Signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma of bladder.

Three cases of signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma of the bladder are presented: a primary vesical adenocarcinoma, a metastatic one, and a signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma of the urachus. A review of the literature found 69 additional reports of primary signet-ring cell adenocarcinoma, 20 of urachal signet-ring carcinoma, and 4 of the metastatic variety. The pathogenesis, clinical, and histologic findings, prognosis, and management are discussed.

[Complications in kidney transplant: our experience in 107 cases]. / Complicaciones en el trasplante renal: nuestra experiencia en 107 casos.

We introduce our case material on urological complications occurred in 107 renal transplants, 102 of which were from corpse donors and 5 form live donors. The techniques used for the reconstruction of the urinary tract were: extravesical ureterocystoneostomy (91 = 85%), pyelo-pyelic anastomosis (15 = 14%) and uretero-ureteral anastomosis (1 = 0.9%). Sixteen cases presented urinary fistula (15%), emphasizing the high percentage of extravasations occurred in the pyelo-pyelic anastomosis (5/15). The resolution of the problem with graft preservation was achieved in 11 cases (68.75%). We encountered 6 ureteral obstructions that resolved favourably in 100% if the cases. Other important complications were: appearance of lymphocele in 8 cases, detection of post-grafting ureteral stenosis in 5 patients, finding asymptomatic vesicoureteral reflux in 16 grafts, and presence of urinary lithiasis in 2 cases. Similarly, we analyzed our series of 16 vascular complications, emphasizing that 15 out of 107 grafts had arterial or venous vascular abnormalities (14.1%), that forced to perform bench surgery in two occasions. Our statistical analysis showed that arterial thrombosis was more frequent than stenosis (8.49% versus 4.71%), and in nearly 80% of the cases (7/9) it happened in grafts concerning more than one arterial vessel, including in this series thrombosis of any of the ramus. The largest loss of grafting were due to this complication, since in 5 out of 9 cases of arterial thrombosis (55.5%) a transplantectomy had to be performed. With regard to venous complications thrombosis is a relatively rare complication, representing in our series less than 1%, usually associated to uncontrollable vascular acute rejection.

Bacillus Calmette-Guerin versus doxorubicin versus thiotepa: a randomized prospective study in 202 patients with superficial bladder cancer.

We report the second interim analysis of data from a randomized prospective trial comparing the prophylactic effect of 15 courses of 50 mg. doxorubicin, 50 mg. thiotepa or 150 mg. bacillus Calmette-Guerin instilled intravesically against recurrences and progression of superficial transitional cell bladder cancer. Of 202 enrolled patients 176 currently are evaluable with a mean follow-up of 3 years (range 3 to 97 months). The number of patients with recurrences was significantly lower in the bacillus Calmette-Guerin arm (9 of 67) compared to the doxorubicin (23 of 53, p equals 0.002) and thiotepa (20 of 56, p equals 0.003) arms. The over-all recurrence index per 100 patient-months also was lower for the bacillus Calmette-Guerin versus the thiotepa and doxorubicin groups (0.53 versus 1.55 and 1.7, respectively). Bacillus Calmette-Guerin also was superior in preventing recurrences and progression of high risk tumors, that is stage T1, grade 3 or multiple growths, associated or not with carcinoma in situ. In the stage T1 category 19 of 32 (60%) tumors recurred under treatment with doxorubicin, 11 of 33 (33%) with thiotepa and 6 of 49 (12%) with bacillus Calmette-Guerin. Toxicity to intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin was higher compared to the other drugs but it was not limiting: bladder irritability and malaise occurred in 42% of the patients, granulomatous cystitis in 16.4% and bladder contraction in 1.4% (1 of 64). The latter complication occurred in a patient whose stage T1m grade 2 tumors had recurred 3 times, who underwent 3 transurethral bladder resections within 15 months and who had received thiotepa for 4 months after having been removed from the study 11 months after entry. Three patients in the doxorubicin group (5.6%) underwent radical cystectomy for local urothelial progression. One patient (1.8%) in the same group died of distant progression. Our preliminary results suggest that at the dose, periodicity and duration used in the study bacillus Calmette-Guerin is significantly superior to the chemotherapeutic agents doxorubicin and thiotepa for the prophylaxis of recurrence and retardation of progression in superficial transitional cell bladder tumors.

[Intra-diverticular adenocarcinoma of the urethra in women]. / El adenocarcinoma intradiverticular de uretra en la mujer.

We report on a female patient who presented with urethrorrhagia and a palpable urethral mass which was diagnosed as urethral diverticulum, the site of a tumor that proved to be adenocarcinoma of the urethra. The patient underwent radical urethrectomy and pelvic and inguinal lymphadenectomy. Urethral reconstruction was performed using a vesical flap following the technique described by Tanagho. Thereafter, she received 6 courses of M-VAC polychemotherapy. Diverticulum and carcinoma of the female urethra are uncommon. Adenocarcinoma is the most common tumor type encountered in these diverticula. Diagnosis is clinically simple and treatment is by radical surgery and radiotherapy. The foregoing treatment modalities have improved patient survival when the tumor is detected early. This tumor type is particularly aggressive and outcome depends on tumor stage.

[Vesical actinomycosis: rare tumor of the urachus]. / Actinomicosis vesical: excepcional tumor de uraco.

A female patient of child-bearing age using an intrauterine device (IUD) consulted our department for a hypogastric mass which turned out to be actinomycosis of the bladder. Antibiotic treatment resolved the infection and removal of the inflammatory mass was unwarranted since infected fistulous tracts had been observed. There appears to be a causal relationship with IUDs, as in genital actinomycosis. Due to the increasing use of contraceptive devices, we are likely to find this type of infection, which might be difficult to distinguish from malignant disease, increasingly frequent in urologic practice.

Intravesical therapy comparing BCG, adriamycin, and thiotepa in 200 patients with superficial bladder cancer: a randomized prospective study.

This report presents the second interim analysis of data from a randomized prospective trial that compares the prophylactic effect of 15 intravesical instillations of 50 mg Doxorubicin (ADM), 50 mg of Thiotepa (TTPA), or 150 mg of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) against recurrence and progression of superficial transitional cell bladder cancer. Of 202 enrolled patients, 176 patients are currently evaluable after a mean follow-up of 3 years (range, 3-97 months). The number of patients with recurrence was significantly lower in the BCG group (9/67) than in the ADM group (23/53, p = 0.002) or the TTPA group (20/56, p = 0.003). The overall recurrence index per 100 patient-months was also significantly lower for the BCG group (BCG vs. ADM, p = 0.07; BCG vs. TTPA, p = 0.001; TTPA vs. ADM, not significant). BCG was superior in preventing recurrence and progression of high risk tumors (T1, G2-3, multiple growth, and tumors associated with carcinoma in situ). The recurrence in this group of high risk tumors was for ADM treated patients 12/17, for TTPA treated patients 10/17 and for BCG treated patients 5/23 (BCG vs. ADM, p = 0.002; BCG vs. TTPA, p = 0.016; TTPA vs. ADM, not significant). Toxicity of intravesical BCG was higher than that of the other drugs, but not limiting the treatment. Bladder irritability occurred in 42% of the patients, granulomatous cystitis in 16.4%, and bladder contraction in 1.5% of the patients. Two patients of the ADM group (2/53 = 3.8%) underwent radical cystectomy for local urothelial progression. One patient (1.9%) in the same group died of distant metastases. The preliminary results suggest that BCG is significantly superior to the chemotherapeutic agents ADM and TTPA when used as an adjuvant intravesical therapy in superficial bladder cancer.