Initial evaluation of the diagnostic performance of the new urinary bladder cancer antigen test as a tumor marker for transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder

PURPOSE: We evaluated the diagnostic performance of the new noninvasive bladder cancer test on voided urine samples from patients with transitional cell carcinoma compared to symptomatic and asymptomatic controls. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Urinary bladder cancer antigen was measured in urine from 86 patients with active transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder (group 1), 76 patients free of transitional cell carcinoma as confirmed by cystoscopy at followup (group 2), 25 patients with other benign urological diseases (group 3), 25 patients with other malignant pathological conditions (group 4) and 30 healthy subjects free of urological diseases (group 5). RESULTS: Mean urinary bladder cancer antigen concentrations were 104.84, 4.57, 11.79, 48.87 and 1.38 microg/l, for groups 1 to 5, respectively, which was statistically different (p = 0.00005) except for groups 1 and 4 (p = 0.187). Sensitivity was 87.0% (95% confidence interval 79.2 to 92.7) and specificity was 86.8% (77.1 to 93.5%), and both were optimized by receiver operating characteristics plot analysis at a threshold value of 9.74 microg/l using asymptomatic (group 2) compared to known cancer (group 1) cases. CONCLUSIONS: Urinary bladder cancer antigen might have a role as a potential tumor marker for diagnosing transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.     

Adrenal effects and pharmacokinetics of CFC-free beclomethasone dipropionate: a 14-day dose-response study.

Since equivalent efficacy is achieved with lower doses of the reformulated beclomethasone dipropionate in the chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-free propellant HFA-134a (HFA) than with the original CFC-beclomethasone dipropionate formulation, it is possible the HFA-beclomethasone dipropionate may have less safety concerns than the CFC formulation. Despite its chronic use, the steady-state pharmacokinetics of beclomethasone dipropionate has never been studied before. This double-blind study examined adrenal effects and pharmacokinetics after 14 days of dosing with HFA-beclomethasone dipropionate. Forty-three steroid-naïve asthmatic patients were randomised into 5 parallel groups and dosed every 12 h for 14 days with: HFA-placebo; 200, 400 or 800 μg day_-1 HFA-beclomethasone dipropionate; or 800 μg day_-1 CFC-beclomethasone dipropionate. After two weeks of dosing, the 24-h urinary free cortisol of all but one patient remained within the normal range, showing that all doses were well tolerated from a systemic safety perspective. The active HFA-beclomethasone dipropionate treatment groups showed a dose-related fall in 24-h urinary free cortisol. Total-beclomethasone (beclomethasone dipropionate and metabolites) pharmacokinetics after either the first dose of HFA-beclomethasone dipropionate or CFC-beclomethasone dipropionate were not substantially affected by subsequent doses. The extent of drug absorption from 800 μg day_-1 HFA-beclomethasone dipropionate and CFC-beclomethasone dipropionate was in the ratio of 1–7: 1. A non-linear correlation between 24-h urinary free cortisol and the pharmacokinetic parameters was observed, reflecting smaller changes in 24-h urinary free cortisol than in pharmacokinetics as the dose was increased. No clinically meaningful change in the pharmacokinetics of beclomethasone dipropionate plus metabolites was seen on multiple dosing. The greater systemic availability of HFA-beclomethasone dipropionate was still associated with adrenal effects comparable with that of the CFC formulation at the same dose.     

Squamous cell carcinoma of the penis: Multivariate analysis of prognostic factors and natural history in a monocentric study with a conservative policy

Background: Penile carcinoma is uncommon in Western countries. Here we report on a large series of patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the penis, describing prognostic factors, survival and therapeutic results.Patients and methods: From 1973 to 1993, 102 patients with invasive SCC of the penis were treated at the Institut Gustave-Roussy. Precancerous lesions and conditions associated with penis cancer were analyzed retrospectively. Survival curves were estimated by the Kaplan–Meier method, and groups were compared for outcome by the log rank test for univariate comparisons and by Cox's proportional hazards model for multivariate analysis.Results: The median age at onset was 58 years. Sixty-nine patients presented with Jackson's stage I disease, 17 with stage II and 15 with stage III. The interval between the manifestation of symptoms and the diagnosis was more than a year in 13.7% of cases. Precancerous lesions were found in 17 (16.6%) patients, and a history of phimosis was noted in 25 (24.5%). In situ and invasive carcinoma were observed together in 17 (16.6%) cases and dysplasia was associated with invasive carcinoma in eight (7.8%) further cases.Conservative treatment was administered whenever feasible. Interstitial brachytherapy was performed alone or associated with limited surgery (local excision or circumcision) in 72 (70.6%) patients. Of the 28 patients with a local relapse, nine have died of their neoplasms (32%) compared to 21 of 28 patients with lymph node relapse (75%).The median follow-up was 111 months. Disease-free survival, disease-specific survival and overall survival were, respectively, 56%, 72% and 63% at five years and 42%, 66% and 50% at 10 years. Age (P = 0.01), the N status (P < 0.00001) or palpable nodes (P < 0.0038), corpus involvement (P = 0.006) and a verrucous histology (P = 0.038) had significant prognostic relevance for survival in the univariate analysis whereas the performance status, T status and Broders' grade did not. In the multivariate analysis only two parameters, involvement of the corpus (P < 0.0001) and palpable nodes (P = 0.009), were singled out as being independent variables influencing survival. A subgroup of nine patients with verrucous histologies were distinguished by their freedom from node involvement. These patients had an excellent prognosis: all are alive and disease-free. Penile integrity was preserved during follow-up in 54 patients (52.9%), 31 of whom are still alive. Of 72 patients treated by a conservative approach including brachytherapy, long-term penile integrity was maintained in 49 (68%).Conclusion: Corpus involvement and clinically palpable nodes are highly statistically significant independent factors influencing overall survival. Node relapses remain a major cause of death. Thus, better management of lymph nodes is essential for improving survival even when conservative therapy is used to treat the primary.     

Atti SUN -Laparoscopic management of sacral neurinoma causing hydronephrosis

We report the case of a sacral neurinoma, which presented with mild hydronephrosis, due to compression of the right ureter, in a 71-yr old woman admitted to our hospital with recurrent urinary tract infections. CT and MRI detected a 4 x 4 cm mass pressing on the right ureter at the sacral level, in continuity with the second sacral foramen. Given this finding, the mass was thought to be of presumable neurogenic origin. In order to both reach a conclusive diagnosis and relieve the compression of the ureter, a laparoscopic resection of the mass was performed. Surgery was successful and the pathologic examination revealed a sacral Antoni A neurinoma. Neurinomas, also called Schwannomas, are uncommon benign nerve sheath tumors arising from Schwann cells. Their diagnosis can be extremely difficult due to their aspecific symptoms and the lack of pathognomonic characteristics on imaging exams. Therefore, histopathologic evaluation is essential in establishing the diagnosis. Surgical resection seems to be the best approach, both for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.