Prognostic interest in discriminating muscularis mucosa invasion (T1a vs T1b) in nonmuscle invasive bladder carcinoma: French national multicenter study with central pathology review.

PURPOSE: Predictive factors of T1 nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer evolution that could guide treatment decision making are lacking. We assessed the prognostic value of muscularis mucosa invasion in nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a national multicenter study patients with primary T1 nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer were recruited from 6 French hospitals. All patients had undergone transurethral resection of bladder tumor. All T1 tumors were substaged according to muscularis mucosa invasion as T1a-no invasion beyond the muscularis mucosa or T1b-invasion beyond the muscularis mucosa with muscle preservation. Subsequent central pathology review was then done by a single referent uropathologist. Muscularis mucosa invasion was tested as a prognostic factor for survival on univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: A total of 587 patients were enrolled in the study, including 388 (66%) with T1a and 199 (34%) with T1b tumors. Median followup after transurethral resection of bladder tumor was 35 months (IQR 14-54). There was no significant difference between groups T1a and T1b except high tumor grade in T1b cases (p <0.0001). After central review, initial pathological substaging was confirmed in 84% of cases. On multivariate analysis muscularis mucosa invasion (T1b substage) was significantly associated with recurrence-free (p = 0.03), progression-free (p = 0.0002) and cancer specific (p = 0.02) survival. The main study limitation was absent systematic subsequent transurethral resection of bladder tumor. CONCLUSIONS: Muscularis mucosa invasion appears to be highly predictive of T1 nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer behavior. Consequently, systematic T1a vs T1b discrimination should be highly advocated by urologists and pathologists. We believe that it could aid in crucial decision making when choosing between conservative management and radical cystectomy remains a moot point.

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated sequentially with multiple VEGF receptor-targeted inhibitors--a case report.

Six targeted agents [sorafenib, sunitinib, temsirolimus, bevacizumab (plus interferon), everolimus and pazopanib] have been approved for the treatment of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. As disease progression is inevitable, most patients will receive several lines of treatment. However, the choice regarding which sequence of drugs to use remains unclear, particularly concerning the drug class, i.e. those targeting the vascular endothelial growth factor (receptor) [VEGF(R)] pathway versus those acting on the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway. There appears to be no absolute crossresistance between tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) acting on the VEGF(R) pathway, and there have been numerous reports of two TKIs being successfully used in sequence. We report the case of a 63-year-old woman who responded for 24 months to three successive lines of treatment with different TKIs (sunitinib, axitinib and sorafenib). This suggests that TKIs targeting VEGFR should be considered as individual drugs and not as a single class.

VEGF polymorphisms are associated with an increasing risk of developing renal cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Vascular endothelial cell growth factor is studied in different malignant tumors as a key endothelial cell mitogen. Many single nucleotide polymorphisms in the VEGF gene have been described. We compared VEGF gene polymorphisms between a control group and a renal cancer group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was performed in 202 control, white, healthy blood donors (control group) and in 51 consecutive patients with renal cell carcinoma. We studied VEGF genotype polymorphisms at positions -2549, -460, -1154, +405 and +936 using polymerase chain restriction fragment length polymorphism, and looked for correlations with clinical data. RESULTS: No association was found between VEGF gene polymorphism and renal cell carcinoma prognostic parameters. However, in contrast as observed for controls and other polymorphisms the patient group displayed a heterozygote excess (p = 0.0179, 35.9% more than that expected) at the -460 polymorphism. Comparing the control group and the renal cell carcinoma group we detected a significantly increased risk of renal cell carcinoma in subjects with the C-460T polymorphism. T carrier genotypes and the T allele increased the risk of renal cell carcinoma with an OR of 14.15 (95% CI 1.900-105.41, p = 0.0017) and 2.14 (95% CI 1.34-3.419, p = 0.0018), respectively. The genotype at the -2549 polymorphism exhibited a nonsignificant trend for increased risk but the D allele was significantly associated with increased risk (p = 0.0305). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the -460 polymorphism is a risk factor for renal cancer. An individual screening test could be proposed for high risk populations.

[Lessons to be drawn from one year of surveillance of Escherichia coli in a urology department]. / Les leçons a tirer d'un an de surveillance de Escherichia coli dans un service d'urologie.

UNLABELLED: Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the micro-organism most frequently identified in urinary tract infections in adults. The authors analysed the nalidixic acid resistance rate of E. coli isolated over 12 consecutive months in a urology department. MATERIAL AND METHOD: All E. coli-positive bacteriological examinations from a urology department during 2004 were retrospectively reviewed. Seventy five bacteriological examinations from 68 patients were positive for E. coli, corresponding to 67 urine cultures, 6 blood cultures and 2 drained collections. Twenty patients had taken fluoroquinolones during the previous 6 months and 10 patients were diabetic. A nalidixic acid-resistant (NR) E. coli was isolated in 11 patients (16%) aged 22 to 81 years (median: 58 years). Patients with nalidixic acid-resistant (NR) E. coli were compared to patients with nalidixic acid-susceptible (NS) E. coli. RESULTS: Predictive factors for nalidixic acid resistance of E. coli were fever higher than 38.4 degrees C (p = 0.022), leukocytosis (p = 0.002) and use of fluoroquinolones during the previous 6 months (p = 0.046). CONCLUSIONS: Prescription of a non-fluoroquinolone antibiotic may be preferable in the case of recent use of fluoroquinolones and signs of severe infection (leukocytosis and fever higher than 38.4 degrees C).

[Reasons for the choice of urology by residents]. / Les raisons du choix de l'urologie par les internes.

OBJECTIVE: Due to the reduction of the potential number of residents in surgery, a study was conducted to determine the reasons motivating the choice of urology. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to several generations of urologists concerning the criteria which influenced their choice of this surgical subspecialty. RESULTS: More than one half had chosen urology before their residency. Almost none of the urologists in this subgroup hesitated about another surgical subspecialty at the time of their final choice. Hospital medical training is therefore an essential factor in the choice of the future specialty. Almost all urologists who chose their specialty during their residency initially hesitated with another discipline, corresponding to gastrointestinal surgery in 59% of cases. The most attractive feature was the medical and surgical aspect of urology and possibility of group practice with several urologists, limiting the time on call. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital medical students therefore constitute a potential reserve for urologists and need to be motivated by means of good quality practical teaching. Residents in other specialties can also modify their initial choice in favour of urology, especially gastrointestinal surgeons.