactivated prostatic cancer

From January, 1960 to March, 1984, we studied 65 cases of prostatic cancer resistant to endocrine therapy. Treatment with ifosfamide or combination chemotherapy with vincristine, ifosfamide and peplomycin was performed in some of the 65 cases above mentioned. More cases were systemic reactivation than local reactivation. Poorly differentiated cancer accounted for the majority of the reactivated cancer. Concerning adjacent effects, treatment with ifosfamide was superior to combination chemotherapy. There was no difference between the distant effects of both chemotherapies. The patients with no effects showed predominance of pathologically low differentiated cell type. The 6-month survival rate of patients with chemotherapy was significantly higher than that of patients with other therapies. Toxicities of chemotherapies were leucopenia, digestive disturbances and falling out of hair. Hematuria and pulmonary fibrosis occurred in some cases.     

A new hormonal therapy for prostatic cancer: long-term clinical and hormonal response

Twenty-four patients with advanced prostatic cancer were treated with daily injections of the LHRH analogue ICI 118630 (Zoladex) for up to 2 1/2 years. Successful long-term suppression of LH (luteinising hormone) and testosterone was observed without any escape of testosterone. Immunoreactive LH concentrations rose significantly following the daily injection of LHRH analogue but there was no corresponding rise in testosterone concentrations, suggesting altered bioactivity of the LH. A long-term clinical response was obtained in 10 patients (41.6%) and the median duration of response in these patients was 25 months. Eight of the 10 had well to moderately differentiated tumours. The actuarial median survival of all patients was 22 months.     

Lung metastases from various malignancies combined with primary lung cancer

Various tumors metastasize to the lung, and they are often detected as multiple nodules. We report on two cases of such multiple lung metastases combined with primary lung cancer: a myxoid liposarcoma in the right thigh and a colon cancer. In each case, a pulmonary metastasectomy revealed that one of the tumors was primary lung cancer. Regardless of recent advances in computed tomography for detecting small pulmonary nodules and ground-glass opacity components, which indicate possible primary lung cancer, the preoperative differential diagnosis for either metastatic or primary lung cancers is usually difficult because they are too small to obtain enough tissue for diagnosis, except by surgery. When nodules are removed and diagnosed as lung metastasis combined with primary lung cancer, additional treatment should be considered depending on the prognosis of each disease.