Diagnosis and treatment of renal cell carcinoma in children: a report from the Polish pediatric rare tumor study group.

BACKGROUND: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in children is rare, accounting for approximately 1.9-6% of all pediatric renal malignancies. The aim of this study was to transmit our experience in the treatment of RCC in Polish children. METHODS: Clinical data from 21 children (6.3-18 years old) with RCC treated between 1992 and 2009 at Polish pediatric oncological centers were analyzed. RESULTS: In 2 patients, RCC developed as a second malignancy after neuroblastoma or astrocytoma fibrillare, respectively. In 6 patients, initial diagnoses based on imaging studies were unilateral Wilms' tumor, leading to preoperative chemotherapy. The remaining patients underwent surgery at the beginning of treatment. According to the AJCC/TNM staging system, 14 patients had stage I, 5-II, 1-III, and 1-IV. Nephrectomy was performed in 19 patients, heminephrectomy in one, and biopsy in another. Histopathological diagnoses were clear-cell RCC (18 patients), papillary RCC (2 patients), and chromophobe RCC (1 patient). 10 patients were treated with chemotherapy, with or without IL-2, INFα, and antiangiogenic agents. 2 patients died due to disease progression. CONCLUSIONS: RCC in children is mostly operable at diagnosis, resulting in good prognosis. The role of adjuvant chemo- and immunotherapies is unclear. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy proven for children with Wilms' tumors is ineffective, but the delay in adequate therapy did not worsen the outcome if complete nephrectomy is done subsequently.

Blockade of calcium channels and AT1 receptor prevents the hypertensive effect of calcilytic NPS 2143 in rats.

Calcilytics, antagonists of calcium receptor, decrease sensitivity of this receptor to plasma calcium concentration and increase parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion. Moreover, it was recently indicated that calcilytic NPS 2143 induces hypertension in rats. This study tested whether the increase of mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) induced by NPS 2143 administration is mediated by calcium channel and angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor activity. Wistar rats were anaesthesized with Thiopental i.p. and infused i.v. with saline supplemented with the anaesthetic. Blood pressure was monitored continuously in the carotid artery. Effects of NPS 2143 administered i.v. as bolus on MAP in the presence and absence of felodypine and losartan were investigated. Both, felodipine and losartan pretreatment provoked a persistent DMAP decrease by 18+/-3 and 14+/-3 mmHg, respectively. Infusion of NPS 2143 at 1 mg/kg b.w. confirmed hypertensive activity of calcilytic and increased blood pressure for 21+/-4 mmHg. In contrast, administration of NPS 2143 in felodipine as well as in losartan pretreated rats did not change DMAP as compared to felodipine/control and losartan/control groups, respectively. Our study indicated that both the blockade of calcium channels and the AT1 receptor activity prevented the hypertensive effect of calcilytic NPS 2143. This finding might be particularly important in understanding the mechanisms that mediated blood pressure changes related to the activity of calcium receptor.

Angiosarcoma in children - still uncontrollable oncological problem. The report of the Polish Paediatric Rare Tumours Study.

Angiosarcoma in children - still uncontrollable oncological problem. The report of the Polish Paediatric Rare Tumours StudyAngiosarcoma is a rare, highly malignant vascular neoplasm with little data available on its clinical course and management in children. Ten children with angiosarcoma (M/F: 6/4; aged 2, 3-16 years) registered in Polish Paediatric Rare Tumours and Soft Tissue Sarcomas Studies between 1992 and 2006. Primary tumour exceeded 5 cm in seven patients and affected mainly deep tissues (heart-2, head/neck, bladder, brain, liver and upper limb - one patient each). Four patients had regional and two metastatic diseases (lungs and bones). Three patients were initially misdiagnosed as haemangioma. Complete primary excision was unfeasible even in local stages. All patients received supplementing chemotherapy with no response in four. Radiotherapy was given to five children, including three after relapse. Three of five secondary tumour resections proved complete. Seven patients experienced relapses (mainly metastatic) and two continuous progression. Relapsed patients received chemotherapy +/- radiotherapy and surgery (three). Nine patients died of disease (overall survival 6-66 months), and one child after mutilating secondary resection is alive. Angiosarcoma in children is highly aggressive with an extremely poor prognosis. Complete primary excision is unfeasible, even in seemingly local stages. The response to chemotherapy is poor and the large number of metastatic recurrences suggests a need for systemic therapy modifications.

[Calcium receptor (CaR): a new approach to regulation of calcium homeostasis]. / Receptor wapniowy (CaR): nowe spojrzenie na regulacje gospodarki wapniem.

In recent years the receptor sensing calcium (CaR) has been discovered on the surface of parathyroid cells and some other organs cells which revised our understanding of mechanisms involved in regulation of body calcium balance. It was shown that stimulation of CaR induced by an increase of extracellular ionized calcium concentration resulted in an increase of intracellular calcium and subsequent decrease of parathyroid hormone (PTH) secretion from parathyroid cells. Calcium receptor was also discovered in nephron segments reabsorbing calcium which allowed to understand the mechanisms underlying some inherited disturbances of calcium balance regulation i.e. in familial hypocalciuric hypercalcemia or hypercalciuric hypocalcemia. Investigations on CaR structure revealed the mutations in those inherited syndromes leading to increase or decrease of parathyroid and nephron cells receptor sensitivity to calcium. The description of the receptor properties resulted in development of a new group of compounds called calcimimetics which are more efficient than calcium itself in stimulation of CaR and subsequent decrease of PTH secretion. Calcimimetics in perspective might have a therapeutic application. Under investigation is synthesis of calcilytics, compounds which through an interaction with CaR result in increase of PTH secretion potentially leading to a clinical application.

Dissociation of parathyroid hormone and cyclic-3', 5'AMP effects on Na-Pi uptake by cells isolated from proximal straight tubules of rat kidney.

Studies in respiratory alkalotic or short-term phosphate deprived rats raised the possibility that in straight portion of proximal tubules (PST) cAMP might be not a mediator of PTH in inhibition of phosphate reabsorption. The present experiments directly compared the sensitivity of Na-dependent phosphate [32P] (Na-Pi) uptake to PTH or cAMP by PCT or PST cells freshly prepared from outer cortex and outer stripe of outer medulla of rat kidney. The purity of the cells was examined by activity of enzymes specific for PST i.e. glutamine synthetase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and creatine kinase, a marker enzyme for medullary thick ascending limb (MTAL) and distal convoluted tubule. Similar inhibition of Na-Pi uptake by 1-34 bPTH by PST and PCT cells was observed: -33.0 and -30.0% (ns), respectively. In contrast, dibutyryl cAMP decreased Na-Pi uptake only by PCT but not by PST cells: -31.0 and -3.6% (p<0.02), respectively. The 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, resulted in slight stimulation of Na-Pi uptake by PST but strong inhibition by PCT cells: 7.8 vs -26.0% (p<0.001). In contrast to PCT in PST cells cAMP seems to play a minor role as a mediator of inhibition of Na-Pi uptake by PTH.

Renal denervation enhances the phosphaturic effect of parathyroid hormone.

Hyperventilation/hypocapnia increases renal phosphate reabsorption and decreases the phosphaturic effect of parathyroid hormone (PTH). Recent studies suggest that the blunted phosphaturic effect of PTH in hyperventilated/hypocapnic rats may be mediated by the stimulation of renal beta-adrenoreceptors. In the present study, no differences in plasma catecholamine levels were detected in hyperventilated/hypocapnic rats as compared to hyperventilated/normocapnic rats. Therefore, studies were performed to determine the role of the renal nerves in the blunted phosphaturic effect of PTH in hyperventilated/hypocapnic rats. In clearance experiments in acutely thyroparathyroidectomized male Sprague-Dawley rats, PTH infusion increased the fractional excretion of phosphate (FEPi) in the denervated left kidney of hyperventilated/hypocapnic rats (n = 8), from 2.4 +/- 1.1 to 18.6 +/- 2.7%, as compared to 1.0 +/- 0.3 to 9.1 +/- 2.1% in the contralateral innervated kidney. Denervation of the left kidney in hyperventilated/normocapnic rats (n = 8) also significantly increased the phosphaturic response to PTH by 2.5 +/- 1.5 to 26.9 +/- 3.0% as compared to 0.9 +/- 0.5 to 18.6 +/- 2.6% in the contralateral innervated kidney. The phosphaturic responses to PTH were similar when comparing the denervated kidney in hyperventilated/hypocapnic rats with the innervated kidney of hyperventilated/normocapnic rats. Thus, renal denervation enhanced the phosphaturic effect of PTH in both hyperventilated/hypocapnic and hyperventilated/normocapnic rats. These results suggest that renal nerves play a role in the modulation of the phosphaturic effect of PTH.

Site of restoration of the effect of PTH by propranolol in respiratory alkalosis.

Respiratory alkalosis decreases the phosphaturic response to parathyroid hormone (PTH). beta-adrenoreceptor blockade by propranolol infusion restores the phosphaturic effect of PTH in respiratory alkalotic rats; however, the nephron site of these changes in phosphate reabsorption by propranolol is not known. The present study was performed to localize the nephron segment(s) involved in the restoration of the phosphaturic effect of PTH by propranolol infusion in respiratory alkalotic rats. PTH infusion increased the fractional delivery of phosphate (FDPi) to the late proximal tubule to similar levels in the propranolol and vehicle-infused respiratory alkalotic rats (FDPi 46.6 +/- 4.4% and 48.6 +/- 4.2%, respectively). In contrast, PTH only increased FDPi to the early distal tubules (to 17.1 +/- 0.9%) in the absence of propranolol compared to FDPi 41.9 +/- 2.5% in the presence of propranolol in respiratory alkalotic animals. We conclude that the restoration of the phosphaturic effect of PTH in respiratory alkalotic rats by propranolol infusion is due primarily to decreased reabsorption of phosphate by the straight segment of the proximal tubule.

Effect of propranolol on phosphate reabsorption by superficial nephron segments in response to parathyroid hormone in phosphate-deprived rats.

Phosphate deprivation causes a resistance to the phosphaturic effect of parathyroid hormone. The decreased phosphaturic response to parathyroid hormone in rats fed a low phosphate diet for 1 day can be restored by propranolol infusion. Free-flow micropuncture studies were performed to localize the nephron site of restoration of the phosphaturic effect of parathyroid hormone by propranolol in rats deprived of phosphate for one day. In animals fed low phosphate diet and in the presence of parathyroid hormone, propranolol infusion did not change phosphate delivery to the late proximal tubule; however, fractional delivery of phosphate to the early distal tubule was significantly increased from 18.3 +/- 2.9 to 32.2 +/- 4.1%. In rats fed a normal phosphate diet, propranolol infusion did not change phosphate delivery along the nephron. We conclude that the restoration of the phosphaturic effect of parathyroid hormone by propranolol infusion in rats deprived of phosphate for 1 day is primarily due to decreased reabsorption of phosphate by superficial loop segments, most likely the pars recta segment of the proximal tubule.

Propranolol restores phosphaturic effect of PTH in short-term phosphate deprivation.

Phosphate deprivation causes a resistance to the phosphaturic effect of parathyroid hormone (PTH). The present study evaluated the role of the beta-adrenergic system in this resistance phenomenon. In clearance experiments performed on acutely thyroparathyroidectomized male Sprague-Dawley rats, the phosphaturic response to PTH was determined in the presence and absence of propranolol in rats fed a low-phosphate diet (LPD) for 0.5, 1, 2, 3, or 4 days. Fractional excretion of phosphate (FEPi) in control rats fed a normal-phosphate diet (NPD) increased from 4.37 +/- 1.6 to 38.5 +/- 3.4% in response to PTH infusion. Propranolol did not change FEPi in NPD animals in the absence or in the presence of PTH (2.0 +/- 1.1 vs. 36.7 +/- 1.6%). LPD resulted in a gradual decrease in the phosphaturic response to PTH infusion as compared with NPD animals. PTH increased FEPi to 24.2 +/- 6.0% after one-half day of LPD, but when the infusion was supplemented with propranolol, PTH increased FEPi to 38.0 +/- 4.7%, similar to that in NPD animals. In the group fed LPD for one day, PTH increased FEPi to 16.9 +/- 4.3%, whereas in the presence of propranolol FEPi was restored to a similar level as in the NPD group (36.0 +/- 5.9%). Two days of LPD markedly decreased FEPi in response to PTH to 7.9 +/- 3.8% as compared with NPD rats, and propranolol infusion did not change this value significantly. Three and 4 days of LPD induced complete resistance to the phosphaturic effect of PTH in the presence as well as in the absence of propranolol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Beta-receptors in resistance to phosphaturic effect of PTH in respiratory alkalosis.

Respiratory alkalosis results in a resistance to the phosphaturic effect of parathyroid hormone (PTH) and dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP). The present studies evaluated the role of the beta-adrenergic system in that resistance phenomenon. In clearance experiments on acutely thyroparathyroidectomized male Wistar rats, respiratory alkalosis blunted the PTH-mediated increase in absolute and fractional excretion of phosphate (FEPi). Propranolol infusion restored the phosphaturic response to PTH:FEPi, 0.8 +/- 0.3 vs. 8.1 +/- 2.5% (P less than 0.005). Similarly, the increase of FEPi during cAMP infusion was also diminished by respiratory alkalosis: FEPi, 15.5 +/- 2.2 vs. 5.5 +/- 1.1% (P less than 0.005). This hypophosphaturic effect of respiratory alkalosis in the presence of cAMP was not observed in rats infused with propranolol compared with the period of normal ventilation: FEPi, 21.1 +/- 1.7 vs. 15.3 +/- 1.6 (P less than 0.02). Also, during the infusion of the highly selective beta 2-adrenoceptor antagonist, ICI 118,551, cAMP was phosphaturic in respiratory alkalosis compared with FEPi in the absence of the antagonist: FEPi, 13.0 +/- 2.5 vs. 5.5 +/- 1.1% (P less than 0.02). Finally, the infusion of the beta 2-agonist, fenoterol, to the normally ventilated rats significantly decreased FEPi in cAMP-infused rats in comparison to the absence of the agonist: FEPi, 4.0 +/- 0.7 vs. 22.1 +/- 2.6% (P less than 0.001). We conclude that the resistance to the phosphaturic effect of PTH and cAMP in respiratory alkalosis is mediated by beta-adrenoceptors.

Inhibition of 2-oxoglutarate metabolism by lithium in the isolated rat kidney cortex tubules.

2-Oxoglutarate metabolism in the isolated rat kidney cortex tubules was inhibited by lithium at 5 mM concentration, and at pH increased from 7.1 to 7.6. The metabolism of pyruvate and acetylcarnitine to citrate and 2-oxoglutarate was enhanced by lithium and the increased pH value. The content of 2-oxoglutarate in the renal tubular cells was lowered by lithium but increased at elevated pH values. Both the intracellular pH value and bicarbonate ion concentrations in renal tubular cells were increased by lithium in the medium containing 2-oxoglutarate. The results obtained indicate that lithium disturbs renal metabolism by intracellular alkalization, with a simultaneous inhibition of the inflow of dicarboxylic substrates to the renal tubular cells.

[Preventive gynecological examinations of women employed in the cement industry]. / Profilaktyczne badania ginekologiczne u kobiet zatrudnionych w przemysle cementowym.

Prophylactic gynecologic examinations were carried out in 218 women-workers of a cement plant. The most frequent diseases were: retroflexion of the uterus (55.5%), inflammation of the ovary (50.45%), erosion of the vaginal part of the uterus (41.8%), prolapse of the vaginal walls (39.45%), incontinence (35.32%) and Trichomonas vaginalis (18.7%). The extensive prevalence of the diseases imposes a need to carry on preventive examinations of women employed in cement industry. The authors indicate that certain diseases are obviously due to deficient hygiene.

Reversible resistance to the phosphaturic effect of db-cAMP in lithium-treated rats.

Acute lithium administration (5 mmol/kg b.w.) to parathyroidectomized (PTX) rats induces extracellular acidosis, lower plasma phosphate concentration and increased phosphate reabsorption. The present studies evaluate the effect of lithium administration on tissue phosphate distribution, metabolites content in the kidneys and renal phosphate, 2-oxoglutarate and citrate transport in the presence and absence of db-cyclic AMP. Lithium decreased plasma and renal phosphate concentrations and increased phosphate concentration in the skeletal muscle, db-cyclic AMP was not phosphaturic in lithium-treated PTX rats. In PTX rats infused with 20 mM phosphate lithium depressed fractional phosphate excretion induced by db-cyclic AMP from 20 +/- 0.3% to 3.2 +/- 1.0%. However, metabolic or respiratory acidosis restored the responsiveness to db-cyclic AMP. Citraturia and ketoaciduria induced by lithium were depressed in db-cyclic AMP-treated rats. Kidney citrate and 2-oxoglutarate concentrations increased drastically, ATP level fell significantly whereas cAMP content did not change after lithium. We conclude that lithium administration increases phosphate uptake by the muscle which largely accounts for hypophosphatemia. The kidney responds with increased phosphate reabsorption independent of plasma and kidney phosphate concentrations, and with refractoriness to the phosphaturic effects of db-cyclic AMP. Acute lithium administration to rats induces extracellular acidosis and, probably, renal intracellular alkalosis as reflected by citraturia and ketoaciduria as well as the renal metabolite profile. The phosphaturic responsiveness to db-cyclic AMP is dependent, at least in part, on intracellular pH.