The Relationship between B7-H4 Expression and Clinicopathological Characteristics in Clinical Stage T1 Conventional Renal Cell Carcinoma

PURPOSE: The diagnosis of clinically early-stage (T1) renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has increased. The present study evaluated the association of B7-H4 expression on the pathological outcome and recurrence of carcinoma in the T1 stage of RCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among patients who underwent partial or radical nephrectomy after diagnosis of T1 stage RCC during the period of January 2000 to March 2007, 102 pathologically confirmed cases of clear cell carcinoma were included in this study. The patients' medical records were reviewed retrospectively. For the immunohistochemical staining tests, the B7-H4 antibody (Abbiotec 1:500) was used, and clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients (39 males: 38.2%, 63 females: 61.8%) was 53.0+/-12.0 years (range, 31-74 years), and the mean follow-up time was 33.4+/-21.0 months (range, 6-84 months). B7-H4 expression was positive in 18 cases and negative in 84 cases. Recurrence during the follow-up period occurred in 5 cases in the group with positive B7-H4 expression and in 7 cases in the group with negative B7-H4 expression, respectively (p=0.035). In the univariate analysis, a statistically significant relationship was observed only for the presence of B7-H4 expression (p=0.0019). In the multivariate analysis, other than the expression of B7-H4, cancer size and TNM stage had effects on the recurrence of cancer. CONCLUSIONS: For clear cell RCC, B7-H4 expression had a critical impact on the prognosis of the patients, particularly on the recurrence of the carcinoma in patients with clinical stage T1 RCC.

Laparoscopic Removal of a Broken Sewing Needle in a Patient with Irritative Bladder Symptoms / 대한배뇨장애요실금학회지

A foreign body near the bladder is rare. Although foreign bodies in the bladder can be easily found and removed by endoscopic transurethral removal, extravesical foreign bodies may require the use of an open or laparoscopic procedure. Here, we report a case of a patient complaining of frequency and urgency in whom an extravesical sewing needle was successfully removed by a laparoscopic approach. A 4.5 cm rusty sewing needle was found between the bladder and the left external iliac vessels and was removed through a 5 mm trocar port by use of endo forceps with no complications.

Survival Rates and Related Factors in Men with Hormone-Refractory Prostate Cancer

PURPOSE: We evaluated survival rate in patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) and the clinical factors that influenced survival rate and time. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records of 96 patients who had HRPC and were not treated with chemotherapy from 2000 to 2008 were reviewed. We evaluated the survival rates at the 1st, 3rd, and 5th year by using Kaplan-Meier survival curves. We also evaluated survival differences according to clinical variables (clinical T stage, Gleason score, nadir prostate-specific antigen [PSA], PSA doubling time, and PSA velocity) by using the log-rank test and the relations between survival rates and these variables by using Cox proportional hazards models. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 67.8+/-7.5 years and the mean follow-up period was 23.3+/-13.7 months. Cancer-specific survival rates at the 1st, 3rd, and 5th year were 57.8%, 16.8%, and 10.1%, respectively, and survival differences were significantly related to nadir PSA (p=0.002) and PSA velocity (p=0.019). In the univariate analysis, nadir PSA (p=0.004) and PSA velocity (p=0.024) were related to survival rate, but only nadir PSA remained as a significant variable for survival rate in patients with HRPC in the multivariate analysis (p=0.044). CONCLUSIONS: Cancer-specific survival rates in patients with HRPC at the 1st, 3rd, and 5th year were 57.8%, 16.8%, and 10.1%, respectively, and they were related to nadir PSA. These results may be useful in determining a therapeutic approach in patients with HRPC.