[Anastomosis of ectopic trifid ureter into the prostatic urethra with ureteropelvic reflux]. / Abouchement dans l'urètre prostatique d'un uretère ectopique trifide avec reflux urétéro-rénal.

Trifid ureter is a rare malformation with less than one hundred cases reported in the literature. However, like ectopic ureter, it is often asymptomatic and its real incidence is uncertain. The authors report a unique case of ectopic ureter draining into the prostatic urethra associated with trifid ureter, discovered during adulthood in a context of symptomatic ureteropelvic reflux. Laparoscopic assessment and treatment of this malformation are discussed, together with the hypotheses concerning its embryogenesis, based on a review of the literature.

Prognostic value of uPA, PAI-1, and DNA content in adult renal cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: To examine whether urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and type 1 plasminogen inhibitor (PAI-1), DNA ploidy, and S-phase fraction (SPF) add supplementary prognostic information relative to stage and Fuhrman's grade in renal cell carcinoma. METHODS: A total of 100 patients with primary renal adenocarcinoma treated by nephrectomy were followed up for a median of 42 months. Of the 100 patients, 78 with Stage M0N0-Nx tumors were studied by multivariate analysis. The study population was dichotomized on the basis of the median cytosolic uPA and PAI-1 concentrations (30 pg/mg protein and 12.7 ng/mg protein, respectively). DNA content was measured by flow cytometry (FCM) on multiple tumor samples from each patient. DNA aneuploidy was observed in 67% of cases. The SPF was calculated for aneuploid samples. RESULTS: An FCM classification based on a combination of DNA content and SPF was obtained. High-risk patients were those with aneuploid tumors and high SPF values (greater than 1.7%) and included 23% of patients with M0N0-Nx tumors. Cytosolic uPA and PAI-1 levels were not predictive of metastasis. The stage, grade, SPF, and FCM classification were statistically significant prognostic factors in the univariate analysis, in both the overall population and the M0N0-Nx subgroup. In multivariate analysis, tumor grade and the FCM classification were the only independent predictors of disease-free survival (P = 0.018 and P = 0.046, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: We defined a group of M0N0-Nx patients with aneuploid tumors and high SPF values who are at a high risk of metastasis and who may benefit from closer long-term follow-up.

[Biochemical monitoring of prostate cancer treated exclusively by radiotherapy: prognostic value of pretreatment PSA, PSA nadir and PSA half-life]. / Suivi biologique du cancer de la prostate traité par radiothérapie exclusive: valeur pronostique du PSA pré-thérapeutique, du PSA Nadir et de la demi-vie du PSA.

OBJECTIVES: Retrospective evaluation of the prognostic value of pretreatment PSA, PSA nadir and PSA half-life compared to grade and stage after treatment of prostate cancer by radiotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 122 patients (19 T1 (15.6%), 31 T2a (25.4%), 26 T2b (21.3%), 20 T3a (16.4%), 19 T3b (15.6%), 7 Tx (5.7%)) treated by exclusive radiotherapy were studied with a median follow-up of 75.4 months. Treatment consisted of high energy irradiation to the prostate for 31 patients (25.4%) and to the pelvis and prostate for 91 patients (74.6%). PSA was assayed retrospectively. The influence of various parameters on the absence of laboratory failure, defined according to the ASTRO criteria, and on overall survival was studied by univariate and multivariate analysis with a Cox model. RESULTS: 29.5% of patients did not develop any biochemical recurrence after a mean follow-up of 82 months, while biochemical recurrence occurred in 70.5% of patients after a mean interval of 5 months. Among these patients, 28 (33%) developed clinical recurrence after a mean interval of 26 months (4 to 80 months) leading to death in 17 cases. The modalities of irradiation and pretreatment PSA had no influence on the prognosis. The median PSA nadir of patients without recurrence was 0.24 ng/ml. The recurrence rate was lower for a PSA nadir less than 0.5 ng/ml for biochemical recurrence (45.5% vs 86.8%) (p < 0.0001) and clinical recurrence (9.1% vs 31.6%) (p < 0.05). On multivariate analysis, the PSA nadir (p = 0.009), PSA half-life (p < 0.001) and Gleason score (p = 0.004) were prognostic factors influencing survival, while PSA nadir was the only prognostic factor for biochemical recurrence (p = 0.001). Classification of patients into two groups with a significantly different prognosis according to the presence or absence of at least two favourable prognostic factors (PSA nadir less than 0.5 ng/ml, Gleason score less than 7, PSA half-life greater than 6 months) showed that the 9-year mortality rate was twofold higher in the poor prognosis group than in the good prognosis group (85.5% versus 38.6%). CONCLUSION: A nadir PSA level less than 0.5 ng/ml, a PSA half-life greater than 6 months and a Gleason score less than 7 were predictive of a low risk of biochemical recurrence and prolonged survival after treatment by exclusive radiotherapy, in our patients.