[COMPLETE RESPONSE OF BULKY LYMPH NODE METASTASES TREATED WITH ENZALUTAMIDE AFTER CHEMOTHERAPY WITH DOCETAXEL IN CASTRATION-RESISTANT PROSTATE CANCER: A CASE REPORT].

A 74-year-old man was initially diagnosed as having cT4N0M0 and Gleason score 5+4 prostate adenocarcinoma in 2012. Systemic therapy was initiated with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) agonist and bicalutamide, and serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels fell to a nadir of 0.02 ng/ml from 25.55 ng/ml.After 3 years of initial treatment, the patient presented with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) with extensive bulky lymphadenopathy and a serum PSA of 4.81 ng/ml. Open biopsy of the left supraclavicular lymph node revealed metastasis by poorly-differentiated adenocarcinoma of prostatic origin. He continued to receive LH-RH agonist and bicalutamide and underwent seven courses of docetaxel (DOC) chemotherapy plus prednisolone. Computed tomography showed partial response in all but one metastatic pelvic lymph node, which gradually increased in size. The mCRPC response to DOC was heterogeneous, and DOC chemotherapy was stopped because of toxicity and progressive disease.Second-line hormonal therapy with enzalutamide and LH-RH agonist was started and after 6 months, computed tomography revealed complete response in the metastatic lymph nodes based on response evaluation criteria in solid tumors (RECIST); PSA levels decreased to 0.01 ng/ml. The patient has been in complete remission for 28 months.

Clinical Investigation of Adrenal Incidentalomas in Japanese Patients of the Fukuoka Region with Updated Diagnostic Criteria for Sub-clinical Cushing's Syndrome.

Objectives We retrospectively investigated the clinical and endocrinological characteristics of adrenal incidentalomas. Methods We studied 61 patients who had been diagnosed with adrenal incidentalomas and had undergone detailed clinical and endocrinological evaluations while hospitalized. We used common criteria to diagnose the functional tumors, but for sub-clinical Cushing's syndrome, we used an updated set of diagnosis criteria: serum cortisol ≥1.8 µg/dL after a positive response to a 1-mg dexamethasone suppression test if the patient has a low morning adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) level (<10 pg/mL) and a loss of the diurnal serum cortisol rhythm. Results Of the 61 patients, none (0%) had malignant tumors, 8 (13.1%) had pheochromocytoma, and 15 (24.6%) had primary aldosteronism; when diagnosed by our revised criteria, 13 (21.3%) had cortisol-secreting adenomas (Cushing's syndrome and sub-clinical Cushing's syndrome), and 25 (41.0%) had non-functional tumors. Compared with the non-functional tumor group, the primary aldosteronism group and the cortisol-secreting adenoma group were significantly younger and had significantly higher rates of hypokalemia, whereas the pheochromocytoma group had significantly larger tumors and a significantly lower body mass index. Conclusion Our study found a larger percentage of functional tumors among adrenal incidentalomas than past reports, partly because we used a lower serum cortisol level after a dexamethasone suppression test to diagnose sub-clinical Cushing's syndrome and because all of the patients were hospitalized and could therefore receive more detailed examinations. Young patients with hypokalemia or lean patients with large adrenal tumors warrant particularly careful investigation.

Interventional ultrasound for adrenal masses.

PURPOSE: To determine the value of interventional ultrasound (US) for adrenal masses, especially incidentally discovered adrenal masses. METHODS: Demographic, clinical, and pathological data were reviewed for eight patients who underwent percutaneous US-guided puncture or biopsy for adrenal masses from September 1994 through March 2002 in our institute. RESULTS: US-guided intervention was successfully performed for seven patients: two with adrenal cysts, two with adrenocortical adenomas, and three with metastatic adrenal tumors (one from prostate cancer, one from lung cancer, and one from renal cell carcinoma). The remaining patient had bilateral adrenal masses, and a biopsy specimen could not be obtained because safe puncture was difficult. For all patients there was no postoperative hemorrhage or pain, and no major complications were observed during the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Interventional US using the color Doppler method for adrenal masses is a useful procedure for safe puncture to reveal the orientation of adjacent viscera and blood vessels at the puncture site and to avoid complications including hemorrhage and pneumothorax. US, including color Doppler US, is also useful for detection of complications and follow-up studies because it is noninvasive and can be used for real-time examinations. In addition, pathological examination of specimens obtained by percutaneous biopsy or fine needle aspiration is useful for avoiding unnecessary surgery in patients with metastatic adrenal masses.

Quantitative estimation of renal blood flow by power Doppler ultrasonography in renovascular hypertensive dogs.

BACKGROUND: We estimated the value of power Doppler (PD) imaging analysis for the quantitative assessment of renal cortical blood flow (RCBF) in chronic two-kidney, one-clip (2K-1C) hypertensive dogs. METHODS: To evaluate the correlation between RCBF and PD signals, RCBF and the mean pixel intensity (MPI) of PD signals were simultaneously obtained at same region in renal cortex under progressive constriction of left main renal artery in five mongrel dogs. RCBF was measured by electrolytic hydrogen gas clearance method, and PD images were transferred to computer and analyzed by the image-analysis software Openlab. To assess the value of quantitative PD imaging analysis on RCBF in renovascular hypertension, in six mongrel dogs with chronic 2K-1C hypertension, PD images in both of clipped kidneys (CK) and non-clipped kidneys (NK) were obtained and analyzed before and 60 minutes after the intravenous infusion of captopril or sodium nitroprusside at 10-minute intervals. RESULTS: There was a linear correlation between RCBF and MPI (r= 0.878, P < 0.0001). MPI in both CK and NK significantly increased after the infusion of captopril, while no significant change was observed in both CK and NK after the infusion of sodium nitroprusside, despite similar reduction of mean arterial blood pressure. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that the acute inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme increased RCBF in both CK and NK of chronic 2K-1C dogs. The quantitative analysis of PD flow signals in kidney is noninvasive and a useful method to evaluate regional changes of renal tissue blood flow in various renal diseases.