Is ‘Omega Sign’ anatomical endoscopic enucleation of the prostate technique reproducible?

We aimed to evaluate the learning curve of the surgically standardised ‘Omega Sign’ anatomical endoscopic enucleation (AEEP) of the prostate surgery technique for junior surgeons. This study is a retrospective comparison of cases that underwent AEEP by a mentor surgeon and three junior surgeons who have completed their learning curve. A video-based laser enucleation of the prostate assessment tool (LEAT) composed of 8 steps of the technique was used to assess a senior surgeon and junior surgeons’ surgical compatibility and consistency. The surgeon who defined Omega Sign technique was determined as group 1, and cases by three junior surgeons were identified as group 2. The end points were to assess the reproducibility and repeatability and operative post-operative outcomes of the technique. 55 patients’ videos were rated by five experienced endourologists. There was no significant difference in LEAT scores between the groups among all steps. The most symmetry was found in the 1st and 3rd steps. Inter-rater consistency was also high for each step, with no statistically significant difference between the evaluators. The standardised anatomical ‘Omega Sign’ technique is reproducible for the junior surgeons. The operative steps can be performed with high consistency, and the functional and perioperative outcomes are comparable with the senior surgeon.     

Hepatitis C virus reactivation in cancer patients in the era of targeted therapies

The purpose of this review is to summarize the evidence of hepatitis C reactivation in cancer patients in the era of targeted therapies.Targeted therapies are novel therapeutics frequently used in cancer patients.During treatment with targeted therapies,viral replication is one of the major problems that can occur.The PubMed database,ASCO,and ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancer Symposium abstracts were searched up until September 15,2013 using the following search keywords:"targeted therapies,rituximab,alemtuzumab,brentuximab,hepatitis,hepatitis C reactivation,tyrosine kinase inhibitors,imatinib,mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)inhibitors,everolimus,anti-HER therapies,trastuzumab,pertuzumab,lapatinib,antiepidermal growth factor receptor therapies,cetuximab,panitumumab,and ipilimumab".Papers considered relevant for the aim of this review were selected by the authors.The data about rituximab-induced hepatic flare in hepatitis C virus(HCV)positive patients is controver-sial.However,there is the possibility of life-threatening hepatic flare that can develop after HCV ribonucleic acid(HCV-RNA)viral load increases.Routine followup of liver function tests should be advised.Especially in high-risk patients,such as those with baseline chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis,and where there are plans to administer rituximab concomitantly with corticosteroids,it is advised to have close follow-up of HCV viral load.The data is insufficient to make accurate statements about the association of alemtuzumab therapy and HCV reactivation.However,alemtuzumab may cause deep immunosuppression.Due to this,it is better to follow up with liver function tests and HCV RNA levels during alemtuzumab therapy.Brentuximab has effects on antibody dependent cellular toxicity and may decrease humoral immunity.Thus,we believe that during brentuximab treatment of HCV infected patients,clinicians may encounter hepatitis C reactivation.There have been no reported cases of hepatitis C reactivation with imatinib therapy.However,there are many reports of hepatitis B reactivation with imatinib treatment.Based on the evidence of hepatitis B reactivation with imatinib and the effects of imatinib on immune system functions,we suggest that imatinib therapy might be a risk factor for HCV reactivation.Anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 therapies are not associated with hepatic flare in HCV infected patients.Post-transplant studies reported that mTOR was safely administered to patients with active hepatitis C without causing hepatic flare.Cetuximab and panitumumab have not been associated with HCV reactivation.Two cases of HCV infected melanoma were safely treated with ipilimumab without any HCV reactivation or hepatic flare.Targeted therapies are a new and emerging area of oncology treatment modalities.While treating HCV infected cancer patients,clinicians should be mindful of the immunosuppressive properties of targeted therapies.Further randomized trials are needed to establish algorithms for this issue.     

Visualization of dual coronary artery fistulae drainage to the right ventricle by transthoracic echocardiography

Coronary artery fistula is a rare abnormality of coronary circulation. It is mostly congenital but acquired forms can also occur. Fistulae are usually asymptomatic and can sometimes be visualized during cardiac imaging such as transthoracic echocardiogram, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, coronary computed tomography angiography and coronary angiography.     

Low ERCC1 expression is associated with prolonged survival in patients with bladder cancer receiving platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy

PurposeExcision repair cross-complementation group 1 enzyme (ERCC1) plays a key role in the removal of platinum induced DNA adducts and cisplatin resistance. Prognostic role of ERCC1 expression in the neoadjuvant setting in bladder cancer has not been reported before. We evaluated the prognostic role of ERCC1 expression in bladder cancer receiving platinum-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy.Materials and methodsThirty-eight patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer who received neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy were included. Clinical and histopathologic parameters along with immunohistochemical ERCC1 staining were examined and correlated with response rates and survival.ResultsPathologic complete response rates were similar between patients with low and high ERCC1 expression. Median disease-free survival (DFS) was 9.3 vs. 20.5 months (P = 0.186) and median overall survival (OS) was 9.3 vs. 26.7 months (P = 0.058) in patients with high ERCC1 expression compared with those with low expression, respectively. In multivariate Cox regression analysis: pathological complete response (pCR) after chemotherapy (hazard ratio (HR) 0.1, 95% CI 0.012–0.842, P = 0.034) and high ERCC1 expression (HR 3.7, 95% CI 1.2–11.2, P = 0.019) were significantly associated with DFS. Patient age (>60 vs. ≤60 years) (HR 3.4, 95% CI 1.2–9.4, P = 0.018), the presence of pCR (HR 0.11, 95% CI 0.014–0.981, P = 0.048) and high ERCC expression (HR 6.1, 95 CI 1.9–19.9, P = 0.002) were significantly associated with OS.ConclusionsOur results showed that high ERCC1 expression was independently associated with shorter disease-free and overall survival in patients with bladder cancer who received neoadjuvant platinum-based chemotherapy. ERCC1 may represent a potential predictive marker for platinum-based treatment in bladder cancer.     

Measurement of skin dose from cone-beam computed tomography imaging

Objective

To measure surface skin dose from various cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanners using point-dosimeters.

Materials & methods

A head anthropomorphic phantom was used with nanoDOT optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimeters (Landauer Corp., Glenwood, IL) attached to various anatomic landmarks. The phantom was scanned using multiple exposure protocols for craniofacial evaluations in three different CBCT units and a conventional x-ray imaging system. The dosimeters were calibrated for each of the scan protocols on the different imaging systems. Peak skin dose and surface doses at the eye lens, thyroid, submandibular and parotid gland levels were measured.

Results

The measured skin doses ranged from 0.09 to 4.62 mGy depending on dosimeter positions and imaging systems. The average surface doses to the lens locations were ~4.0 mGy, well below the threshold for cataractogenesis (500 mGy). The results changed accordingly with x-ray tube output (mAs and kV) and also were sensitive to scan field of view (SFOV). As compared to the conventional panoramic and cephalometric imaging system, doses from all three CBCT systems were at least an order of magnitude higher.

Conclusions

Peak skin dose and surface doses at the eye lens, thyroid, and salivary gland levels measured from the CBCT imaging systems were lower than the thresholds to induce deterministic effects. However, our findings do not justify the routine use of CBCT imaging in orthodontics considering the lifetime-attributable risk to the individual.