Radical prostatectomy for adenocarcinoma of the prostate: The influence of preoperative and pathologic findings on biochemical disease-free outcome

Objective. This retrospective study evaluated the outcome for a cohort of men undergoing radical retropubic prostatectomy alone as primary treatment for clinical T1–2 prostate adenocarcinoma.Methods. Sixty-two patients treated at Boston University Medical Center between 1987 and 1992 underwent radical prostatectomy alone without adjuvant or neoadjuvant endocrine therapy. Actuarial and multivariate analyses were made of disease-free outcome according to preoperative tumor T stage, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and biopsy grade, and according to the pathologic findings at surgery. Recurrence was defined as the persistence or recurrence of detectable serum PSA four or more weeks following surgery.Results. Of all patients judged clinically to have localized disease (T1–2), 52 percent proved to have pathologic T3 tumors. Of these, 81 percent had positive surgical margins. The strongest preoperative predictors of pT3 disease were the biopsy Gleason grade and the initial serum PSA value. Actuarial analysis showed the overall likelihood of remaining free from detectable PSA at four years to be 43 percent (75% for those with organ-confined disease and 27% for those who were pT3). The poorest prognosis was seen in those with seminal vesicle involvement. Biopsy Gleason grade and initial PSA were independent preoperative predictors of biochemical failure in a Cox regression analysis but clinical T stage was not.Conclusions. The biopsy Gleason grade and initial PSA were identified as strong preoperative predictors of disease-free outcome. We confirmed the favorable prognosis of men with organ-confined disease, but emphasize the high likelihood of relapse in those with positive surgical margins or seminal vesicle invasion.     

Triamterene nephrolithiasis: renewed attention is warranted

Although triamterene has been known to contribute to urinary calculus formation, it has been presumed to be a rare phenomenon. Our review of stone analyses performed during the last decade by a single laboratory reveals an increasing incidence of triamterene stones. Awareness of the calculogenic potential of triamterene-containing medications should be re-emphasized.     

Transplant ureteral obstruction masquerading as recurrent rejection episodes: management by percutaneous antegrade balloon dilatation

We report a 52-year-old male renal transplant recipient who had three "rejection episodes." The first of these responded to conventional antirejection therapy; however, the next two episodes showed incomplete responses to treatment for rejection. At subsequent presentation with deteriorating renal function, ureteral obstruction was evident and was relieved with percutaneous antegrade balloon dilatation with a return of his plasma creatinine to normal. Obstruction of the ureter was a major component in our patient's course given the lack of response to conventional antirejection therapy and the normalization of renal function with relief of the documented ureteral stenosis. This case illustrates that ureteral obstruction can mimic rejection in the renal transplant recipient. Management of ureteral stenosis in transplant patients with percutaneous antegrade balloon dilatation appears to be an effective procedure and can supplant the need for open surgical procedures.     

Advancing Biomarker Development Through Convergent Engagement: Summary Report of the 2nd International Danube Symposium on Biomarker Development,Molecular Imaging and Applied Diagnostics; March 14–16, 2018; Vienna,Austria

Molecular Imaging and Biology - Here, we report on the outcome of the 2nd International Danube Symposium on advanced biomarker development that was held in Vienna, Austria, in early 2018. During...