Biophysical phenotype mixtures reveal advantages for tumor muscle invasion in vivo.

Bladder, colon, gastric, prostate, and uterine cancers originate in organs surrounded by laminin-coated smooth muscle. In human prostate cancer, tumors that are organ confined, without extracapsular extension through muscle, have an overall cancer survival rate of up to 97% compared with 32% for metastatic disease. Our previous work modeling extracapsular extension reported the blocking of tumor invasion by mutation of a laminin-binding integrin called α6β1.

Preliminary evaluation of urinary soluble Met as a biomarker for urothelial carcinoma of the bladder.

Background: Among genitourinary malignancies, bladder cancer (BCa) ranks second in both prevalence and cause of death. Biomarkers of BCa for diagnosis, prognosis and disease surveillance could potentially help prevent progression, improve survival rates and reduce health care costs. Among several oncogenic signaling pathways implicated in BCa progression is that of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its cell surface receptor, Met, now targeted by 25 experimental anti-cancer agents in human clinical trials.

Penile Fournier's gangrene.

Fournier's gangrene is a fulminant, necrotizing soft-tissue infection of the genital, perineal, and perianal regions. Fournier's isolated to the penis is a rare occurrence due the highly vascular nature of the penis. Reported occurrences of penile Fournier's gangrene have occurred in the setting of a clear vascular or traumatic insult.

Decreasing the indications for radical nephrectomy: a study of multifocal renal cell carcinoma.

Multifocal renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has been reported in 5-25% of cases worldwide. Although management of patients with multifocal RCC has not been clearly defined, presence of multifocal renal masses in one kidney and a normal contralateral kidney has often been considered a reason for performing radical nephrectomy. This study reviews the world literature to provide an accurate estimate of the prevalence of multifocal RCC and evaluates the oncologic outcomes of multifocal RCC after exclusion of patients with known hereditary and familial renal syndromes.

Prognostic nomogram for renal insufficiency after radical or partial nephrectomy.

Purpose: We analyzed prognostic factors to predict renal insufficiency after partial or radical nephrectomy. We developed and performed internal validations of a postoperative nomogram for this purpose. We used a prospectively updated renal tumor database of more than 1,500 patients.

A postoperative prognostic nomogram predicting recurrence for patients with conventional clear cell renal cell carcinoma.

Purpose: Few published studies have simultaneously analyzed multiple prognostic factors to predict recurrence after surgery for conventional clear cell renal cortical carcinomas. We developed and performed external validation of a postoperative nomogram for this purpose. We used a prospectively updated database of more than 1,400 patients treated at a single institution.