Can gemcitabine instillation ablate solitary low-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer? Results of a phase II marker lesion study.

Purpose: The purpose of this phase II study was to evaluate whether low-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer can be ablated with intravesical gemcitabine in a marker lesion study.

Patients And Methods: The study had a Simon II-stage design. Thirteen patients were to be recruited for stage I.

Reverse transcriptase-PCR analysis of apoptosis-regulating gene expression in human benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Background: To determine whether an imbalanced interaction between proapototic and antiapoptotic signals may account for the loss of the normal cell growth control in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), the expression of some apoptosis-regulating genes (bcl-2, bax, c-myc, fas) was investigated.

Patients And Methods: BPH specimens were obtained from 20 patients who underwent trans-urethral resection of the prostate (TURP) or adenomectomy. Gene expression was studied by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and its correlation with age and serum PSA level was also investigated.

Prostate cancer: preliminary results of a case finding campaign.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of applying a case finding programme for prostate carcinoma based on a questionnaire which was sent by post to the male population of a Northern Italian region.

Methods: In November 2000 a questionnaire containing prostate related questions was sent to all men aged 55 or older residing in the area served by our hospital. Information provided by the answers was included in a specific data base.