Biopsy Gleason score: how does it correlate with the final pathological diagnosis in prostate cancer?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of the Gleason score of needle biopsies of the prostate in predicting the final pathological staging of patients with carcinoma of the prostate treated by radical prostatectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The records of 466 patients with carcinoma of the prostate treated by radical prostatectomy were reviewed, comparing the Gleason scores of the core-needle biopsies with the Gleason score and final pathological staging of the surgical specimens. RESULTS: The biopsy grade was the same as that of the prostatectomy specimen in 54% of the patients. The most common discordance was the upgrading of well-differentiated tumours in 75% of the patients. When the biopsy grade was compared with the surgical pathological stage, 49% of low- and 82% of high-grade lesions in the biopsy had capsular penetration by tumour or locally advanced disease (Stage C and D1). CONCLUSION: Well-differentiated tumours on the biopsy core are not predictive of organ-confined disease, but a poorly differentiated lesion is a good indicator of extracapsular extension of the cancer.

Cyclophosphamide associated bladder cancer--a highly aggressive disease: analysis of 12 cases.

PURPOSE: We gained knowledge of the etiology, treatment and prevention of cyclophosphamide associated urothelial cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The medical records of 6 men and 6 women (mean age 55 years) with cyclophosphamide associated bladder cancer were reviewed. RESULTS: All tumors were grade 3 or 4 transitional cell carcinoma. Of the 5 patients initially treated with endoscopic resection alone only 1 is alive without disease. Of the 6 patients who underwent early cystectomy 4 were alive at 24 to 111 months. The remaining patient with extensive cancer underwent partial cystectomy for palliation and died 3 months later. CONCLUSIONS: Cyclophosphamide associated bladder tumor is an aggressive disease. However, long-term survival is possible when radical cystectomy is performed for bladder tumors with any sign of invasion and for recurrent high grade disease, even when noninvasive.

Testicular trauma: potential impact on reproductive function.

PURPOSE: The long-term effects of testicular trauma on reproductive function are unknown. In an effort to define the relationship between testicular injury and fertility in humans, we identified patients with a history of testicular trauma and assessed parameters commonly associated with fertility. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed 15 patients 23 to 59 years old who underwent immediate exploration after testicular trauma between 1972 and 1991. Of the patients 11 were contacted and 8 returned for prospective followup. Reproductive and sexual histories, physical examination, measurements of serum hormones and antisperm antibodies, semen analysis and scrotal ultrasound were done. RESULTS: Of the 8 patients 1 (13%) achieved and 7 (87%) did not attempt conception. Hormonal status was normal in all 8 patients. Six men had objective evidence of subfertility by semen analysis only, although none had severe oligospermia or asthenospermia and only 1 had severe teratospermia. Five of 9 traumatized testes were atrophic. Interestingly, only 1 patient had antisperm antibodies, the levels of which were probably low enough to be clinically insignificant. CONCLUSIONS: There was definite evidence of subfertility as assessed by abnormal semen analyses and atrophic testes following testicular trauma. However, the subfertility did not appear to be immune mediated nor did the patients present with infertility. Since only 1 patient had severely compromised fertility according to semen analysis we conclude that early repair can help preserve hormonal function as well as fertility.

Urinary calculi during pregnancy. When are they cause for concern?

Urolithiasis during pregnancy, though rare, can be challenging both diagnostically and therapeutically. It is helpful if the physician is quick to suspect the presence of stones in the presence of appropriate signs and symptoms, particularly flank pain and tenderness, hematuria, or unresolved bacteriuria. Ultrasonography is the diagnostic imaging method of choice, but modified intravenous urography should be performed whenever this study is necessary for a prompt diagnosis. In the absence of sepsis, renal failure, or intractable pain, conservative management with hydration, analgesics, and (if infection is present) antibiotics is the favored initial approach. If conservative management fails, stent insertion or placement of a percutaneous nephrostomy tube may be appropriate. Ureteroscopy with stone manipulation for distal ureteral stones during pregnancy has also been reported in some cases. If these methods fail, open surgery should be used for stone removal.

Testicular microlithiasis. A case report.

A 63-year-old man presented with bilateral testicular microlithiasis and right-sided epididymitis, the latter of which responded to antibiotic and anti-inflammatory drugs. Microlithiasis has been associated with nondescent, infection, neoplasia, and other pathologic conditions of the testicles, but there is no evidence that it is a premalignant condition. It is likely to be seen more often with the increasing use of scrotal ultrasonography.

Endoscopic removal of lower ureter in nephroureterectomy.

Endoscopic removal of the lower ureteral stump by transurethral resection of the mucosal cuff and intussusception of the ureter is safe, effective, and relatively easy. Although the technique has been used primarily for malignant disease, the cases described herein illustrate that it also is useful for benign disease.

Transurethral resection of prostate immediately after renal transplantation.

The subject of transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) after renal transplantation has not been evaluated in the urologic literature. We retrospectively compared the outcome of renal transplantation in 8 patients who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate within ten days of renal transplantation with 8 patients who did not undergo prostate surgery. Patients were computer-matched for seven parameters. There was no statistically significant difference in patient survival (6 vs 7) and graft survival (56% vs 88%) between the two groups. However, there was a 25 percent incidence of major perioperative complications (including one mortality) in the TURP group directly attributable to the procedure. Transurethral resection of the prostate can be safely performed immediately after renal transplantation only if urine is sterile, antibiotics and steroids are carefully administered perioperatively, low-gravity irrigation is used, and hemostasis is meticulous.

Modified Benchekroun technique for continent ileal stoma.

The Guzman continent ileal stoma is constructed by a modification of the Benchekroun technique, which is based on the principle of the inkwell and collapse of the inner tube through retrograde filling of the valve. We used this procedure in 7 patients, all of whom are continent. During a followup of 6 months to 2 years no major complications developed. The stoma is easy to construct, has a low risk of evagination because the inner tube is stabilized with sutures and is easy to catheterize. It does not require staples, which reduces the chance of stone or fistula formation. The terminal ileum in continuity with the cecum or an isolated ileal segment can be used.

Nonintubated Anderson-Hynes repair of ureteropelvic junction obstruction in 60 patients.

We reviewed our experience with 68 consecutive Anderson-Hynes ureteropyeloplasties. The 64 infants, children and young adults ranged from 2 days to 28 years old (median age 2 years), and 28 were less than 1 year old. Intubation was used in only 4 patients: 2 who also underwent ureteral reimplantation for vesicoureteral reflux, 1 with stones in the renal pelvis and 1 with pyonephrosis. We successfully repaired 60 of 64 nonintubated renal units (93.4 per cent). Temporary postoperative ureteral stenting was required for extravasation from 8 renal units (12.5 per cent). Two patients later underwent repeat ureteropyeloplasty for recurrent obstruction. Nephrectomy was performed for pyonephrosis in 1 patient and for a nonfunctioning kidney that had exhibited poor function preoperatively in 1. Prolonged ileus necessitated extended hospitalization in 3 patients (4.6 per cent). We conclude that nonintubated dismembered ureteropyeloplasty for uncomplicated, primary ureteropelvic junction obstruction can be performed safely and successfully, and should be considered the standard treatment. Positioning of the Penrose drain is critical to avoid urinoma formation. When persistent urinary leakage occurs temporary diversion is easy and well tolerated. Hospital stay averaged 12.1 days for patients with extravasation compared to 4.3 days when no extravasation occurred. Immediate preoperative retrograde pyelography did not seem to contribute to postoperative urinary extravasation by causing edema of the ureteral orifice.

The value of serum prostate specific antigen determinations before and after radical prostatectomy.

We evaluated serum prostate specific antigen before and after radical prostatectomy. In 100 consecutive patients who underwent radical prostatectomy, preoperative prostate specific antigen levels tended to increase with the increasing severity of pathological stage. However, even at levels of greater than 10 ng. per ml. the positive and negative predictive values (78 and 61 per cent, respectively) of prostate specific antigen to predict extracapsular disease were not sufficient to make this test useful alone for staging. In theory, after radical prostatectomy prostate specific antigen should be zero if no remaining prostatic tissue is present. Tests of precision and analytical sensitivity in our laboratory using a commercial prostate specific antigen assay revealed that a value of 0.4 ng. per ml. or more is different from zero at a greater than 95 per cent confidence level. With this guideline we evaluated the meaning of prostate specific antigen levels 3 to 6 months after radical prostatectomy in 59 men. Among men whose prostate specific antigen level was less than 0.4 ng. per ml. only 9 per cent demonstrated recurrence as evidenced by the development of positive bone scan or progressively elevated prostate specific antigen levels within 6 to 50 months. Alternatively, in men whose 3 to 6-month prostate specific antigen level was 0.4 ng per ml. or more there was evidence of recurrence in 100 per cent within 6 to 49 months (p less than 0.0001). Progressively elevated (more than 0.4 ng. per ml.) prostate specific antigen levels preceded recurrence from 12 to 43 months in all 6 patients who had positive bone scans, while increasing prostate specific antigen levels since radical prostatectomy have continued from 9 to 65 months in the 11 patients who have no radiological evidence of recurrent disease to date. Prostatic acid phosphatase serum values after radical prostatectomy were not useful to predict persistent disease. Prostate specific antigen values 3 to 6 months after radical prostatectomy are a sensitive indicator of persistent disease after radical prostatectomy and often precede other evidence of this occurrence by many years. This fact may alter concepts about surgical results, and possibly shorten and sharpen clinical studies involving adjuvant therapy after radical prostatectomy.

Prostatic specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase in the monitoring and staging of patients with prostatic cancer.

Serum prostatic specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase levels were measured retrospectively and evaluated in 357 men with benign prostatic hypertrophy and in 209 men with various stages of prostatic carcinoma. Although prostatic specific antigen values were elevated in 21 per cent of the patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy, the elevations usually were low and did not interfere with clinical interpretation. Prostatic specific antigen was elevated in 98 per cent of 86 men with active stage D2 disease; in 22 per cent of the men prostatic specific antigen was the only elevated marker. In contrast, prostatic acid phosphatase was the only elevated marker in 1 per cent of the patients with stage D2 disease and neither marker was elevated in 2 per cent. Among 74 patients in whom prostatic specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase determinations were made before radical prostatectomy, prostatic specific antigen was elevated substantially (greater than 10 ng. per ml.) in 59 per cent (26 of 44) with extracapsular disease and in only 7 per cent (2 of 30) without extracapsular disease. More importantly, of those 28 patients with substantially elevated prostatic specific antigen levels 26 (93 per cent) had extracapsular disease. Serial serum measurements showed that prostatic specific antigen either reflected or predicted clinical status in more than 97 per cent of the patients. We conclude that prostatic specific antigen is an excellent serum tumor marker for monitoring patients with prostatic carcinoma and that it surpasses prostatic acid phosphatase in this regard. Prostatic specific antigen also may be useful in staging prostatic carcinoma and it may change our attitudes significantly about the therapeutic responses to this cancer.

Changing surgical concepts in the treatment of priapism.

The treatment of priapism has changed significantly because of better understanding of the physiology of erection and of the pathophysiology of the disease. Several operative procedures have been advised to provide better venous drainage to the corpora. Herein we describe our experience with 20 patients. In 7 cases a modification of the cavernospongiosum shunt was used. This shunt is done under direct vision at the level of the proximal glans, thus, providing a better cavernosum-spongiosum shunt.