Access of tumor-derived macromolecules and cells to the blood: an electron microscopical study of structural barriers in microvessel clusters in highly malignant primary prostate carcinomas.

Background: The neo-angiogenetic microvessels forming a major reactive stromal element in highly malignant prostate neoplasms may exhibit fine-structural features relevant to our understanding of the passage of macromolecules from tumor to blood, on the one hand, and of events facilitating the metastatic cascade, on the other hand.

Methods: Ensuring rapid, optimal fixation in buffered glutaraldehyde was a foremost concern. Thin parings from radical prostatectomy specimens of Gleason scores (GS) 5-9 were taken from the tumor and from the contralateral side of the gland, glutaraldehyde-fixed, diced to smaller than 1 mm(3), postfixed in osmium tetroxide, embedded in Epon, ultrathin-sectioned, contrasted with lead and uranyl salts, and viewed in a transmission electron microscope.

Expression of bFGF, VEGF and c-met and their correlation with microvessel density and progression in prostate carcinoma.

Background: Previously, we found angiogenesis measured as microvessel density (MVD) to be associated with both pathological stage and clinical outcome after radical prostatectomy (RP). In addition, we have shown that Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) is one of the important inducers of angiogenesis in prostate cancer (PC). The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of additional angiogenic factors, namely basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (hFGF) and the c-met receptor of Hepatocyte Growth Factor/Scatter Factor (HGF/SF) in PC.

Age-related rhabdosphincter function in female urinary stress incontinence: assessment of intraurethral sonography.

Objective: To assess dynamic intraurethral sonography in the diagnostic evaluation of the function of the rhabdosphincter in female patients with urinary stress incontinence in relation to patient age.

Methods: Sixty-two patients with clinically proved urinary stress incontinence were investigated by means of intraurethral sonography with a 12.5-MHz endoluminal 9F catheter.

Changes of renal blood flow in nephroptosis: assessment by color Doppler imaging, isotope renography and correlation with clinical outcome after laparoscopic nephropexy.

Objective: Previously, we have detected changes in renal blood flow secondary to nephroptosis by assessing the renal resistive index (RI) using color Doppler imaging (CDI). The aim of the current study was to compare two diagnostic methods, CDI and isotope renography (IRG), for detection of renal blood flow impairment in patients with nephroptosis.

Methods: 26 patients with nephroptosis and flank pain underwent CDI and isotope renography (IRG) before and after laparoscopic nephropexy.

Genetic aberrations in prostate carcinoma detected by comparative genomic hybridization and microsatellite analysis: association with progression and angiogenesis.

Background: In spite of increasing knowledge about the tumor biology of prostate cancer (PC), molecular events involved in tumor progression are not well characterized. There is evidence that a number of genetic alterations play a role in tumor progression and in addition, angiogenesis also contributes. In this study, comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), a sensitive method for detecting regional DNA copy number abnormalities, and microsatellite analysis was used to identify frequent genome changes in PC.

Screening with low PSA cutoff values results in low rates of positive surgical margins in radical prostatectomy specimens.

Background: In the literature, positive margins in radical prostatectomy specimens, the rate of which ranges between 7% and 46%, are associated with adverse patient survival. The aim of the present study was to determine the predictive value of preoperative serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) values for the rate of positive margins in radical retropubic prostatectomy.

Methods: The study included a cohort of 845 patients who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy between October of 1993 and December of 1999.