Prognostic Factors for Survival in the Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Upper Urinary Tract / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: To assess the impact of traditional prognostic factors and tumor location on the survival of patients treated surgically for upper urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma(TCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data from 84 patients with upper urinary tract TCC who underwent nephroureterectomy with bladder cuff(95%) or renal parenchymal sparing surgery(5%). Mean patient age was 59.5 years and median follow-up was 44.3 months. The influence of traditional prognostic factors including age, sex, tumor stage, grade, and location on 5-year disease-specific and 5-year recurrence(local recurrence or distant metastasis)-free survival rates were analyzed. The difference in survival rates between renal pelvis(n=43) and ureter(n=41) was analyzed according to the respective T stage and grade. RESULTS: Overall 5-year disease-specific and recurrence-free survival rates were 84% and 73%, respectively. Significant prognostic factors for 5-year disease-specific and recurrence-free survival by univariate analysis were tumor stage, grade, and location. On multivariate analysis, tumor location was the only independent prognostic factor for survival. Patients with ureter tumor had worse prognosis than those with renal pelvis tumor in the same stage or grade. CONCLUSIONS: When treating upper tract TCC with a radical nephroureterectomy, tumor location was the most significant factor influencing survival. Ureter TCC is associated with a higher local or distant recurrence than renal pelvis TCC even at the same stage or grade. A radical surgical attitude, including meticulous lymphadenectomy, may provide a therapeutic role in patients with invasive ureter TCC.

Sands of the Sahara Syndrome

We experienced 5 cases of diffuse lamellar keratitis or Sands of the Sahara syndrome, which have not been reported in Korea. Patients complained of blurred vision or ocular discomfort 1 or 2 days after LASIK. They showed diffuse infiltrates confined to the flap interface with no posterior or anterior extension and had no anterior chamber reaction. The diffuse infiltrates responded well to steroid or antibiotic/steroid eyedrops showing diminution of infiltrates within 3 to 4 days of therapy. The best corrective visual acuities were 0.8 to 1. 0 around 1 month after surgery.