Effect of Positive Biopsy Core Rate on Low-dose-rate Brachytherapy Outcomes in Intermediate-risk Prostate Cancer.

Background/aim: Intermediate-risk prostate cancer (PCa) is a highly heterogeneous disease. Although low-dose-rate brachytherapy (LDR-BT) is mainly used for low- to intermediate-risk PCa, limited reports have evaluated the detailed differences in outcomes, including differences between patients with ISUP grade group (GG) 2 and GG3 intermediate-risk PCa. This study aimed to investigate the differences in outcomes between intermediate-risk Japanese patients with GG2 and GG3 PCa who underwent LDR-BT.

Work environmental factors associated with compassion satisfaction and end-of-life care quality among nurses in general wards, palliative care units, and home care settings: A cross-sectional survey.

Background: Nurses providing end-of-life care experience not only burnout and compassion fatigue, but also positive effects such as compassion satisfaction. Nurses' compassion satisfaction was shown to be related to job satisfaction, work engagement, and nurse caring. Studies in emergency departments, intensive care units, oncology wards, and general wards have identified work environmental factors associated with nurses' compassion satisfaction, but no similar studies have been conducted in palliative care units or home care settings.

Validation of the Japanese version of the 8-item Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire (CPAQ-8).

This study aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire (CPAQ-8J). A total of 108 outpatients with chronic pain completed the CPAQ-8 questionnaire, along with the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Pain Disability Assessment Scale, Numerical Rating Scale, and EuroQol 5 dimensions 5-level. Confirmatory factor analyses examined the factor structure.

Prostate-specific Antigen Levels Following Brachytherapy Impact Late Biochemical Recurrence in Japanese Patients With Localized Prostate Cancer.

Background/aim: Evaluation of long-term outcomes is essential for the successful treatment of localized prostate cancer; however, the risk of late recurrence following brachytherapy is still not clear. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term outcomes of low-dose-rate brachytherapy (LDR-BT) for localized prostate cancer in Japanese patients and identify factors associated with late recurrence after treatment.

Patients And Methods: This single-center, cohort study included patients who underwent LDR-BT at the Tokushima University Hospital in Japan between July 2004 and January 2015; 418 patients, who were followed-up at least 7 years after LDR-BT, were included in the study.

Propensity score matching analysis of adjuvant external-beam radiotherapy for the treatment of papillary thyroid carcinoma with other organ invasions.

Purpose: The role of adjuvant external-beam radiotherapy (EBRT) in the treatment of locally advanced papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) remains controversial due to the lack of prospective data and the conflicting retrospective data. This study aimed to determine the benefits of adjuvant EBRT in patients with PTC and other organ invasions using propensity score matching to reduce the heterogeneity of the patient population.

Methods: Data from patients with PTC with other organ invasions but no distant metastases who underwent surgery and adjuvant radioactive iodine (RAI) alone (Non-EBRT group) or adjuvant EBRT plus RAI (EBRT group) were retrospectively reviewed.

Long-term clinical outcomes and prognostic factors for patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma with other organ invasions after adjuvant radioactive iodine.

Purpose: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) with other organ invasions is directly related to patient prognosis and quality of life; however, studies on the clinical outcomes of adjuvant radioactive iodine (RAI) for PTC with other organ invasions are limited. This study aimed to clarify the clinical outcomes and prognostic factors for patients with PTC with other organ invasions after adjuvant RAI.

Methods: Patients with PTC with other organ invasions without distant metastases who underwent surgery and adjuvant RAI were retrospectively reviewed.

Risk factors for recurrence after operation in patients with pT1a renal cell carcinoma: sub-analysis of the multi-institutional national database of the Japanese Urological Association.

Background: More patients with renal cell carcinoma are now diagnosed with the disease in its early stages. Although patients with pT1a renal cell carcinoma have a good prognosis and low recurrence rate, a few patients still experience recurrence. Herein, we evaluated the clinicopathological risk factors for postoperative recurrence of pT1aN0M0 renal cell carcinoma.

Melanin-producing medullary thyroid carcinoma with transformation to melanoma: A case report.

Only one case of melanoma arising from melanin-producing medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) has been reported previously. In the present study, a second such case was reported and compared with the previous one. The patient was an 86-year-old male who presented with a right anterior neck mass.

Expectations of respiratory physicians from psychologists in palliative care for patients with non-cancer respiratory diseases.

Background: Psychological symptoms are common in patients with non-malignant respiratory disease (NMRD). Psychologists can likely play a role in NMRD palliative care. We aimed to explore the expectations of respiratory physicians from psychologists in NMRD palliative care.

A case of cryptococcal necrotizing fasciitis and immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in a renal transplantation recipient.

Introduction And Importance: Immunocompromised patients are at high risk of unexpectedly serious infections caused by uncommon bacteria or fungi. We experienced a case of Cryptococcus neoformans-induced necrotizing fasciitis (NF) of the lower extremities. The progress so far has been reported by the urology department [1].

Pilot study of a basic individualized cognitive behavioral therapy program for chronic pain in Japan.

Background: Chronic pain is a major health problem, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is its recommended treatment; however, efforts to develop CBT programs for chronic pain and assess their feasibility are remarkably delayed in Asia. Therefore, we conducted this pilot study to develop a basic individualized CBT for chronic pain (CBT-CP) and assessed its feasibility for use in Japan.

Methods: Our study was an open-labeled before-after trial without a control group conducted cooperatively in five Japanese tertiary care hospitals.

Evaluation of the 8th Edition TNM Classification for Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma.

Background: The tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) classification system to categorized anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) was revised.

Methods: The revised system was evaluated using a large database of ATC patients.

Results: A total of 757 patients were analyzed.

Video-assisted neck surgery (VANS) using a gasless lifting procedure for thyroid and parathyroid diseases: "The VANS method from A to Z".

Purpose: To describe and evaluate our video-assisted neck surgery (VANS) method for thyroid and parathyroid diseases.

Methods: We describe in detail the VANS method for enucleation, lobectomy, total (nearly total) thyroidectomy, and lymph node dissection for malignancy and Graves' disease. In collaboration with the Japan Society of Endoscopic Surgery (JSES), we evaluated several aspects of this method.

Traumatic Events Among Cancer Patients That Lead to Compassion Fatigue in Nurses: A Qualitative Study.

Context: Cancer care nurses are frequently exposed to patients' traumatic experiences and are at high risk of compassion fatigue.

Objectives: To describe the components and frequencies of traumatic events experienced by patients with cancer, which give rise to nurse compassion fatigue.

Methods: This study is a supplementary analysis of data from a previous qualitative study.

Perinephric invasion as a prognostic factor in non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma: analysis of a nation-wide registry program.

Objectives: Perinephric fat invasion (PFI) of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is known to be associated with adverse pathological features and poor prognosis. We analyzed these associations using a sub-group of the RCC registry of The Cancer Registration Committee of the Japanese Urological Association.

Methods: The study cohort of 2998 non-metastatic cases was retrieved from RCC registry (3648 in total).

Low Expression of Toll-like Receptor 4 Is Associated With Poor Prognosis in Bladder Cancer.

Background/aim: The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship between the progression of bladder cancer (BCa) and TLR4 expression.

Materials And Methods: The relationship between TLR4 expression and prognosis of BCa patients was analyzed using a publicly available database and immunohistochemical staining of clinical samples. The effect of TLR4 knockdown was also examined on the invasive capabilities of BCa cells.

Factors related to the fatigue of relief workers in areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake: survey results 2.5 years after the disaster.

Background: After the Great East Japan Earthquake (March 11, 2011), the fatigue of relief workers became a major problem in affected areas. In the present study, we conducted a questionnaire survey 2.5 years post-disaster identifying factors related to the fatigue of relief workers.

[Renal Angiomyolipoma Extending into the Renal Vein --A Case Report-].

We report a case of left renal angiomyolipoma extending into the renal vein. A 67-year-old woman showed a left renal tumor which was 6 cm in diameter and had density equal to fat tissue in computed tomography. We suspected liposarcoma and performed radical nephrectomy and resection of thrombus.