The influence of previous robotic experience in the initial learning curve of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.

Introduction: This study analyzed the impact of the experience with Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy (RALP) on the initial experience with Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy (LRP) by examining perioperative results and early outcomes of 110 patients. LRPs were performed by two ro-botic fellowship trained surgeons with daily practice in RALP.

Patients And Methods: 110 LRP were performed to treat aleatory selected patients.

Predicting outcomes in partial nephrectomy: is the renal score useful?

Introduction And Objective: The R.E.N.

First Brazilian Consensus of Advanced Prostate Cancer: Recommendations for Clinical Practice.

Introduction: Prostate cancer still represents a major cause of morbidity, and still about 20% of men with the disease are diagnosed or will progress to the advanced stage without the possibility of curative treatment. Despite the recent advances in scientific and technological knowledge and the availability of new therapies, there is still considerable heterogeneity in the therapeutic approaches for metastatic prostate cancer.

Objectives: This article presents a summary of the I Brazilian Consensus on Advanced Prostate Cancer, conducted by the Brazilian Society of Urology and Brazilian Society of Clinical Oncology.

Male urethral sarcoma: a case report and literature review.

Urethral tumors are rare and aggressive. They usually affect men (2:1) and occur more commonly in white (85% of cases). Soft tissue sarcomas are a heterogeneous group of tumors that arise from embryonic mesoderm.

Initial experience with endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration of renal masses: indications, applications and limitations.

Context: Tissue sampling of renal masses is traditionally performed via the percutaneous approach or laparoscopicaly. The utility of endoscopic ultrasound to biopsy renal lesions it remains unclear and few cases have been reported.

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility and outcome of endoscopic ultrasound fine needle aspiration of renal tumors.

External validation of a Brazilian predictive nomogram for pathologic outcomes following radical prostatectomy in tertiary teaching institutions: the USP nomograms.

Purposes: (a) To externally validate the Crippa and colleagues' nomograms combining PSA, percentage of positive biopsy cores (PPBC) and biopsy Gleason score to predict organ-confined disease (OCD) in a contemporary sample of patients treated at a tertiary teaching institution. (b) To adjust such variables, resulting in predictive nomograms for OCD and seminal vesicle invasion (SVI): the USP nomograms.

Materials And Methods: The accuracy of Crippa and colleagues' nomograms for OCD prediction was examined in 1002 men submitted to radical prostatectomy between 2005 and 2010 at the University of São Paulo (USP).

Biochemical recurrence rates are similar for pT2-positive surgical margins and pT3a.

Objective: Histological details of positive surgical margins in radical prostatectomy specimens have been related to outcome after surgery in rare studies recently published. Our objective is to assess whether the status of surgical margins, the extent and the Gleason score of positive margins, and the extent of the extraprostatic extension are predictive of biochemical recurrence post-radical prostatectomy.

Materials And Methods: Three hundred sixty-five radical prostatectomy specimens were analyzed.

Recurrence of acute myeloid leukemia in cryptorchid testis: case report.

A 23-year-old male with a history of bone marrow transplant for acute myeloid leukemia. He presented a large mass in the right inguinal region 5 years ago. Upon physical examination, right-sided cryptorchidism was observed.

Chromosome 9p deletions are an independent predictor of tumor progression following nephrectomy in patients with localized clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Objectives: Chromosome 9p deletions have been observed in 14% to 36% of patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and are associated with advanced-stage tumors. We evaluated whether chromosome 9p deletions are an independent predictor of worse outcomes in patients with localized ccRCC.

Materials And Methods: In this retrospective study, tumor samples from 94 patients with ccRCC NX-0 M0 who underwent radical nephrectomy or conservative renal surgery were analyzed using a fluorescence in situ hybridization technique.

Can single positive core prostate cancer at biopsy be considered a low-risk disease after radical prostatectomy?

Purpose: Single positive core in a prostate biopsy is usually associated with indolent prostate cancer (PCa) and is one of the active surveillance (AS) inclusion criteria. We investigated whether single positive core PCa at biopsy could define an archetype of low-risk disease.

Materials And Methods: A total of 1320 consecutive patients were enrolled.

PGC and PSMA in prostate cancer diagnosis: tissue analysis from biopsy samples.

Purpose: The discovery of new diagnostic tools for the diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa) has become an important field of research. In this study, we analyzed the diagnostic value of the expression of the pepsinogen C (PGC) and prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) genes in tissue samples obtained from prostate biopsies.

Materials And Methods: This study was comprised of 51 consecutive patients who underwent transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsies between January 2010 and March 2010.

Carbonic Anhydrase IX is not a predictor of outcomes in non-metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma - a digital analysis of tissue microarray.

Introduction: The knowledge about the molecular biology of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is evolving, and Carbonic Anhydrase type IX (CA-IX) has emerged as a potential prognostic marker in this challenging disease. However, most of the literature about CA-IX on ccRCC comes from series on metastatic cancer, with a lack of series on non-metastatic cancer. The objective is to evaluate the expression of CA-IX in a cohort of non-metastatic ccRCC, correlating with 1) overall survival, and 2) with established prognostic parameters (T stage, tumor size, Fuhrman nuclear grade, microvascular invasion and peri-renal fat invasion).

Correlation between beta1 integrin expression and prognosis in clinically localized prostate cancer.

Unlabelled: Integrins are transmembrane glycoprotein receptors that regulate cell-matrix interactions, thus functioning as sensors from the environment. They also act as cell adhesion molecules that are responsible for the maintenance of the normal epithelial phenotype. Some studies have reported a correlation between carcinogenesis and changes in integrin expression, especially β1 integrin, however its role in prostate cancer (PC) is unclear.

Expression profile of microrna-145 in urothelial bladder cancer.

Purpose: Bladder cancer (BC) is the second most common malignancy of the urinary tract, with high mortality. The knowledge of the molecular pathways associated with BC carcinogenesis is crucial to identify new diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short non-coding RNA molecules that play important roles in the regulation of gene expression by acting directly on mRNAs.

The accuracy of pathological data for the prediction of insignificant prostate cancer.

Introduction: The widespread screening programs prompted a decrease in prostate cancer stage at diagnosis, and active surveillance is an option for patients who may harbor clinically insignificant prostate cancer (IPC). Pathologists include the possibility of an IPC in their reports based on the Gleason score and tumor volume. This study determined the accuracy of pathological data in the identification of IPC in radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens.

Can we predict which patients will evolve to chronic kidney disease after nephrectomy for cortical renal tumors?

Introduction: While some studies show that patients submitted to radical nephrectomy have a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD), some studies report that carefully selected living kidney donors do not present a higher risk for CKD. Here, we aim to study predictive factors of CKD after radical nephrectomy.

Materials And Methods: Between January 2006 to January 2010, 107 patients submitted to radical nephrectomy for cortical renal tumors at our institution were enrolled in this study.

Predicting necrosis in residual mass analysis after retroperitoneal lymph node dissection: a retrospective study.

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated that pathological analysis of retroperitoneal residual masses of patients with testicular germ cell tumors revealed findings of necrotic debris or fibrosis in up to 50% of patients. We aimed at pursuing a clinical and pathological review of patients undergoing post chemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC-RPLND) in order to identify variables that may help predict necrosis in the retroperitoneum.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent PC-RPLND at the University Hospital of the University of São Paulo and Cancer Institute of Sao Paulo between January 2005 and September 2011.

Stage, grade and behavior of bladder urothelial carcinoma defined by the microRNA expression profile.

Purpose: We identified miRNA expression profiles in urothelial carcinoma that are associated with grade, stage, and recurrence-free and disease specific survival.

Materials And Methods: The expression of 14 miRNAs was evaluated by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in surgical specimens from 30 patients with low grade, noninvasive (pTa) and 30 with high grade, invasive (pT2-3) urothelial carcinoma. Controls were normal bladder tissue from 5 patients who underwent surgical treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Immune expression of E-cadherin and α, β and γ-Catenin adhesion molecules and prognosis for upper urinary tract urothelial carcinomas.

Introduction: Cell adhesion molecules (CAM) are required for maintaining a normal epithelial phenotype, and abnormalities in CAM expression have been related to cancer progression, including bladder urothelial carcinomas. There is only one study that correlates E-cadherin and Α-, Β- and y-catenin expression with prognosis of upper tract urothelial carcinomas. Our aim is to study the pattern of immune expression of these CAMs in urothelial carcinomas from the renal pelvis and ureter in patients who have been treated surgically.

Anatrophic nephrotomy as nephron-sparing approach for complete removal of intraparenchymal renal tumors.

Objective: Partial nephrectomy for small kidney tumors has increased in the last decades, and the approach to non-palpable endophytic tumors became a challenge, with larger chances of positive margins or complications. The aim of this study is to describe an alternative nephron-sparing approach for small endophytic kidney tumors through anatrophic nephrotomy.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients undergoing partial nephrectomy at our institution was performed and the subjects with endophytic tumors treated with anatrophic nephrotomy were identified.

miR-21 may acts as an oncomir by targeting RECK, a matrix metalloproteinase regulator, in prostate cancer.

Background: Prognosis of prostate cancer (PCa) is based mainly in histological aspects together with PSA serum levels that not always reflect the real aggressive potential of the neoplasia. The micro RNA (miRNA) mir-21 has been shown to regulate invasiveness in cancer through translational repression of the Metaloproteinase (MMP) inhibitor RECK. Our aim is to investigate the levels of expression of RECK and miR-21 in PCa comparing with classical prognostic factors and disease outcome and also test if RECK is a target of miR-21 in in vitro study using PCa cell line.

Underexpression of MMP-2 and its regulators, TIMP2, MT1-MMP and IL-8, is associated with prostate cancer.

Objective: Extracellular matrix homeostasis is strictly maintained by a coordinated balance between the expression of metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their regulators. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether MMP-2 and its specifi c regulators, TIMP-2, MT1-MMP and IL-8, are expressed in a reproducible, specific pattern and if the profiles are related to prognosis and clinical outcome of prostate cancer (PCa).

Materials And Methods: MMP-2, TIMP-2, MT1-MMP and IL-8 expression levels were analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in freshly frozen malignant and benign tissue specimens collected from 79 patients with clinically localized PCa who underwent radical prostatectomies.

Robotic-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy: initial experience in Brazil and a review of the literature.

Context And Purpose: Partial nephrectomy has become the standard of care for renal tumors less than 4 cm in diameter. Controversy still exists, however, regarding the best surgical approach, especially when minimally invasive techniques are taken into account. Robotic-assisted laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (RALPN) has emerged as a promising technique that helps surgeons achieve the standards of open partial nephrectomy care while offering a minimally invasive approach.

Curcumin, but not Prima-1, decreased tumor cell proliferation in the syngeneic murine orthotopic bladder tumor model.

Objective: Cigarette smoking is the main risk factor for bladder cancer development. Among the mediators of this effect of smoking is nuclear factor-kappa B. Curcumin suppresses cellular transformation by downregulating the activity of nuclear factor-kappa B.