Seminal vesicle invasion: what is the best adjuvant treatment after radical prostatectomy?

OBJECTIVE: • To evaluate the biochemical-failure free survival according to different adjuvant treatments in patients who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) with seminal vesicle invasion (SVI). PATIENTS AND METHODS: • Between 1994 and 2008, 4090 men underwent RP in nine centres. Of these, 310 men had a SVI. • Exclusion criteria were: detectable postoperative prostate-specific antigen, lymph node metastases and follow-up <18 months. • Therefore, the study group included 199 patients. Of these, 41 received adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) only, 26 received adjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) only, 50 received adjuvant ADT combined with RT and 82 were monitored. The endpoint for this analysis was biochemical no evidence of disease (bNED). • Preoperative prostate-specific antigen level, specimen Gleason score, age, clinical stage, surgical margin status and adjuvant treatment were evaluated in a multivariable analysis with respect to bNED survival. RESULTS: • After a mean (range) follow-up of 60.3 (18-185) months, 88 (44.2%) patients had a biochemical relapse. • The estimated 5- and 7-year bNED survival were 32.6% and 25.9% for the observation group, 44.4% and 28.6% for the RT only group, 48.4% and 32.3% for the ADT only group and 82.8% and 62.1% for the adjuvant ADT combined with RT group. • On multivariate analysis, only adjuvant ADT combined with RT (P < 0.001) was an independent prognostic factor of biochemical relapse. CONCLUSIONS: • RP appeared to be insufficient as a single treatment for patients with SVI. • The findings of the present study suggest that adjuvant ADT combined with RT after RP for patients with SVI confers a substantial benefit on 5-year bNED survival.

[Complications of "Acucise" balloon endopyelotomy]. / Complications de l'endopyélotomie par le ballonnet "Acucise".

OBJECTIVES: Although the results of endopyelotomy for ureteropelvic junction (UPJ) stenosis are well known, our objective was to study the specific complications of treatment of UPJ stenoses by Acucise balloon. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The specific complications of 50 patients (40 women, 10 men) treated consecutively by Acucise balloon endopyelotomy for UPJ stenosis from January 1994 to February 1999 were reviewed. The mean age was 47 years (range: 19-84 years). Thirty-five stenoses (70%) were primary. A polar pedicle was diagnosed by preoperative CT angiography in 5 cases. The endopyelotomy technique was that described by Chandhokf except in 3 cases in which section with strict external lateral orientation was performed. RESULTS: Mean operating time and mean length of hospital stay were 70 min (range: 35-180 min) and 5.4 days (range: 2-27 days), respectively. Six (12%) technical incidents were observed intraoperatively (3 cases of rupture of balloon) and 7 (14%) haemorrhagic incidents were observed perioperatively (5 polar pedicles). There were no conversions to open surgery. There were 4 (8%) major perioperative complications, all haemorrhagic, which required 2 radiological embolizations and one lumbotomy. Only these patients required transfusion (3.25 units/patient). Fourteen urinary tract infections were observed, including 2 cases of pyelonephritis (4%) and one case of septicaemia (2%). Nine patients experienced severe discomfort due to the double J stent. With a mean follow-up of 47 months, the overall success rate was 74%, not influenced by the development of a complication. Seven (58%) of the 12 patients with failure of endopyelotomy had a lower pole pedicle. CONCLUSION: Acucise endopyelotomy is a simple and effective technique. However, rigorous indications and technique are essential due to the possibility of haemorrhagic complications, often related to a lower pole vessel.