Prostatic stromal sarcoma with neuroectodermal differentiation.

Prostatic stromal sarcoma is a fairly rare tumor that constitutes approximately 0.1-0.2% of all prostatic cancers. Detailed characteristics of the tumor are still unclear due to its rarity.We describe a case of prostatic stromal sarcoma in a 63 year-old man who suffered from urinary obstructive symptoms. Palliative transuterine resection was performed and the preliminary histopathological diagnosis was neuroendocrine carcinoma. After chemotherapy, total pelvic exenteration was performed. Histopathologically, the tumor was composed of monotonously proliferating small to medium-sized round cells, which existed in compact islands with loose or dense fibrovascular networks. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were widely positive for vimentin, CD56, CD99 and focally positive for synaptophysin, CD10, progesterone receptor, desmin and CD34, but negative for EMA, cytokeratin, estrogen receptor, S-100 and myoglobin. Most of the previously reported tumors exhibited positive stainability for CD10 and progesterone receptor. In addition to these markers, expressions of CD56, CD99 and synaptophysin were characteristically detected in our case. To the best of our knowledge, we present the first case of prostatic stromal sarcoma with characteristic immunohistochemical staining properties. Although the biological characteristics of this rare tumor have not yet been elucidated, these findings suggest prostatic stromal sarcoma can potentially show neuroectodermal differentiation. VIRTUAL SLIDE: The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/7291874028051262.

[Anaphylactoid purpura after intravesical therapy using bacillus Calmette-Guerin for superficial bladder cancer].

We report a very rare side effect, anaphylactoid purpula, after intravesical administration of bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG). A 83-year-old man presented with purpura located on his bilateral lower legs. He had received transurethral resections four times for superficial bladder tumors. Intravesical therapy using BCG was performed. During the treatment course, asymptomatic purpura was suddenly seen in the lower legs after the third administration. Lymphocyte stimulation test was highly positive for BCG. He was diagnosed with anaphylactoid purpura caused by BCG. Conservative treatment was selected because there were no concomitant diseases in other organs. There have been no signs of recurrence of tumors or purpura during the one-year follow-up. However, physicians need to be cautious of anaphylactoid purpura which could lead to severe diseases, such as renal failure, gastrointestinal dysfunction and systematic arthritis.

[Superficial bladder cancer with lung metastasis without local invasion: a case report].

A 66-year-old woman presented with a coin-size lesion in the right lung. Bronchoalveolar lavage cytology showed class V. Thoracoscopic partial pneumonectomy of right upper lobe was performed and pathologic finding was metastatic transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). She had a history of superficial bladder tumors which were treated with transurethral resection (TURBT). All pathologic findings demonstrated low grade superficial TCC. After the pneumonectomy, recurrent tumors were detected in the bladder after three months' follow up. Intravesical instillations and TURBT were performed and the pathologic finding showed superficial TCC. There have been no signs of recurrence during the six-year follow up. The case reported here is of superficial cancer with a metastatic lesion in the lung without local invasion in the urinary bladder.

[A case report of a terminally ill patient who achieved good pain control by pharmaceutical intervention in home terminal care].

We provided consultations with pharmacists to a terminally ill patient with radicular pain at his home. Before pharmaceutical intervention, the patient's compliance had been poor and consequently he had not achieved stable pain. The pharmacists suggested changes in the pharmacological and physical regimen that satisfied both the patient and his family. These changes were instructed with the help of the patient's doctors, home-visiting nurses and family, and subsequently the patient's compliance improved. The patient achieved good pain control and maintained excellent quality of life up to the time of his death. By providing home consultations to a terminally ill patient, we have contributed to maintaining an acceptable quality of life for him by building a team that consisted of doctors, nurses and pharmacists.

[Subsequent upper urothelial cancer following bladder tumor].

A total of 110 patients were treated with primary transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the urinary bladder from 1990 to 2000. During the follow-up period, which was for at least two years, four patients (3.6 percent) had subsequent upper urothelial cancer at an average of 61.5 months after initial treatment of the bladder tumor. Two of the four patients received transurethral resection several times, and the remaining two patients underwent radical cystectomy for the initial bladder tumor. The histopathological findings of subsequent upper urothelial cancer were almost the same as those for the initial bladder tumor. One patient had accompanying carcinoma in situ (CIS) and the other had adenocarcinoma with TCC. Since 1) high grade, 2) multiple, 3) recurrent and 4) occupational bladder tumors, 5) concomitant CIS, 6) vesicoureteral reflux and 7) tumor invasion of the intravesical ureters have been reported to be risk factors for developing subsequent upper urothelial cancer, patients with bladder tumors who have these risk factors should be followed-up closely.