[A case of collecting duct carcinoma originating from renal cyst].

In December 2003, a 32-year-old man underwent puncture for right renal cyst at a clinic. Since puncture fluid was dark red color in spite of negative cytology, he was being followed, but after a while he did not show up for further examination. In November 2007, he revisited the clinic due to low-grade fever.

Docetaxel in combination with estramustine and prednisolone for castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and toxicity of docetaxel-based chemotherapy, and to investigate pretreatment factors that can predict overall survival (OS) in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

Methods: From June 2005 to July 2010, 70 patients with CRPC underwent docetaxel-based chemotherapy at Wakayama Medical University and related hospitals. Docetaxel was given at a dose of 70 mg/m(2) once every 3 weeks or 35 mg/m(2) twice every 3 weeks.

HSP DNAJB8 controls tumor-initiating ability in renal cancer stem-like cells.

Cancer stem-like cells (CSC) are a small population of cancer cells with superior tumor initiating, self-renewal, and differentiation properties. In this study, we show that the cancer-testis antigen and HSP40 family member DNAJB8 contributes to the CSC phenotype in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). DNAJB8 overexpression increased the percentage of side population (SP) cells representing CSCs in RCC cells, enhancing their tumor-initiating ability.

Efficiency of G2/M-related tumor-associated antigen-targeting cancer immunotherapy depends on antigen expression in the cancer stem-like population.

The aim of this study was to establish a novel efficient cancer DNA vaccine approach. Many tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) have been reported; however, there is little information of the efficiency of each TAA. Normal cells barely undergo mitosis, whereas cancer cells divide frequently and grow well.

IL-23 gene therapy for mouse bladder tumour cell lines.

Objectives: • To evaluate the antitumour effects of IL-23 gene transfer into mouse bladder carcinoma (MBT2) cells. • To investigate the mechanisms underlying the subsequent constitutive secrection of IL-23 by the MBT2 cells

Materials And Methods: • An expression vector containing IL-23 gene was introduced into MBT2 cells by liposome-mediated gene transfer, and secretion of IL-23 was confirmed by ELISA. • The in vivo antitumour effect of IL-23-secreting MBT2 cells (MBT2/IL-23) was examined by injecting the cells into syngeneic C3H mice.

[Extra-adrenal pheochromocytoma with the manifestation of catecholamines cardiomyopathy: a case report].

A 22-year old female had an episode of acute heart and respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation ducing a trip overseas. Echocardiography demonstrated akinesis of the apical area (left ventricle ejectionfraction(LVEF) =15%). Since computed tomography (CT) with coronary angiography to rule out acute coronary syndrome showed no abnormalities, she was diagnosed with morphological stress cardiomyopathy due to akinesis of the apical area.

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin cell-wall skeleton enhances the killing activity of cytotoxic lymphocyte-activated human dendritic cells transduced with the prostate-specific antigen gene.

Unlabelled: To determine whether dendritic cells (DC) transduced with the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) gene can induce PSA-specific cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTL) against prostate cancer cells, and whether bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) cell-wall skeleton (CWS) can enhance the maturation of DC-PSA and the killing activity of subsequently induced PSA-specific CTL. MATERIALS AND METHODS; We generated an adenovirus encoding the PSA gene (AxCA-PSA) using the cosmid-terminal protein complex method. DC were infected with AxCA-PSA using the centrifugal method.

PSA at postoperative three months can predict biochemical recurrence in patients with pathological T3 prostate cancer following radical prostatectomy.

Objectives: To identify the prognostic factors and determine which pT3 prostate cancer patients can be safely followed up after surgery without any adjuvant treatment.

Methods: A retrospective review was carried out on 106 patients with pT3 prostate cancer. All preoperative and postoperative parameters, including the postoperative serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level at 3 months after surgery, were assessed by univariate and multivariate analyses.

[Primary adrenal leiomyosarcoma: a case report].

A 78-year-old female complained high fever and vomiting. The ultrasonographic examination revealed a giant tumor above the left kidney. She was referred to our hospital for further examinations and treatments.

Dendritic cells with transduced survivin gene induce specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes in human urologic cancer cell lines.

Objectives: To investigate whether survivin-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) could be induced by dendritic cells (DCs) transduced with survivin gene by adenoviral vector, and whether these CTLs would display cytotoxic activities against human urologic cancer cell lines. Survivin, a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein family, is expressed in most malignancies, but not in normal tissue.

Methods: Adenoviral vector encoding the human survivin gene was generated.

[A case of neonatal testicular torsion].

An infant normally delivered at the 38th week of gestation was referred to our department one day after birth for a firm and painless right hemiscrotal mass with bluish coloration. Since contralateral scrotum showed swelling, we performed emergency surgery on that day. The right spermatic cord was constricted due to extravaginal torsion, and degree and direction of torsion was unclear since the spermatic cord was already organized.

[Carcinoma in situ of the bladder involving the prostate with an unusual invasive pattern following BCG therapy: a case report].

We report a case of carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the bladder involving the prostate with an unusual invasive pattern following Bacillus Calmette Guerin (BCG) therapy. A 41-year-old man achieved complete response after a course of intravesical instillation of BCG for diffuse CIS of the bladder. Two years later, urine cytology became positive.