Induction of cellular and humoral immune responses to tumor cells and peptides in HLA-A24 positive hormone-refractory prostate cancer patients by peptide vaccination.

Background: To assess the safety and immune response of a peptide-based immunotherapy for patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer, a phase I clinical trial was conducted.

Methods: This study first investigated whether cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) precursors reacting to peptide with vaccine candidates (14 peptides for HLA-A24 positive patients) were detectable in the pre-vaccination peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of ten patients with hormone-refractory prostate cancer. Patients were then vaccinated subcutaneously with only those peptides to which pre-vaccination PBMCs reacted (CTL precursor-oriented peptide vaccine) for up to four kinds of peptides.

Endoscopic antegrade laser incision in the treatment of urethral stricture.

Objectives: To examine the possibility of antegrade incisions at varying stricture lengths. We have developed a new method of using a ureteroscope and holmium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (YAG) laser to make an antegrade incision without using a guidewire. Endoscopic internal urethrotomy involves the use of a guidewire or ureteral catheter that is passed through the stricture as an indicator for retrograde incision.