Kaposi's sarcoma occurring during short-term dialysis: report of two cases.

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) appears to develop in association with kidney transplantation, but unlikely with dialysis. We report two cases of classic KS that occurred in patients receiving short-term (less than 3 yr) dialysis. They have been suffering from chronic renal failure due to tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus, respectively.

Low-volume nodal metastases detected at retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy for testicular cancer: pattern and prognostic factors for relapse.

Purpose: To determine the incidence, pattern, and predictive factors for relapse in patients with low-volume nodal metastases (stage pN1) at retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy (RPLND) and identify who may benefit from chemotherapy in the adjuvant or primary setting.

Patients And Methods: Fifty-four patients with testicular nonseminomatous germ cell tumor had low-volume retroperitoneal metastases (pathologic stage pN1, 1997 tumor-node-metastasis classification) resected at RPLND, 50 of whom were managed expectantly without adjuvant chemotherapy. The dissection was bilateral in 12 and was a modified template in 38 patients.

Mechanisms of prostatic stromal invasion in patients with bladder cancer: clinical significance.

Purpose: We assess the pathological mechanisms of silent prostatic stromal invasion in patients with bladder cancer for early detection and treatment.

Materials And Methods: Between August 1998 and January 1999, 10 patients with clinically organ confined transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and known prostatic stromal invasion on transurethral biopsy or who were high risk for prostatic involvement due to tumor location near the bladder neck were studied for histological patterns of prostatic invasion. There were 5 cystectomy specimens distended for 24 hours with formalin via a Foley catheter, then step sectioned longitudinally at 3 mm.

Cystectomy for bladder cancer: a contemporary series.

Purpose: To validate the current TNM staging system, we analyzed our contemporary experience with 300 cystectomies.

Materials And Methods: The pathological material and medical records of 300 patients treated with cystectomy were reviewed, and the new TNM classification was adopted.

Results: The median followup of patients with no evidence of disease was 65 months, and overall survival rate was 45% with a median survival of 50 months.

Post-chemotherapy surgery in patients with unresectable or regionally metastatic bladder cancer.

Purpose: We update our experience with post-chemotherapy surgery in patients with unresectable or lymph node positive bladder cancer.

Methods: Of 207 patients with unresectable or regionally metastatic bladder cancer 80 (39%) underwent post-chemotherapy surgery after treatment with a cisplatin based chemotherapy regimen. We assessed the impact of surgery on achieving a complete response to chemotherapy and on relapse-free survival.

Carcinoma in situ in the testis.

Carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the testis is a common precursor of germ-cell tumours in adults and adolescents, with the exception of spermatocytic seminoma. This article reviews existing knowledge on the pathobiology, genetic aspects and epidemiology of CIS, discusses current hypotheses concerning pathogenesis and invasive progression of germ-cell neoplasms and provides guidelines for diagnosis and clinical management of CIS.

Upper-tract tumors after an initial diagnosis of bladder cancer: argument for long-term surveillance.

Purpose: To determine the relative risk (RR) of upper-tract tumors (UTT) after bladder cancer, stratified by bladder tumor characteristics, demographic factors, and follow-up duration, in order to develop an improved risk-based surveillance strategy.

Patients And Methods: The 1973 to 1996 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was used to determine the observed and expected number of UTT after bladder cancer. The RR with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated, stratifying by race, sex, stage, grade, histology, and follow-up duration.

Transurethral resection of muscle-invasive bladder cancer: 10-year outcome.

Purpose: To determine the 10-year outcome of patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer treated by transurethral resection (TUR) alone.

Patients And Methods: Of 432 newly evaluated patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, 151 were treated by standard radical cystectomy or by definitive TUR, if restaging TUR of the primary tumor site showed no (T0) or only non-muscle-invasive (T1) residual tumor. Patients were followed-up every 3 to 6 months thereafter for a minimum of 10 years and up to 20 years.

Outcome of patients with grossly node positive bladder cancer after pelvic lymph node dissection and radical cystectomy.

Purpose: Should the surgeon proceed with surgery when grossly positive nodes are found at cystectomy? To answer this question, we determine the outcome of patients after radical surgery alone for grossly node positive bladder cancer.

Materials And Methods: A total of 84 patients with grossly node positive (N2-3) bladder cancer found at cystectomy underwent extended pelvic lymph node dissection and have been followed for up to 10 years. The end point of study was disease specific survival.

Relationship between Helicobacter pylori and rosacea: it may be a myth.

Although it is debatable whether Helicobacter pylori may play a role in the pathogenesis of rosacea, some authors suggested that the treatment of H. pylori might have a beneficial effect. The aim of this investigation was to compare the prevalence of H.

Evaluation of drug delivery and survival impact of dose-intense relative to conventional-dose methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin chemotherapy in urothelial cancer.

The efficacy of dose-intense methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (M-VAC) chemotherapy relative to conventional-dose M-VAC in patients with advanced transitional cell carcinoma is unknown. The outcomes of 33 patients on two successive protocols using dose-intense M-VAC with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) support were compared with those of 129 patients treated with conventional-dose M-VAC to assess for an impact of dose-intense therapy on long-term survival. The mean relative dose intensity of chemotherapy delivered to the dose-intense cohort was 55% higher than that delivered to the conventional-dose cohort (p = 0.

Phase II trial of pyrazoloacridine as second-line therapy for patients with unresectable or metastatic transitional cell carcinoma.

Purpose: A phase II trial of pyrazoloacridine (PZA) was conducted to assess its activity and toxicity in patients with advanced transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) refractory to or progressing after one prior cisplatin-, carboplatin- or paclitaxel- based regimen.

Patients And Methods: PZA at a dose of 750 mg/m2 was administered to 14 patients as a three-hour intravenous infusion on day 1 every 21 days. Premedication consisted of lorazepam 0.

Timing of cystectomy for superficial bladder tumors.

Timing of radical cystectomy in patients undergoing treatment and follow up for superficial bladder tumors is discussed with an algorithm for patient decisions.

Quality of life of asymptomatic men with nonmetastatic prostate cancer on androgen deprivation therapy.

Purpose: We evaluate the quality of life of asymptomatic men with nonmetastatic prostate cancer who receive androgen deprivation therapy.

Materials And Methods: Quality of life was longitudinally evaluated in a cohort of 144 men with locally advanced prostate cancer or prostate specific antigen relapse after local therapy who chose to receive (79 patients) or not to receive (65 patients) androgen deprivation therapy. Androgen deprivation therapy consisted of orchiectomy, leuprolide alone or leuprolide plus flutamide.

Carcinoid tumor of the kidney. The use of somatostatin receptor scintigraphy in diagnosis and management.

Three patients were diagnosed with carcinoid tumors of the kidney. The diagnosis was rendered after biopsy with the assistance of immunohistochemical stains. In all three patients, a pentetreotide scan was helpful in staging.

Ifosfamide, paclitaxel, and cisplatin for patients with advanced transitional cell carcinoma of the urothelial tract: final report of a phase II trial evaluating two dosing schedules.

Background: A combination regimen of ifosfamide, paclitaxel, and cisplatin (ITP), recycled every 4 weeks, was reported in the treatment of previously untreated patients with advanced transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). This study sought to examine ITP at 3-week intervals to assess its feasibility and toxicity, compare the results for different schedules, and assess the impact of prognostic factors and postchemotherapy surgery on outcome.

Methods: ITP (ifosfamide 1.

A case of coexisting Behçet's disease and ankylosing spondylitis.

Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic inflammatory condition involving several organs, such as skin, mucous membrane, eye, joint, intestine, lung and central nervous system. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a prototype of seronegative spondyloarthropathy, and a chronic systemic inflammatory disorder of the axial skeleton, mainly affecting the sacroiliac joint and spine. In the latter, systemic complications may develop in addition to joint involvement.

Current use and questions concerning intravesical bladder cancer group for superficial bladder cancer.

Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is the most effective therapy for CIS of the bladder. Although several series have shown a decrease in recurrence and progression of T1 tumor, this effect is temporary. More than one half of patients with T1 tumors treated with BCG will progress over the longterm.

Phase I evaluation of sequential doxorubicin gemcitabine then ifosfamide paclitaxel cisplatin for patients with unresectable or metastatic transitional-cell carcinoma of the urothelial tract.

Purpose: This phase I trial sought to evaluate the toxicity of and determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) for the two-drug regimen doxorubicin and gemcitabine (AG) followed by the three-drug regimen of ifosfamide, paclitaxel, and cisplatin (ITP) in patients with unresectable or metastatic transitional-cell carcinoma.

Patients And Methods: Patients received AG every other week for six cycles followed by ITP every 3 weeks for four cycles. Five AG dose levels were investigated, up to doxorubicin 50 mg/m(2) and gemcitabine 2, 000 mg/m(2), to determine the MTD of the regimen.

Radiographic vs surgical size of renal tumours after partial nephrectomy.

Objective: To compare the radiographic with the surgical size of renal tumours selected for partial nephrectomy.

Patients And Methods: In 50 patients undergoing elective partial nephrectomy for renal carcinoma (31 men and 19 women, preoperative tumour size 1.5-5.

Tumor progression and survival of patients with high grade, noninvasive papillary (TaG3) bladder tumors: 15-year outcome.

Purpose: Tumor progression and survival of patients with high grade Ta bladder tumors followed for 15 to 20 years were evaluated.

Materials And Methods: A total of 148 patients with Ta and 73 with T1 multiple, recurrent papillary bladder tumors were evaluated. In all patients complete transurethral resection was performed and 1 or more courses of bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy were given.

Influence of smoking status on the disease-related outcomes of patients with tobacco-associated superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the influence of tobacco exposure, at the time of diagnosis, on the disease-related outcomes of patients with tobacco-associated superficial transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the bladder.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed using the MSKCC Registry to identify all institutional cases of "noninvasive" TCC (n = 1632) between 1985 and 1995. After employing exclusion criteria, 286 cases of incident tobacco-associated superficial TCC were divided into 3 strata of tobacco exposure (127 ex-smokers, 51 quitters, and 108 continued smokers) by chart review and post hoc questionnaires (n = 82).

Outcome of postchemotherapy surgery after treatment with methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin in patients with unresectable or metastatic transitional cell carcinoma.

Purpose: The role of postchemotherapy surgery for patients with metastatic transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) is controversial. We retrospectively analyzed our experience with patients who underwent postchemotherapy surgery after methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin, and cisplatin (M-VAC) chemotherapy to assess an impact on long-term survival.

Patients And Methods: This report is based on the retrospective analysis of 203 patients with unresectable primary tumors or metastatic TCC, previously reported in five trials of M-VAC chemotherapy.