The application of adjuvant autologous antravesical macrophage cell therapy vs. BCG in non-muscle invasive bladder cancer: a multicenter, randomized trial.

Introduction: While adjuvant immunotherapy with Bacille Calmette Guérin (BCG) is effective in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (BC), adverse events (AEs) are considerable. Monocyte-derived activated killer cells (MAK) are discussed as essential in antitumoural immunoresponse, but their application may imply risks. The present trial compared autologous intravesical macrophage cell therapy (BEXIDEM) to BCG in patients after transurethral resection (TURB) of BC.

The effect of intravesical mitomycin C on the recurrence of superficial (Ta-T1) bladder cancer. A Hungarian Multicenter Study.

We evaluated the prophylactic efficacy of instillations of intravesical mitomycin C in 57 patients with primary superficial bladder cancer in a multicenter clinical trial. After complete transurethral resection of Ta-T1 G1-G2 transitional cell bladder carcinomas, patients were treated with mitomycin 40 mg/50 ml saline of 15 instillations for 12 months. Most of the complications were mild and transient but two patients dropped out of the trial because of moderate side effects.

Leiomyoma of the female urethra.

Leiomyoma of the female urethra is an uncommon but benign condition. The authors report two additional cases of successfully operated neoplasms. The difficulties of the diagnosis, differential diagnosis, the surgical treatment and the complications are discussed.

Plaque excision and dermal graft in the surgical treatment of plastic induration of the penis (Peyronie's disease).

Excision of the fibrous plaque from the full thickness of the tunica albuginea of the corpora cavernosa of the penis was performed in 16 patients with Peyronie's disease in the course of seven years. The resulting gap was covered with a dermal flap. The dorsal vascular and neural bundles were separated from the tunica albuginea together with Buck's fascia.

[Sabal serrulata extract in the management of symptoms of prostatic hypertrophy].

The effectiveness of Sabal serrulata (dwarf palm) extract was evaluated in the treatment of 38 patients with symptomatic prostatic hyperplasia. During a 12-month treatment controlled by investigations the subjective symptoms decreased in nearly three fourth of the patients. Side effects were not observed.

Sabal serrulata extract (Strogen forte) in the treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia.

The effectivity of Sabal serrulata extract in the treatment of symptomatic prostatic hyperplasia was scrutinized in 38 patients. In the course of the 12-month treatment followed up by examinations, the subjective complaints abated in almost 3/4 of the cases. Adverse effects were not encountered.

Transurethral resection and intra-arterial chemotherapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

Thirty-three patients with muscle-infiltrating T2-T3a bladder carcinoma were treated by TUR through the full thickness of the bladder wall and extended into the perivesical fat. The solitary tumours were not more than 4 cm in diameter. Histology proved in every case tumour stages of pT2 (17 patients) or pT3a (16 patients), G2 or G3 transitional cell carcinoma and negative mucosal biopsies.

Humanized antibody directed to the IL-2 receptor beta-chain prolongs primate cardiac allograft survival.

IL-2Rs are expressed by T cells activated in response to foreign histocompatibility Ags but not by normal cells. This difference in IL-2R expression is exploited by blockade of IL-2Rs to achieve immunosuppression. High affinity IL-2Rs involve three subunits, IL-2R alpha, IL-2R beta, and IL-2R gamma.

[Cystectomy in the management of bladder cancer].

In the course of 20 years 83 patients with tumor of the bladder were treated by cystectomy. The infiltrations of the tumors were 14 pT1, 12 pT2, 44 pT3 and 13 pT4. There were metastatic regional lymph nodes in 11 cases (13%).

Spontaneous rupture of the kidney: a report on 5 cases.

Five cases of spontaneous rupture of the renal parenchyma are reported. Two patients had renal cell cancer, one sustained acute purulent pyelonephritis secondary to stone related ureteral obstruction, one suffered from aposthematous pyelonephritis without obstruction, while one had chronic pyelonephritis and a cortical cyst as probable predisposing factors. Aetiology and important points concerning diagnosis and therapy are discussed.

Splenic injury: a rare complication of percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

Splenic injury in the course of percutaneous nephrolithotomy is extremely rare. We report on a splenic perforation and subcapsular haematoma of a female patient who was treated for staghorn stone in the left kidney by percutaneous nephrolithotomy. The splenic injury without external bleeding was diagnosed by ultrasonography and computed tomography.

Evaluation of 88 cystectomies for bladder cancer.

Cystectomies performed in 88 patients with bladder cancer in the course of 20 years had perioperative complications in 47%, mortality in 11%, with a decreasing tendency in the last 10 years. The extent of infiltration of the removed tumours was pT1 in 14 cases, pT2 in 14 cases, pT3 in 47 cases, and pT4 in 13 cases. Regional lymph node metastases were present in 11 cases (12.

Purification and characterization of human recombinant IgE-Fc fragments that bind to the human high affinity IgE receptor.

The Fc-region of immunoglobulin E (IgE) comprising C epsilon 2, C epsilon 3, and C epsilon 4 domains is sufficient for binding to the alpha chain of the high affinity IgE-Fc receptor (Fc epsilon RI alpha). In order to identify the smallest Fc fragment capable of binding to the Fc epsilon RI alpha with high affinity, various regions of the IgE-Fc molecule were expressed in COS cells and investigated for their ability to bind Fc epsilon RI alpha. The smallest fragment that showed Fc epsilon RI alpha binding activity spans amino acids 329-547 and lacks the entire C epsilon 2 domain.

The anti-idiotypic response by cynomolgus monkeys to humanized anti-Tac is primarily directed to complementarity-determining regions H1, H2, and L3.

The anti-ld response developed by cynomolgus monkeys to the humanized anti-Tac antibody was analyzed by using 12 humanized anti-Tac variants differing in V region structure. The majority of the monkey response was directed against idiotopes composed wholly or in part of complementarity-determining regions H1, H2, and L3. There was no detectable response directed solely to five single complementarity-determining regions examined or solely to the modified human V region framework.

Transurethral resection for muscle-invasive bladder cancer.

The perioperative morbidity of local radical transurethral resection performed in 103 patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (T2-T3a) was 20%, their mortality 1%. The three- and five-year survivals were 54% and 36%, respectively. Within 5 years after transurethral resection of primary tumours relapses were encountered in 46%, progression in 33% of the cases.

Transurethral resection of 1250 bladder tumours.

A total of 1250 bladder tumours were subjected to transurethral resection (891 curative, 107 palliative operations, 252 TUR biopsies). Complication rate was 9.9%, mortality rate 0.

Reduced immunogenicity and improved pharmacokinetics of humanized anti-Tac in cynomolgus monkeys.

The anti-Tac mAb has been shown to bind to the p55 chain of the IL-2R, block IL-2 binding and inhibit T cell proliferation. A humanized form of anti-Tac (HAT) has been constructed that retains the binding properties of murine anti-Tac (MAT). These two mAb were evaluated in cynomolgus monkeys to compare relative immunogenicity and pharmacokinetic properties.

[A case of retroperitoneal fibrosis associated with renal angiomyolipoma].

The authors performed intraperitoneal transposition of the right ureter in a patient who suffered from dilatation of the renal cavity-system due to retroperitoneal fibrosis. One and a half year later an angiomyolipoma was eliminated from the left kidney of the patient. Describing the associated occurrence of these 2 infrequent diseases the authors deal with the problem of etiology, diagnosis and treatment.

Localization in human interleukin 2 of the binding site to the alpha chain (p55) of the interleukin 2 receptor.

Human interleukin 2 (IL-2) analogs with defined amino acid substitutions were used to identify specific residues that interact with the 55-kDa subunit (p55) or alpha chain of the human IL-2 receptor. Analog proteins containing specific substitutions for Lys-35, Arg-38, Phe-42, or Lys-43 were inactive in competitive binding assays for p55. All of these analogs retained substantial competitive binding to the intermediate-affinity p70 subunit (beta chain) of the receptor complex.

Local BCG therapy of superficial bladder tumours.

A total of 126 patients, whose superficial bladder tumours (Ta-Tl) had been removed by TUR, were subjected to local BCG therapy. Marked by frequent though mild side effects, they presented a significantly lower rate of tumour recurrence than the control group under exclusive TUR treatment. During a follow-up period of 3 years, 74% of the patients proved recurrence-free.

The alpha subunit of the human IgE receptor (FcERI) is sufficient for high affinity IgE binding.

The alpha subunit of the FcERI binds IgE with high affinity. Previous studies have demonstrated that alpha subunit expression requires the presence of beta and/or gamma subunits, and it is not known how these two subunits contribute to the ability of the alpha subunit to bind IgE. In this report, we describe the expression and characterization of a human chimeric alpha subunit.

[Surgical management of post-traumatic strictures of the membranous portion of the urethra].

On the basis of the results of invaginational urethroplasty performed in 22 cases because of the stricture of traumatic origin of the pars membranacea urethrae the authors define the field of indication for operation. Certain elements of the operative technique which play a role in achieving good and permanent results are emphasized.

[Uterus-bladder fistula causing repeated spontaneous abortion].

The case of an uterus--bladder fistula which developed after a Cesarean section and caused repeated spontaneous abortion is presented. With the already existing fistula dry labor was followed by the prolapse of the umbilical cord and finally by spontaneous abortion in the course of 2 successive pregnancies. As surgical solution hysterectomy and closing of the bladder fistula were carried out.

Diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory intestinovesical fistulas.

The histories of 3 patients operated for inflammatory intestinovesical fistulas are reviewed. Two of them were treated for colovesical, one for ileovesical fistula. The questions concerning the development, diagnostics and surgical management are discussed in detail.