Survival analysis and predictors of long-term outcomes following radical nephrectomy with inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombectomy in renal cell carcinoma

Background: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) presents with inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombus in 10%�% cases and surgical management forms the mainstay of the treatment. The objective of this study is to assess the outcomes of the patients undergoing radical nephrectomy with IVC thrombectomy. Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients undergoing open radical nephrectomy with IVC thrombectomy between 2006 till 2018 was done. Results: A total of 56 patients were included. The mean (眘tandard deviation) age was 57.1 (�.2) years. The number of patients with levels I, II, III, and IV thrombus were 4, 29,10, and 13, respectively. The mean blood loss was 1851.8 mL, and the mean operative time was 303.3 minutes. Overall, the complication rate was 51.7%, while the perioperative mortality rate was 8.9%. The mean duration of hospital stay was 10.6 � 6.4 days. The majority of the patients had clear cell carcinoma (87.5%). There was a significant association between grade and stage of thrombus (P = 0.011). Using Kaplan朚eier survival analysis, the median overall survival (OS) was 75 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 43.5�6.5) months, and the median recurrence-free survival (RFS) was 48 (95% CI = 33.1�.3) months. Age (P = 0.03), presence of systemic symptoms (P = 0.01), radiological size (P = 0.04), histopathological grade (P = 0.01), level of thrombus (P = 0.04), and invasion of thrombus into IVC wall (P = 0.01) were found to be significant predictors of OS. Conclusion: The management of RCC with IVC thrombus poses a major surgical challenge. Experience of a center along with high-volume and multidisciplinary facility particularly cardiothoracic facility provides better perioperative outcome. Though surgically challenging, it offers good overall-survival and recurrence-free survival

Labial fusion: A rare cause of obstructive lower urinary tract symptoms in old age females

Lower urinary tract symptoms in females can be due to various factors. Most of the time it is due to simple urinary tract infection and lower urinary tract pathology such as urethral stricture, meatal stenosis, bladder stones, underactive detrusor, and primary bladder neck obstruction. Commonly found neurologic causes among females are detrusor–external sphincter dyssynergia, associated with various brain and spine diseases and diabetic neuropathy. Labial fusion is a rare cause of female voiding difficulty. We herein present two elderly postmenopausal diabetic female patients who had nearly total urethral occlusion due to labial fusion. After thorough history taking and local genitourinary examination, the patients were operated. Treatment included surgical correction followed by the local application of 1% estrogen ointment. Both patients were symptom-free after the procedure. Thus, with a correct diagnosis followed by simple operative procedure, we can treat such patients successfully.

Role of miRNA-182 and miRNA-187 as potential biomarkers in prostate cancer and its correlation with the staging of prostate cancer

ABSTRACT Purpose The microRNAs expression has emerged as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of prostate cancer. This study investigated the expression of miRNA-182 and miRNA-187 in prostate cancer patients and established a correlation between miRNA expression and staging of prostate cancer. Materials and Methods This prospective observational study involved patients undergoing transrectal ultrasound-guided biopsy for suspicion of prostate cancer. Pre-biopsy urine samples and prostatic core tissue samples of the patients were preserved and the miRNA-182 and miRNA-187 were studied. Results Sixty-three patients were included in this study, thirty-three patients were diagnosed with prostate cancer and thirty patients having benign histopathology were considered as controls. The expression of miRNA-182 was significantly increased (p=0.002) and miRNA-187 significantly decreased (p <0.001) in prostate cancer tissue specimens. However, the expression of these miRNAs did not significantly differ in the urine of prostate cancer patients as compared to controls. Serum Prostatic Specific Antigen (PSA) inversely correlated with the median expression of miR-187 in prostatic tissue (p=0.002). Further, the expression of miRNA-187 in prostate cancer tissue was significantly decreased in metastatic prostate cancer (p=0.037). Using ROC analysis, miRNA-187 expression was able to distinguish the presence or absence of bone metastasis [area under ROC (AUROC) (±SD) was 0.873±0.061, p <0.001]. Conclusion The miRNA-182 and miRNA-187 appear to be promising biomarkers in prostate cancer and miRNA-187 can serve as an important diagnostic marker of metastatic prostate cancer.

A comparative study of the effects of medical versus surgical androgen deprivation therapy on health-related quality of life in patients with metastatic carcinoma prostate

INTRODUCTION: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is known to adversely affect the quality of life (QoL). One may choose between surgical and medical forms depending on his economic status, education status, and taboos. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of medical versus surgical ADT on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with metastatic cancer prostate in Indian population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 2012 to December 2014, 50 patients (10 medical castration and 40 surgical castration) of hormone-naïve metastatic prostate cancer who were started on combined ADT were included in this study. Before starting therapy, baseline data and QoL score (short form [SF-36] scale) were noted and all patients were followed up at 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year. Baseline data and HRQoL at all time intervals between surgical and medical castration groups were compared. RESULTS: All patients, except two, completed the 1-year follow-up period. Patients who opted for medical castration were more educated and belonged to higher socioeconomic status. For all the domains of SF-36 QoL questionnaire, a similar improvement in the score was noted at first 3-month follow-up which deteriorated in the next follow-up at 6 months and then further at 1 year. There was no difference in HRQoL after medical or surgical castration. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with metastatic cancer, prostate initiation of ADT, irrespective of method, causes an initial improvement in HRQoL followed later by a more gradual decline below the baseline

Caracterización de hábitos relacionados con enfermedades crónicas en población universitaria de Honduras / Characterization of habits related to chronic diseases in the university population of Honduras

Objetivo: caracterizar por primera vez los principales hábitos relacionados con las enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles en estudiantes universitarios. Método: estudio descriptivo transversal en una muestra estimada de 248 estudiantes entre indígenas y mestizos que ingresaron en 2012 en la Universidad Nacional de Agricultura, Honduras. Se contó con la aprobación del Comité de Ética del Instituto de Nutrición de Centroamérica y Panamá y con el consentimiento de los participantes. Se aplicó el cuestionario STEPS para recolectar información sociodemográfica, consumo de frutas, verduras, tabaquismo, alcoholismo y actividad física. Se realizó examen físico que incluyó toma de presión arterial, medida de la cintura, talla, peso y glucometría. Resultados: en la muestra, 139 (56,28 por ciento) eran hombres. La edad promedio fue de 21,5 años. El 22,22 por ciento tenía sobrepeso; 4,12 por ciento bajo peso y 3,29 por ciento obesidad; 12,75 por ciento declararon fumar y 53,5 por ciento consumir alcohol. En promedio, hombres y mujeres, consumían 1,6 y 1,1 porciones de frutas y verduras al día respectivamente. El 94,74 por ciento utilizaba bicicleta o caminaba al menos 10 minutos; 58,1 por ciento practicaba deportes. El 98 pior ciento tenía presión arterial normal y el 5,74 por ciento prediabetes (101-125 mg/dL en ayunas). Conclusiones: la población estudiantil lenca y otras etnias no se diferencian en su estado nutricional de los mestizos. La población posee factores protectores para las enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles como actividad física y bajo consumo de tabaco, pero ingieren apenas frutas y verduras. Las mujeres participan menos en deportes(AU)

Objective: to characterize for the first time the main habits related to non-communicable chronic diseases in university students. Methods: a cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted in an estimated sample of 248 students from native and mixed groups, who joined the National University of Agriculture in 2012 in Honduras. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama. The participants gave their informed consent. The questionnaire STEPS was used for collecting socio-demographic information, data on consumption of fruits, vegetables, smoking, alcohol and physical activity. A physical examination including measurement of height, weight, waist, blood pressure and blood glucose levels was performed in all of them. Results: of the surveyed 248 students, 139 (56.28 percent) were men. The average age was 21.5 years and 63.71 percent of the participants had a monthly family income of less than US$255. In the group, 22.22 percent ere overweighed, 3.29 percent obese and 4.12 percent low weighed. Alcohol was taken by 53.5 percent and 12.75 percent were current smokers. An average of 1.6 and 1.1 portions of fruits and vegetables per day were consumed, respectively. In this sample, 94.74 percent rode a bicycle or walked at least 10 minutes a day; 58.1 percent played sports. Most of them (98 percent ad normal blood pressure and 5.74 percent howed pre-diabetic glucose levels (101-125 mg/dL on fasting). Conclusions: the lencas and other native groups were not important different in nutritional status from students of mixed race. The population has protective factors that prevent it from developing non communicable diseases like physical activity and low smoking indexes; however, they barely consume fruits and vegetables. Women were especially less involved in sports(AU)

Bladder decompression for chronic urinary retention may lead to upper tract bleeding.

Haematuria following decompression of a distended bladder is a well known condition. The bleeding in such cases originates in the bladder and resolves spontaneously. We describe an elderly man who had bleeding from the kidney following decompression of the bladder. This resulted in an extensive search for an upper tract tumour as a cause for haematuria.

Primary Pulmonary Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma with Lumbar Vertebral Metastasis: Response to Gefitinib.

Primary adenoid cystic carcinoma of lungs with vertebral metastases at presentation is a rare entity with very few treatment options. We report a case of 78-year old non-smoker female who was investigated for low backache and found to have adenoid cystic carcinoma of right lung with lumbar vertebral metastasis. She refused palliative radiation therapy to lumbar spine because of her inability to move and severe pain. She received oral gefitinib and reported remarkable relief in symptoms.