[Significance and Importance of Pelvic Lymphadenectomy in Low-Risk Prostate Cancer Patients]. / Bedeutung und Notwendigkeit der pelvinen Lymphadenektomie bei Low-Risk Prostatakarzinompatienten.

BACKGROUND: The most frequent carcinoma in male patients is prostate cancer. D'Amico and colleagues (1998) set up a classification to assess the aggressiveness of prostate cancer growth and the risk of metastatic spread, taking into account the following parameters: PSA, Gleason Score (GS), and tumour spread (T). The combination of these parameters results in a classification of low-, intermediate- and high-risk patients.In the context of a larger heuristic study entitled "Low-Risk Prostate Cancer Patients: Significance And Importance Of Pelvic Lymphadenectomy in Localized Prostate Carcinomas", we observed the correlation of the parameters PSA, GS and T stage with the occurrence of lymph node metastases in low-risk-patients who underwent lymphadenectomy during radical prostatectomy. PATIENTS/MATERIALS AND METHODS: Due to a lack of evidence - none of the confirmed LR (low-risk=LR) patients was diagnosed with metastases - we set up a subclassification for LR patients for the following corridor transition zone between low-risk and high-risk patients (based on the D'Amico classification):PSA≤10 ng/ml and GS≤7a (c: 7a) and clinical stage T1a-T2c (c: T2b, T2c): The population consists of 288 prostate cancer patients (60 low-risk (LR) patients, 228 corridor (c) patients). We analysed the number and frequency of removed lymph nodes and lymph node metastases. Moreover, we analysed the population with a view to a postoperative GS upgrade. The results are based on heuristic methods. RESULTS: The situation regarding the data in the transition zone, i. e. in the corridor area, and in the verified low-risk range is very complicated:In total, 3 743 lymph nodes were removed in 288 patients (mean: 13 lymph nodes). Of these only 7 lymph nodes in 5 patients from the corridor group were metastatic. The overall number of removed lymph nodes in these 5 patients lies within a small interval [23,32]; 26 lymph nodes were removed on average. A postoperative Gleason Score upgrade was found in 20.14% of the whole patient population. CONCLUSION: A postoperative Gleason Score upgrade in every fifth patient shows a highly relevant preoperative undergrading in these patients, which may lead to inadequate treatment. An opening of the D'Amico classification to include a corridor category of patients could be an opportunity to minimise preoperative undergrading. In this context, pelvic lymphadenectomy must be considered, at least for corridor patients.

[Salvage lymphadenectomy in patients with prostate cancer recurrence: A review]. / Salvagelymphadenektomie beim Rezidiv eines Prostatakarzinoms : Eine Übersicht.

BACKGROUND: Salvage extended pelvic lymph node dissection (salvage ePLND) in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) biochemical recurrence is an alternative to the commonly used androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and/or chemotherapy. Small patient number, insufficient accuracy of contemporary imaging methods for lymph node relapse diagnostics, and the lack of prospective data present limiting factors for a wider application of salvage ePLND. The purpose of this publication is to review German and European data and studies on the subject of salvage ePLND and to discuss future perspectives. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed available studies up to October 2014 from Medline with the keywords "salvage lymph node dissection prostate cancer". RESULTS: A total of 51 publications since 1984 (up to October 2014) meeting the search criteria were found. Ten of these were studies that analyzed the results of salvage ePLND. Of these 10 studies, 6 originated from German clinics. Furthermore, among these 51 publications, there were 2 clinical case reports (1 from Germany) and 3 reviews (none from Germany). CONCLUSIONS: The available data show insufficient evidence-based validity. There have been no prospective studies and just one multicenter study. However, single-center retrospective studies have shown promising results. Salvage ePLND leads to biochemical remission, freedom from clinical recurrence, and probably also to renewed response to ADT in patients with castration-resistant PCa. Multicenter prospective studies should be conducted in Germany (where most of the available studies have been performed). The selection of patients should be analyzed in order to identify clear selection criteria for salvage ePLND.

[A serious complication after bladder embolisation due to massive tissue necrosis in the gluteal region]. / Eine schwerwiegende Komplikation in Form massiver Gewebenekrosen in der glutealen Region nach Embolisation der Harnblase.

Adequate and successful treatment of Hb-relevant macrohaematuria in bladder cancer patients is a frequent problem in clinical routine. It is often not easy to identify a good treatment option for inoperable older patients. A possible option is transcatheter-based arterial embolisation of the vesical artery. Unfortunately there are only few publications about this procedure; a detailed analysis of bladder embolisation is difficult to find in the literature. Our report illustrates the embolisation of the vesical artery in an 84-year-old patient with bladder cancer with an Hb-relevant, transurethral non-curable macrohaematuria. Massive necrosis of the M. gluteus maximus developed after embolisation of the vesical artery. During the ensuing surgery, the entire musculature of the gluteal region was removed, and the N. ischiadicus was cut. The patient was supervised first in the intensive care and then in the palliative care ward. The patient's prognosis is unfavourable due to the localisation and size of the wound and consecutive life-long immobility. Embolisation of the vesical artery is a viable procedure, but only if alternative therapeutic strategies are impossible. It should only be performed by an experienced radiologist and it is strongly recommended not to apply liquid embolisation agents. Inadequate embolisation of the vesical artery can lead to extensive necrosis. Radiological diagnostics help to identify the margins of the necrotic region. During the intervention, maximum attention should be paid to saving the entirety of N. ischiadicus, especially in patients with large necrotic areas.

[Extended salvage pelvic and retroperitoneal lymph node dissection due to prostate cancer relapse]. / Ausgedehnte Salvage-Lymphknotenentfernung aus Becken- und Retroperitoneum bei Prostatakarzinomrezidiv.

Treatment of a biochemical prostate cancer relapse represents a difficult clinical dilemma, which has remained without a definitive solution so far. Based on clinical studies, we combine radical prostatectomy with extended pelvic lymph node dissection in intermediate and high risk patients as a routine procedure at our clinic. In this paper, we report on a case of extended salvage lymphadenectomy performed due to biochemical prostate cancer recurrence. The 56-year-old patient came to our clinic in April 2012 with a finding of lymph node metastasis according to PET-CT imaging. Laparoscopic radical retropubic prostatectomy with lymphadenectomy had been performed in 2008 [pT3a, N0 (0/4), M0, R0, GS 5+4=9, iPSA 26.67 ng/mL], and followed by radiotherapy as of September 2009. The extended salvage lymphadenectomy was performed in April 2012 due to a PSA-level rise up to 24 ng/mL and the aforementioned PET-CT findings. A total of 22 lymph nodes were removed, among them 3 lymph nodes with metastases. In the fossa obturatoria on the right we identified a walnut-size lymph node relapse with tumour necrosis, which fully corresponded to the PET-CT scan. The PSA level subsequently dropped to 0.4 ng/mL postoperatively, and further to the current value of 0.02 ng/mL (August 2012).

[Intermediate and high risk prostate cancer patients. Clinical significance of extended lymphadenectomy]. / "Intermediate-risk-" und "High-risk-Prostatakarzinompatienten". Klinische Bedeutung der ausgedehnten Lymphadenektomie.

INTRODUCTION: We examined the quantity and localization of pelvic lymph node (LN) metastases in patients undergoing extended pelvic lymphadenectomy (ePLND). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 174 patients with intermediate and high-risk prostate cancer underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) and ePLND. We analyzed the relationship between the number of LNs removed and the number, frequency and topography of LN metastases. RESULTS: In group 1 (intermediate risk patients, n=115) the average number of LNs removed was 20.5, LN metastases were found in 15 patients (13 %) and the localizations were in the external iliac artery 19 %, the internal iliac artery 32 %, the obturator foramen 36 %, the common iliac artery 7 %, Marcille's triangle 3 % and sacral regions 3 %. In group 2 (high-risk patients, n=59) the average number of LNs removed was 23.9, LN metastases were found in 19 patients (32 %) and the localizations were the external iliac artery 15 %, the internal iliac artery 26 %, the obturator foramen 19 %, the common iliac artery 29 %, Marcille's triangle 6 % and sacral regions 5 %. The full number of metastases was detected only if more than 15 LNs were removed in group 1 and 18 LNs in group 2. CONCLUSIONS: At least 15 LNs in the intermediate risk group and at least 18 LNs in high risk group should be removed. The ePLND should include the common iliac artery, the internal iliac artery, Marcille's triangle and sacral regions.

[Induction of spermatogenesis in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia after antegrade sclerotherapy]. / Induktion der Spermiogenese nach antegrader Varikozelensklerosierung bei Patienten mit nicht-obstruktiver Azoospermie.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to prove the efficacy of antegrade sclerotherapy for varicocele testis in patients with azoospermia and in patients with cryptozoospermia (less than 0.1 million spermatozoons/mL ejaculate). We have investigated the induction of spermatogenesis in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia after antegrade sclerotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 20 consecutive patients who had been trying to beget a child over a period of one year or longer were chosen for this study. All patients suffered from non-obstructive azoospermia or from cryptozoospermia. We produced a control spermiogram for each patient before, 3 and 6 months after antegrade sclerotherapy. The postoperative spermiogram was done according to WHO criteria and was then compared to the preoperative data. RESULTS: 15 patients (75 %) were found to suffer from azoospermia preoperatively and 5 patients (25 %) from cryptozoospermia. Out of the 15 patients with initial azoospermia 8 (53 %) showed cryptozoospermia (OAT/OT syndrome) after antegrade sclerotherapy. Out of the 5 patients with the initial cryptozoospermia 3 (60 %) showed an improvement in the sperm count and motility criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Antegrade sclerotherapy for varicocele testis is a valid treatment option to isolate the spermatozoons from the ejaculate for extracorporeal fertilisation in patients with non-obstructive azoospermia. Complete normalisation of the spermiogram parameters, i.e., sufficient for natural child conception, cannot safely be achieved by this method.