Impacto del tamaño tumoral y la invasión de la rete testis en la supervivencia libre de progresión de nuestros pacientes con seminoma testicular en estadio I. Estudio observacional retrospectivo en un hospital de referencia y revisión bibliográfica / Evaluation of tumour size and rete testis invasion in progression free survival of our patients with stage i testicular seminoma. A retrospective observational study of a reference hospital center and literature review

Introducción El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar el impacto del tamaño tumoral y la invasión de la rete testis en la supervivencia libre de progresión de nuestros pacientes con seminoma testicular en estadio I. También se llevó a cabo una revisión bibliográfica. Material y métodos Se realizó un estudio observacional retrospectivo incluyendo a los pacientes con seminoma en estadio I entre enero de 2010 y julio de 2022. Se compararon los pacientes sin factores de pronóstico favorable (Grupo A) con pacientes que presentaban factores de pronóstico desfavorable (Grupo B). Se utilizaron curvas de Kaplan-Meier y pruebas de log-rank para comparar la supervivencia libre de progresión (SLP) entre estos grupos. La significación estadística se consideró a p ≤ 0,05. Resultados Se incluyeron 55 pacientes en este estudio. Veinte pacientes (36,4%) tenían un pronóstico favorable (grupo A) y 35 (63,6%) presentaban factores de pronóstico desfavorable (grupo B). La edad media fue similar en ambos grupos (media ± desviación estándar), 38,62 ± 9,04 años. El tiempo medio de seguimiento fue de 63,5 ± 33,6 meses. Todos los pacientes del grupo A y 25,7% de los pacientes del grupo B se sometieron a vigilancia activa (VA). Veintiséis pacientes (74,3%) del grupo B fueron tratados con un ciclo de carboplatino adyuvante. Tres pacientes sufrieron recidiva en ganglios retroperitoneales (10,3%), todos tratados con tres ciclos de bleomicina, etopósido, y cisplatino (BEP), presentando remisión completa de la enfermedad. No se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la SLP entre los grupos A y B (log-rank p = 0,317). Conclusiones La individualización del tratamiento adyuvante en el seminoma estadio I es esencial para evitar los efectos adversos derivados del mismo. (AU)

Introduction The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of tumour size and rete testis invasion in progression free survival of our patients with stage I testicular seminoma. A literature review is also made. Material and methods A retrospective observational study was performed. We included patients with stage I seminoma between January 2010 and July 2022. Patients without factors of poor prognostic –Group A– were compared with patients with factors of poor prognostic –Group B–. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank testing were used to compare progression free survival (PFS) between these groups. Statistical significance was considered at P ≤ .05. Results 55 patients were included in this study. 20 patients (36.4%) were of good prognostic –Group A– and 35 (63.6%) had factors of poor prognostic –Group B–. The mean age was similar in both groups (mean ± standard deviation), 38.62 ± 9.04 years. The mean follow-up time was 63.5 ± 33.6 months. All the patients in group A and 25.7% of the patients in group B underwent active surveillance (AS). 26 patients (74.3%) of the patients in Group B were treated with one cycle of adyuvant carboplatin. Three patients suffered a relapse with retroperitoneal lymph nodes (10.3%), all of them were treated with three cycles of BEP, with a complete response of the disease. No statistical significant differences were found in PFS between Group A and B (log Rank P = .317). Conclusions Individualization of adjuvant treatment in stage I seminoma is important, avoiding the adverse effects derived from them. (AU)

Evaluation of tumour size and rete testis invasion in progression free survival of our patients with stage i testicular seminoma. A retrospective observational study of a reference hospital center and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of tumour size and rete testis invasion in progression free survival of our patients with stage I testicular seminoma. A literature review is also made. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective observational study was performed. We included patients with stage I seminoma between January 2010 and July 2022. Patients without factors of poor prognostic -Group A- were compared with patients with factors of poor prognostic -Group B-. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank testing were used to compare progression free survival (PFS) between these groups. Statistical significance was considered at P≤.05. RESULTS: 55 patients were included in this study. 20 patients (36.4%) were of good prognostic -Group A- and 35 (63.6%) had factors of poor prognostic -Group B-. The mean age was similar in both groups (mean±standard deviation), 38.62±9.04 years. The mean follow-up time was 63.5±33.6 months. All the patients in group A and 25.7% of the patients in group B underwent active surveillance (AS). 26 patients (74.3%) of the patients in Group B were treated with one cycle of adyuvant carboplatin. Three patients suffered a relapse with retroperitoneal lymph nodes (10.3%), all of them were treated with three cycles of BEP, with a complete response of the disease. No statistical significant differences were found in PFS between Group A and B (log Rank P=.317). CONCLUSION: Individualization of adjuvant treatment in stage I seminoma is important, avoiding the adverse effects derived from them.

Papel del índice neutrófilo/linfocito en pacientes con cáncer de próstata resistente a castración metastásicos tratados en primera línea con abiraterona / Role of the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treated first-line with abiraterone

INTRODUCCIÓN: En pacientes con cáncer de próstata un NLR elevado parece asociarse a una peor supervivencia. Abiraterona es un tratamiento hormonal de nueva generación que ha aumentado SLP y SG en CPRCm. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Análisis retrospectivo de pacientes tratados con AA en nuestro centro (diciembre del 2012-septiembre del 2018). Analizamos la asociación del NLR (< o ≥ 3) previo y a los 6 meses de tratamiento con la respuesta del PSA, SLP y SG, y hormonosensibilidad previa a AA (< o > 12 meses). RESULTADOS: Hemos tratado a 56 pacientes con una mediana de edad de 82 (62-94), de los cuales 22 pacientes (39%) presentan NLR ≥ 3 previo al tratamiento. Existe una asociación estadísticamente significativa entre el NLR previo al tratamiento < 3 y la respuesta del PSA, OR = 9,444, p =0,001, no existiendo esa asociación con el NLR a los 6 meses de tratamiento. Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los grupos de NLR < y > 3 previo al tratamiento con abiraterona en SLP con 15 meses de mediana vs.9 y una p = 0,008 y en SG con 20 meses vs.9 con una p = 0,014. Con respecto a la determinación de NLR, a los 6 meses no existen diferencias en las curvas de supervivencia entre ambos grupos. Existen diferencias significativas entre el NLR previo al tratamiento según la duración del tiempo hasta la resistencia a castración (p = 0,026). CONCLUSIONES: Nuestros resultados indican que el NLR podría aportarnos información trascendente y ser constituido un marcador pronóstico temprano y accesible en los pacientes con CPRCm en tratamiento en primera línea con abiraterona

INTRODUCTION: In patients with prostate cancer, high NLR seems to be associated with worse survival. Abiraterone acetate (AA) is a new generation hormonal treatment that has shown to increase PFS and OS in mCRPC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of patients treated with AA in our center (December 2012-September 2018). We analyzed the association of the NLR (< or ≥ 3) before and after 6 months of treatment with PSA response, PFS, OS, and hormone sensitivity prior to AA (< or > 12 months). RESULTS: We have treated 56 patients with a median age of 82 (62-94), of which 22 (39%) had NLR ≥ 3 before treatment. There is a statistically significant association between the NLR prior to treatment < 3 and PSA response, OR = 9,444, P = .001, and there was no association with the NLR at 6 months of treatment. Statistically significant differences were found between the groups of NLR < and > 3 prior to treatment with abiraterone in PFS with 15 months of median vs.9 and P=.008, and in OS with 20 months vs.9 with P = .014. With respect to the determination of NLR at 6 months, there are no differences in the survival curves between both groups. There are significant differences between the NLR prior to treatment according to the length of hormone sensitivity (P = .026). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that NLR could provide relevant information and could act as an early and accessible prognostic marker in patients with mCRPC in first line treatment with Abiraterone

Role of the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer treated first-line with abiraterone. / Papel del índice neutrófilo/linfocito en pacientes con cáncer de próstata resistente a castración metastásicos tratados en primera línea con abiraterona.

INTRODUCTION: In patients with prostate cancer, high NLR seems to be associated with worse survival. Abiraterone acetate (AA) is a new generation hormonal treatment that has shown to increase PFS and OS in mCRPC. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of patients treated with AA in our center (December 2012-September 2018). We analyzed the association of the NLR (< or ≥ 3) before and after 6 months of treatment with PSA response, PFS, OS, and hormone sensitivity prior to AA (< or> 12 months). RESULTS: We have treated 56 patients with a median age of 82 (62-94), of which 22 (39%) had NLR ≥ 3 before treatment. There is a statistically significant association between the NLR prior to treatment<3 and PSA response, OR=9,444, P=.001, and there was no association with the NLR at 6 months of treatment. Statistically significant differences were found between the groups of NLR 3 prior to treatment with abiraterone in PFS with 15 months of median vs. 9 and P=.008, and in OS with 20 months vs. 9 with P=.014. With respect to the determination of NLR at 6 months, there are no differences in the survival curves between both groups. There are significant differences between the NLR prior to treatment according to the length of hormone sensitivity (P=.026). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that NLR could provide relevant information and could act as an early and accessible prognostic marker in patients with mCRPC in first line treatment with Abiraterone.

Hyperthyroidism as a clinical manifestation of a embryonal carcinoma of the testis.

This case report describes a case of hyperthyroidism as manifestation of an embryonal carcinoma, and illustrates the causes that led to it. The case describes a 33-year-old male patient who complained of chest pain, palpitations, mild dyspnoea, and weight loss. Blood analysis reveals high levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (833818 mlU/ml), T3 (16.90 pg/ml), and T4 (7.77 ng/dl), as well as a fall of TSH (0.01 ulU/ml). Physical examination and imaging procedures confirm the occurrence of a left testicular tumour associated with numerous lung, hepatic and retroperitoneal metastases. Treatment with carbimazol and propanolol is established to manage hyperthyroidism, and an urgent orchiectomy is performed; the histologic diagnosis confirms an embryonal carcinoma (organoid type), but the patient died unexpectedly 24 hours later after having suffered sudden dyspnoea, tachypnoea, and tachyarrhythmia. Hyperthyroidism is a rare manifestation of a testicular tumour that should be borne in mind with regard to the patient's symptomatology and HCG levels.

Pure testicular carcinoid associated with intratubular germ cell neoplasia.

This case report describes for the first time a case of pure testicular carcinoid pre-aortic lymph node metastases in a 25 year old patient with carcinoid syndrome. The simultaneous occurrence of intratubular germ cell neoplasia in the surrounding testicular tissue was identified by OCT4 and placental-like alkaline phosphatase positivity. This confirmed that the tumour had a germ cell origin in the testis, rather than being a metastasis from an extragenital carcinoid.

Trypanosoma rangeli: ultrastructure and activity of the mitochondrion.

Axenic cultures of pure Trypanosoma rangeli were used to investigate the relation between ultrastructure and activity in the mitochondrion. Every other day, ultrathin sections were obtained from cultivated flagellates and, subsequently, observed in order to register changes in the cytoarchitecture of the organelle. Culture samples were incubated in tetrazolium salts to determine the mitochondrion's metabolic state. The results show a high correspondence between mitochondrion ultrastructural shape and function of the same organelle in populations of T. rangeli maintained under in vitro conditions.

Skeletal muscle ultrastructural pathology in mice infected with Trypanosoma evansi.

An ultrastructural study of skeletal muscle alterations wascarried out in mice experimentally infected with Trypanosoma evansi. Manifested anomalies were found, in both muscle fibre and microvasculature. Muscle fibre changes included atrophy, autophagic vacuoles formation, mitochondrial degeneration, nuclei pyknosis and segmental necrosis. In another direction, the cytoplasm of capillary endothelial cells showed rough endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial swelling, as well as luminal infoldings; parasites were found in the endothelial cell cytoplasm. A mononuclear infiltrate, formed by macrophages and neutrophils, was also observed. This work shows that skeletal muscle is an important target tissue for Trypanosoma evansi.

[Distal ureteral lithiasis. ESWL versus ambulatory URS]. / Litiasis ureteral distal. LEOC versus URN ambulatoria.

OBJECTIVE: To present the results achieved in the treatment of 1802 distal ureteral stones treated at the Lithotripsy Unit of the San Cecilio University Hospital over the last 10 years (1990-2000). METHODS: Stones were treated by extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) or ureteroscopy (URS). ESWL was the initial treatment in 81% of the cases (1460 calculi) and URS in the remaining 19% (342 stones). URS was performed for complication or failed ESWL (102 stones) and ESWL was performed for failed URS, basically due to stone migration (24 stones). Ureterolithotomy was required on 7 occasions. Sedation-analgesia with fentanyl and midazolam was routinely used in URS. Sedation was required in only 55% of the ESWL procedures. RESULTS: Elective ESWL resolved 93% of the cases, a percentage which is similar to that achieved with URS as first treatment. The ESWL retreatment rate was 1.3. URS was successful in 98% of the cases of failed ESWL. CONCLUSIONS: There are two treatment modalities for stones in the distal ureter: ESWL and URS. We advocate the use of outpatient URS with sedation preferably in the female patient, impacted stones, obstructive uropathy, stones larger than 2 cm and radiotransparent stones.

Ultrastructural alterations in the adrenal gland cortex of mice experimentally infected with a Venezuelan isolate of Trypanosoma evansi.

The ultrastructural study of adrenal gland from mice experimentally infected with Trypanosoma evansi, in addition to intravascular and intracellular trypanosomes, showed different degrees of cortical cell alterations and capillary wall modifications. Beside its biological scope, these results suggest a role for the adrenal cortex to partake in Surra's etiopathogenesis and describe for the very first time a T. evansi intracellular stage.

Carnitine promotes heat shock protein synthesis in adriamycin-induced cardiomyopathy in a neonatal rat experimental model.

In order to evaluate carnitine protective strategy and its relationship with heat shock protein induction, female Sprague-Dawley neonatal rats, body weight 40 g, were randomized into four groups: control, adriamycin, carnitine and carnitine-adriamycin. Adriamycin was injected i.v. at a dose of 27 mg/kg (0.1 ml). Carnitine was administered i.v. (20 mg/0.1 ml) before each subdose of adriamycin and then per os (180 mg/kg) daily for 12 weeks. Body weight was recorded weekly. Ventricular wall thickness and cellular damage percentage were morphometrically and ultrastructurally determined, respectively. The determinations were realized monthly until the third month after treatment. The heat shock protein 25 content in the supernatant of the homogenized heart tissue was determined by Western blot analysis. Eight and 12 weeks after treatment, body weight and ventricular wall thickness decreased much more in adriamycin groups than in control and carnitine ones. At the same time, electron microscopic analysis of adriamycin left ventricular wall samples showed loss of myofibrils, swollen mitochondria and vacuoles. Carnitine-adriamycin treated rats resemble control groups more than adriamycin treated samples. Moreover, de-novo synthesis of heat shock protein was three times more induced in carnitine-adriamycin rats than in adriamycin ones. Carnitine may enhance the cell-protecting mechanism based on an induction of shock protein, and this first cellular response could reduce the severity of late adriamycin-cardiomiopathy.

Leishmania braziliensis promastigotes and amastigotes interact differently with host macrophages.

In vitro and in vivo ultrastructral studies reveal that the parasite entrance into the macrophage occurs by phagocytosis. The early stage of phagocytosis exhibited different ultrastructural characteristics in both forms of the parasite. Long and prominent projections from peritoneal exudate macrophages made focal contacts with the promastigote surface. The amastigotes, in turn, laid on cup-shaped extensions of the macrophage membrane. Later stages of the phagocytosis are characterized by progressive and complete engulfment of both promastigotes and amastigotes.

Trypanosoma rangeli (Tejera, 1920): observations upon pleomorphism

Metatrypomastigotes of Trypanosoma rangeli Tejera, 1920, harvested from LIT medium, were inoculated i.p. or s.c. into 6, 16, and 26g NMRI mice, these representing increasing degrees of immunological maturity. In all cases, similar pleomorphic patterns were observed. Four morphobiometrically differentiable types of trypanosome were encountered in an overlapping temporal sequence. These observations, taken in comparison with those on pleomorphism in this and other species of Trypanosoma by other workers, are consistent with the hypothesis that the pleomorphic types represent the natural development of the parasite, rather than the result of the immune response of the mammal host. Small, slender trypanosomes prevalent at the onset of the parasitemia either reinvade the tissue cells for relatively limited subsequent generations of tissue reproduction, or else differentiate toward the forms that are only capable of colonizing the insect vector

Trypanosoma rangeli (Tejera, 1920): observations upon pleomorphism.

Meta-trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma rangeli Tejera, 1920, harvested from LIT medium, were inoculated i.p. or s.c. into 6, 16, and 26 g NMRI mice, these representing increasing degrees of immunological maturity. In all cases, similar pleomorphic patterns were observed. Four morphobiometrically differentiable types of trypanosome were encountered in an overlapping temporal sequence. These observations, taken in comparison with those on pleomorphism in this and other species of Trypanosoma by other workers, are consistent with the hypothesis that the pleomorphic types represent the natural development of the parasite, rather than the result of the immune response of the mammal host. Small, slender trypanosomes prevalent at the onset of the parasitemia either reinvade the tissue cells for relatively limited subsequent generations of tissue reproduction, or else differentiate toward the forms that are only capable of colonizing the insect vector.

Trypanosoma (Herpetosoma) rangeli Tejera, 1920: study of the effects of the parasite on the vector.

For evaluation of the possible pathogenicity of Trypanosoma (Herpetosoma) rangeli Tejera, 1920 to the triatomid vector, first-stage nymphs of laboratory-bred insects were engorged upon albino mice showing average parasitemias of 2 x 10(6) and 2 x 10(5) trypanosomes/ml blood. The vector strains were: Rhodnius prolixus ("New" strain), Triatoma pallidipennis, and Triatoma vitticeps. An "Old" strain of R. prolixus (maintained 30 years in the laboratory) was also employed to check the effects of laboratory breeding. Other lots of nymphs of the same vector strains were fed on healthy mice as controls. T. rangeli produced intense infections in the gut and hemolymph of all the vector tested, with later differentiation in the salivary glands to metatrypomastigotes that could be transmitted by the bite of the insect and establish infections in healthy mice. No statistically significant differences whatever between infected and control bugs were found for degree of engorgement, percentage or cause of mortality, molting time, oviposition/female, hatching time, percentage of hatching, or duration of life cycle. The possible role of experimental methodology in producing pathology in infected insects, and the epidemiological significance of a strain of T. rangeli non-pathogenic to the vector are discussed.